When I began planning my trip to Australia, Tasmania wasn’t originally on the agenda. I didn’t know anything about it and sadly didn’t even know exactly where it was. After meeting a few travelers that had been through Australia, Tasmania kept coming up as a place not to miss. I started researching and found that it was full of national parks, outdoor activities and beautiful scenery. Still not knowing much about the island, I made the decision to go and was excited to explore a part of the country that not many people think to go to. Tasmania would be my last stop in Australia before heading to New Zealand, so with four days to explore the island I knew I would have a packed itinerary.
Tasmania is located off the southern coast of Australia and was founded by Dutch explorer Abel Tasman in 1642. It’s covered in beautiful forests, rugged mountains, picturesque coastlines and endless lakes, and over one-third of the island is protected by National Parks and World Heritage Areas. Additionally, it’s home to an abundance of rare plants and animals!
With only four days to explore, I opted to take a flight over to Hobart (the capital city of Tasmania) instead of taking the ferry from Melbourne to the northern part of the island.
*If you have more time and want to take the more “scenic” route through the Bass Strait, check out the Spirit of Tasmania for ferry prices.*
The best way to get around the island is by car, so I decided to give driving on the left side of the road a shot. I booked my rental car through Europcar and after sitting in the driver’s seat (which is on the right side of car) for about 10 minutes, I finally told myself it was now or never. I pulled out of the lot, drove down the road and instead of turning on what I thought was the turning signal, I activated the windshield wipers. Apparently even those are on the opposite side of the steering wheel! I probably did that a good 10 times on my trip and couldn’t help but just laugh.
Below is an overview of the stops I made on my road trip, which are just a few of the best areas to explore in Tasmania!
Freycinet National Park
The first destination on my Tasmanian road trip was Freycinet National Park to see the famous Wineglass Bay. Driving up the east coast on the A3 Tasman Highway, also known as the Great Eastern Drive, you pass through beautiful farmland, coastlines, and rolling hills. About 2.5 hours from Hobart, Freycinet National Park encompasses most of the Freycinet Peninsula and looks out to the Tasman Sea to the East.
Wineglass Bay is considered one of the best beaches in the world with its pristine white sand, crystal blue waters and beautiful granite peaks. This perfectly curved beach is a short 1.5 hour day hike down to the beach and lookout, but you can turn it into a multi-day hike to explore more remote beaches.
Freycinet is a great place to go and relax on the beach, explore the peninsula on multi-day hikes, and take to the water for some kayaking or fishing. Camping is available inside the park but is allocated by ballot each August. I only had one day to explore so I opted to stay in the little coastal town of Swansea at a backpackers lodge about an hour’s drive from the park.
Cradle Mountain – Lake St Clair National Park
The next stop on my trip was to Cradle Mountain, located on the northwestern side of the island. The drive from Swansea is just over three hours on National Highway 1 and is absolutely beautiful. I never felt bored while driving through Tasmania because the scenery and wildlife you spot is so exciting! There are not many cars on the road, so there are times you feel like you’re the only one on the whole island.
Cradle Mountain–Lake St Clair National Park is known for its world-famous Overland Track and picturesque Cradle Mountain. It’s part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area where glacial lakes, rugged mountains and rich vegetation can be seen. The park also is home to interesting wildlife like wombats, echidnas, platypus and many others.
It’s easy to spend a few days in the park as there are many day and multi-day hikes to explore. The famous Overland Track is a 65 km, six-day hike that ends at Lake St Clair. I was lucky enough to walk the first few kilometers of the track and fell in love with the scenery and wildlife. This national park really stuck out to me in terms of beauty and wildlife and is on my list to return to in the future!
Hobart
Located on the southeastern side of the island, Hobart is Tasmania’s capital city and the second oldest city in Australia. The city is centered around the harbor and is extremely walkable. Stroll through the harbor, walk down Salamanca Square for some eating and shopping, and visit a few of the local art galleries. If you’re there on a Saturday, check out the Salamanca Markets for some great local crafts and foods. Hobart is also a great jump-off spot for day trips to Mt. Wellington, Bruny Island and Port Arthur.
Cape Raoul
With only one day left in Tassie, I chose to explore the Tasman Peninsula and hike to Cape Raoul. A two hour drive from Hobart, the Cape Raoul track takes about five hours to complete roundtrip. It’s located very close to Port Arthur, which is another great area to explore if you have more time.
Roads leading to the Cape Raoul track are narrow and windy and you end up on a dirt road for the last few miles. There’s a book for hikers to log their hike at the start of the trail, and since I was by myself this seemed like a wise idea. Not sure whether or not it would rain given the dark clouds above, I started the hike regardless and was in awe of the views I encountered. Beautiful coastal lookouts, lush green forests, steep sea cliffs, and so many pademelons (animal similar in looks to a wallaby).
I’m so glad that I decided to add Tasmania to my itinerary and explore the island. If you love being outdoors, this is the place for you. I already can’t wait to return and explore more of the island!