The Savage River Walk is a 9 km, grade 3 return hike in Tasmania’s Pieman River State Reserve, typically taking around 3 to 4 hours to complete. The walk begins near Corinna and follows the Savage River through some of the finest remaining tracts of primary rainforest in the region, offering a rewarding balance of immersion in nature and steady, well defined walking.
Starting where the Huon Pine Walk finishes, the track quickly settles into a quiet rhythm beneath towering myrtle beech and ancient Huon pine. The first 3 km leads to a small pontoon and the site of the SS Croydon shipwreck, a timber vessel that was deliberately sunk in the Savage River in the early twentieth century. Along this section, the track climbs gently onto low ridges, opening up occasional views across the dark waters of the Pieman River and the dense rainforest that blankets its banks.
Many walkers choose to turn around at the shipwreck site, making this a 6 km return walk. In calm conditions, parts of the wreck can still be seen through the water, adding a quiet sense of history to the forest setting. From this point, a return walk to Corinna can take up to four hours, depending on pace and time spent exploring. Some visitors arrange a one way kayak trip in the afternoon and walk back, which allows the landscape to be experienced from both river level and within the forest itself.
For those continuing on foot, the track follows the Savage River for a further 1.5 km to Norfolk Road before retracing the same route back to Corinna. This longer option deepens the sense of remoteness, with fewer signs of human presence and a stronger focus on the river and surrounding rainforest. Whichever option you choose, the Savage River Walk offers a richly layered experience that combines natural history, gentle river scenery, and a close connection to Tasmania’s wild west coast forests.
SS Croydon shipwreck
Deep within the takayna / Tarkine wilderness on Tasmania’s west coast, the SS Croydon lies in an unexpected setting, far from the open sea. If you are kayaking or cruising along the Pieman River from Corinna, often en route to Lover Falls, a short detour into the Savage River brings you to Australia’s furthest inland shipwreck. The small steamship sank in 1919 after taking on water while loading timber, and today its remains rest quietly in the river, partly visible in the right conditions and offering a subtle reminder of the region’s working past.
Grade 3 (Moderate) - Walks for Most Fitness Levels: Grade 3 on the
AWTGS represents moderate walking tracks. These are ideal for walkers with some fitness who are comfortable with some hills and uneven terrain. While suitable for most ages, some bushwalking experience is recommended to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience. Tracks may have short, steep hill sections, a rough surface, and many steps. The total distance of a Grade 3 walk can be up to 20 kilometers.
Total distance: 9165 m
Max elevation: 166 m
Min elevation: 11 m
Total climbing: 474 m
Total descent: -474 m
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Getting to the trailhead: Pieman River State Reserve.
Access to the Savage River Walk is via Corinna on Tasmania’s west coast. From the Murchison Highway A10, turn onto the Waratah Road B23 and follow it through to Savage River, where it becomes Corinna Road C247 and continues on to Corinna township. The walk begins at the car park beside the Pieman River in Corinna, with the track starting close to the riverbank.
Where possible, avoid driving through reserves at night, as these roads are shared with native wildlife. If you are travelling after dark, take your time and stay alert for animals on the road, particularly along the more remote sections approaching Corinna.
Need a rental car to get you to the hike? Find one here.
The Pieman River region is a wild, mist-shrouded frontier on Tasmania’s West Coast, where the temperate rainforest meets the Southern Ocean. Known to the local Aboriginal people as Corinna, this area serves as a gateway to the Tarkine (takayna)—one of the largest cool-temperate rainforests in the world. The region is defined by its deep, tea-colored waters, stained by button-grass tannins, and the ancient forests of Huon Pine, Myrtle, and Sassafras that crowd the riverbanks, some of which have stood for thousands of years.
Hiking in this region offers a rare glimpse into a landscape that has remained largely unchanged for millennia. The air here is among the cleanest in the world, carried by the "Roaring Forties" across thousands of kilometers of open ocean. Whether you are trekking the rugged coastal headlands of the Arthur-Pieman Conservation Area or navigating the lush, fern-laden inland tracks, the terrain is characterized by its dramatic beauty and its "edge of the world" atmosphere.
Historically, the region was a bustling hub during the 19th-century gold rush, and remnants of this mining and timber-felling past still haunt the landscape. Today, the focus has shifted from extraction to preservation. The Pieman River acts as a natural corridor for diverse wildlife, including the elusive platypus, white-bellied sea eagles, and the iconic Tasmanian devil. To hike here is to step into a prehistoric world, where the silence of the forest is broken only by the rush of the river and the calls of endemic birds.
Looking for more walks in or near Pieman River State Reserve? Try these trails with a similar difficulty grade.
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