Southport
Southport is Australia's southernmost town, found in the Huon and Far South region of southern Tasmania. The small town of 149 (2021) was a whaling station in the 19th century, but today, it isn't known for anything, apart from its trivial status.
Southport marks the southern terminus of the Huon Highway, and is a popular quick stopover for travellers heading towards the End of the Road in Cockle Creek.
Understand
Get in
The only sealed highway or road to Southport from the north is the Huon Highway (A6), a highway connecting Southport to Kingston via Huonville. The town is about 96 km (60 mi) southwest of Hobart, including the distance on the Southern Outlet, 85 km (53 mi) from Kingston, and 58 km (36 mi) from Huonville. The road is mostly a good quality 2-lane road with a shoulder up until Dover, from where it loses its shoulder, despite being an A-route.
From Cockle Creek or Recherche in Southwest National Park, use C636 and C635 up north and then turn right at A6 just to the north of Southport.
Get around
See and do
- 1 Roaring Beach, Roaring Beach Road. A pristine bayside beach about a kilometer east of town, and a favorable bird-nesting location. Dogs not permitted on beach.
- 2 Southport Jetty, cnr Kingfish Beach Rd, Lady Bay Rd, and Huon Hwy (A6). The town's fishing pier is perhaps Southport's only true tourist attraction.
- 3 Southport Lagoon Conservation Area.
Buy
Eat
- 1 Rocket @ the End of the Road, 8856 Huon Hwy, ☏ +61 467 702 627, rocketattheendoftheroad@gmail.com. The town's cafe may be around a 40-minute drive from the actual End of the Road (Recherche Bay, Southwest NP), this family-owned cafe is still the only cafe around for a fair distance.
Drink
Sleep
- 1 Summertime Cottage, 120 Kingfish Beach Rd, ☏ +61 410 583 213. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: 10AM.
Connect
Go next
| END ← | S A6 N | → Dover → Hobart |
| Hastings Caves State Reserve ← | W C635 E | → END |
| Recherche/Cockle Bay ← | SW C636 N | → END |