Tas Info

SuBaRiNo · Post by **SuBaRiNo** » Fri Jul 09, 2010 8:38 pm

I know this is not a trip but i had some question only relavent to people living in Tas so i thought this might be the best place.

Basically i am starting to plan a trip around Australia in my Forester towing my camper trailer and would like to include tasmania into the trip.

A couple of questions..

1. I assume you take a ferry or boat to get there... what are the costs involved in getting the Car and Camper over

2. Is a week long enough to travel around the outside of tasmania?

3. Has anyone got any info on past trips around Tas (how long it took... how many km per day)

4. Where does the boat/ferry leave from? Is it daily? Is there just one or a lot of different ones?

Sorry if some of these questions seam stupid but this is the start of my reasearch on this so i know basically nothing.

Any other info that you think might be usefull would be great.

Dave

subaruby · Post by **subaruby** » Fri Jul 09, 2010 9:54 pm

You get there by ferrry, leaves from Melbourne arrives in Devonport.

http://www.spiritoftasmania.com.au/

Ten days is a perfect amount of time to stay in Tassie, 2 weeks is too long.

You can get from the top of Tassie (Launceston) to the bottom (Hobart) in about 2 - 2 1/2 hours. If you go around the outside, the same distance in km's will take you longer. Reason being the roads are windier steeper and slower, most being single carriage hwy.

Fantastic place to visit especially if you are into wilderness, and good food and wine.

SuBaRiNo · Post by **SuBaRiNo** » Fri Jul 09, 2010 10:12 pm

Thanks for the info. Had a quick look at that site. It seams i can't change the times the boat leaves at all. Am i right in asuming it only leaves at 7:30 in the evening and arrives in Tas 3:00 in the morning each day.

Was hoping we could get over there much cheaper if there was a day fairy so you didn't need to pay for a room on board. Looks like with the car/camper/2 adults and 2 dogs im looking at almost $1000 return.

subaruby · Post by **subaruby** » Fri Jul 09, 2010 10:20 pm

They do day sailings just not all the time I think

http://www.spiritoftasmania.com.au/book ... table.html

Suby Roo · Post by **Suby Roo** » Fri Jul 09, 2010 10:36 pm

Yeah they do night sailings, leaving at half past 7 from Melbourne and arriving at around 7 into devenport the next morning. They do day sailings in peak times.

Best bet would be to head north from devenport up to burnie, and travel all the way through to woolnorth if you are interested in wind farms, otherwise turn off at burnie and head to strahan, through to queenstown, back through new Norfolk to Hobart, do the loop around the southern area - huonville, geeveston etc, and back up the east coast to st Helene and back into launceston, then to devonport to the ferry!
10 days would be the right amount of time to spend down here, gives you the time to hang around at a few places or get offthe beaten track!

The boat is expensive, but sometimes they deals where the car sails free when you pay for a cabin, but I generally fly in and out of here so best bet is for you to keep am eye out on the website for deals!

Hobart to launceston is about 2 hours without stopping, devonport is about am hour from launceston, burnie an hour from devonport and smithton is about an hour and a half from burnie, most of the east coast is only max 2 hours from the main highway - Midland Highway, as there is heaps of different roads to it.
The furthest away locations is the west coast, it takes about 6 hours from Hobart to Strahan and about 3 hours from Burnie to Strahan.

AlpineRaven · Post by **AlpineRaven** » Fri Jul 09, 2010 11:11 pm

Been to Tasmania heaps of times (lost count), taken car over there twice, overnight ferry and day ferry (devil cat - no longer running), a week is not enough, I've travelled half of tassie in 9 days (Devonport - Central Tas - South - Hobart & all West Coast including Wineglass Bay, George Town etc), 2nd time went there in West Coast including Hobart - 5 days... so if you wanna travel right around including midland give yourself 2 weeks. Best season is March - April, if you want to see winter wonderland in central Tasmania - August is best time. Hire a Car - forget about it!!!!! bring your own!

Ferry prices varies depending on what time of the year - peak/offpeak season etc.

You'll love Tassie mate...
Cheers
AP

Venom · Post by **Venom** » Sat Jul 10, 2010 8:49 am

You can send one person over on the boat with the car and everyone else on cheapo tiger flights which can be as low as $30 (Launceston to Melb). This is how my parents did our last trip over to Tassie. Not sure how it would work out with 2 dogs though.

