Tasmania · Attraction
Henty Dunes
Desert dunes by the rainforest
schedule 1 min read / Updated Jun 2026
Fourteen kilometres north of Strahan on the Zeehan Road, the Henty Dunes rise up to 30 metres and extend 15 kilometres along the coast, forming Tasmania's largest moving dune field. Driven by the Roaring Forties that sweep in from South America, the dunes present a striking landscape of open sand amid the surrounding west coast rainforest.
Sandboards and sand toboggans can be hired from operators in Strahan, and the dunes provide one of the few places in Tasmania where the sport is practical. A picnic area shaded by trees sits at the car park, though there are no water or toilet facilities at the dunes themselves. A walk along the beach connects the dunes to Ocean Beach.
The dunes shift constantly under the influence of wind and wave, so the landscape changes with every visit. Early morning light from the east catches the ridgelines and creates sharp shadow lines across the sand, making conditions excellent for photography. Sunrise visits before other travellers arrive give a genuine sense of solitude.
Entry is free and no booking is required. The unsealed access road is generally suitable for standard vehicles, though conditions can change after heavy rain.
Scenic views