The Best Road Trips in Tasmania

The island state of Australia was practically made for long, dreamy drives – and we’ve narrowed it down to the best road trips in Tasmania to help you start to make your way through this iconic collection.

Tasmania’s East Coast, featuring Freycinet National Park

If you want a Tasmanian road trip that’ll take you past a few dreamy beachside towns, then taking a few days to drive down the East Coast of Tassie is for you.

Add Orford, Swansea, Bicheno and St Helens to your itinerary, as these laid back town will have you wanting to turn off your phone breathe in the salty fresh air.

Gulch Fish and Chips in Bicheno — Stop at Gulch Fish & Chips in Bicheno to enjoy the seafood. (Image: Stu Gibson)

Known for an abundance of incredible seafood offerings, you can’t really go wrong on this cruise down the East Coast. The accommodation offerings are also plentiful, so find yourself a beachside hut to call your own for the night.

The aim of this trip is to make it to the incredible Freycinet National Park; a pink-granite range where you’re sure to spot an influx of wallabies. It’s also the perfect vantage point for the perfect snap of Wineglass Bay; a goblet of sand with the clearest water you’ve ever seen. So much so that it regularly makes the list of ‘World’s Best Beaches’.

Wineglass Bay at sunrise in Freycinet National Park, Tasmania — Arrive early at Wineglass Bay to enjoy the beauty of a morning sunrise. (Image: Lauren Bath)

Hobart to Bruny Island, TAS

Just a 30-minute drive from Hobart, you’ll find the port to take you to Bruny Island: an island off an island. From there you’ll need to take a ferry for 20 minutes to reach the island, which can be described as a ‘foodie’s paradise’.

Rich in all the good stuff; cheese, oysters, honey, chocolate, beer, wine and whisky, a good day is to be had with friends on Bruny Island. Bruny Island Cheese Company and Get Shucked Oysters are two of the more well-known (and totally delicious) vendors on the island.

It’s not all about the food though, mind you, Bruny Island is also very historic, being one of the first parts of Tasmania to be explored by early seafarers. The Aboriginal aspect of the island lives on, with two of the towns on Bruny Island named Alonnah and Lunawanna.

Launceston to Cradle Mountain, TAS

The drive will take you just under two hours to complete, but it’s a day trip well worth experiencing.

Running through farmland and a deep history at Longford and Deloraine, the trip then cuts inland to the quaint town of Sheffield and up to the Alpine Plateau. If you were to stop at each place, the drive would take around three hours.

Sheffield is a must-see for its extensive display of murals and has become a busy tourist destination. En route, make sure you stop into Christmas Hills Raspberry Farm.

If you’re a wine lover, no journey is complete without stopping in to Pinot Shop, where premium pinot noir is grown and sold.

Another must-do is a stop at the Low Head Penguin Tour , here you’ll learn all about the Fairy penguins – on some days there are up to 200 penguins in attendance!

Aurora Australis over Cradle Mountain (Credit: Pierre Destribats)

Launceston to Hobart, TAS

Situated in the east of Tasmania, the drive from Launceston to Hobart has got to be one of the most picturesque of all the road trips you can do in Australia.

Though all of Tasmania is incredibly easy on the eye, the drive between these two cities will take you through some truly iconic destinations. The shortest time between each point is two and a half hours, which takes you the ‘historical route’, one of many ways to get from point a to point b.

On this route you’ll travel up the Midland Highway via the convict-era towns of Longford, Campbell Town, Ross and Oatlands.

Add another hour to your trip to detour to either Bothwell or the Highland Lakes Road, as they both take you the same beautiful way; over the Central Plateau, down the escarpment at Poatina and past the Great Lake.

Hobart city — The drive into Hobart is a sight to behold.

Hobart to Dove Lake, TAS

If you’re coming from Hobart, the drive to Cradle Mountain will take you around four and a half hours. The trip will show you the best of the Tasmanian countryside, with ample idyllic landscapes to feast your eyes on.

