Stanley and The Nut

The Nut is the eroded core of a volcano that erupted around thirteen million years ago, a sheer-sided plateau rising a hundred and forty-three metres directly from the sea with a flat top of grassland and heath. Stanley sits at its foot, a village of colonial cottages, a bluestone bond store from the 1840s and a working fishing fleet, unusually intact because the town stopped growing early. A steep path or a chairlift reaches the top, where a circuit walk of about two kilometres runs around the rim with views along the coast. Little penguins come ashore below the Nut at dusk, and Highfield House above the town is a preserved 1830s company residence.

What you actually see

• The Nut - the flat-topped volcanic plug with a rim circuit walk on top.
• The chairlift - the alternative to the steep climb.
• The colonial village - 1840s cottages, the bond store and the fishing port.
• The penguins - little penguins coming ashore at dusk below the plug.

When to go

November to April for the mildest weather; the northwest coast is windy year-round and the Nut's top is fully exposed. Penguins come ashore at dusk from spring through summer. Winter is cold and wet with fewer services.

Honest expectations

The climb is short but very steep, and the chairlift is charged and closes in high wind, which is common. The rim walk is exposed with no shelter. The village is small with limited dining, particularly outside summer.

Nearby

Smithton lies west; Table Cape and Wynyard are east along the coast.