Tasmania might appear smaller compared to the rest of Australia, but this underrated region packs a ton of adventure for fellow nature and wildlife lovers.
Mount Amos, Freycinet National Park. Photo credit: Matthew Donovan
Visiting every state in Australia has been a dream of mine, but one state that’s been on my mind lately is Tasmania.
From the incredible Southern Lights to close encounters with unique wildlife, I just know this destination would make an epic road trip.
Bruny Island. Photo credit: Luke Tscharke
There are 18 incredible national parks in Tasmania and over 40% of the country is marked as a world heritage area. These protected areas are also home to several endemic species like the Tasmanian devil and Eastern quoll.
If that hasn’t convinced you to plan your Tasmania itinerary, here are 13 incredible experiences that will!
1) Go on incredible hikes — Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park
Photo credit: Jason Charles Hill
Cradle Mountain is Tasmania’s most famous postcard view and is easily one of the best places to visit in Australia. Especially if you’re into hiking! I mean, just Google Tasmania and this is probably one of the first few images you’ll see.
Photo credit: Jason Charles Hill
If you’re feeling adventurous, opt for the six-day Overland Track. This 65km-long hike is challenging but extremely rewarding. It begins at Cradle Mountain and ends at Lake St Clair, Australia’s deepest lake.
Photo credit: Emilie Ristevski
But of course, there’s also the shorter Dove Lake Circuit (6km, 3hrs) or Crater Lake Circuit (5.7km, 2hrs) — both great ways to see Cradle Mountain and its surroundings.
National Park shuttle buses run between the Cradle Mountain Visitor Centre and Dove Lake (8AM – 6PM from Oct to Mar, and 9AM – 5PM from Apr to Sep). Private vehicles are not permitted on the road during these times.
Entrance fee: AU$25.75/pax (~S$23.70) for a Daily Icon Park Pass. The Overland Track requires a separate entry pass (AU$200/pax, ~S$184) — Apply in advance as the number of hikers each day is limited
Opening hours: 24 hours
How to get there: Cradle Mountain is a 4hr drive (300km) north-west of Hobart, and a 1hr 45min drive (140km) west of Launceston. The main car park is at the Cradle Mountain Visitor Centre
2) Be captivated by the Southern Lights — Bruny Island
Photo credit: Luke Tscharke
Just a 35-minute drive from Hobart, Bruny Island is a popular weekend getaway destination among locals. It has little light pollution, making it a good location to catch the elusive Southern Lights!
One famous spot to capture this spectacular phenomenon is Cape Bruny Lighthouse.
Photo credit: Robert King Visuals
There are also plenty of other things to do on Bruny Island to fill a weekend, from coastal cruises to beautiful hikes and even wildlife spotting.
Bruny Island is made of two islands — the north and south — connected by a narrow stretch of land called The Neck. Besides being a stunning viewpoint, The Neck is also an important habitat for native birdlife like short-tailed shearwaters and little penguins!
Cost: AU$48.50/vehicle (~S$44.60) for a round trip ferry ride
Opening hours: Check the ferry schedule before going
How to get there: 37min drive (33km) from Hobart to Kettering Ferry Terminal, then a 20min ferry to Bruny Island
3) Meet Tasmania’s unique critters — Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary
Photo credit: Tourism Tasmania and Rob Burnett
Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary isn’t a zoo. It’s Tasmania’s largest 24/7 rescue service, where the goal is to release the animals back into the wild! Some of the furry residents here include Tasmanian devils, wombats, eastern quolls and sugar gliders.
Photo credit: Tourism Tasmania and Rob Burnett
Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary is fully funded by entry fees, so visiting plays a part in local animal conservation! To learn more about Tasmania’s wildlife, join the free daily tours. You’ll get to watch the animals enjoy snacks, while their keepers share fun facts about them.
Entrance fee: AU$32.50 (~S$30)
Opening hours: 9AM – 5PM (Night tours are available after 5PM)
How to get there: 30min drive (28km) from Hobart
4) Take in stunning views of Hobart — kunanyi/Mount Wellington
Photo credit: Emilie Ristevski
Overlooking Tasmania’s capital city of Hobart is kunanyi/Mount Wellington. Standing at 1,271m, this iconic peak is easily accessed from the city centre via a short 30-minute drive!
Photo credit: Luke Tscharke
There are plenty of trails around kunanyi/Mount Wellington; not just a straight arrow to the top. Like the Organ Pipes Track, an easy 2.5km walk that showcases the dolerite cliffs.
