In-depth guide · CampingSpirit
From the ferry in Devonport via Cradle Mountain, the wet west coast and Hobart to the east coast with Wineglass Bay and the Bay of Fires, and back via Launceston: around 1,300 kilometres on an island where you switch off the engine by sunset at the latest.
The spirit of the route
Tasmania begins with a night on Bass Strait and the smell of diesel and salt as the ramp lowers in Devonport in the morning. Then the island grows quieter with every kilometre: buttongrass plains beneath the jagged Cradle Mountain, dripping myrtle beech rainforest, the copper-red mining wasteland around Queenstown and dark rivers that smell of tannin. In the evening, from the sliding door, you watch pademelons grazing at the edge of the meadow, a wombat pushes its way through the grass, and somewhere Tasmanian devils are screeching. On the east coast the light changes: granite with orange lichen, bays like glass, sand that squeaks underfoot. This loop is for those who set off early, arrive in good time in the evening and would rather shorten a stage than roll along the highways in the dark.
Stage-by-stage plan
1Stage 1: Devonport to Cradle Mountain (approx. 85 km)
- The drive
- From the ferry in East Devonport across the Mersey bridge and inland to Sheffield, then over hilly dairy and forest country up to Cradle Mountain Road. From Moina the road becomes narrower and more winding; the plateau lies at around 800–900 m. About 1.5 hours' driving; after a night on the ferry, this short stage is enough.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Sheffield, the “Town of Murals”, with dozens of murals and views of Mount Roland.
- Dove Lake Circuit (around 6 km, 2–3 hours) beneath the north face of Cradle Mountain, with the boatshed on the shore as a photo subject.
- Ronny Creek: wombats often graze on the meadows along the boardwalk in the late afternoon – keep your distance and don’t feed them.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Discovery Parks Cradle Mountain, a campground in the forest a few kilometres before the Visitor Centre, with powered and unpowered sites, amenities and a kitchen; it is the only camping option right at the park entrance, so book early for the summer holidays (December/January). Nights here can be frosty even in summer.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): In Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park, overnight stays outside designated sites are prohibited; the car parks at the Visitor Centre are not campsites. If you want to stay more cheaply, you will find simple sites run by councils or Parks and Wildlife in the hinterland of Kentish and at Lake Barrington – check status and fees in WikiCamps and arrive before dusk.
- Insider tip for campers
- From the Cradle Mountain Visitor Centre the shuttle bus is compulsory: during operating hours private vehicles may not drive to Dove Lake, and the small car park there is unsuitable for motorhomes anyway. Shuttle tickets are only valid together with a Parks Pass: the Icon Pass, sold only at the Visitor Centre, includes the shuttle; the Holiday Pass does not – in that case buy a 72-hour shuttle ticket at the Visitor Centre. Use up your food before the crossing: fruit and vegetables from the mainland are not allowed into Tasmania, and there are checks at the terminal.
2Stage 2: Cradle Mountain to Strahan (approx. 145 km)
- The drive
- West along Cradle Mountain Road to the Murchison Highway, past Lake Mackintosh to Tullah, then through steep, forested valleys via Rosebery and Zeehan to the west coast. Many bends, short climbs and few overtaking opportunities; log trucks and ore trucks are on the road. Around 2.5 hours' driving.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Montezuma Falls near Rosebery: along an old railway formation through rainforest to a waterfall over 100 m high with a suspension bridge (around 3 hours return, gravel access road).
- Zeehan, with buildings from the silver rush era around 1900 and the West Coast Heritage Centre.
- Henty Dunes north of Strahan: sand dunes up to 30 m high, reachable from the road in a few minutes.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: In Strahan, BIG4 Strahan Holiday Retreat lies on the edge of town with power, amenities and a dump point; south-west of Strahan, West Coast Council runs the simple Macquarie Heads campground at the harbour entrance (toilets, dump point, caretaker at times, no drinking water; fee per vehicle on arrival, no bookings), with a view of Hells Gates.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): Around Strahan, camping at beaches and harbour car parks is not permitted; use the council sites at Macquarie Heads and Lake Burbury or the holiday parks. The access points to Ocean Beach and the dunes are day-use car parks.
