Tasmania
East Coast
10 Days

Over the Christmas break, we decided to escape the city and head out on a Tasmanian east coast road trip. Ten packed days of outdoor adventure, stunning vistas, great food and drink and unique wildlife encounters, and all while enjoying a Tasman summer.

Overview

Hobart

Bruny Island

Hobart &
Mount Wellington

Maria Island

Swansea
Piermont Retreat

Freycinet
National Park

Launceston &
Bay of Fire

Cradle Mountain

Bicheno

Hobart

Travel Route

Hobart

Morning

When flying to Tasmania you have the choice of Launceston in the north or Hobart, Tasmania’s capital, in the south. We chose Hobart as our initial base and the starting point for our adventure.

Afternoon

We dropped our bags off at the hotel and headed to the harbour to make the most of our first afternoon. We knew that Hobart had a reputation for being a quaint and pleasant town but were blown away by the beauty of the harbour as well as how much there was to do!

First stop Sullivans Cove and Docks to grab a bite to eat; a freshly prepared (and generous) portion of fish and chips at Mures Lower Decks before taking a ten-minute walk across the waterfront towards Salamanca Street and Square. This historic part of town was lined with Georgian sandstone warehouses and boutique shops. Unfortunately, we hadn’t quite timed our visit on this occasion, but if you have the opportunity, we have been told this area really comes alive with its Saturday morning markets.

Then up the hill on the Battery Point Loop Walk (via Kelly Street), and back through Princess Park. Battery Point; a hidden gem nestled on the hill above Hobart – with a mixture of residential houses, shops, and cafes, it makes for a great coffee stop.

Evening

For dinner, we were back at Sullivans Cove and headed to Landscape Restaurant for a fine dining experience. Probably one of the best meals we’d had for a long time with great food and even nicer staff; made all the better as it didn’t break the bank.

Accommodation: Vibe Hotel Hobart.

Mures - Lower Deck

Sullivan Cove & Docks

Bruny Island

Morning

After picking up our hire car, we headed to Kettering in search of the Bruny Island Car Ferry (approx. 30 mins, 32km). There was no need to book in advance but get there early to ensure you get a spot as there are limited spaces and it can get busy. You will also need a Tasmania National Parks Pass – they are easy to get and can be purchased online ahead of your trip. It’s well worth your time as we ended up using this almost every day on our way along the East Coast.

With only one day on the Island, we got right to it. The island isn’t massive so you’ve more than enough time to do your trip justice. Only ten minutes from the ferry we pulled into Get Shucked Oyster’s drive-through; selling a variety of oysters and dressings from the local farm, how couldn’t we stop in for a mid-morning snack?

The Neck Lookout was our next stop. From the car park, its almost three-hundred steps to reach the top and uninterrupted 360-degree views of the thin land strip connecting the North and South Island. This is arguable ‘the’ Bruny Island photo stop.

Afternoon

With the clock ticking, we decided to remain around Adventure Bay opting for the Cape Queen Elizabeth Circular Walk (approx. 3.5hrs, 12km); a spectacular mix of terrain from forest to beach through to bush. There was a great photo spot around halfway at Mars Bluff, but make sure you check the tides as the beach shortcut is only accessible at low tide. If like us you miss it then it's a hilly walk – so worth double checking.

With a few hours left until the last ferry, we rewarded ourselves with a stop at Bruny Island Cheese and Beer Co for a tasting paddle, and you guessed it, cheese board. We decided to finish the day here enjoying the sun, but a few other options for stops are North Bruny; Dennes and Barnes Bay.

Accommodation: Vibe Hotel Hobart.

Car Hire: Hertz Downtown Hobart.

The Neck Lookout

Mars Bluff - Cape Queen Elizabeth Walk

Adventure Bay

Hobart & Mount Wellington

Morning

Few Australian cities can rival Hobart’s Mount Wellington for an impressive backdrop. Towering 1,271m above the city, the Mount Wellington summit walk was next on the agenda (approx. 3hrs, 7.5km).

There are a variety of different ways you can tackle Mount Wellington depending on the time available and your level of fitness. The easiest is to drive directly to the summit. But if, like us, that feels just a bit too easy then there are a range of different walks to consider. We parked up at the Springs Car Park (30 mins from Hobart CBD) which is mid-altitude at 720m we took the following route:

Lenah Valley Track
Sphinx Rock (lookout)
Lower Sawmill Track (steepest part of the walk)
Organ Pipes Track
Zig Zag Track (my favourite part of the walk)
Mount Wellington Summit
Zig Zig Tack (re-trace your steps)
Pinnacle Track (easier decent)
The Springs Car Park

If this sounds complicated – trust me when I say it will all make sense when you arrive, with clear signposting the entire ascent. Just get yourself to Springs Car Park and the rest will take care of itself. Honestly, the walk really did rival the view at the top and was worth the effort.

Afternoon/Evening

The MONA came highly recommended, so in the afternoon we had a quick change of clothes and headed on our ‘Rockstar Afternoon’ booked through their website. I was really looking forward to this one as it included a VIP ferry ride over from Brooke Street Pier, after-hours viewing of the exhibitions as well as a cocktail at Void bar and dinner at Faro.

