Tasmania's Northwest

Tasmania lies between 40° and 44° South in the middle of the notorious Roaring Forties. They call the west coast ‘The Edge of the World’, as opening out before it is the longest fetch of open water on the planet. Cape Grim in Tassie’s north-west has more shipwrecks littering the seabed than anywhere else in Australia. At the end of the Bass Highway, about 500km from the capital Hobart, Tasmania’s most westerly parish of just 250 souls at Marrawah is the centre of the island’s wavesailing scene. John Pott: “If you’re looking for unbelievable conditions and want to spend most of your time in waves, then come here. It takes a while to get used to, but after a year you’ll know if it’s for you. If not, you can return to your city life, watch sitcoms and work in an office all day.”