- Insider tip for campers
- Fill up in Rosebery or Zeehan – petrol stations are few and far between on the west coast, and prices are above the island average. The Gordon River cruises from Strahan into Macquarie Harbour and to the convict island of Sarah Island leave in the morning: book the day before and queue early so that your camper is in the harbour car park in good time.
3Stage 3: Strahan to Lake St Clair (Derwent Bridge) (approx. 130 km)
- The drive
- Over the hills to Queenstown (around 40 km), then on the Lyell Highway (A10) up out of the valley in tight hairpins – the famous “99 Bends” via Gormanston – and east through Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park to Derwent Bridge. Steep, winding, often wet, and in winter also with snow or ice. About 2.5 hours without stops.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Iron Blow Lookout above the old open-cut mine near Gormanston, and the view back to the bare, red-and-yellow slopes around Queenstown.
- Nelson Falls: a 20-minute loop through fern rainforest to the waterfall, right by the highway.
- Donaghys Hill Lookout and Franklin River Nature Trail: short walks to views of the Franklin River and Frenchmans Cap.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: At the southern end of Lake St Clair in Cynthia Bay, Lake St Clair Lodge runs a campground with powered sites and amenities next to the national park Visitor Centre; check capacity and vehicle length in advance. There is no campground in the village of Derwent Bridge itself.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): At Lake Burbury, around 20 minutes east of Queenstown right on the Lyell Highway, West Coast Council runs a simple campground with toilets, a caretaker and lake views – inexpensive, fee per vehicle on arrival, no bookings, bring your own drinking water; ideal as a stopover. In the national park at Lake St Clair: stay overnight only at the campground, and light fires only in existing fireplaces – in designated “fuel stove only” zones not at all.
- Insider tip for campers
- Between Queenstown and Derwent Bridge, and on to Ouse, there are hardly any services – fill up in Queenstown, top up your water and use the dump point. At dusk there are many wallabies and pademelons on and beside the Lyell Highway; if you leave Strahan late, plan Lake Burbury as your stage destination.
4Stage 4: Lake St Clair to Hobart (approx. 175 km)
- The drive
- The Lyell Highway crosses the Central Plateau with its buttongrass and eucalyptus, then descends in tight hairpins at Tarraleah to the hydro power stations, through the sheep farms around Ouse and Hamilton into the Derwent Valley and via New Norfolk to Hobart. Further east it becomes increasingly dry and the road wider. Around 2.5 hours.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Watersmeet and Platypus Bay walk at Lake St Clair (around 1.5 hours) – with luck, a platypus appears early in the morning.
- Hamilton: a Georgian sandstone village from the colonial era on the Clyde.
- MONA in Berriedale on the Derwent: Museum of Old and New Art, also reachable by ferry from the Hobart waterfront.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: For Hobart, BIG4 Hobart Airport Tourist Park in Cambridge, around 15 km east of the city, is a good choice, with power, water, dump point and amenities. For fully self-contained vehicles, Hobart Showground in Glenorchy offers an inexpensive RV area north of the centre on the main bus corridor.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): In Hobart and the neighbouring municipalities, sleeping in your vehicle on public streets and car parks is prohibited and enforced. In the Derwent Valley there is a caravan park by the river in New Norfolk; whether and where self-contained vehicles may stay more cheaply there changes – check current conditions with Derwent Valley Council or in WikiCamps.
- Insider tip for campers
- Central Hobart is hilly, and the multi-storey car parks have height restrictions. Leave the camper at the campground and take the bus. Salamanca Market takes place on Saturdays – the car parks around Battery Point are then full from early morning.
