Disclaimer: travelling during the Covid-19 pandemic. In Australia, domestic travel has started to reopen at the end of 2020 and we were lucky enough to have to opportunity to travel from NSW to Tasmania. We wore masks at the airport and while flying and were conscious of washing and sanitising regularly. We avoided spending time in cities, social distanced and stayed away from other people as much as possible.
Wow, what a year! 2020 certainly didn’t pan out the way any of us thought it would.
Instead of spending 6 months travelling around Asia and Europe, I was stood down from my full time job and the country went into mandatory lockdown for three months, then I resigned from my job and decided to pursue my freelance graphic design business full time.
I’m sure I’m not alone when I say it feels like time froze back in March and we’re still scrambling to catch up. Now Christmas and New Year’s are right around the corner and we still don’t know when everything will go back to normal.
While international borders remain closed indefinitely, domestic travel is starting to open back up in Australia. Inspired by our New Zealand road trip in January, some friends and I decided to hire a motorhome and do a 5-day road trip around Tasmania.
Though the trip was quite short, we had a blast and got to explore some of Australia’s island state.
Everyone we spoke to before the trip said we didn’t have enough time to see everything, but I think it’s the kind of place where you can arrange your itinerary based on how long you have. This was the first time I’d been to Tasmania and while I was left wanting more, I do feel that we got to see a lot within such a short timeframe.
Cost Breakdown AUD
Flights – $1,100 ($220pp) – return from Sydney to Hobart with Jetstar
Motorhome Hire – $1,469 – 6 berth for 6 days, including stress-free insurance cover
Petrol – $205 – filled twice
Camp Sites – $320 – 6 nights of powered sites, see daily breakdown of prices below
National Park Pass – $80 – Holiday Pass up to 2 months (includes Cradle Mountain)
Lavender Field Entry – $100 ($20pp)
Port Arthur Entry – $190 ($40 adult / $30 concession)
Total = $3,464 ($692.80pp)*
*Food not included. We technically travelled during ‘peak’ season but due to Covid-19 it was very quiet which may have affected prices.
Day 1 – Hobart & Wineglass Bay
We had a 6am flight so stayed in Sydney the night before to get up early to catch our flight. The flight from Sydney to Hobart is less than two hours so we were out of the airport by 8am.
First stop, pick up the motorhome! This trip changed multiple times before we decided on our final destination. We’d looked at relocation van options to do a Queensland coast trip, but because we were going over peak Schoolies time, thought we’d be better going pretty much anywhere other than Queensland! I’d been wanting to go to Tasmania all year so as soon as the borders opened in November we booked flights.
Inspired by our NZ road trip earlier this year, we went for the motorhome option which turned out to be relatively cheap split between five people. We hired the Cruisin Motorhomes ‘Cruisin Deluxe – 6 Berth‘. While it technically sleeps six adults, we felt that it was better for five adults as one of the beds was quite small and really only fit one person.
We took an Uber to the Cruisin depot which is about 4km from Hobart Airport. It took just under an hour to go through all the admin and then we were free to go!
Our first stop was Wineglass Bay at Freycinet National Park (2.5hr drive from Hobart Airport). Wineglass and Coles Bay are some of the most photographed spots in Tasmania, so we were super excited to check them out. After making friends with the local wildlife (a friendly wallaby), we did the Wineglass Bay Lookout walk which is classed as moderate and takes 1-1.5hrs return. It was a pretty steep hike up but definitely worth it for the most amazing views! From this track you can also do the walk down to Wineglass Bay, a 2.5-3hr steep descent to crystal clear waters and sparkling white sand.
If we’d had more time I would’ve loved to do the Mt Amos hike. A difficult walk, it is steep, slippery, and takes 3hrs return but offers panoramic views from the summit. The National Park has a campground with caravan sites making it a great place to stay for a night to do a few walks and visit the beaches.
After our walk we headed on to Bicheno where we’d booked a powered site at Bicheno East Coast Holiday Park ($55/night powered site for 5pax). The town was lovely but very quiet with not much open due to Covid. I’d imagine that it would usually be bustling during summer.
