Winter berries on the hedges near Poatina

Poatina
One time hydro-electricity camp now turned into a tourist centre for people interested in fishing and exploring the Great Western Tiers.
Located 166 km from Hobart and 55 km from Launceston on a plateau in the heart of the Great Western Tiers, Poatina is an ideal starting point for people wishing to fish, walk around or explore both Great Lake and Arthurs Lake.

The town itself was built in the mid-1960s to house the workers involved in the area's hydro-electricity projects. The primary reason for its development was the establishment of a new Waddamana Power Station. The original one, which had been built in 1916, was in need of overhaul. The power station was Tasmania's first underground hydro-electricity generator with water travelling for 7 km under the Western Tiers.

The town's name reputedly means 'cavern' in the language of Tasmanian Aborigines.

Today Poatina is primarily a location for holidaymakers wishing to avail themselves of the attractions of the local area.

Things to see:  

Cattle graze beneath the Great Western Tiers

Walking Around Poatina
This is an ideal area for walking and it is quite easy to come across the wildlife of the area as the Great Western Tiers abound with Bennetts wallabies, possums, quolls, bandicoots, echidnas and wombats. The local creek has a family of playpus but you'll be lucky to see them. The town also has a pottery and craft gallery.

Arthurs Lake
Reputedly Tasmania's most popular and productive trout fishing lake, Arthurs Lake covers an area of 64.4 square kilometres and has good boat ramps and camping facilities. Fishermen claim that this is where the keen angler is most likely to catch a wild brown trout with spinning, trolling, natural bait and fly fishing all being effective fishing techniques. The shores of this hydro-electric lake offer ideal fishing spots but the most favoured are Cowpaddock Bay, Hydro Bay, Pumphouse Bay (where there are good camping facilities) and Morass Bay.

Great Lake
Covering an area of 158 square kilometres Great Lake is the largest of the hydro-electricity lakes in the Central Highlands. It lies 1034 m above sea level and is famed for its brown and rainbow trout. Spinning, trolling, natural bait and fly fishing are all effective fishing techniques and set rod fishing is also popular. Tods Corner, Little Lake and Canal Bay are favoured locations and there is good fishing near the hotels at Swan Bay and Haddons Bay.

	Motels
	Poatina Resort Village Gordon St Poatina TAS 7302 Telephone: (03) 6397 8290 Facsimile: (03) 6397 8264 Rating: ***
	Restaurants
	Poatina Chalet Gordon St Poatina TAS 7302 Telephone: (03) 6397 8290