The Tamar River meanders from George Town on the northern coast of Tasmania down to Launceston, 55km away.
If you sailed it, you’d probably measure about 75km because of all the bends in the river.
Despite this meandering, it is quite deep and navigable for its entire length. Large ships regularly make the journey.
The spectacular Batman Bridge crosses the Tamar near Exeter, about 30 km north of Launceston.
Built in 1968, it is unusual in that it is a hybrid bridge (the technical term is “asymmetric cable-stayed”).
One side boasts one huge “A” shaped pylon that is secured deep into the bedrock on the western side of the river. Cables from it support the weight of most of the bridge.
The eastern side of the Tamar is not as rocky as the other side, so this end of the bridge rests on a series of trusses.
This particular part of the river is known as “Whirlpool Reach”. It is much narrower, and the currents can be very strong.
