In-depth guide · CampingSpirit
From the ferry in Devonport along the Bass Strait coast via Burnie, Table Cape and Stanley into the Tarkine rainforest, over the Western Explorer to Corinna on the Pieman River and back via Waratah: around 650 kilometres, about 100 of them on gravel.
The spirit of the route
Beyond Burnie, Tasmania grows quieter. The Bass Highway runs past red farmland, potato fields and dairy pastures, in spring the tulips glow beneath the white lighthouse on Table Cape, and off Stanley The Nut rises from the sea like a broken-off table mountain. Then the farmland ends and the Tarkine begins: myrtle beech, tree ferns and beards of lichen, rivers the colour of black tea, buttongrass plains to the horizon. At the mouth of the Arthur River the waves of the Roaring Forties, after thousands of kilometres of open ocean, crash onto driftwood logs, and the wind carries the air that is measured at Cape Grim as the cleanest in the world. In the evening you see wallabies at the edge of the site from the sliding door, at night a wombat snuffles past the tyre, somewhere a Tasmanian devil screeches. This route demands a reserve in the tank, respect for gravel and the willingness to stay put at dusk.
Stage-by-stage plan
1Stage 1: Devonport to Burnie (via Penguin) (approx. 50 km)
- The drive
- Here Devonport is only the starting point after the crossing on the Spirit of Tasmania. Take the Bass Highway (National Highway 1) west to Ulverstone, then the old coast road right by the water to Penguin and on to Burnie: narrow, with the railway line and beach on one side and a steep slope on the other, but quieter and more beautiful than the highway. Around an hour of pure driving time – a good stage after a night on the ferry.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Penguin: the concrete penguin, a good three metres tall, on the foreshore, Hiscutt Park with its windmill and the undercover Sunday market.
- Burnie at West Beach: a foreshore promenade with views of the harbour and Bass Strait, and on the beach the striking building of the Makers’ Workshop. The town closed the former visitor information centre and the Creative Paper workshop there in 2021 – check in advance what is currently open.
- Burnie Penguin Observation Centre at Parsonage Point: in the breeding season (roughly October to March) little penguins come ashore at dusk; volunteers explain, torches with red light only.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Burnie Holiday Caravan Park on the western edge of town on the Bass Highway, with powered and unpowered sites, amenities and a dump point; handy as a first night with full tanks. If you want to stop straight after the ferry, there is the Mersey Bluff Caravan Park in Devonport and several holiday parks on the Leven River in Ulverstone.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): Overnighting on any beach or foreshore car park along this coast is off limits. The Central Coast Council (Ulverstone, Penguin) only lets campers stay on designated areas such as Midway Beach near Penguin: self-contained vehicles only, no tents, no fires, a maximum of three consecutive nights, no reservations; where signs require it, a paid permit is needed in advance via QR code or from the visitor centre. Free dump points in Ulverstone (Victoria Street) and Penguin (Stubbs Point). In Burnie, camping on council land without approval is prohibited; the only exception is Cooee Point Reserve, where fully self-contained vehicles with a free permit from the council (online or at the council offices) may stay for up to two nights – no water or dump point, no dogs, little penguins breed there.
- Insider tip for campers
- The old coast road between Penguin and Burnie has a few narrow sections and railway underpasses – keep your vehicle’s height in mind and wait for oncoming traffic. Burnie is the place for your first big shop: west of Wynyard, supermarkets, petrol stations and mobile coverage become noticeably scarcer.
2Stage 2: Burnie to Stanley (via Table Cape, Boat Harbour and Rocky Cape) (approx. 100 km)
- The drive
- Take the Bass Highway (A2) to Wynyard, then a detour on narrow country roads up onto the plateau of Table Cape, an extinct volcano with sea cliffs. Continue west past Boat Harbour Beach and the access road to Rocky Cape National Park; from Rocky Cape the road moves close to the coast before turning off to Stanley beyond Black River. With detours, a good two hours of driving; the short side roads are winding and steep in places.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Table Cape: a lookout above the cliffs, the lighthouse with tours in season and the tulip farm on the red volcanic soils, which blooms for a few weeks in spring – check flowering time and opening in advance.
- Boat Harbour Beach: white sand and clear water in a sheltered bay; at low tide, rock pools with starfish and crabs.