The only place open for dinner was the Lobster Shack where we had the most delicious fresh salmon and calamari. Probably one of the best meals of the trip!
Day 2 – Bay of Fires & Binalong Bay
Early the next morning, we headed towards Bay of Fires, another must see location in Tassie. Stretching from Binalong Bay to Eddystone Point, the Bay of Fires is a 50km stretch of insanely white beaches with bright blue water and orange lichen-covered rocks. We drove along the coast stopping at a few of the beaches.
Our first stop was Lagoons Beach. It was beautiful but freezing and we were all rugged up in big puffy jackets despite it being Summer – only in Tasmania! Jade and Syan braved the cold, jumping in the ocean fully clothed.
The highlight was a secluded beach that stumbled across on the side of the road. Being in the motorhome, it was difficult to find spots big enough for us to stop. This little beach was a lucky find, offering everything from the white sands to crystal water and vibrant orange rocks!
Our final stop was Binalong Bay which reminded me of Hyams Beach – whitest sand ever! Binalong Bay is a small coastal town at the southernmost end of the Bay of fires with tourist accommodation and cafes. The perfect place to stop for a quick bite after a long day of beach hopping.
The closest major town to Binalong Bay is St Helen’s, the gaming fishing capital of Tasmania. We spent the night at St Helen’s Holiday Park ($87/night powered site for 5pax) and had a big BBQ cook up for dinner. The park is a highlight for kids (both big and small) with its jumping pillow!
Day 3 – Derby, Bridestowe Lavender Estate & Cateract Gorge
On day three we headed towards Bridestowe Lavender Estate stopping first at Derby. Derby is a small town known for the floating sauna in the middle of the Lake. Unfortunately the sauna was booked out but the lake alone was worth the short walk.
For those looking for a short and accessible walk, Lake Derby is for you! Starting at a suspension bridge, it’s an easy 5-10minutes to the Lake followed by a loop to walk the whole way around. Just watch for cyclists as Derby is the mountain biking hub of the area.
Bridestowe Lavender Estate was the place we’d all been super excited for. Surrounded by impressive mountain views, the Estate boasts an incredible 260 acres of lavender fields stretching for a total of 200km!
The plants bloom during the summer months and the estate welcomes visitors to wander around and take in the incredible views at $20pp. We spent a few of hours wandering through the endless rows of lavender, sampling handmade lavender ice cream and snapping pics. Honestly the dreamiest way to spend a morning!
After this we headed towards Launceston. One thing to keep in mind with a large motorhome is that you don’t really want to be trying to park in the city. We only got to pass through Launceston for lunch but I’d love to go back and explore some more. I’d also really wanted to visit Charlie’s Dessert House (founded by World of Wanderlust’s Brooke Saward) but it was unfortunately closed on Monday’s.
On the way to our caravan park we made an impromptu stop at Cateract Gorge. Motorhomes and caravans aren’t allowed to drive into the National Park so we walked the whole way along the road (over 20mins each way with steep inclines, not ideal). The Gorge was beautiful and there were some amazing walking trails, a suspension bridge and chairlift. Unfortunately by the time we got there, we were short on time and had to turn back. Cataract Gorge is the kind of place you’d want to spend the morning doing a hike and then have a picnic lunch to really appreciate it.
We were due at Cradle Mountain early the next day but decided to stay about an hour out and drive over in the morning. Because of its remote location, Cradle Mountain has limited water and power access. Perfect if you want an off-the-grid experience, but not so much if you want a hot shower!
We spent the night at Gowrie Park Wilderness Village a caravan park nestled below Mt Roland ($44/night powered site for 5pax). The owners were so lovely and welcoming, making sure we were comfortable for the night. It ended up being our favourite campsite of the trip.
Day 4 – Cradle Mountain (Dove Lake)
Cradle Mountain was a short 40 minute drive from Gowrie Park and we arrived by 9am. Vehicles are not permitted through the national park so you have to park at the visitor centre and get a shuttle bus out. The visitor centre is also the start of the world famous Overland Track, a six-day hike through beautiful mountain terrain (definitely something to add to the bucket list). While it was quiet when we went, I’d imagine it’d usually be fairly busy in summer and difficult to get a park.
