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    Launceston → Cradle Mountain → Strahan → Queenstown → Derwent Bridge (Lake St Clair) → Hobart

    Tasmania's West Coast & Cradle Mountain: the full drive guide

    This is the west-coast half of our 2 Weeks Tasmania: Full Island Loop itinerary, covered here as a dedicated route guide — the driving mechanics, fuel gaps and weather risk for travellers doing this leg on its own or wanting more logistics detail than a day-by-day plan gives. Our 7 Days in Tasmania itinerary, by contrast, covers the east coast only and never reaches this side of the island.

    Distance
    ~580 km, Launceston to Hobart via this route
    Time needed
    4 days minimum; 6–7 days lets you properly stop at Cradle Mountain and Strahan
    Vehicle
    2WD suitable
    Surface
    Fully sealed the entire way, including the Lyell Highway's descent into Queenstown — though Tasmanian roads are narrow and constantly turning; add 30–40% to any time a map gives you.
    Best months
    December–March for the most reliable weather. Cradle Mountain and the west coast see genuine cold, rain and even snow at any time of year, so pack for four seasons in a day regardless of when you travel.
    EV suitability
    EV: plan your charging
    Route style
    Point-to-point
    Tasmania's West Coast & Cradle Mountain — Tasmania

    Route map

    Stops shown in driving order with a straight line between them, for planning only — this is not a turn-by-turn route. Always check current road conditions before you travel.

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    Leaflet © OpenStreetMap contributors

    Route stops in order: 1. Launceston, 2. Cradle Mountain, 3. Strahan, 4. Queenstown, 5. Derwent Bridge, 6. Hobart.

    Seasonal gate & outback safety

    Check before you commit to dates
    1. JJanuary — Open — go
    2. FFebruary — Open — go
    3. MMarch — Open — go
    4. AApril — Open — go
    5. MMay — Caution
    6. JJune — Caution
    7. JJuly — Caution
    8. AAugust — Caution
    9. SSeptember — Caution
    10. OOctober — Caution
    11. NNovember — Open — go
    12. DDecember — Open — go
    • Open — go
    • Caution
    • High risk / cut

    Open year-round — there's no seasonal closure here — but the Lyell Highway's switchback descent into Queenstown and the higher sections near Cradle Mountain can see ice, snow or heavy rain in the cooler months, roughly May to October. The rest of the year is more reliable, though Tasmanian weather can still turn quickly regardless of season.

    Wildlife warning: do not drive at night

    Wombats, possums and pademelons are active on Tasmanian roads from dusk, and the narrow, unlit roads on this route give little reaction time. Avoid driving after dark if you can.

    Live road conditions

    Transport Tasmania (Department of State Growth)Bureau of Meteorology — Tasmania

    Tasmania's west coast is a genuinely different place from the rest of the state — temperate rainforest, button grass plains and a coastline exposed directly to the Southern Ocean, reached by roads that are slower and more demanding than their distances suggest.

    The Lyell Highway's descent into Queenstown, through a landscape stripped bare by more than a century of mining, is the most dramatic and most talked-about stretch of driving on this route — sealed, but steep, switchbacked, and worth driving in daylight with full concentration.

    The stops, in driving order

    1. 01

      Launceston

      0 km in · Start

      Critical supply point — Full regional services before the drive into the highlands and west coast.

      The start, with full regional services before the drive into the highlands and west coast.

      Tip: Fuel and provision here — services thin out markedly once you're past Cradle Mountain.

    2. 02

      Cradle Mountain

      140 km in · 2h

      Cradle Mountain–Lake St Clair National Park's northern entrance, and the Dove Lake Circuit — a mostly boardwalk 6 km loop, the accessible way to see the mountain.

      Tip: Private vehicles are restricted past the visitor centre in peak periods; a shuttle bus runs to Dove Lake instead.

    3. 03

      Strahan

      280 km in · 2h

      Critical supply point — The main town on the west coast — restock here before the Lyell Highway crossing to Hobart.

      The main west-coast town, on Macquarie Harbour, and the base for Gordon River cruises into the Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers World Heritage Area.

      Tip: Restock here — it's the last town of any real size before the Lyell Highway crossing to Hobart.

    4. 04

      Queenstown

      320 km in · 40m

      A former mining town in a striking, largely bare landscape, at the start of the Lyell Highway's steep climb east.

      Tip: Fuel here regardless of your gauge — there's no reliable stop between here and Derwent Bridge.

    5. 05

      Derwent Bridge (Lake St Clair)

      460 km in · 1h 45m

      Critical supply point — The only real stop on the long Queenstown-to-Hobart leg — basic fuel and food only, not a full-service town.