- Rocky Cape National Park: coastal tracks across heath and quartzite rocks, the small lighthouse on the cape and caves used by Aboriginal people for thousands of years – they are culturally significant and are not to be entered.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: In Stanley, BIG4 Tassie Getaway Parks Stanley on Wharf Road, right on the harbour below The Nut, with power, amenities and a kitchen; book in summer. Simpler and cheaper is the Stanley Recreation Ground on Marine Esplanade for self-contained vehicles (no booking, nightly fee). On the way, Crayfish Creek Van & Cabin Park on the Bass Highway offers power, amenities and a kitchen.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): There are no campgrounds in Rocky Cape National Park, and overnighting in the car parks is prohibited. West of it lie the basic Parks and Wildlife campgrounds Peggs Beach and Black River on the coast: no power, pit toilets, water only boiled, no booking. Conditions and fees are posted at the self-registration point.
- Insider tip for campers
- The access road to Boat Harbour Beach drops steeply and windingly, and the car park at the beach is small – with large vehicles, arrive early in the day or park at the top and walk. Rocky Cape requires a Tasmania Parks Pass; if you will visit other national parks on your trip, buy the Holiday Pass per vehicle. In Stanley, use the public dump point on Marine Esplanade.
3Stage 3: Stanley to Stanley (The Nut and Highfield) (approx. 10 km)
- The drive
- A day without moving camp: you explore Stanley on foot, and only for Highfield do you drive a few kilometres north. The narrow lanes of the town centre with their 19th-century cottages are unsuitable for large motorhomes – leave the vehicle at the site or on the esplanade.
- Highlights & must-sees
- The Nut: the steep footpath or the chairlift up onto the plateau of the old volcanic plug, with a circuit walk at the top looking over Godfreys Beach, Bass Strait and the Stanley peninsula. The chairlift does not run year-round – check operating times in advance.
- Highfield Historic Site: the Georgian homestead of the Van Diemen’s Land Company’s agent on the hill north of town, with outbuildings and a view back to The Nut. Check opening times in advance.
- Evening at Godfreys Beach: from the viewing platform you can watch little penguins coming ashore at dusk in the breeding season – keep your distance, no flash.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Second night at the same site in Stanley. If you want to move on towards the Tarkine already, Riverbreeze Caravan & Cabin Park on the Duck River in Smithton has power and a dump point.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): In the town of Stanley, overnighting outside the caravan parks and the Recreation Ground is not allowed. In the surrounding area there are basic sites, such as the sports grounds in Forest and Irishtown with toilets, no drinking water, for a small fee; in Smithton the free Tall Timbers RV Site is open only to fully self-contained vehicles.
- Insider tip for campers
- It is often gale-force on The Nut, even when the sun is shining down in town – take a windproof jacket. The footpath is short but very steep. In the morning, before the day visitors, the circuit at the top is almost empty and the light over the bay is at its best. Fill up with fuel and water in Stanley or Smithton before the Tarkine.
4Stage 4: Stanley to Arthur River (Tarkine Drive via Smithton, Trowutta and Julius River) (approx. 140 km)
- The drive
- Take the Bass Highway to Smithton, then head south through pastureland to Edith Creek and Trowutta, where the rainforest begins. From here you follow the Tarkine Drive, a loop that the tourism authority describes as fully sealed, on narrow forest roads over the Kanunnah Bridge to the Julius River and west on Sumac Road to Arthur River; only a few short access roads to car parks may be unsealed. Log trucks are on the road and the bends are blind; with the short walks it is a full day, with about three hours of pure driving time.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Trowutta Arch: a short forest track leads to a collapsed karst dome with a rock arch and two green pools, surrounded by tree ferns.
- Julius River Forest Reserve: a circuit walk through myrtle beech rainforest along the dark river, with a picnic area; quiet and often dripping wet.
- Sumac Lookout: a view over the Arthur River valley and an unbroken rainforest canopy to the horizon.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: In Arthur River, Arthur River Cabin Park with powered and unpowered sites. Closer to nature are the Parks and Wildlife campgrounds of the Arthur-Pieman Conservation Area, such as Manuka on the edge of the settlement: no booking, with toilets and cold showers, fee by self-registration or with the ranger in Arthur River.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): At the Julius River there is a small, free Parks and Wildlife site for fully self-contained motorhomes only, with no water or toilets and little space. In Trowutta, the private Tarkine RV Park takes self-contained vehicles for a fee. Overnighting on forestry roads and log landings is off limits – work starts there early in the morning.
