Tucked away on Tasmania’s beautiful northwest coast, Smithton is a friendly, welcoming town where country charm meets coastal adventure. Known as the gateway to the Tarkine and the rugged coastlines of Circular Head, Smithton is the perfect base for travellers wanting to explore wild landscapes while still enjoying the comforts of a well-serviced town.
You’ll find everything you need here – from quality supermarkets, hardware stores and specialty shops to a range of local services and amenities that make travel easy and stress-free. Smithton’s caravan-friendly layout, ample parking and convenient access to supplies make it a favourite stop for road trippers and touring caravanners.
The local produce is second to none – with Tarkine fresh oysters, Robbins Island Waggu and Cape Grim Beef, artisan cheeses and other regional specialties found in town. You’ll also discover great local cafés and bakeries, where friendly faces serve up hearty meals, perfect coffee and a good chat.
At its heart, Smithton is a community-minded town – welcoming visitors with genuine warmth and local pride. Whether you’re stocking up for your next adventure, exploring nearby attractions like Stanley and the Tarkine, or simply soaking up small-town hospitality, Smithton is a place where you’ll feel right at home.
Just 20 minutes away is the iconic township of Stanley — a welcoming rural destination known for its lush farmland, proud agricultural heritage, and the Nut, a striking flat-topped volcanic plug rising 143 metres above the coastline.
Often described as the heart of Circular Head, Smithton is a central meeting point for local farmers and producers. The town offers quaint cafés, fresh produce markets, and is home to 2024 MasterChef runner-up Josh ‘Pezza’ Perry’s butchery, renowned for some of the freshest, highest-quality meats in Tasmania. If you’re looking for the perfect steak, this is a must-stop.
For tourist information, please contact the local Visitor Information Centre at 12 Nelson Street, Smithton, on (03) 6413 5333 or email info@stanleyandtarkine.com.au
Smithton’s commitment to quality produce goes well beyond its famous meats. Visit the Duck River Pavilions, home to our friendly Visitor Information Services, where you’ll find a range of brochures, maps, tour bookings, souvenirs, up-to-date local information — and a selection of locally made products available to purchase.
At the Pavilions, you can also sample and purchase locally made cheeses and milk from La Cantara Artisan Cheeses. Take a guided Robotic Dairy Tour to see where the cows are milked and where La Cantara Cheese is produced. Continue your day by immersing yourself in local history at the Circular Head Heritage Museum, then enjoy a delicious selection of house-made goods and great coffee at the Pavilions Café on-site.
Smithton’s vibrant creative spirit is reflected in its growing collection of public art and its strong commitment to supporting local artists. Colourful murals and creative installations throughout the town celebrate community identity, local stories and regional pride, adding character and warmth to public spaces.
This commitment to creativity is most evident in the annual CHArts Festival — a month-long celebration of art, culture and heritage presented by Circular Head Council. The festival transforms Smithton and the wider Circular Head region into a living gallery, showcasing local artists across exhibitions, shopfront displays, public spaces and community venues. By championing emerging and established creatives alike, CHArts highlights the depth of talent within the region and fosters meaningful connections between artists, residents and visitors.
Together, Smithton’s public art and community arts initiatives reflect a town that proudly supports creativity and celebrates its local artistic voice.
Marrawah is Tasmania’s westernmost settlement — a tiny outpost servicing the surrounding dairy farming community, where contented cows graze on lush green pastures that tumble down rolling hills towards the wild Southern Ocean. Hailed by hardy Tasmanians for its outstanding surf, Marrawah is home to three main beaches — Ann Bay, Mawson Bay and Green Point — where wetsuit-clad surfers chase powerful swells year-round. While early autumn brings the warmest waters, winter delivers the biggest waves, with Southern Ocean swells that have firmly placed Marrawah on the international surfing stage. Each March, the annual Rip Curl West Coast Classic showcases the region’s ‘Hawaiianesque’ conditions and formidable surf breaks.
The region’s connection to the sea goes beyond surfing — Marrawah’s rugged shoreline is also home to Marrawah Kelp, a proud Tasmanian family business sustainably harvesting bull kelp (Durvillaea potatorum) from the pristine northwest coast. Indigenous communities traditionally used kelp for practical tools and coastal resources, and today it’s transformed into natural products that enrich soil and support sustainable agriculture. Growing in powerful Southern Ocean swells, this remarkable seaweed plays an important role in supporting marine ecosystems along the coast.