Make sure you stop for a pie in Sheffield, and take the time to buy something Twin Peaks-esque in the historic Slaters Country Store.

Once you arrive at Dove Lake, it’s time to get walking. The circuit walk is six kilometres in length, and will wind you around the base of the picturesque lake, finishing just below show stopping Cradle Mountain.

Dove Lake circuit walk — Walk the circuit track around picture perfect Dove Lake to admire it from every angle. (Image: Katie Carlin)

Launceston, Sheffield, Hobart, Coles Bay loop, TAS

The seven-day journey begins and ends in the riverside city of Launceston. In addition to first-class restaurants and cafes, picturesque hiking trails and waterfalls, launceston is only a 25-minute drive the Tamar Valley wine region.

Rise early to get the most of the day as there will be plenty of stops to make along the way to the mural town of Sheffield – a great spot to base yourself to explore Cradle Mountain.

Your next leg of the journey will take you to Hobart along the Great Lake and Central Plateau route through Deloraine. Stop at Lake St Clair and Russell Falls for picturesque walks, waterfalls and lake views. Spend a couple of nights in Hobart, dining in its many cafes and restaurants, walking or driving to the summit of Mount Wellington and visiting MONA.

Hit the road early to take in the abundance of towns and sites worth a detour on the way to Coles Bay. This route will take you the long way round to stop in at some of Tasmania’s charming midland towns, including Richmond, Oatlands and Ross before reaching the coastal town of Coles Bay on the outskirts of Freycinet National Park.

Rise before dawn to make it to Wineglass Bay for sunrise. Then continue on to Launceston.

Sheffield Murals Tasmania — Take the mural trail around Sheffield on this 7-day road trip. (Image: Katie Carlin)

Hobart has quietly become our coolest capital, but the real wonder lies just beyond the city limits.

In the cool shade of Kunyani/ Mt Wellington, Hobart has earned a reputation. Home to culture-defining Dark MOFO, the city blends rugged, raw wilderness and rule-breaking galleries. But, step beyond the thrumming capital’s border and you’ll find a new perspective: historic towns, Jurassic-era cliffs and a UNESCO City of Gastronomy. With ALL Accor as your home away from home, fill your days with epicurean odysseys and wild scenery on the best day trips from Hobart.

Where to stay

Behind every good road trip is the perfect home base. Somewhere central to review your camera roll, make the most of Hobart’s dining scene and relax before setting off again.

For modern, Tasmanian-inspired design, book a stay at the Movenpick Hotel Hobart . Standing at the Salamanca Markets, look to the Hobart skyline and the award-winning hotel will catch your eye. As the third-tallest building in the CBD, the views across the harbour toward Antarctica are totally unique to your room. Here, end each day at the daily free chocolate hour (plus a free Movenpick ice cream for the little ones).

For a more budget-conscious option, head to the picture book, sandstone buildings of Macquarie Street. Nestled along the buzzing, historic streetscape, you’ll find Tasmania’s biggest hotel: the Ibis Styles . Return home each day to defrost in one of the hotel’s two saunas. Make use of the proximity to MONA, or take an easy stroll to the candy-coloured cottages of Battery Point between your adventures.

A stylish, Tasmanian-inspired bedroom at Mövenpick Hotel Hobart, your perfect base for relaxing after the best day trips from Hobart. — Elevate your Hobart stay with sleek style at Mövenpick.

1. Bruny Island

Craggy cliffs and tropical-hued, white sand beaches signal your arrival to Bruny Island/ Lunawanna-Alonnah.

Start your day trip at the island’s most iconic spot, the Neck Game Reserve. Scale the Trunganini steps to gaze out over the teensy stretch of land that juts through the sea connecting the two ends of the island.

Catch a rare glimpse of the white furred wallabies that call Bruny Island home at Adventure Bay. Then, for ocean-fresh oysters, pull into the drive-thru window at Get Shucked . Sample Bruny Island cheese at the cellar door before catching the ferry home with an esky full of local produce.