- Insider tip for campers
- The sealed surface of the Tarkine Drive is narrow, winding and covered in leaves and bark when wet; in practice you will drive at more like 40 to 60 km/h here. Make room for log trucks by keeping well to the left, and stop if it gets tight. Only drive unsealed side roads if your rental agreement covers them. The next dump point is at the end of Airey Street in Arthur River.
5Stage 5: Arthur River to Arthur River (Edge of the World and Marrawah) (approx. 45 km)
- The drive
- A short day on the west coast: to the river mouth at Gardiner Point, then on the sealed C214 north to Marrawah and on minor roads to the beaches of Green Point and West Point. The coast is flat, wind-lashed and almost treeless.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Edge of the World at Gardiner Point: the mouth of the Arthur River into the Southern Ocean, bleached driftwood logs and a plaque with a poem about the end of the world; at sunset the sky is wider than almost anywhere.
- Green Point near Marrawah: long surf beaches, well known among surfers; rocks, kelp and gale-force wind on many days.
- A boat trip up the Arthur River into the rainforest, in season from the jetty in the settlement – with luck you will see white-bellied sea eagles.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Second night in Arthur River, at the cabin park or a Parks campground. An alternative right by the sea is the free Green Point Camp Ground of the Circular Head Council near Marrawah, with toilets and cold showers, no booking – very exposed in a westerly.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): The Arthur-Pieman Conservation Area is not a national park, but camping is only permitted at the designated campgrounds. Driving onto beaches or tracks off the approved routes requires a permit or is prohibited; the ranger station in Arthur River can advise. The Preminghana rock carvings north of Marrawah are on Aboriginal land and cannot be accessed without permission.
- Insider tip for campers
- Fill up in Marrawah: according to travel reports this is the last reliable fuel pump before the Western Explorer, and there is no fuel in Corinna. Fill the vehicle and water tank and empty the cassette before moving on – the station in Arthur River is at the end of Airey Street. At the site, retract the awning before the gusts arrive.
6Stage 6: Arthur River to Corinna (Western Explorer) (approx. 115 km)
- The drive
- The Western Explorer (C249) runs south from Arthur River through the Arthur-Pieman Conservation Area: mostly gravel, narrow, with tight bends and steep sections, a few short stretches of which are sealed. Across wide buttongrass plains, through river valleys and islands of rainforest, with no town, no petrol station and long stretches without mobile coverage. Travel reports give a good two to three hours of pure driving time; four-wheel drive is not needed in normal conditions, but the route is demanding for large motorhomes and rigs with trailers. After heavy rain and storms the road can be impassable or closed.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Sundown Point, a short detour to the coast south of Arthur River: Aboriginal rock carvings on the shore, a place to pause – do not walk on them, do not touch anything.
- The open buttongrass plains along the way: on clear days views to the sea and the ranges of the Tarkine, in ochre and gold in the evening light.
- Corinna: the old gold-mining settlement on the Pieman River with Huon pine timber, short rainforest walks and the cruise on the historic wooden vessel Arcadia II to the river mouth at Pieman Heads (daily trips mainly from December to March, otherwise on demand and depending on the weather).
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Corinna Wilderness Experience: a small number of unpowered sites among the trees, for smaller vans and motorhomes, with shared amenities; book ahead. There is no power, no EV charging and no fuel in Corinna.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): There are no free overnight spots on the Western Explorer; rest bays and passing places are no place for the night, and after dark particularly many animals are on the move here. If you cannot manage the route in one day, it is better to stay an extra night in Arthur River.
- Insider tip for campers
- Before setting off, ask about current road conditions (Arthur River ranger station, TasALERT) and save offline maps. Drive slowly, check tyre pressure and the spare wheel beforehand; setting off at midday is too late – after dusk, wombats, wallabies and devils are crossing constantly. Many campervan rental agreements expressly exclude the Western Explorer; if that applies to you, reach Corinna the long way round via Burnie, the Murchison Highway, Waratah and Savage River – there too, the last 24 kilometres or so are gravel.
7Stage 7: Corinna to Waratah (via Savage River) (approx. 65 km)
- The drive
- From Corinna north-east via Savage River, a mining settlement with an open-cut iron ore mine, and through hilly forest to Waratah. Winding, with climbs; the roughly 24 kilometres between Corinna and Savage River are a narrow gravel road also used by trucks going to the mine – check conditions before you drive. From Savage River the road is sealed. Around an hour and a half. You do not need the Pieman ferry on this route: it links Corinna with the south bank towards Zeehan and the west coast.
