If you have a keen sense of adventure for getting off the beaten track, a driving tour of Tasmania may just be your thing. With its rugged wilderness and beautiful coastlines, Tasmania has much to offer. But to have the best experience, you have to be in the know. And as someone who has spent half their life living in Tasmania, I am in the know and happy to share. I’m opening my diary of a ten day trip around Tassie so you can steal some of my favourite places…
Photo Credit CC: HK Colin
Day 1
Arrived in the Tasmanian city of Devonport early this morning, aboard the ‘Spirit of Tasmania’. If you decide to travel aboard the ferry rather than flying, remember to take travel sickness pills with you, Bass Strait can be very rough at night, I would know! It’s not fun spending the evening laying on a cold, tiled bathroom floor…
Wineglass Bay Tasmania. Photo courtesy of CC: Shaun Versey.
Spent the day in Devonport, a mid-sized town, and it was here that I visited the Bluff Beach at the mouth of the Mersey River, walked to the blowhole, saw the lighthouse and went to Tiagarra Aboriginal museum.
Day 2
By mid-morning I was in Launceston, a larger city at the mouth of the Tamar River with spectacular vineyards. After some sampling at Sharman’s Winery I visited the Cataract Gorge, a must see in Launceston with a chairlift, swinging bridge and cafes. Lunch was at Banjo’s bakery in the city centre, and then a stroll through the cobble stone streets of the shopping precinct. Be sure to visit Leevee Food Co for dinner, a popular restaurant right on the boardwalk at the marina. Be sure to make a booking though, it does get very busy!
Wineglass Bay, Photo courtesy of Discover Tasmania. Check out the website for more pictures and travel information.
Day 3
Arrived on the east coast this morning at a place called Freycinet. A short walk through the national park will lead you to the renowned Wineglass Bay. And it’s worth the hike; it is absolutely stunning, just like the postcards! Don’t expect the water to be warm here though; it rarely gets above a chilly 18 degrees, even in summer. The night was spent in Bicheno where I dined at Brewhaus Bar and Café at White Sands Estate.
Day 4
Today was a visit to Port Arthur for a lesson in Tasmanian history and a day of reflection. From there was a visit to the Tasmanian Devil Conservation Park in Taranna, followed by dinner at Saltgrass Steakhouse, a local hangout with great food at great prices.Travelled back to Port Arthur after dinner to join a ghost tour of the haunted buildings, a great night had by all but it’s definitely not for the single person or the faint hearted!
Day 5
Arrived in Hobart just before lunch and walked to Salamanca Market from my hotel. Salamanca, as the locals call it, is right on the Derwent River where the Sydney to Hobart Yacht race finishes. These markets are a highlight, but they only happen on Saturdays, so time your trip to Hobart for this. Featured at the market are gorgeous crafts, local produce, food and trinkets.Everyone who knows me knows I am a chocoholic, so a visit to the Cadbury factory was next, as well as a beverage or two at the Cascade brewery.
Day 6
After a night of over indulging, some exercise was in order, so a walk on Mount Wellington it was. During the drive to the summit I could see the views over the city; and they were spectacular! However, the walk was tainted by the weather, it was extremely cold! Pack clothing for all types of weather because it can change so quickly here.Drove to Huonville to take in the Tahune Air Skywalk and the beautiful Hastings Caves. This area is also infamous for its apple orchards.
Day 7
Arrived in Strahan on the West Coast of Tasmania and decided to have a lazy day. Took in the ruggedness and natural scenery of the quaint little town by booking a seat on a cruise down the Gordon River through one of the many cruise agencies in the area, a must do while in Strahan. Dinner was at the Risby Cove restaurant, a fine dining eatery that won’t disappoint.
Day 8
Cradle Mountain: Photo courtesy of Discover Tasmania. Go check out the website for more amazing travel ideas.
Decided to take a meandering drive to the national park of Cradle Mountain today. A walk around Dove Lake to view the national park in all its glory was also warranted. It was chilly, even for the middle of summer, so rug up. Although it was a little pricey, I decided to take a 15-minute helicopter ride over the mountain. And it was worth every cent, something I will always remember; the mountain and lake are even more spectacular from the air. I booked into Peppers Cradle Mountain Lodge for dinner that night. The restaurant features delectable Tasmanian seafood and wine.
The Nut, Stanley: Photo courtesy of Discover Tasmania.
Day 9
Often overlooked in Tasmania is the picturesque town of Stanley on the north west coast. Featured in Stanley is ‘The Nut”, a large monolith that can, and should be climbed. I was feeling lazy and unadventurous so decided to take the chair lift instead. ‘The Nut’ did not disappoint; the views were amazing! I could see the ocean, as well as the surrounding farming paddocks, and it was simply breathtaking!
Day 10
I detoured into Penguin, a small seaside town with a giant statue of a fairy penguin as its draw card. Here I ate fish and chips for dinner by the water’s edge, with the giant penguin. My stay here was not long enough; reluctantly I had to make tracks back to Devonport ahead of my return trip aboard the ‘Spirit of Tasmania’. I found taking my own car aboard the ferry to be the cheapest option rather than hiring a car when I arrived. It was only $83 one way on the ferry to take my 4WD. Cost per passenger through the day is approximately $99 each for a day sailing and from $126 per person for a night sailing.
Hobart was named as Lonely Planet’s city of the year in 2013 and tourism here is on the increase, just be sure to visit before the rest of the world discovers it.
Carissa Puller is a multi-tasking mum and prospective primary school teacher. She travels NSW watching her son play basketball and fitting in time for herself whenever possible. She is also a keen writer and reader, with ‘chick lit’ being a favourite.