Arthur River is a fishing and holiday village at the mouth of a tannin-brown river on Tasmania's far north-west coast, and the people who live here describe the place as the end of the world with a straight face. A signboard on the rocky shore a few minutes away makes the claim official: the next land to the west is Argentina, about fifteen thousand kilometres across the Southern Ocean. The wind that arrives here has crossed nothing but water since South America, and it brings the long swells, the salt and a constant bright, wild light.
The river itself is the centrepiece. It runs dark as tea, stained by the buttongrass moorland and the rainforest of the Tarkine, the largest tract of temperate rainforest in Australia, and boat cruises take visitors upstream through myrtle and sassafras forest hung with moss. The Tarkine, called takayna in the language of the Aboriginal people of this coast, has a long history of human use, with middens along the shore and a deep cultural connection that goes back thousands of years. The beaches nearby are strewn with enormous bleached logs, driftwood carried down in floods and thrown back by the sea.
Riding here means a decision. The sealed road reaches the village from Smithton, and it is a pleasure, rolling through farmland, plantation and low forest. South of Arthur River the Western Explorer Road turns to gravel and crosses the wild interior toward Corinna, and that is a ride for a bike with proper tyres and a rider who is happy on loose surfaces. Even on the sealed section, the weather can be harsh, with sideways rain, strong gusts and a temperature that drops in minutes. Take a waterproof layer whatever the morning looks like.
The village is tiny and its services are small. There is a general store and a place to eat, but you should not assume that fuel is available on any given day, and the safe course is to fill the tank at Smithton, which is the nearest proper town, before you come out. Smithton has supermarkets, a bakery and a workshop, and it is the place to buy what you need.
The wildlife is part of the charm. Wallabies, pademelons and the occasional Tasmanian devil come out at dusk, and the road at night is a hazard, so plan to arrive before dark. In winter the village is often battered by storms, but the sea is spectacular. Spring and autumn offer the best compromise between light, calm and temperature.