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A working town on Duck River
Everything Far North West flows through Smithton, including your trip.
Smithton Tasmania sits beside Duck River, in the middle of farm country. Oysters come out of Duck Bay and are sold at the farm gate.
The cafés are better than you’d expect. Stanley, Marrawah, Arthur River and the rainforest stops along the Tarkine Drive can all fit into a longer stay.
Smithton is surrounded by the farms and coastal waters behind some of the Far North West’s best-known produce. Taste oysters harvested from Duck Bay, watch a robotic dairy at work and try honey produced near the edge of the rainforest. Stop at Smithton’s cafés, bakeries and takeaway outlets, or collect local produce for a picnic or dinner at your accommodation. Supermarkets, fuel and other services make Smithton a useful place to gather supplies before continuing towards Arthur River, Woolnorth or the Tarkine.
Find places to eat
OYSTERS
Tarkine Fresh Oysters are grown in the waters of Duck Bay, close to Smithton. Buy…Tarkine Fresh Oysters are grown in the waters of Duck Bay, close to Smithton. Buy fresh oysters directly from the farm gate and check opening times before visiting.
Tarkine Fresh Oysters →
TOURS & TASTINGS
Tour Duck River Meadows to see its robotic milking system and learn how local milk…Tour Duck River Meadows to see its robotic milking system and learn how local milk becomes La Cántara artisan cheese. Tours and tastings should be booked ahead.
Duck River Meadows Robotic Dairy & Cheese Tour →
HONEY
Visit the Blue Hills Honey Experience at Mawbanna to sample Tasmanian honey, browse the shop…Visit the Blue Hills Honey Experience at Mawbanna to sample Tasmanian honey, browse the shop and learn more about bees and honey production.
Blue Hills Honey →
Over west, getting around is up to you. Smithton is close to the northern entry points of the Tarkine Drive, which runs into the wider takayna / Tarkine, home to Australia’s largest expanse of cool temperate rainforest, with rivers, sinkholes and short walks along the way.
Stops include Trowutta Arch, Milkshake Hills, Lake Chisholm, Julius River and Kanunnah Bridge. Many can be reached without a long hike, so you can choose a few stops or spend a full day on the road.
Booked guided tours from Smithton reach designated parts of Woolnorth and the coastline around kennaook / Cape Grim. The tour covers working farmland, wind turbines and views across Tasmania’s far North West tip.
Woolnorth is private property and can’t be visited independently, so check tour dates and book before you plan the rest of your trip.
The Cape Grim Baseline Air Pollution Station is at kennaook / Cape Grim. Scientists there measure air arriving across the Southern Ocean, including some of the cleanest air recorded in the world.
Walk beside Duck River, visit the Circular Head Heritage Centre and stop at a local café or bakery.
Duck River Pavilions brings together visitor information and local history. Pick up maps, learn about the surrounding district and find ideas for your next few days in the Far North West.
Stay in town or at a rural property in the surrounding district. Cafés, shops and services are close by, with local produce and touring routes through the Far North West within reach. If you’re extending your trip, there are also places to stay around Stanley, Marrawah and Arthur River.
Tall Timbers Tasmania offers beautiful studio rooms and self-contained apartments at Smithton, the perfect base to visit the abundant attractions of Tasmania’s North West, including the magical Tarkine…
Luxurious, private, self-contained apartment. Located deep in the Tarkine. Just 2 km from Smithton, the region’s major centre and only 15 mins drive from beautiful Stanley. Quality fixtures…
Getting to Smithton
Follow the Bass Highway west through the North West to Smithton. If you’re visiting Stanley along the way, return to the highway and continue west for a short 12 minute drive.
From Arthur River, travel north to Marrawah, then follow the Bass Highway east to Smithton.
Smithton Tourist Park sits beside Duck River on Montagu Road, with powered sites, camping and cabins. Book ahead during busy periods and confirm site suitability if you have a larger vehicle.
Tall Timbers Tasmania also offers free seasonal RV parking for fully self-contained vehicles, from October to May. Stays are limited to 72 hours within a 14-day period. Tents and vehicles that aren’t fully self-contained can’t stay.
There’s a public dump point at East Esplanade.
For onward travel, the main Tarkine Drive and the route to Arthur River through Marrawah are sealed. The Western Explorer towards Corinna includes unsealed sections, so check current road advice before choosing that route.
The area
Plot your way around Smithton and Circular Head - pin by pin. Filter the map by where to stay, what to see and where to eat.
Yes. Smithton is a good place to taste produce from the Far North West, including oysters from Duck Bay, locally made cheese, Tasmanian honey and a robotic dairy tour. It is also close to the Tarkine Drive and touring routes towards Woolnorth, Marrawah and Arthur River.
Smithton is known for the farming, dairy, fishing and aquaculture industries of the surrounding district. Visitors can taste local oysters and cheese, tour a robotic dairy and use the town as a base for the Far North West.
Allow a few hours to visit local food businesses, stop for something to eat and collect information before continuing. Allow a full day or longer if you are adding the Tarkine Drive or a booked Woolnorth tour.
Duck River Pavilions in Smithton has visitor information and local history. Pick up maps and ideas for your next few days in the Far North West.
Close to it. Smithton is near the northern entry points of the Tarkine Drive, so it works as a base. Allow a full day if you plan to visit several of its rainforest walks, river stops and geological formations.
Only on a tour. Woolnorth is private property, so visitors must book an organised tour to reach designated parts of the property.
Yes. Guided tours provide a closer look at the Duck River Meadows robotic milking system and its connection with La Cántara cheese. Tour schedules can change, so booking ahead is recommended.
Local experiences include Tarkine Fresh Oysters, La Cántara cheese and Blue Hills Honey at Mawbanna. Check opening hours and tour availability before visiting.
Yes. Smithton has accommodation in town, with further options in the surrounding countryside and nearby destinations including Stanley, Marrawah and Arthur River.
Yes. Smithton is reached by sealed road and has caravan and RV accommodation options, a public dump point, fuel and supermarkets. See the caravan and motorhome section above for details.
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