Bruny Island Neck is an isthmus of land connecting north and south Bruny Island. — Begin your adventure with a climb and a view. (Image: Elise Weaver)

2. Mount Wellington

At 1271 metres, Mount Wellington watches protectively over Hobart. Follow the winding road to climb through alpine forest and tufts of snow to reach the summit. Gaze down over Hobart and out to sea, or over your shoulder to the southwestern wilderness.

Reset your adrenaline with a mountain bike ride back down. Or, make like the locals and head into the mountain on foot. Try the hike to the Jurassic-period Organ Pipes which slips under the mountain’s magnificent dolerite cliffs (perfect for families thanks to the trail’s minimal incline).

For a view of Mount Wellington itself, hike nearby Cathedral Rock.

No matter where you are in Hobart you are never far away from the City's beloved mountain, Kunanyi / Mount Wellington — Climb through alpine forest to the summit. (Image: Paul Flemming)

2. Port Arthur

Constructed entirely by convicts, the manicured gardens and penal buildings of Port Arthur offer a day trip that practically hums with history.

The rugged, seagirt location was chosen for its difficult escape conditions. Now, you can cruise the coast below the towering, jagged cliffs of the Tasman National Park or wander the sloping fields of fragrant lavender.

Tickets to Port Arthur include a walking tour and harbour cruise. See the Isle of the Dead where 1000 men are buried in marked and unmarked graves. And Point Puer, Britain’s first prison for children.

The Port Arthur Historic Site is one of Australia's most important heritage sites and tourist destinations. Located on the scenic Turrakana / Tasman Peninsula in the south east of Tasmania, it offers a unique and essential experience for all visitors to the area. — Wander convict-built grounds and gardens. (Image: Dearna Bond)

3. Launceston

You’ll find Launceston at the confluence of three rivers after an easy 2.5-hour drive from Hobart. Launceston is a patchwork of old and new. Here, heritage streetscapes meet modern architecture.

Visit Cataract Gorge, the green, sun-dappled heart of the town and sacred meeting point for Tasmania’s indigenous communities. Pull up at roadside produce stalls that dot the Tamar Valley, or dine out. Launceston is, after all, a UNESCO City of Gastronomy.

Should the local wine scene persuade you, simply extend your time in Launceston at Peppers Silo (but definitely at least stop by the onsite restaurant, Grain of the Silo , for a farm fresh menu) or Mercure Launceston before heading back to Hobart.

Walk the sunlit paths of Cataract Gorge. (Image: Nick H Visuals)

4. Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary

Take a 35-minute drive from your hotel and you’ll find Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary . This social enterprise is run by a team of extremely passionate Tasmanians with a mission to look after critically endangered species who have found sanctuary here after facing extinction on the mainland.

Choose to wander the sanctuary at your own pace or join a guided tour (free with your ticket) to come face to face with Tassie’s most iconic species. Tasmanian Devils, wombats and echidnas are part of the free tour. You can book up close encounters with your favourite animals, too.

Bonorong is a Sanctuary for wildlife run by a passionate team of like-minded people. We're a social enterprise: a little business with a big heart. — Snap a cuddle-worthy encounter. (Image: Tourism Australia)

5. Richmond Village & Coal River Valley

Richmond is a town that belongs in a snow globe. Fifty colonial-era, Georgian buildings have been painstakingly restored and turned into cafes, cosy restaurants and galleries. Visit Richmond Gaol , said to be the home of a prisoner so vile he inspired Charles Dickens to pen Oliver Twist’s Fagin.

Then, follow the Coal River as it flows past grassy, duckling-dotted knolls and under the iconic Richmond Bridge, the oldest bridge in Australia. From the crest of the bridge, see the oldest Catholic Church in Australia. The river crawls past many cellar doors, perfect for a day of wine tasting.

Richmond is a picture-perfect town in the Coal River Valley wine region, offering a glimpse into early colonial life, one of the best day trips from Hobart. — Trace the river through history and wine country. (Image: Fin Matson)

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