Southwest National Park

Southwest National Park Tasmania
IUCN category II (national park)
Mt Anne from High Shelf Camp, Southwest National Park
Nearest town or city	Strathgordon
Coordinates	42°50′01″S 146°08′58″E / 42.83361°S 146.14944°E / -42.83361; 146.14944
Established	1968[1]
Area	6,182.67 km2 (2,387.1 sq mi)[2]
Managing authorities	Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service
Website	Southwest National Park
Footnotes
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Criteria	Cultural: iii, iv, vi, vii; natural: viii, ix, x
Reference	181
Inscription	1982 (6th Session)
See also	Protected areas of Tasmania

Southwest National Park is an Australian national park located in the south-west of Tasmania, bounded by the Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park to the north and the Hartz Mountains National Park to the east. It is a part of a chain of national parks and state reserves that make up the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. Covering an area of 6,183 km² (2,387 sq mi), it is Tasmania's largest national park.^[3]

The park is well known for its pristine wilderness, remoteness and unpredictable severe weather. The area is largely unaffected by humans. Although evidence shows Aboriginal Tasmanians have visited the area for at least 25,000 years, and European settlers have made occasional forays into the park area since the 19th century, there has been very little permanent habitation and only minimal impact on the natural environment. Within the area there is only one road, to the hydroelectricity township of Strathgordon. The southern and western reaches of the park are far removed from any vehicular access. The only access is by foot, boat, or light aircraft.

The tiny locality of Melaleuca in the extreme south-west provides an airstrip and some very basic facilities, mainly managed by the Parks and Wildlife Service.