Something we were not prepared for was the arctic temperatures. Despite being summer in Australia, we faced a freezing 2 degrees celsius combined with rain and icy winds! After hastily purchasing beanies, gloves, long pants and jackets at the visitor centre store, we picked up our shuttle bus tickets (included in our National Park Pass).
We did the Dove Lake Circuit, a moderate 6km 2-3hr hike. As soon as we got off the shuttle bus I was in absolute awe! It was incredibly beautiful with the moody clouds and mountain ranges. I was getting serious Hooker Valley Track & Milford Sound vibes! AND within the first five minutes of the walk we saw the cutest little wombat walking around!
Most of the hike was along a boardwalk and it’s suggested to walk in an clockwise loop to avoid foot traffic. The first half of the walk was fairly flat weaving in and out of the bush. The second half was tougher with a steep incline for about 10-15 minutes, which is why the walk is classed as moderate. It was worth it to get amazing panoramic views of the lake!
We completed the walk within 2 hours and hopped back on the shuttle bus to the visitor centre. The shuttle bus makes several stops for the different walks along Cradle Mountain as well as the Rangers Station where you can stop for a picnic lunch. We’d planned to make it back to Hobart that evening (4.5hr drive) so we just grabbed some burgers from the visitor centre before hitting the road again.
Instead of spending the last day in Hobart and trying to navigate the motorhome around the city, we decided to go to Port Arthur. We stayed at Port Arthur Holiday Park ($73.80/night powered site for 5 pax) which felt much bigger and busier than any of the other parks we’d stayed out.
Day 5 – Port Arthur, Tasman National Park & Hobart
On our last full day we headed to the Port Arthur Historical Site for its 10am opening. Tickets were $40 for adults and $30 for concession which included entry, a 40 minute guided walking tour and a 25 minute harbour cruise.
Hot tip for students/concessions, they were super strict with the evidence they would accept – in a group of three full time uni students and a full time Tafe student, only the Tafe student got a concession by showing their end of course date in the student portal. Come prepared!
We were booked into an 11am walking tour and got a brief overview of the prison history of the site. As someone who didn’t really have any background on the history, I found the tour quite interesting. There’s a rough overview and timeline on the Port Arthur website here.
After the tour we had a few minutes to wander around before hopping on the harbour cruise which was amazing.
Even for those who aren’t history buffs, it was really interesting to soak it all in and do something a little different to the rest of the trip. The site also features a beautiful memorial to pay your respects to the victims of the Port Arthur Massacre. We spent a solid four hours there as there was so much to see.
After a quick lunch in the camper we headed to Tasman National Park where we found the most gorgeous white beach. The sun had come out and though the water was absolutely freezing we all ran in for a very fresh dip. Who says Tasmania isn’t tropical!? We also got to see the Tasman Blowhole which was pretty spectacular.
For our final night we headed into Hobart and did an excellent reverse park in the middle of the city. We wandered through the city and had a delicious Chinese dinner at Asian Gourmet on the Pier followed by dessert at the Honey Badger – a must visit if you’re a fan of Insta-worthy cafes!
Our final night was spent at Hobart Airport Tourist Park ($60/night powered site for 5pax) which was very busy but a good place to rest before flying home the next day.
Well that wraps up my Tasmania Road Trip Travel Guide! I hope that you enjoyed the post and that it inspired you to do some domestic travel.
Looking back, we were very rushed and could’ve definitely doubled the length of the trip to fit more in. That said, for our first ‘big’ trip in 12 months, we had an absolute blast. We’re so excited to fit more travel into 2021 and fingers crossed that international travel is back on the cards soon!
If you haven’t already, go check out my New Zealand South Island Road Trip Travel Guide for more travel inspiration and follow my adventures on Instagram, Tik Tok & YouTube.
Like this post? Pin these images to Pinterest!
