Mist drifts through the forested mountains of Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park, Tasmania.
Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park is a vast wilderness system in western Tasmania defined by wild river catchments, temperate rainforest, rugged mountain ranges, and deeply incised valleys. Forming a major part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, the park protects much of the country surrounding the Franklin and Gordon river systems. The terrain transitions between densely forested valleys, button-grass plains, steep quartzite and conglomerate mountains, and remote river corridors. Frenchmans Cap rises prominently above the western wilderness, while the Lyell Highway provides limited access to rainforest, waterfalls, and elevated viewpoints around Nelson Falls and Donaghys Hill. Persistent western rainfall produces dense vegetation, waterfalls, mist, and rapidly changing cloud, giving the landscape a strongly atmospheric character throughout the year.
Gallery
Key POIs in Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park
Nearby Places
View all on mapLake St Clair
water feature — 30.7 km
Tasmania
Southwest Wilderness
area district — 39.1 km
Tasmania
Cradle Mountain & Central Highlands
area district — 46.1 km
Tasmania
Walls of Jerusalem National Park
landmark — 46.4 km
Tasmania
Cradle Mountain
landmark — 57.9 km
Tasmania
Gordon River
water feature — 58.2 km
Tasmania
Gordon Dam & Lake Gordon
water feature — 59.8 km
Tasmania
Dove Lake
landmark — 60.7 km
Tasmania
Overview
Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park is structured around the catchments of the Franklin and Gordon rivers, which drain an exceptionally rugged section of western Tasmania. Mountain ranges and deeply eroded valleys divide extensive tracts of rainforest, moorland, and river wilderness, with comparatively little road access penetrating the interior. Different parts of the park reveal distinct expressions of this landscape. Frenchmans Cap dominates one of Tasmania's great mountain wildernesses, while Donaghys Hill overlooks layers of forested ridges and river valleys. Around Nelson Falls, high rainfall supports dense cool-temperate rainforest crossed by streams and waterfalls. The visual structure of the park is defined by overlapping mountain ridges, dark forest, open button-grass country, and water, with mist and low cloud frequently obscuring and revealing successive landscape layers. Rain, filtered forest light, and rapidly changing western weather are fundamental to its photographic character.
Key photography subjects
- Ancient temperate rainforest and moss-covered forest
- Franklin and Gordon river wilderness
- Frenchmans Cap and rugged western mountains
- Waterfalls, streams, and forest cascades
- Button-grass moorland and open wilderness valleys
- Layered mountain ridges and elevated viewpoints
- Mist, rain, low cloud, and atmospheric forest light
Workshops in Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park
No upcoming workshops scheduled for Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park at this time.
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