Hoping for a more enriching experience? Walk on kunanyi offers small group walking tours with local guides who’ll share about the ecology of the area.
Entrance fee: Free
Opening hours: 24 hours
How to get there: 30min drive (17km) from Hobart
5) Sail beneath towering sea cliffs — Tasman Island
Photo credit: Poon Wai Nang
Board a striking yellow open-air boat and cruise along the stunning coastlines of Tasman National Park. Pennicott Wilderness Journeys is a family business that offers excellent wilderness cruises exploring the coastline between Port Arthur and Eaglehawk Neck.
A must-see here is Cape Pillar — the highest vertical sea cliffs in the Southern Hemisphere!
Photo credit: @pennicottjourneys via Instagram
Tasman National Park is also home to a large number of wildlife such as seals, sea birds and migrating whales.
Cost: AU$155 (~S$143) for a 3hr cruise
Tour timings: 10AM, 2PM
How to get there: The meeting point for the cruise is Tasman Island Cruises Booking Centre in Port Arthur. It’s a 1.5hr drive (94km) from Hobart
6) Try one of Australia’s great walks — Maria Island
Photo credit: Tourism Australia
A beautiful island with a rich history, Maria Island wore many hats in the past. She was a penal settlement in the 1820s, an agricultural station in the 1850s and was eventually declared a national park in 1971.
These days, many visitors flock to Maria Island for her famous 4-Day Walk. The journey starts in the coastal town of Triabunna, passing natural landmarks like Mt Maria and the Fossil Cliffs, before ending in Darlington.
Photo credit: Tourism Tasmania and Rob Burnett
During the trek, hikers might encounter wombats, Tasmanian devils, kangaroos and wallabies. Maria Island is one of the best places in Australia to see these creatures in the wild, after all!
The bird life is also an attraction with 125 species (including all of Tasmania’s endemic species) like the endangered forty-spotted pardalote.
Cost: AU$52/pax (~S$48.10) for a round trip ferry ride. As Maria Island is a National Park, all visitors require a valid park pass (AU$20.60/pax) as well.
Ferry timings: Check the schedule
How to get there: 30min ferry ride from Triabunna. Triabunna is a 1hr 15min drive (86km) north-east of Hobart
7) Have the ultimate beach day — Binalong Bay
Photo credit: Tourism Australia
To soak in some sun, head to Binalong Bay. It’s the main beach along the Bay of Fires, an incredible 50km-long coast lined with white sand beaches and clear turquoise waters.
A unique feature of the area is the lichen-covered (a type of algae) boulders that give the coastline its distinctive orange shade.
Photo credit: Tourism Australia
You won’t have trouble finding things to do here — Binalong Bay offers a wide array of activities like surfing, snorkelling and kayaking! The area is also known for its rich marine life, best seen by joining a Bay of Fires Eco Tour.
Entrance fee: Free
Opening hours: 24 hours
How to get there: 2.5hr drive (177km) from Launceston or 3.5hr drive (266km) from Hobart
8) Enjoy a relaxing walk — St Columba Falls
Photo credit: Pierre Destribats
If there’s one thing we love, it’s a short hike with high returns. The 90m-high St Columba Falls is one of Tasmania’s tallest waterfalls and it’s only a 15min walk (1.2km round trip) from the carpark!
Photo credit: Tourism Tasmania & Andrew McIntosh, Ocean Photography
The route is shaded by massive ferns, making it a really pleasant and cooling hike.
Entrance fee: S$41.20/vehicle (~S$37.90) for a 24 hour National Park pass
Opening hours: 24 hours
How to get there: 40min drive (37km) from St Helens
9) Experience the thrill of mountain biking — Derby Mountain Biking
Photo credit: Jason Charles Hill
If you weren’t into mountain biking before, Derby might just convert you. It’s home to some of the world’s best mountain bike trails!
There are 125km of mountain bike trails, all of which are free to use all year round. Biking trails for all levels are available, from easy green routes to more advanced black diamond trails.
Photo credit: Tourism Australia
In a town known for biking, it’s easy to rent a bike at one of the many bike stores and head off on your own. But if you’re new to mountain biking and prefer to ride with an instructor, there are many tours available. These tours often include accommodation, food and transport!