      The southern gateway to Cradle Mountain–Lake St Clair National Park, and a sensible break in the long final leg to Hobart.

      Tip: Basic fuel and food only — not a full-service town, so don't rely on it for anything beyond a top-up.

    6. 06

      Hobart

      580 km in · 2h

      The end of the route, and a full return to city services after the highlands crossing.

      Tip: See our 4 Days in Hobart itinerary for what to do once you're here.

    Drive planning: legs, fuel and conditions

    Three paces, same road: highway pace, a towing or 4WD rig, and what the day actually takes once fatigue and photo stops are in it.

    Tasmania's West Coast & Cradle Mountain — honest timings by leg
    LegDistanceStandard vehicleHighway pace, no stopsTowing / 4WD rig90–100 km/h cruiseRealistic paceFatigue + photo stopsFuel
    Launceston → Cradle Mountain140 km2h2h 25m2h 35mSheffield, Cradle Mountain
    Cradle Mountain → Strahan140 km2h2h 25m2h 35mTullah, Rosebery
    Strahan → Queenstown40 km40m50m45mQueenstown
    Queenstown → Derwent Bridge140 km1h 45m2h 5m2h 5mNone reliable — fill at Queenstown
    Derwent Bridge → Hobart120 km2h2h 25m2h 35mNew Norfolk
    Whole route8h 25m10h 5m10h 35m

    How we get these: standard is moving time at signposted highway pace. Rig time assumes a 90–100 km/h cruise and slower acceleration — roughly 20% longer. Realistic pace adds a 15-minute fatigue stop every two hours (the national driver-fatigue guidance) plus about ten minutes an hour for photos, fuel and legs. Plan daylight around the realistic column, not the standard one.

    Tasmania's West Coast & Cradle Mountain — leg conditions
    LegDistanceFuelNotes
    Launceston → Cradle Mountain140 kmSheffield, Cradle MountainSealed; passes through rural highlands
    Cradle Mountain → Strahan140 kmTullah, RoseberySealed via the Murchison Highway, through temperate rainforest and old mining towns
    Strahan → Queenstown40 kmQueenstownSealed; the approach to the Lyell Highway's famous descent
    Queenstown → Derwent Bridge140 kmNone reliable — fill at QueenstownSealed but slow — the steep switchback climb out of Queenstown is the most technical driving on this route
    Derwent Bridge → Hobart120 kmNew NorfolkSealed, opens into the Derwent Valley toward Hobart

    What can go wrong

    • Wombats, possums and pademelons are active on Tasmanian roads from dusk, and the narrow, unlit roads on this route give little reaction time. Avoid driving after dark if you can, particularly through the forested sections.
    • The Lyell Highway's descent into Queenstown is steep and switchbacked — drive it in daylight, and give trucks and caravans room on the tighter bends.
    • Weather at Cradle Mountain and on the higher sections of this route can turn quickly at any time of year, including summer — rain, wind and occasionally snow are all possible with little warning.
    • Fuel is limited between Queenstown and Derwent Bridge — fill up at Queenstown rather than assuming a stop along the way.

    Conditions change seasonally and after storms. Check current conditions with the road authority before relying on any of this.

    Common questions

    That itinerary is a day-by-day holiday plan covering the whole island, including this west-coast leg as part of a longer loop from Hobart. This is a route guide focused on the driving itself — fuel gaps, timing and weather risk — for travellers doing this leg on its own or wanting more road logistics than a day-by-day plan provides.

    No — this route is fully sealed the entire way, including the Lyell Highway. Any 2WD manages it, though the tight bends and steep sections mean it's a slower, more demanding drive than the distances alone suggest.

    Yes, at any time of year on the higher sections around Cradle Mountain, though it's more common in the cooler months. Pack layers and check current conditions before you travel, regardless of season.

    With planning, yes, but treat it with real caution — this is remote west-coast Tasmania with sparser charging infrastructure than the east coast or the Hobart–Launceston corridor. Confirm charging options for the Cradle Mountain-to-Strahan and Queenstown-to-Derwent Bridge legs specifically before you leave.

    Where this is researched from

    • Transport Tasmania (Department of State Growth) — Road conditions and closures
    • Parks Tasmania — Cradle Mountain–Lake St Clair National Park access and shuttle bus information
    • Bureau of Meteorology — Tasmania — Weather and alpine conditions forecasts

    This is a researched guide, not a firsthand trip report. How we research.

    Spotted something we should update? Let us know.