Tassie is well worth it anyway. Beautifull place and great fish and chips everywhere you go too!

vincentvega · Post by **vincentvega** » Sat Jul 10, 2010 10:33 am

how come nobody has made a "fairy" joke yet

after the cape, tassie is definately next on my to do list.

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Sat Jul 10, 2010 12:26 pm

you can keep the fairy for yerself! Drop in on Brumberty Matt to report in on how his WonderBrumby II is going

ScubyRoo · Post by **ScubyRoo** » Sat Jul 10, 2010 1:50 pm

Suby Roo wrote:Yeah they do night sailings, leaving at half past 7 from Melbourne and arriving at around 7 into devenport the next morning. They do day sailings in peak times.

Best bet would be to head north from devenport up to burnie, and travel all the way through to woolnorth if you are interested in wind farms, otherwise turn off at burnie and head to strahan, through to queenstown, back through new Norfolk to Hobart, do the loop around the southern area - huonville, geeveston etc, and back up the east coast to st Helene and back into launceston, then to devonport to the ferry!
10 days would be the right amount of time to spend down here, gives you the time to hang around at a few places or get offthe beaten track!

The boat is expensive, but sometimes they deals where the car sails free when you pay for a cabin, but I generally fly in and out of here so best bet is for you to keep am eye out on the website for deals!

Hobart to launceston is about 2 hours without stopping, devonport is about am hour from launceston, burnie an hour from devonport and smithton is about an hour and a half from burnie, most of the east coast is only max 2 hours from the main highway - Midland Highway, as there is heaps of different roads to it.
The furthest away locations is the west coast, it takes about 6 hours from Hobart to Strahan and about 3 hours from Burnie to Strahan.

Definetly agree with the above - I grew up in St. Helens - I'm pretty sure you can take your 4x4 onto Peron Dunes as we used to watch the dune buggies there as a kid - you'd have to check that out. Also make time to head up north of St. Helens on the coast up to Bay of Fires which are particularlly speccy and a good place to escape the 'crowds' of Coles Bay (Freycinet), Swansea and Bicheno. From Bay of Fires (starts from Binnalong Bay and heads north) from there you can take back roads through some really nice country to Scottsdale, then into to launceston. The Scottsdale-Launceston rd is pretty fun.

Don't make the mistake of trying to see everything in 10 days - You'll just spend the entire time driving. If you head anti clockwise as described by Suby Roo then make sure you get to Crade Mountain, its pretty cool and a nice walk if you're into such things... the road down to Strahn is one of the windiest in Aus, so enjoy! We were on that road in Jan last year and we couldn't see 100m in front of the car due to the rain being so heavy...

Must visit places for me are Bay of Fires, Cradle Mt, Freycinet National Park, Southern Tas (loop as described above) and be sure to take a few days up north - better weather and less people!

You'll have a great time, enjoy being in Australia's cleanest air!

Cheers,
Owen.

AlpineRaven · Post by **AlpineRaven** » Sat Jul 10, 2010 6:25 pm

ScubyRoo wrote:You'll have a great time, enjoy being in Australia's cleanest air!

Cheers,
Owen.

And Fresh WATER!!!!!

Yes, Tahune Airwalk is a good place to go to, St Clair National Park, Cradle Mountain, Hydro Power Stations musuems (if your interested) Fish and Chips has to be on your list mate, Stanley, Coles Bay - Spend 3 days there - worth it. so fourth.... too many to mention.. Do your homework before going there.
Cheers
AP

SuBaRiNo · Post by **SuBaRiNo** » Mon Jul 12, 2010 8:28 pm

Thanks for the info guys... have looked up the boat details and now know what we are up for as far as the cost goes. Also we think we will try and get atleast 10 days there as recomended.

I will have to look into the National Parks a bit more. Most do not allow dogs. Unfortunately all my camping books don't seam to cover Tas at all.

Dave

mattl200 · Post by **mattl200** » Sat Jul 17, 2010 7:53 pm

4wd in tas
http://www.roving.com.au/ have read this book
http://www.4wdtasmania.org/
camping in tas
http://www.exploroz.com/Shop/Books/Boil ... mania.aspx

bevelhead · Post by **bevelhead** » Tue Jul 27, 2010 8:33 pm

You will be able to find somewhere to camp close to most national parks, mightnt be any facilities but take a bit of firewood and supplies and check out close by bush tracks and you will find somewhere to set up camp, might have to leave poor old pooch at camp while you explore but:(