Things to do in Tasmania
60 places worth stopping for and 23 places to stay on a road trip through Tasmania.
See and do
- Viewpoint
Viewpoint · Coles Bay
Wineglass Bay Lookout
The postcard view of Wineglass Bay, about 1 hour return on a stepped track.
- Walk
Walk · Cradle Mountain
Dove Lake circuit, Cradle Mountain
Flat two hour loop around Dove Lake under the jagged peak of Cradle Mountain.
- Beach
Beach · St Helens
Bay of Fires
White sand, orange-lichen boulders and turquoise water along a quiet coast.
- Waterfall
Waterfall · National Park
Russell Falls, Mount Field National Park
Two-tier waterfall on an easy, partly sealed walk behind the Mount Field visitor centre.
- Walk
Walk · Fortescue Bay
Cape Hauy track
Half-day cliff walk to the Totem Pole sea stack, starting at Fortescue Bay.
- Wildlife
Wildlife · Triabunna
Maria Island
Car-free island with wombats, the Painted Cliffs and a convict town, reached by ferry from Triabunna.
- Viewpoint
Viewpoint · Hobart
kunanyi / Mount Wellington summit
Drive a sealed road to 1,271 m above Hobart and look over the whole city and the Derwent.
- Gallery
Gallery · Berriedale
MONA (Museum of Old and New Art)
Wild, underground private museum on the Derwent with a winery, brewery and restaurants.
- Walk
Walk · Port ArthurHidden gem
Cape Raoul
Long cliff-top walk to tall dolerite columns, quieter than Cape Hauy.
- Swimming hole
Swimming hole · BichenoHidden gem
Apsley Waterhole
Clear swimming hole in a river valley, a short bush walk from the southern car park of Douglas-Apsley.
- Cave
Cave · Hastings
Hastings Caves and Thermal Springs
Guided dolomite cave tour and a 28 degree warm pool in the forest near Australia's southernmost road.
- Beach
Beach · Cockle CreekHidden gem
Cockle Creek and Recherche Bay
The end of the road in Australia, with whale-watching, a long beach and the start of the South Coast Track.
- Viewpoint
Viewpoint · Eaglehawk Neck
Tasman Arch and Devils Kitchen
Giant sea arch and a collapsed sea chasm, a short walk from the car park.
- Cave
Cave · Mole Creek
Marakoopa and King Solomons caves
Guided tours of Mole Creek's cave systems, including Australia's biggest public glow worm display.
- Wildlife
Wildlife · Bakers Beach
Narawntapu National Park
Wombat, kangaroo and wallaby grazing at dusk on open grassland, an hour from Launceston.
- Wildlife
Wildlife · Brighton
Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary
Hand-feed kangaroos and meet devils, wombats and quolls half an hour north of Hobart.
History · Port Arthur
Port Arthur Historic Site
Convict-era penal settlement on a beautiful harbour, Tasmania's best-known historic site.
- Garden
Garden · Nabowla
Bridestowe Lavender Estate
Working lavender farm that blooms purple in the summer, with a cafe and shop.
- Walk
Walk · Launceston
Cataract Gorge
A river gorge in the middle of Launceston with swing bridges, a pool and peacocks.
- Waterfall
Waterfall · Liffey
Liffey Falls
Tiered waterfall in rainforest, reached on an easy 45 minute return walk.
Viewpoint · Stanley
The Nut, Stanley
A volcanic plug rising from the town with a short climb or chairlift to a flat summit.
- Viewpoint
Viewpoint · Arthur RiverHidden gem
Arthur River and the Edge of the World
Remote spot where the Roaring Forties swell hits the west coast, with a driftwood-strewn shore.
- Town
Town · CorinnaHidden gem
Corinna
Remote Tarkine settlement on the Pieman River, with a heritage cruise and cabins.
- Waterfall
Waterfall · RoseberyHidden gem
Montezuma Falls
Tasmania's tallest waterfall, reached by a long but easy walk along an old tramway.
Town · Strahan
Strahan waterfront
Harbour village on Macquarie Harbour, the base for Gordon River cruises.
- Walk
Walk · GeevestonHidden gem
Hartz Mountains National Park
Alpine day walks and lake views reached by a drive from Geeveston.
- History
History · GladstoneHidden gem
Eddystone Point Lighthouse
Pink granite lighthouse at the northern end of the Bay of Fires, rarely busy.
- Wildlife
Wildlife · GladstoneHidden gem
Mount William National Park
Forester kangaroos and quiet coastline reached by gravel road.
- History
History · Bruny Island
Cape Bruny Lighthouse
Tasmania's second oldest lighthouse, on a windswept cape at the south of Bruny Island.
- Viewpoint
Viewpoint · Coles Bay
Cape Tourville Lighthouse
Easy 20 minute boardwalk loop to clifftop views of the east coast.