5Stage 5: Hobart to Port Arthur (via kunanyi/Mount Wellington) (approx. 135 km)
- The drive
- First up Pinnacle Road to kunanyi/Mount Wellington (just over 1,270 m) and back – narrow, winding and demanding for large vehicles, closed in snow and ice. Then over the Tasman Bridge, via Sorell and the Arthur Highway onto the Tasman Peninsula, across the narrow isthmus of Eaglehawk Neck to Port Arthur. Without the mountain, around 1.5 hours' driving.
- Highlights & must-sees
- The summit plateau of kunanyi/Mount Wellington with views over Hobart, the Derwent and Storm Bay – often windy at the top and around 10 °C cooler than in the city.
- Tessellated Pavement, Tasman Arch and Devils Kitchen near Eaglehawk Neck: short walks to rock formations on the sea cliffs.
- Port Arthur Historic Site: the ruins of the penal settlement, with a harbour cruise to the Isle of the Dead; the ticket is valid for two days.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Port Arthur Holiday Park at Garden Point north of the Historic Site, with power, amenities and a dump point, near the walking track to the memorial site. Quieter and closer to nature: the Parks and Wildlife campground at Fortescue Bay in Tasman National Park at the end of a gravel road around 12 km long (fees apply, no powered sites), or Lime Bay State Reserve in the north-west of the peninsula.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): On the Tasman Peninsula, free camping at lookout and beach car parks is not permitted; use the Parks campgrounds. Before taking the gravel road to Fortescue Bay, first check whether your rental agreement covers unsealed roads.
- Insider tip for campers
- Drive Pinnacle Road in the morning: by midday buses and cars crowd the small summit car park, and clouds often roll in by late morning. Go easy on the brakes coming down from the summit and descend in a low gear. Sorell has the last large supermarkets and cheap petrol stations before the peninsula.
6Stage 6: Port Arthur to Coles Bay (Freycinet) (approx. 240 km)
- The drive
- Back to Sorell, then on the Tasman Highway (A3) through hilly country and over the pass near Orford to the east coast: Triabunna, Swansea and on along Great Oyster Bay before the side road to Coles Bay turns off. Well built but two-lane, with some bends along the coast. Around 3 hours' driving.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Spiky Bridge south of Swansea: a stone bridge built by convicts in 1843, with fieldstones set upright.
- Wineglass Bay Lookout (around 1 hour return from the car park) and, if you wish, the descent to the beach.
- Cape Tourville Lighthouse: a short loop above the granite cliffs with views along the coast.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: In Freycinet National Park, Parks and Wildlife runs the campground at Richardsons Beach; the 18 powered sites only suit campervans and small caravans up to around 18 ft, and there is no dump point. In September 2026, new bookings for stays from 3 November 2026 were suspended until the launch of the new Parks Online Booking System, when fees will also rise; maximum stay 14 nights, from 18 December to 10 February 10 nights. In Coles Bay, BIG4 Iluka on Freycinet is a holiday park with power and amenities; for simpler camping, try Friendly Beaches in the north of the park (unpowered).
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): In the national park, stay overnight only at designated campgrounds. A popular alternative is the simple campground in Mayfield Bay Coastal Reserve, around 15 minutes south of Swansea right on the water, managed by Parks and Wildlife, with toilets but no drinking water – check conditions on site or with Parks and Wildlife.
- Insider tip for campers
- Empty your grey water and toilet cassette in Swansea or Bicheno before heading to Freycinet – there are no disposal facilities in the park. The car park for the Wineglass Bay walk is full from late morning; start early – the morning light on the Hazards is the more beautiful anyway.
7Stage 7: Coles Bay to Binalong Bay (Bay of Fires) (approx. 140 km)
- The drive
- Via Bicheno and north along the sea, past lagoons and pastures via Scamander to St Helens on Georges Bay; from there the side road to Binalong Bay and on to The Gardens. A quiet, easy-to-drive coastal road with crests and bends. Around 2 hours.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Bicheno Blowhole on the granite slabs by the harbour; in the evening, penguin tours to the little penguins (guided only).