- Highlights & must-sees
- The Whyte River Walk in Corinna: a short morning walk through Huon pine and myrtle beech forest at the confluence with the Pieman River.
- Waratah Falls: a waterfall right in the middle of town, directly below the main street, with a viewing platform.
- The story of Mount Bischoff: Waratah was once home to one of the richest tin mines in the world; small memorial sites and the replica of “Philosopher” Smith’s hut tell the tale.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: The council’s Waratah Caravan and Camping Ground on Smith Street is beside a small lake, within walking distance of Waratah Falls: powered and unpowered sites, a separate rate for self-contained vehicles, showers, coin-operated washing machine. No advance booking; you pay on arrival at the post office or by phone. If you want to carry on, Burnie and Somerset have fully equipped holiday parks.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): Free overnighting is not permitted around Savage River or on the mining and forestry roads; the mine site is an operational area. The Waratah-Wynyard Council does not designate any free overnight sites (Boat Harbour Beach and Sisters Beach are for day visitors only); in Waratah, the camping ground is the answer. Free dump point, open around the clock, in Annie Street.
- Insider tip for campers
- The Fatman Barge across the Pieman River runs daily during daytime all year round without reservations, for longer hours in summer than in winter; load limit 6 tonnes, vehicle width no more than 2.5 m, wheelbase is limited, combinations only up to 9 m total wheelbase, and caravans need a minimum ground clearance of 20 cm. The fee depends on the vehicle category. The limits are binding – measure your vehicle beforehand and, if in doubt, ask at Corinna if you want to continue towards the west coast.
8Stage 8: Waratah to Devonport (via Hellyer Gorge and Burnie) (approx. 125 km)
- The drive
- Take the Murchison Highway (A10) north through the Hellyer Gorge – narrow, winding, with log trucks – down to Ridgley and Burnie, then along the coast on the Bass Highway back to Devonport. About two hours of driving; after the gravel stretches of the Tarkine, the four-lane Bass Highway feels almost unfamiliar.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Hellyer Gorge State Reserve: a rest area by the river with a short circuit walk through rainforest, ideal for a break on the way down.
- Guide Falls near Ridgley: a broad waterfall a few minutes off the main road.
- Link to Leven Canyon: from Ulverstone a country road leads into the hinterland to the viewing platform above the gorge of the Leven River – a detour for an extra day.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: In Devonport, the Mersey Bluff Caravan Park by the sea near the lighthouse is the classic last stop before the ferry, with power, amenities and a dump point.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): Within Devonport, overnighting outside designated sites is not allowed, including in the car parks at the ferry terminal. Check free sites in WikiCamps and observe the council’s conditions.
- Insider tip for campers
- Cradle Mountain is not far from Waratah; Cradle Mountain, the west coast and the east coast are covered in the CampingSpirit travel guide “Rainforest, granite bays and wombats at dusk – a campervan loop around Tasmania”. Fill up before the ferry, turn off the gas bottle and check length and height against your booking. The new Spirit of Tasmania ships dock in Devonport at a new terminal – check the departure point in your booking confirmation.
Camping practice & local rules
Wild camping & overnight parking
- Tasmania has no statewide freedom camping law: whether you may sleep in your vehicle is decided by the councils – on this route Central Coast, Burnie, Waratah-Wynyard and Circular Head – and by Parks and Wildlife for national parks, reserves and conservation areas. Rule of thumb: only sleep at designated sites; beach, lookout and town car parks are off limits.
- Circular Head is comparatively camper-friendly: basic sites such as Green Point near Marrawah (free), the Stanley Recreation Ground and sports grounds in Forest and Irishtown (for a small fee), plus the free Tall Timbers RV Site in Smithton for self-contained vehicles. Most have no drinking water and conditions change – check the current situation in WikiCamps and on site.
- Many council and Parks sites only accept “fully self-contained” vehicles with a toilet, fresh-water and grey-water tank. There is no official certificate as in New Zealand, but checks still happen.
- Tasmania Parks Pass: a valid pass is compulsory for national parks such as Rocky Cape; for a trip, the Holiday Pass per vehicle (up to two months) is worthwhile, available online or at visitor centres. The campgrounds of the Arthur-Pieman Conservation Area charge their own fees by self-registration. Check current prices with Parks and Wildlife.