- Lake
Lake · Derwent Bridge
Lake St Clair, Cynthia Bay
The deepest lake in Australia, with easy lakeside walks and a visitor centre at the south end.
History · Richmond
Richmond Bridge and village
Australia's oldest bridge still in use, with a small convict-era village around it.
- Activity
Activity · Geeveston
Tahune Airwalk
Steel walkway through the tops of Huon Valley tall forest, with a swinging bridge over the river.
Beach · BichenoHidden gem
Friendly Beaches
Long stretch of near-empty white sand reached by a short gravel road.
- Town
Town · Derby
Derby
Old tin-mining village turned mountain bike capital, with a good cafe scene.
- Viewpoint
Viewpoint · StrathgordonHidden gem
Gordon Dam
Giant curved dam in the south-west wilderness with a drive through Lake Pedder country.
Viewpoint · NiettaHidden gem
Leven Canyon lookout
Cliff-top platform over a deep river gorge, with a bush walk to the Cruickshanks Lookout.
- Waterfall
Waterfall · MawbannaHidden gem
Dip Falls and Big Tree
Basalt column waterfall and a huge old blackwood tree near Edge of the Tarkine.
- Activity
Activity · Queenstown
West Coast Wilderness Railway
Restored rack-and-pinion steam railway through rainforest between Queenstown and Strahan.
Roadside oddity · Eaglehawk Neck
Tessellated Pavement
Flat rock platform cracked into a tiled grid by the sea, a minute from the highway.
Beach · Coles BayHidden gem
Sleepy Bay
Pink-granite cove with calm water and rock platforms, just off the Cape Tourville road.
- Viewpoint
Viewpoint · Wynyard
Table Cape lookout
Flat-topped volcanic headland with ocean views and a spring field of tulips.
- Waterfall
Waterfall · Queenstown
Nelson Falls
Easy 20 minute rainforest walk to a wide cascade beside the Lyell Highway.
- Beach
Beach · Strahan
Ocean Beach, Strahan
Australia's longest straight beach at 33 km, with huge swell and sunsets.
- Waterfall
Waterfall · Pyengana
St Columba Falls
About 90 m high waterfall in a forest reserve, a 25-minute drive from St Helens.
- Walk
Walk · Sisters BeachHidden gem
Rocky Cape National Park
Small coastal park with sea caves, rock platforms and easy walks near Wynyard.
- Walk
Walk · KingstonHidden gem
Alum Cliffs Track
Short coastal bush walk to a lookout over the Derwent and clifftops south of Hobart.
- History
History · TaroonaHidden gem
Shot Tower at Taroona
A 48 m sandstone shot tower with a spiral climb and river views, just south of Hobart.
- Brewery
Brewery · South Hobart
Cascade Brewery
Australia's oldest continually operating brewery, in a heritage building under kunanyi.
- Town
Town · CygnetHidden gem
Cygnet
Arty Huon Valley town with cafes, orchards and farm gates.
- Viewpoint
Viewpoint · Mount NelsonHidden gem
Mount Nelson Signal Station
Hilltop lookout above Hobart with a cafe in an old signal station.
Wildlife · Taranna
Tasmanian Devil Unzoo
Unfenced wildlife park that tries to get you close to devils and other natives.
- Beach
Beach · OrfordHidden gem
Spring Beach, Orford
Quiet, wide beach south of Orford with a good sunrise and few people.
- Lake
Lake · Lake LeakeHidden gem
Lake Leake
Quiet highland lake popular with anglers, with a historic pub nearby.
- Walk
Walk · WeldboroughHidden gem
Weldborough Pass Rainforest Walk
Short forest loop among myrtle and tree ferns, right beside the road.
Activity · Bridport
Barnbougle Dunes
World-ranked links golf on huge dunes, and a casual restaurant with sea views.
- Town
Town · EvandaleHidden gem
Evandale
Historic Georgian village with a Sunday market and good coffee, near the airport.
- Cave
Cave · Gunns Plains
Gunns Plains Cave
Guided cave tour with an underground stream and platypus-filled river above.
- Roadside oddity
Roadside oddity · Bicheno
Bicheno Blowhole
Natural rock blowhole that fires spray in rough seas, a minute from a car park.
Wildlife · Mole Creek
Trowunna Wildlife Park
Family-run wildlife park with devils, quolls and a famous keeper-led feeding session.
Food stops
- Market
Market · Hobart
Salamanca Market
Saturday market along the sandstone warehouses of Salamanca Place, with local makers and food.
- Pub
Pub · Pyengana
Pub in the Paddock, Pyengana
Remote country pub with a pet pig that drinks beer, and a local farm shop next door.
- Bakery
Bakery · Ross
Ross Village Bakery
Wood-fired bakery famous for scallop pies and sticky buns on the Midland Highway.
- Restaurant
Restaurant · Stanley
Hursey Seafoods
Stanley's own-fleet seafood restaurant and takeaway, with live lobster.
