Tasmania looks like a week. It drives like two. The roads are narrow, hilly and constantly turning, and the distances that look trivial on a map take much longer than the same distance on the mainland.
It is also the one state where walking is the main event rather than a side activity — roughly 40% of the state is national park, World Heritage area or reserve.
Getting there: fly into Hobart or Launceston, or take the Spirit of Tasmania vehicle ferry from Geelong to Devonport. The ferry needs booking months ahead for summer with a vehicle.
Natural wonders worth the detour
Cradle Mountain–Lake St Clair National Park
2 hours from Devonport, 4.5 from Hobart
- Best time
- December–March for the alpine walks; the Overland Track booking season runs October–May
- Cost
- Parks pass required; shuttle bus fare included in the park entry pass
- Access
- Private vehicles are restricted past the visitor centre in peak periods — you take the shuttle to Dove Lake
The Dove Lake Circuit is 6 km and mostly boardwalk. Summiting Cradle Mountain is a serious 6–8 hour scramble and is regularly abandoned due to weather.
Freycinet & Wineglass Bay
East coast, 2.5 hours from Hobart
- Best time
- October–April. The lookout car park fills by 9am in January.
- Cost
- Parks pass required
- Access
- Wineglass Bay lookout is a 1.3 km uphill walk (about 1 hour return); the beach itself is 2.5 hours return
Most photos are from the lookout, not the beach. If you only have an hour, the lookout is the shot.
Port Arthur Historic Site
1.5 hours south-east of Hobart on the Tasman Peninsula
- Best time
- Year-round; the site is at its most atmospheric in winter
- Cost
- Paid entry, valid for two consecutive days, includes a guided walk and harbour cruise
- Access
- Sealed road the whole way
This is a convict site and also the site of the 1996 massacre. There is a memorial garden and staff ask that it is treated as a place of mourning, not a photo stop.
Bay of Fires
North-east coast, 3 hours from Launceston
- Best time
- November–April for swimming; the orange lichen photographs best in early morning light
- Cost
- Free; the northern conservation area has free camping
- Access
- Sealed to Binalong Bay, then partly unsealed north along The Gardens Road
The name comes from the fires of Aboriginal people seen from the sea by Tobias Furneaux in 1773 — not from the orange lichen, which is the usual assumption.
Seasonal wildlife in Tasmania
| Species / event | Months | Where | Reliability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Little penguins | Year-round, largest numbers September – February | Phillip Island VIC, Penguin Island WA, Bicheno TAS | Reliable |
Full national breakdown on the wildlife calendar.
Big Things in Tasmania
The Big Penguin — Penguin, built 1975
3.15 m fairy penguin on the north-west coast, built for the town's centenary. Real little penguins come ashore nearby at dusk in season.
Bass Highway between Burnie and Devonport
Common questions
This is a researched guide compiled from state park and road authority sources, not a firsthand trip report. How we research.