Cost: From AU$75/day (~S$69) for mountain bike rental
Opening hours: Varies
How to get there: 1.5hr drive (101km) from Launceston
10) Visit one of Tasmania’s oldest national parks — Freycinet National Park
Photo credit: Jason Charles Hill
Established in 1916, Freycinet National Park is one of Tasmania’s oldest national parks. Its most popular landmark is Wineglass Bay, a beautiful curved beach framed by The Hazards (a line of granite peaks).
Photo credit: Jason Charles Hill
Wineglass Bay Lookout offers the best vantage point of the bay and it’s just a short 1.3km hike to get there. Have more time to spare? Try the Wineglass Bay and Hazards Beach Circuit (11km, 5hrs) or for experienced hikers, the more challenging Mount Amos Trek (3.6km, 3hrs).
Other fun things to do in Freycinet National Park include kayaking and camping.
Entrance fee: S$41.20/vehicle (~S$37.90) for a 24 hour National Park pass
Opening hours: 24 hours
How to get there: 2hr 30min drive (195km) north-east of Hobart, or a 2hr drive (175km) south-east of Launceston
11) Stand amongst some of the world’s tallest trees — Styx Tall Trees Reserve
Photo credit: Tourism Australia & Graham Freeman
To see real-life giants (sort of), head to Styx Tall Trees Conservation Area. The Eucalyptus Regnans, or giant ash, is among the largest and tallest eucalyptus on the planet — with several species towering over 90m!
Photo credit: Tourism Australia and Graham Freeman
There are a few short walks to see these trees, like the 700m Big Tree Reserve boardwalk. The Styx Forest is also home to an abundance of wildlife, like platypuses, pygmy possums and black cockatoos.
Entrance fee: S$41.20/vehicle (~S$37.90) for a 24 hour National Park pass
Opening hours: 24 hours
How to get there: 2hr drive (92km) from Hobart
12) Cruise through riverside rainforests — Gordon River
Photo credit: Tourism Australia
Stretching over 172km, the Gordon River is yet another spectacular display of Tasmania’s natural landscapes. It’s part of Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park, a UNESCO Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area.
Photo credit: Gordon River Cruises
Explore the beautiful curves of the Gordon River by going on a cruise! The journey starts at Hells Gates, passing through Macquarie Harbour before sailing down the river. You’ll also get to make a few stops to walk through the rainforest.
Cost: AU$160/pax (~S$148) for a 6hr tour — incl. buffet lunch
Tour timing: 8:30AM daily
How to get there: 3.5hr drive (272km) from Launceston to Strahan (the town closest to the Gordon River)
13) Admire Tasmania’s tallest waterfall — Montezuma Falls
Photo credit: Jess Bonde
Montezuma Falls stands at an imposing 104m and is Tasmania’s tallest waterfall. To get to the base of the falls, it’s an 11.5km return hike that takes 3hrs total. An easy trek consisting of mostly gradual terrain!
Photo credit: Tourism Tasmania and Lynette Graham
The route takes you through lush rainforest, following the former North East Dundas Tramway. The area is also home to several native bird species like the White’s thrush — keep your eyes peeled and you might spot a few!
Entrance fee: S$41.20/vehicle (~S$37.90) for a 24 hour National Park pass
Opening hours: 24 hours
How to get there: 1hr 15min drive (70km) from Strahan
Tips for Planning a Tasmania Road Trip
The Maria Island Walk. Photo credit: Tourism Australia
Planning a road trip in a new destination can be a little overwhelming at the start. Here are some tips for planning your first Tasmania road trip!
1) There are currently no direct flights to Tasmania from Singapore.
The fastest way to get to Tasmania is to fly to Melbourne, then to Hobart Airport or Launceston Airport, Tasmania’s two main airports.
Photo credit: Tourism Tasmania
2) Check out Tourism Tasmania’s Trip Planner!
It allows travellers to find the best things to do in Tasmania and map out a travel route and itinerary by day. You can also save your trip and share it as a collaborative link with your travelling party — so everyone can contribute to the trip planning.
Bay of Fires. Photo credit: Stu Gibson
3) A National Parks Pass is needed to enter all of Tasmania’s national parks. This goes towards the maintenance of the reserves!
A Daily Pass costs AU$41.20/vehicle (up to 8pax) — the price is the same for all parks except for Cradle Mountain. There are also Annual Park Passes (AU$91.35/pax) which are more worthwhile for those planning to visit multiple national parks.
Head to Tourism Tasmania’s website for more amazing things to do in Tasmania as well as sample road trip itineraries.
What are some of your favourite things to do in Tasmania? Share with us in the comments below!
This article is brought to you by Tourism Tasmania.