Farm shop · Great Bay, Bruny Island
Bruny Island Cheese Co
Cellar door at 1807 Main Road for raw milk cheese, beer and pantry goods.
- Restaurant
Restaurant · Coles Bay
Freycinet Marine Farm
Oysters and seafood by Great Oyster Bay near Freycinet.
- Restaurant
Restaurant · Hobart
Mures Fish Centre
Hobart's dock-side seafood stop, with a takeaway and a sit-down restaurant on the water.
- Farm shop
Farm shop · Pyengana
Pyengana Dairy Company
Working dairy with a cheese shop and cafe near St Columba Falls.
Bakery · Richmond
Richmond Bakery
Long-running bakery next to Australia's oldest bridge, known for scallop pies.
- Bakery
Bakery · Battery Point
Jackman & McRoss
Long-running Battery Point bakery and cafe with pies, pastries and a sunny courtyard.
- Pub
Pub · WeldboroughHidden gem
Weldborough Hotel
Remote bush pub at the top of Weldborough Pass, a stop for road trippers between Derby and St Helens.
- Farm shop
Farm shop · Elizabeth Town
Ashgrove Cheese
Tasmanian cheese maker on the Bass Highway with a dairy door and cafe.
Places to stay
- Campground
Campground · Bay of Fires Conservation Area
Policemans Point camping, Bay of Fires
Bushy camps behind orange-lichen boulders and white sand on the north-east coast.
- Freedom camping
Freedom camping · St Helens
Bay of Fires free camping
Eight free beachside campgrounds, no booking needed, fill fast in summer.
- Campground
Campground · Southwest National ParkHidden gem
Cockle Creek camping
Camp at the southernmost point you can drive to in Australia.
- Campground
Campground · Freycinet National Park
Honeymoon Bay campground, Freycinet
Sheltered bay camp at Freycinet, with wallabies and views of the Hazards.
- Campground
Campground · Tasman National Park
Fortescue Bay campground
Bay-edge camp below huge sea cliffs on the Tasman Peninsula.
- Campground
Campground · Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair
Cynthia Bay campground, Lake St Clair
Lakeside camp at the southern end of the Overland Track.
- Campground
Campground · Mount Field National Park
Mount Field National Park campground
Forest camp close to Russell Falls and the giant swamp gums.
Campground · Coles Bay
Honeymoon Bay campground
Granite-ringed bay with a small campground and electric barbecues inside Freycinet.
- Campground
Campground · Rocky HillsHidden gem
Mayfield Bay campground
Donation-run shady camp a stone's throw from a sandy beach on the Tasman Highway.
- Campground
Campground · Coles BayHidden gem
Friendly Beaches campground (Isaacs Point)
Free basic camping in coastal scrub beside endless white beaches, 19 km before Coles Bay.
- Campground
Campground · LunawannaHidden gem
Cloudy Bay campgrounds (The Pines), South Bruny National Park
Free small camp by the surf at Cloudy Bay on the southern tip of Bruny Island.
- Campground
Campground · GladstoneHidden gem
Mount William National Park camping
Six designated bush campsites with kangaroos wandering through, on unsealed roads.
- Campground
Campground · Narawntapu National ParkHidden gem
Springlawn campground, Narawntapu
Beachfront camp with Forester kangaroos and wombats on the north coast.
- Campground
Campground · Mount William National ParkHidden gem
Stumpys Bay campground, Mount William
Quiet coastal camp in the far north-east, where Forester kangaroos graze.
- Campground
Campground · TarkineHidden gem
Corinna Wilderness camp
Camp by the Pieman River in the Tarkine rainforest, reached by a pontoon ferry.
- Campground
Campground · Cockle CreekHidden gem
Cockle Creek campground
Basic bush camp by the water at the end of the road, with wallabies at dusk.
- Campground
Campground · National Park
Mount Field campground
Bush campground next to the park entrance, a short stroll from Russell Falls.
Campground · BichenoHidden gem
Apsley Waterhole camp
Free bush camping at a waterhole inside Douglas-Apsley National Park.
Freedom camping · LiffeyHidden gem
Liffey Falls lower camp
Free forest camping at the lower car park for Liffey Falls.
- Freedom camping
Freedom camping · ZeehanHidden gem
Trial Harbour
Wild coastal free camp at a former gold port, with wind and swell.
- Campground
Campground · Arthur RiverHidden gem
Arthur River campgrounds (Manuka and Peppermint)
Two bush campgrounds at the edge of the wild west coast with flushing toilets.
- Campground
Campground · Bakers Beach
Bakers Beach campground
Beachside camp in Narawntapu with accessible sites and toilets.
Campground · Derwent Bridge
Lake St Clair campground
Camping at the south end of Lake St Clair, close to the visitor centre.
Plan the drive, not just the stops
Roadtrip works out what the drive costs in fuel for your car, splits it into days with the best stops and places to sleep, and finds the cheapest fuel on the way.
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