- Fire: campfires are permitted at some coastal sites, but in summer the Tasmania Fire Service often declares total fire bans. TasALERT reports warnings, bushfires and road closures.
- Apps: WikiCamps Australia and CamperMate show sites, rest areas and dump points with user reports; west of Smithton and in the Tarkine, mobile coverage is patchy to non-existent – save maps and site information offline.
Waste disposal & supplies
- Dump points: Devonport, Ulverstone (Victoria Street), Penguin (Stubbs Point), Burnie (The Esplanade, South Burnie), Stanley (Marine Esplanade), Smithton (East Esplanade), Arthur River (end of Airey Street) and Waratah (Annie Street); plus the holiday parks for guests. There are none in Corinna, at the Julius River or on the Western Explorer. Never let grey water drain onto the ground.
- Water: town supplies are good; at Parks campgrounds and many council sites there is no water or only untreated tank water, which must be boiled for several minutes. Fill the fresh-water tank before the Tarkine.
- Gas: Australian bottles today mostly have the LCC27 valve, older ones still POL; swap them at petrol stations and hardware stores, refills at filling stations only with a valid test date. European bottles do not fit. A wider choice only in Devonport, Burnie and Wynyard.
- Fuel: full supplies in Devonport, Burnie, Wynyard and Smithton; Marrawah is considered the last reliable petrol station before the Western Explorer. There is neither fuel nor power in Corinna; plan a reserve for at least 250 km. Small towns such as Waratah have short opening hours, if any.
- Biosecurity: fruit, vegetables, plants and certain foods may not be brought from the mainland to Tasmania; there are checks at the ferry terminal. On the island you can buy potatoes, berries and cheese directly from farm shops on the north-west coast.
Vehicle size & traffic rules
- Driving on the left: drive on the left, overtake on the right; roundabouts are driven clockwise, and priority goes to those already on the roundabout or coming from the right. On gravel and on blind bends keep well to the left – log trucks take the middle.
- Speed limits: generally 50 km/h in built-up areas, 100 km/h outside them, 110 km/h on a few upgraded sections; on unsealed roads outside built-up areas generally 80 km/h unless signed otherwise. There are no toll roads in Tasmania.
- Animals on the road: the north-west and the Tarkine are a stronghold of the Tasmanian devil; “Devil Zone” signs mark sections with many collisions. Wombats, wallabies, pademelons and possums cross between dusk and dawn – do not drive at night, and if you must, drive slowly and ready to brake, without risky swerving.
- Rental campervans: many agreements exclude unsealed roads from insurance cover, and some name the Western Explorer explicitly; there is also often a higher excess for animal collisions and restrictions on night driving. Clarify in writing beforehand which routes are permitted.
- Unsealed roads: the Western Explorer (C249) and the Savage River–Corinna road are gravel, slippery and washed out after rain, and at times closed after storms. Drive slowly, lights on, keep your distance because of flying stones; check the spare wheel, jack and tyre pressure before the stage.
- Fatman Barge (Pieman River, Corinna): load limit 6 tonnes, width up to 2.5 m, wheelbase limited, combinations up to 9 m total wheelbase; no reservations, operates daily during daytime. Spirit of Tasmania ferry between Geelong and Devonport: book the correct length including rear rack and height including roof load. Foreign driving licences not in English only with an International Driving Permit or a translation; blood alcohol limit 0.5‰.
CampingSpirit packing & preparation checklist
- Spare jerrycan for diesel (20 litres): between Marrawah and Waratah there is no petrol station via the Western Explorer and Corinna.
- Tyre pressure gauge, a small 12-volt compressor and a checked spare wheel – for the gravel of the Western Explorer and the road to Corinna.
- Offline maps and a satellite emergency device (PLB or satellite messenger): in the Tarkine and on the Pieman River there is no mobile coverage for hours.
- Storm-proof clothing and a beanie: at the Edge of the World, on Green Point and The Nut the westerly of the Roaring Forties often blows at gale force, even in summer.
- Binoculars for sea eagles on the Arthur River, penguins in Burnie and Stanley and wombats at dusk at the edge of the site.
- Mosquito net for the sliding door: along the rivers of the Tarkine and in Corinna, mosquitoes and sandflies are out on warm evenings.
As of 2026-10. Closures, fees and booking rules change: check official sources before you go.
