Australia So Much to See

If you have only very limited time to see Tasmania, getting to and from Melbourne alone can eat into your holiday. 

Will the cost of taking your caravan for only two or three weeks be worth it?  Considering the cost of the Spirit of Tasmania fare for your rig, it will prove expensive on a daily basis. 

Options are to fly in and hire a campervan, or use bed and breakfast accommodation.  Depending on the time of year and deals available, the air fares for two will most likely work out to less than the cost of taking your caravan by boat.   

This route plan is based on a tour planned and undertaken by our daughter in nine days in during 2005.  As she was pregnant, travelling with a one year old, her partner and his parents, days did not include long drives without breaks, nor long walks.  She organised the tour to show her family some of her favourite places in Tasmania, looking for something to please everyone, while they shut the family business back home for a few days either side of Easter. As it was Easter, she pre-booked accommodation on the internet. This was done through one booking agency so there was some flexibility.    

1.     Starting at Burnie, this family went to Corinna for the first night, to go back to where our daughter had worked for the greater part of a year.  (The punt she used to operate across the Pieman River above left).  Better for others would be to spend the first night at Stanley (the Nut), after driving along the northern coastal route.  Take the chairlift to the top of the Nut. (The Nut above right.  You can see the zigzag walk trail and the chair lift.) 

2.    When the weather is good, go to Cradle Mountain, and explore the area around Sheffield.  Cradle Mountain peak from the Dove Lake walk below left.  Watch weather for Cradle Mountain, and make a dash from where ever you are if it is good on the mountain. Alternatively, you could go south to Strahan on the Macquarie Harbour (below right) and the Gordon Franklin Wilderness area. 

3.     Visit Mole Creek; it is in a beautiful area with drives, views of mountains, and caves to explore. with an example of a huge vista looking towards the central mountains below left.

4.     Head to Launceston via Deloraine.  Below right Cataract Gorge, with suspension bridge and chair lift, at Launceston.

5.     They went down the east coast to Bicheno (below left), but if you have time go first to St Helen’s and the beautiful Bay of Fires coastline (below right) where lovely free camps are provided along the coastline if you are camping.

6.    If you are in Hobart on a Saturday, visit the Salamanca Markets. 

7.     As this family were not camping they stayed three days at Hobart, from Hobart they drove to the Mount Field National Park.  A short walk goes toRussell Falls (above left); not the largest by any means but one of the prettiest, and relatively easily accessible.  Most waterfalls require a degree of walking including steps to the top or bottom. 

8.     Also from Hobart they drove toCockle Creek (above right) near the southern tip.  You can’t get right to the South East Cape, the southernmost point of Australia, without taking quite a long walk on a poorly marked trail. 

9.     Make sure you drive to the top of Mount Wellington while in Hobart – magic views but cold and windy (below left).

10.    From Hobart, spend a day at Port Arthur (below right), which is the most moving historical icons Australia has.  The convict heritage is very evident through Tasmania. 

Tasmania – A Flying Visit