Gordon Dam, sometimes called Gordon River Dam, sits beyond Strathgordon at the end of one of Tasmania's most remote sealed roads. The engineering is the headline, but the journey matters just as much: the Gordon River Road moves from the Derwent Valley into rainforest, button grass, Lake Pedder and the mountains of the south-west before finishing above the Gordon Gorge.
The dam itself is not a distant viewpoint. Visitors can descend the steel stairs from the car park and walk onto the crest, with Lake Gordon on one side and the gorge dropping away on the other.
How to get there
From Hobart, follow the Derwent Valley through New Norfolk, Westerway and Maydena, then continue west on Gordon River Road towards Strathgordon. Strathgordon is about 157 km from Hobart and the dam is another 12 km beyond the township.
The road is sealed all the way, but remote, steep and winding in places. Snow and ice can affect the road in cold weather, and mobile coverage should not be assumed.
Fill the vehicle in Maydena. Parks & Wildlife advises that fuel is not available beyond Maydena. Hydro Tasmania currently has limited visitor fuel at Pedder Wilderness Lodge during the power-station works, but that should be treated as a backup rather than the plan.
The route is an out-and-back road. There is no western loop from Gordon Dam, so every kilometre driven beyond Maydena is driven again on the return.
What to see and do
The Gordon River Road
Once the road passes Maydena, the drive becomes part of the experience. The route cuts through the northern edge of Southwest National Park, with lookouts and short stops through rainforest and open high country before reaching Lake Pedder.
The Creepy Crawly Nature Trail is a useful short rainforest stop if you want to break up the drive. Further west, the road opens around Lake Pedder and the surrounding ranges before reaching Strathgordon.
Ted's Beach, 4 km before Strathgordon, has a campground and day-use area with toilets, picnic facilities, shelters, electric barbecues and untreated tank water. It is the most practical place to stop by the lake before continuing to the dam.
Walk onto Gordon Dam
From the dam car park, a viewing area gives the first broad look across the wall and Lake Gordon. Steel mesh stairs then descend steeply to the top of the dam. The return climb is roughly 185 steps, so the crest is not an accessible extension of the upper lookout.
The wall itself is 140 m high and 192 m long. Walking across the curved crest is the point where the scale becomes obvious: the wall drops into the gorge below while the lake presses against the upstream side.
Allow 30 to 60 minutes for the dam itself. That is enough time to use the upper viewpoint, descend to the crest, walk across it and climb back without treating the stop as a quick photograph.
The engineering behind the wall
Hydro Tasmania completed Gordon Dam in 1974. It is a double-curvature concrete arch dam and the largest arch dam in Australia.
The Gordon Power Station is not visible from the ordinary visitor route because it sits 183 m underground. Water from Lake Gordon drops through a 137 m vertical shaft and continues through a 1.6 km tunnel to the station.
The power station has three Francis turbines with a combined generating capacity of 432 MW, making it Tasmania's largest power station. The first machines entered service in the late 1970s, with the third added in 1988.
The station itself is not part of the normal public visit, but knowing where it sits makes the dam easier to understand: the visible wall is only one part of a much larger underground hydro system.
Strathgordon and Lake Pedder
Strathgordon was built in the 1960s to house workers constructing the Gordon and Pedder hydro scheme. The old workers' village now centres on Pedder Wilderness Lodge on the shore of Lake Pedder.
Because the dam is only 12 km beyond the village, it makes sense to see Lake Pedder and Gordon Dam on the same day rather than driving directly to the wall and turning around. The road between them is short, but the landscapes are very different.
As of October 2026, accommodation at the lodge is temporarily unavailable because of the Gordon Power Station refurbishment, though the restaurant, coffee service and limited fuel remain available during published daytime hours.
How much time to allow
From Hobart, make this a full-day road trip. The return drive alone is about five hours before stops, and a good day includes at least one short rainforest stop, time at Lake Pedder and 30 to 60 minutes at Gordon Dam.
A useful benchmark is the commercial Gordon Dam and Lake Pedder day tour from Hobart, which runs for about 9.5 hours. You do not need to copy that itinerary, but it demonstrates how quickly the road, short walks and dam visit fill a day.
If you are already staying in the Derwent Valley or camping at Ted's Beach, the dam can be explored much more slowly. From Strathgordon itself, it is only the final 12 km of the road.
Practical notes
- A valid Tasmania parks pass is required for Southwest National Park.
- Fill up in Maydena. Parks & Wildlife advises that fuel is not available beyond Maydena; current limited fuel at Pedder Wilderness Lodge should be treated as supplementary.
- The Gordon River Road is sealed but steep and winding in places and can be affected by snow or ice.
- Do not rely on mobile reception beyond Maydena. Carry enough food, water and fuel for the return journey.
- The dam crest requires a steep descent and return climb of roughly 185 metal steps. Wet surfaces, wind and heights can make the visit uncomfortable.
- Toilets are available at the Gordon Dam car park. There are no shops at the dam itself.
- Weather in the south-west can change rapidly in every season. Carry warm and waterproof layers even on a mild day in Hobart.
- Avoid unnecessary driving around dawn, dusk and after dark because wildlife is common on the road.
- Ted's Beach campground has toilets, picnic facilities and untreated tank water. Boil or treat the water before drinking.
A suggested plan
Leave Hobart early and fuel in Maydena. Continue west with one short roadside stop through the forest, then pause at Ted's Beach or another Lake Pedder viewpoint before reaching Strathgordon.
Continue the final 12 km to Gordon Dam and give the wall proper time: use the upper viewpoint, descend the stairs, walk across the crest and climb back before starting the return.
If daylight is running short, skip extra stops rather than pushing the return drive into dusk. On this road, the journey is part of the guide, but so is arriving back safely.