Imagine a scene of jagged mountain ranges rising out of ancient forests and buttongrass moorlands, rimmed by the sweeping beaches and rocky headlands of Australia's most southerly coastline.

These are just some of the features which make up the Southwest National Park - an area which has always aroused deep feelings among those who have experienced its beauty.

To the Tasmanian Aboriginal people it is the land of Moihernee, the powerful spirit being who created them. To early European settlers it was terra incognita - an unknown and mysterious land at the world's end. Now as part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, its beauty is with us for all time, to inspire and invigorate.

Whether you have a few hours or a month, you will be richly rewarded for the time and effort spent exploring this superb wilderness park.

Roads enter the park at two main locations :

• via Maydena. At the Maydena gate cars are charged a toll for the upkeep of the road. This road continues on to Strathgordon and the Gordon Dam. A turnoff 29 kilometres past Maydena leads to Scotts Peak and Scotts Peak Dam.

• via Cockle Creek, 130 kilometres south of Hobart, past Geeveston and Lune River.

Buses run from Hobart to both Scotts Peak Dam and Cockle Creek during peak times of the year, or by special arrangement at other times of the year. Flights to the southwest operate from Hobart, Launceston and Strahan. A number of walking tracks also lead to the park from the east and it is best to seek a ranger's advice about track conditions and walking times. Visitors to the southwest National Park can take part in a range of activities from picnics and brief strolls, to extended wilderness walks - all in an area of outstanding natural beauty.

Scotts Peak - Lake Pedder Area

As well as providing access to the Southwest National Park, the Strathgordon and Scotts Peak Road pass through sections of the Southwest Conservation Area, State Forest, Forest Reserves and land administered by the Hydro Electric Commission. The following walks and facilities are located within these reserves :

• The Creepy Crawly Walk is a 20 minute 'investigation' of an ancient rainforest where the story of a nature murder mystery unfolds along the track. Ideal for families and the amateur detectives.

• The Mt Wedge Nature Trail takes you through a magnificent stand of towering eucalypts. The trail entrance is 15 minutes beyond Frodshams Pass on the Strathgordon Road.

• The Mt Wedge Day Walk is an excellent 4-5 hour return trip (fine weather only) for those with some bushwalking experience. A 360 degree panorama of the wild mountains and plains to the southwest is the reward for those who complete the walk. Access to the walk is about 800 metres west of the Mt Wedge Nature Trail along a Hydro Electricity Commission service road. The start of the route is near the first power pylon.

Camping and Picnicking

The camping and picnic areas located along Strathgordon Road and the Scotts Peak Road are shown on the map. Neighbouring Mount Field National Park also has picnicking and camping facilities.

Visitors can try their hand at trout fishing in Lake Gordon and Lake Pedder between August and April (check dates with ranger).

An angling license must be obtained from the Inland Fisheries Commission. For details of fishing regulations check the leaflet "Fishing Codes - for Anglers in Tasmania" available at the ranger's office at Mount Field, and at the Maydena gate.

Boats and fishing gear can be hired at Strathgordon. Boating conditions here are subject to sudden changes. For safety reasons Boating Registration Booths are located at most launching sites. Please register when you launch your boat and deregister when you return.

For a good yarn.... take a drive with the people who have lived, worked and studied along the Strathgordon and Scotts Peak roads. A cassette tape full of stories, interviews and facts about the area is available for sale or hire from the Maydena gate or Mount Field ranger's office.

For the artist..... the magnificent and moody scenery of this area is ideal for the sightseer, artist and photographer. From the lookout at the end of Scotts Peak Road you can be surrounded by rows of jagged mountains, rising out of buttongrass moorlands, with only the road linking you to civilisation.

For the naturalist...... the area offers diversity on a grand scale. Animals and plant life abound while the roads wind through cuttings that reveal a range of rock types and geological formations.

Cockle Creek - South Coast Area

Nature Walks :

• On the neighbouring Hastings Caves State Reserve, two short walks, a spring fed thermal pool ideal for swimming and guided cave tours are available for visitors (entrance fees are payable at both the Thermal Pool and the Newdegate Cave).

• The 4 hour return trip to South Cape Bay at the beginning of the South Coast Track passes through forest, moorland and wildflower heath before reaching one of the south coast's most beautiful beaches. The walk is ideal for the day visitor wishing to see nature at its most awesome - where wilderness meets the great southern ocean. Recherche Bay also offers coastal walks including one to the remains of the old settlement at Fishers Point. Avoid the maze of tracks running through this area by walking along the shoreline (1 - 1.5 hours return).

Bushwalking :

The South Coast Track can be walked from Cockle Creek although most walkers finish their journey here after starting at Melaleuca.

Camping and Picnicking

Recherche Bay State Recreation Area has a number of campsites, including Gillhams Beach, Finns Beach and Catamaran River. Boat launching sites can be found around the Bay. Cockle Creek has a large camping area which is popular in summer. Water is available from Fords Green.

For the birdwatcher.... Melaleuca in the remote southwest has a bird hide where the endangered orange-bellied parrot can be seen in spring and summer. Access is by light plane or extended bushwalk.

There are a number of towns near the access points to the park where catered accommodation, petrol or shops are available. A hotel and caravan park are located at Strathgordon. Food and petrol are also available here.

The weather in the southwest is often unpredictable and change can be rapid. Check at the nearest ranger's office for the latest forecasts. Even for a day visit, bring warm clothing, complete with woollen hat, gloves, socks and walking shoes. A waterproof jacket with a hood is essential. For longer walks waterproof trousers, walking boots, gaiters, spare clothing, energy food, a fuel stove, tent, sleeping bag and maps are essential.

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