- Binalong Bay: turquoise water and granite boulders with orange lichen – the classic image of the Bay of Fires.
- The Gardens at the northern end of the road, with deserted bays and rock slabs for the evening light.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: In the Bay of Fires Conservation Area, Parks and Wildlife runs several free, simple campgrounds along the road to The Gardens, such as Swimcart Beach and Cosy Corner, right behind the dunes – some with toilets, no water, power or dump point. If you need comfort: BIG4 St Helens Holiday Park on the edge of St Helens, with power and amenities.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): The Bay of Fires sites are free and cannot be booked – in summer they are full by midday, and “reserving” for too long with unattended tents is checked. The maximum stay is four weeks; fire bans are posted at the entrance. Don’t empty chemical toilets into the campground toilets – use the dump point in St Helens. Outside these sites, staying overnight on the beaches is prohibited.
- Insider tip for campers
- Fill up with water, empty your tanks and shop in St Helens – there is nothing at the campgrounds. For large motorhomes, some entrances to the dune sites are narrow and sandy: check them on foot first. When fire danger is high in summer, total fire bans apply; gas stoves are usually permitted.
8Stage 8: Binalong Bay to Devonport via Launceston (approx. 275 km)
- The drive
- Inland on the Tasman Highway over Weldborough Pass – narrow, winding, with myrtle beech rainforest – to Derby and Scottsdale and through hilly country to Launceston (around 175 km, 2.5–3 hours). After a night in Launceston, the last 100 km or so on the Bass Highway to the ferry in Devonport. Best spread over two days.
- Highlights & must-sees
- St Columba Falls near Pyengana: a short rainforest walk to one of Tasmania’s highest waterfalls, plus cheese from the Pyengana dairy.
- Bridestowe Lavender Estate near Nabowla: lavender fields that flower in December and January.
- Cataract Gorge in Launceston: walking tracks from King’s Bridge, the Alexandra Suspension Bridge and the chairlift over the First Basin.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Launceston has several holiday parks on the outskirts, such as BIG4 Launceston Holiday Park in Prospect with power, amenities and a dump point, and a bus into the centre. In Devonport, Mersey Bluff Caravan Park by the sea near the lighthouse is the classic last stop before the ferry.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): Free camping is not permitted around Launceston. On the way to the ferry, some councils on the north coast offer sites for self-contained vehicles; in the neighbouring Central Coast Council (Ulverstone, Gunns Plains), since February 2026 a nightly fee via an online permit applies, with a maximum of three nights, self-contained vehicles only, no tents.
- Insider tip for campers
- Don’t drive Weldborough Pass at dusk: the road is narrow, and wallabies, wombats and devils cross at night. Fill up in Devonport before the ferry and turn off the gas bottle; check-in closes well before departure, and vehicle length and height are re-measured on arrival at the terminal.
Camping practice & local rules
Wild camping & overnight parking
- Tasmania has no statewide freedom camping law like New Zealand’s: whether and where you may sleep in your vehicle is decided by the 29 councils through by-laws, and by Parks and Wildlife for national parks and reserves. Rule of thumb: only sleep at designated sites; at beach, lookout and town car parks it is prohibited almost everywhere.
- Many council sites are only open to “fully self-contained” vehicles with a toilet and fresh and grey water tanks, and have stay limits of usually two to three nights; some now charge fees – Central Coast Council, for example, via a permit since February 2026.
- In national parks, overnight stays are only at campgrounds; a valid Parks Pass is compulsory there too. For a touring holiday, the Holiday Pass (up to two months, per vehicle) is worthwhile; it covers all national parks but not the shuttle bus at Cradle Mountain – check current prices with Parks and Wildlife each year.
- Free Parks campgrounds are found mainly in conservation areas such as the Bay of Fires; they cannot be booked and fill up quickly in summer.
