Launceston, Tasmania
Ride above a 140-million-year-old gorge
The Gorge Scenic Chairlift carries you 457 metres over the Cataract Gorge's First Basin — the longest single span of any chairlift in the world — just 1.5km from the middle of the city.
- 457m
- Total chairlift span, the longest single span in the world
- 365 days
- Open every day of the year, including public holidays
- 1.5km
- From the middle of Launceston, with parking on both sides
- 180m years
- Since the dolerite cliffs of the Gorge were formed
A natural wonder in the middle of the city
No where else in the world can you travel across a gorge this old, this close to a city centre. William Collins, sailing up the South Esk in 1804, called the scene "a beauty probably not surpassed in the world" — and the chairlift lets you see exactly why, gliding slowly over the naturally formed basin below.
Each chair seats two and travels at a slow, leisurely pace — a genuinely family-friendly ride that's also wheelchair accessible. The main station sits at Basin Road, West Launceston, right by the main car park; the other is in the Cliff Grounds reserve on the far side.
Along the way you'll take in the eastern and western sides of the reserve and the dolerite cliffs that tower above the South Esk River.
More than just the chairlift
The Cataract Gorge reserve is Launceston's own piece of wilderness — walking trails, a swimming pool and basin, a historic swinging bridge, native wildlife, and picturesque gardens, all within a 15-minute walk of the city.
Explore the Gorge
The swinging bridge, the swimming pool and basin, the playground, and the native flora and fauna that call the reserve home.
History
From an 1804 exploration by William Collins to Duck Reach — once the first hydro power station south of the Equator.
Plan Your Visit
Opening hours, ticket prices, parking, and everything you need to know before you come.