Stanley
A Town in the Shadow of The Nut
On the lands of the Pinemairemener people.
schedule 1 min read / Updated Apr 2026
A small fishing village in the far north-west of Tasmania, dominated by The Nut, an extinct 13 million year old volcanic plug rising 143 metres straight out of the sea. Stanley is the prettiest town on the rugged north-west coast.
Stanley sits on a small isthmus at the foot of The Nut, a sheer-sided volcanic plug visible from 50 kilometres away. The Nut was originally the central core of a volcano that erupted around 13 million years ago. Erosion has removed the surrounding cone, leaving the harder basalt plug standing 143 metres above the surrounding farmland and the sea.
The summit walk takes around 15 minutes from the base, but a chairlift was installed in 1985 for visitors who would rather not climb the steep path. From the top, the views stretch across Bass Strait, along the entire north-west coast, and inland to the Tarkine rainforest.
Stanley itself is a tiny town of around 480 people but is full of preserved 19th century cottages and warehouses. Highfield House, a colonial estate built in 1832 above the town, is open to the public. Stanley is also the closest mainland point to Three Hummock Island in Bass Strait, a private wildlife sanctuary visited by small group tours.
Where to stay
Holiday parks near Stanley.
1 option via our booking partner
Bookings handled by our partner Parkbooker. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
You may also like
Attribution
Sources & credits
Content (1)
Images (1)
- StanleyAndNut.jpg · Taspictures · CC0
Images sourced from Wikimedia Commons under licenses that permit commercial use. If you are the rights holder and believe an attribution is incorrect, please contact us.