- Parts of the World Heritage Area (including Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair) are “fuel stove only” areas, and total fire bans are frequent in summer – follow Tasmania Fire Service notices.
- Apps: WikiCamps Australia and CamperMate show campgrounds, rest areas, dump points and user reports; conditions change, and signs on site take precedence.
Waste disposal & supplies
- Dump points (disposal stations for cassette and tank) exist in almost all larger towns: Devonport, Queenstown, Strahan, Swansea, Bicheno, St Helens, Launceston; national parks often have none. Never let grey water drain onto the ground.
- Town mains drinking water in Tasmania is good; at campgrounds and rest areas, however, water is often untreated (“non-potable”) – boil it or drink from your own tank.
- Gas: in Australia, gas bottles (LPG) are swapped at petrol stations and hardware stores (swap systems) or refilled at filling stations; the Australian fitting is not compatible with European bottles. Bottles have a test date and will not be refilled without a valid test.
- For the ferry: permanently installed gas bottles must be turned off; motorhomes and campers may also carry one loose bottle of up to 25 kg, secured upright, turned off and within its test period – it gets a “HAZARD” tag at check-in. Petrol jerry cans are prohibited on board; only diesel in suitable containers up to 50 litres.
- Fuel: between Cradle Mountain and Zeehan, between Queenstown and Ouse and on Weldborough Pass there are only a few petrol stations, and small towns have short opening hours. Fill up at half a tank at the latest.
- Biosecurity: fruit, vegetables, plants and certain foods may not be brought from the mainland to Tasmania; there are checks at the terminal in Geelong and on arrival.
Vehicle size & traffic rules
- Left-hand traffic: in Australia you drive on the left and overtake on the right; at roundabouts, give way to vehicles from the right. In the first few days, take particular care when turning on empty roads.
- Speed limits: usually 50 km/h in built-up areas, 100 km/h outside them, and 110 km/h on a few upgraded sections; on unsealed roads outside built-up areas the general limit is 80 km/h unless otherwise signposted. There are no toll roads in Tasmania.
- Animals on the road: Tasmania has one of the highest wildlife collision rates in Australia. Between dusk and dawn, wallabies, pademelons, wombats, possums and Tasmanian devils are on the road – don’t drive at night, and if you must, do no more than 80 km/h and be ready to brake. Don’t swerve if that means leaving the road.
- Rental campers: contracts often exclude gravel roads and off-road driving from insurance cover, often also driving at night, or apply a higher excess to damage from wildlife collisions – read the conditions before you travel. Foreign driving licences are only valid together with an International Driving Permit or a translation.
- Spirit of Tasmania ferry: the ships sail between Geelong (Corio Quay, North Geelong) and Devonport. Book the vehicle length including bike rack, drawbar and trailer, and the height including roof load, correctly – wrong lengths cost a surcharge, wrong heights can lead to refusal. The new ships Spirit of Tasmania IV and V are being introduced together with the new T3 terminal in Devonport and offer significantly more vehicle capacity; check the timetable and terminal before booking.
- Blood alcohol limit 0.05%; mobile phone use while driving only hands-free in a fixed cradle; seatbelts are compulsory in all seats, including in the living area while driving.
CampingSpirit packing & preparation checklist
- Waterproof jacket, fleece and beanie – on the west coast it rains on more than half the days, and it can snow on kunanyi or at Cradle Mountain in summer.
- Head torch with red light for evening wildlife watching at the campground, without dazzling wombats and pademelons.
- Gaiters and sturdy hiking boots: tiger snakes and copperheads bask on tracks in summer; gaiters also help against leeches in the rainforest.
- A printed dimensions sheet for your vehicle (length with rear rack, height with roof load) and proof of the gas bottle test date for ferry check-in.
- Collapsible water container (10–20 litres) for the Bay of Fires and national park campgrounds without drinking water.
- Australian Type I plug adapter for chargers – campgrounds have Australian sockets.
As of 2026-09. Closures, fees and booking rules change: check official sources before you go.
