Nestled at the mouth of the River Tamar where it flows into Bass Strait, Kelso is a small settlement on a bay of the same name. It’s situated between beautiful Greens Beach to the north and Clarence Point in the south and renowned for its flathead, whiting and mullet fishing.
Kelso has a tiny residential community clustered around its foreshore, with the Kelso Sands Caravan Park occupying the waterfront to the north. It’s a great launching point for excursions into the Narawntapu National Park, with fantastic views across Badger Head all the way to Table Cape from the West Head lookout, just a short walk from the car park at nearby Greens Beach. Kelso is also just a short distance from Garden Island on Clarence Point to the south, a former lookout point in the River Tamar that has since been backfilled to improve shipping, but still a popular scenic point and fishing location.
Kelso is around an hour’s drive north of Launceston, with little public transport infrastructure making a car the best option. The settlement itself is tiny and easily explored on foot, with the road continuing north to Greens Beach and the Narawntapu National Park.
The Narawntapu National Park was originally established as the Asbestos Range National Park in 1976, but its name was changed in 2000 as the title was thought to discourage visitors. Its new name reflects the Tasmanian Aboriginal word for the area, which included the coastal promontories of West Head and Badger Head that lie within its bounds.