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    Devonport → Stanley → Arthur River → Corinna → Zeehan

    Western Wilds Tasmania Road Trip: the full drive guide

    This is Tasmania's official 'Western Wilds' touring concept — the far north-west, reached from Devonport rather than Launceston, and genuinely different ground from our existing Tasmania's West Coast & Cradle Mountain road trip, which runs Launceston to Hobart via Cradle Mountain, Strahan and Queenstown and never reaches this far north or west. That guide is a south-bound transit route; this one is the Tarkine wilderness and the mining-heritage communities of the deep north-west.

    Distance
    ~325 km, Devonport to Zeehan
    Time needed
    3 days minimum; 5–6 days matches the pace of Tourism Tasmania's own Western Wilds itineraries and allows proper time in the Tarkine and at Corinna
    Vehicle
    2WD suitable
    Surface
    Mostly sealed. The Western Explorer Road (C249) between Arthur River and Corinna is unsealed for its full length — a well-graded gravel road, but slow going, not a highway.
    Best months
    December–March for the most reliable weather on the Western Explorer Road. This is Tasmania's wettest, most exposed coast — the unsealed section can turn slippery or corrugated after rain at any time of year, so check current conditions regardless of season.
    EV suitability
    EV: long charging gaps
    Route style
    Point-to-point
    Western Wilds Tasmania Road Trip — 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. Devonport, 2. Stanley, 3. Arthur River, 4. Corinna, 5. Zeehan.

    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 — but the unsealed Western Explorer Road between Arthur River and Corinna can turn slippery or corrugated after rain at any time of year, and is more prone to it in the cooler, wetter months, roughly May to October.

    Wildlife warning: do not drive at night

    Wombats, pademelons and possums are active on Tasmanian roads from dusk, and the unlit, narrow roads on this route give little reaction time — especially the Western Explorer Road.

    Live road conditions

    Transport Tasmania (Department of State Growth)Parks Tasmania

    The Western Explorer Road, the unsealed heart of this route, runs about 120 km through the Tarkine — Australia's largest cool temperate rainforest — linking Arthur River in the north with the former mining settlement of Corinna on the Pieman River. Allow 3 to 4 hours for the drive alone; it rewards a slow pace, not a rush.

    This route can be driven end to end, or you can end it at Zeehan and continue directly onto our Tasmania's West Coast & Cradle Mountain guide toward Strahan and Queenstown — the two routes meet there and combine into a genuine full-west-coast trip for travellers with the time.

    The stops, in driving order

    1. 01

      Devonport

      0 km in · Start

      Critical supply point — Full services before heading west — the last town of real size before Stanley.

      The gateway to this route — Tasmania's Spirit of Tasmania ferry terminal and Devonport Airport both land you here, with full services before heading west.

      Tip: Fuel and provision here — this is the last full-size town before Stanley.

    2. 02

      Stanley

      130 km in · 1h 30m

      A historic fishing town beneath 'the Nut', a volcanic plug reached by a short, steep walking track or a chairlift, with genuine 19th-century streetscapes.

      Tip: The last town of any real size before the Western Explorer Road — restock here.

    3. 03

      Arthur River

      175 km in · 45m

      Critical supply point — Fill up here — there's no fuel between here and Corinna.

      A small settlement at the mouth of the Arthur River, on the edge of the Tarkine, and the northern start of the Western Explorer Road.

      Tip: River cruises into the Tarkine run from here if you'd rather see the rainforest from the water than the road.

    4. 04

      Corinna

      280 km in · 3h, mostly unsealed

      A former gold-mining settlement on the Pieman River, now a small wilderness retreat surrounded by ancient rainforest — the Fatman Barge crosses the river here for vehicles continuing south.

      Tip: The Western Explorer Road is slow, well-graded gravel — budget the full 3 to 4 hours and don't rush it.

    5. 05

      Zeehan

      325 km in · 50m

      Critical supply point — Full services return here at the end of the route.

      Once Tasmania's third-largest town during the silver-mining boom, now home to the West Coast Heritage Centre's mining and pioneer history collection.

      Tip: Continue on to Strahan or Queenstown from here using our Tasmania's West Coast & Cradle Mountain road trip guide.

    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.

    Western Wilds Tasmania Road Trip — honest timings by leg
    LegDistanceStandard vehicleHighway pace, no stopsTowing / 4WD rig90–100 km/h cruiseRealistic paceFatigue + photo stopsFuel
    Devonport → Stanley~130 km1h 30m1h 50m1h 45mWynyard, Smithton
    Stanley → Arthur River~45 km45m55m55mArthur River
    Arthur River → Corinna~105 km3h3h 35m3h 45mNone — fill at Arthur River
    Corinna → Zeehan~45 km50m1h1hZeehan
    Whole route6h 5m7h 20m7h 20m

    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.

    Western Wilds Tasmania Road Trip — leg conditions
    LegDistanceFuelNotes
    Devonport → Stanley~130 kmWynyard, SmithtonSealed, Bass Highway
    Stanley → Arthur River~45 kmArthur RiverSealed
    Arthur River → Corinna~105 kmNone — fill at Arthur RiverUnsealed the entire way (Western Explorer Road, C249) — well-graded gravel through the Tarkine, slow going
    Corinna → Zeehan~45 kmZeehanSealed via the Fatman Barge crossing and the Corinna Road

    What can go wrong

    • The Western Explorer Road is unsealed for its entire length and can turn slippery or corrugated after rain — check current conditions before you commit, and allow real extra time in wet weather.
    • The Fatman Barge at Corinna is a small vehicle ferry with limited operating hours and capacity — confirm current timetables before you rely on it to continue south.
    • Wildlife — wombats, pademelons and possums — is active on Tasmanian roads from dusk, and the unlit, narrow roads on this route give little reaction time. Avoid driving after dark, especially on the Western Explorer Road.
    • Fuel is genuinely limited on this route — there is none between Arthur River and Corinna, and Corinna itself has none reliable either. Fill up at Arthur River or Stanley before committing to the unsealed section.

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

    Common questions

    That guide runs Launceston to Hobart via Cradle Mountain, Strahan and Queenstown — a south-bound transit route that never reaches this far north-west. This route covers the Tarkine wilderness and the mining-heritage towns of the deep north-west from Devonport, and the two meet at Zeehan for travellers who want to combine them into a full west-coast trip.

    Not strictly — it's a well-graded gravel road, not a 4WD track, and a 2WD with reasonable clearance manages it in dry conditions. A higher-clearance vehicle is more comfortable and the safer choice after rain, when the surface can get slippery.

    Three days is a realistic minimum to drive the route without rushing the Western Explorer Road. Tourism Tasmania's own itineraries for this region run 5 to 6 days, which better reflects the pace this kind of wilderness travel rewards.

    Approach it with real caution — this is genuinely remote wilderness Tasmania with sparse charging beyond Devonport and Stanley. Treat the Arthur River-to-Corinna leg as range-critical and don't assume any charging will be available at Corinna itself.

    Where this is researched from

    • Discover Tasmania — Western Wilds touring itineraries — Official route branding and visitor information
    • Parks Tasmania — Tarkine / takayna — Track and road conditions in the Tarkine
    • Transport Tasmania (Department of State Growth) — Live road conditions, including the Western Explorer Road
    • Bureau of Meteorology — Tasmania — Seasonal weather forecasts

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

    Spotted something we should update? Let us know.