While we had a nice enough evening, I’d probably recommend just an entrance ticket for those of you who just want to pop in for the experience. Of course, for any art enthusiasts, I’m sure this would be top of your list and somewhere you could spend much longer.

Mount Wellington

MONA 'Rockstar' Afternoon

Accommodation: Vibe Hotel Hobart.

Maria Island

Morning

With our stay in Hobart coming to an end, it was time to start our East Coast Road adventure. Our first stop was Triabunna (approx. 1hr 15 mins, 85km), to catch the Maria Island Ferry which is about a 30-minute crossing that needs to be booked in advance.

Maria Island is a back-to-basics experience which makes it easy to escape the modern world with no electricity, signal or cars, something that I absolutely love on holiday escapes. The best way to get around is to either walk or bike. We choose the latter and headed into Darlington, to pick up our ride for the day.

We had heard about an iconic hike, Bishop and Clerk (approx. 11km, 4hrs) and were keen to give it a go to check out its renowned views of the island. Following a well-signposted gravel track, we headed north through bushland until we hit the ridgeline and the start of a steep incline. When picking up our bikes we had been advised to leave them halfway up the track, but I freely admit we didn’t make it close to the halfway point on two wheels.

1.5km from the summit and the track turns into what can only be described as rock scrambling (climbing), and not for the faint-hearted. But the view of the Freycinet National Park in the distance and the length of Maria Island was definitely worth the effort.

Afternoon

On the way back down we stopped at the Fossil Cliffs, before looping back around towards the Painted Cliffs our final stop for the day. You should try to plan your day around the painted cliffs as these are best viewed at low tide. They can even be accessed via a short walk from Darlington if bike hire isn’t for you. With an hour until our return ferry, we had a short walk around Darlington and even saw some of the resident wombats.

Evening

After getting the ferry back to Triabunna and picking up the car, we headed 30 mins up the road (45km) to our next destination for Christmas Eve celebrations, Swansea, and the Piermont Retreat.

Accommodation: Piermont Retreat.

Distance Travelled: 130km (approx. 1hr 45 mins).

Maria Island

Bishop and Clerk

Painted Cliffs

Piermont Retreat

Swansea
Piermont Retreat

What a way to spend Christmas Day! With our own cottage, a beach and planned lunchtime celebrations we chose to spend the day relaxing and unwinding with the other guests, a glass of bubbles in hand, and enjoying views of Freycinet National Park across Great Oyster Bay.

Accommodation: Piermont Retreat.

Piermont Retreat - Christmas Lunch

Freycinet National Park

Morning

After indulging ourselves over Christmas, we were ready to get out and explore the region. it took us about an hour to follow the coastal road north towards the Wineglass Bay Car Park. From there we headed for the Wineglass Bay Lookout, before descending to the beach. This has to be Tasmania’s most iconic beach and on arrival, you can see why, crystal clear waters with untouched white sand, surrounded by mountains, make this a pretty spectacular beach spot.

Afternoon

It would have been easy to sunbathe away the afternoon on the beach, but keen to make the most of the day we continued to follow the Wine Glass Bay and Hazards Beach Circuit path (approx. 12km, 5hrs). From the beach, you cross the wide isthmus to Hazards Beach, which is a little more rugged but just as beautiful. The second part of the walk does feel a little longer as the track continues around Mount Mayson where you get more views of Great Oyster Bay before returning to the car park.

Evening

On the way home, we popped into Coles Bay, a small town situated just inside the national park for an ice cream and to watch the sunset.

Accommodation: Piermont Retreat.

Distance travelled: 120km (approx. 2hrs).

Wineglass Bay Lookout

Wineglass Bay

Hazards Beach Walk

Launceston &
Bay of Fires

Morning

We had originally planned to explore only the East Coast on this trip, but having heard amazing reviews about the northeast of the island we couldn’t resist a slightly longer drive to head across and see what it had to offer. Setting off from Swansea, our first destination was Launceston (approx. 2.5hr, 140km), Tasmania’s second-largest city. We only had the morning here but, in hindsight, it warrants a full day. If possible, set aside some extra time to explore the city.

We didn’t have too much time in the centre, but instead headed for Cataract Gorge a popular walking and hangout spot for the locals. We found a nice walking circuit which started at Kings Bridge and took us along one side of the Gorge before crossing the Alexandra suspension bridge and back along the opposite side.

Our next stop that morning was Bridgestow Lavender Estate (approx. 45 mins, 50km). A working farm which offers the chance to walk through the in-season lavender, take pictures and enjoy some homemade lavender scones. The views were amazing but it was very busy, so I’d suggest going early in the day to avoid the crowds.

Afternoon

Next up we headed back towards the east coast, driving 115km (approx. 1hr 45 mins) to St Helens and the famous Bay of Fires.

Known across the world for its clear blue Tasman waters, white beaches, and striking orange lichen-covered boulders the pictures speak for themselves. As an area, there are quite a few different places to see and so we decided to stop at; The Gardens, Sloop Reef, Cosy Corner North, and Binalong Bay. The Gardens were definitely our favourite and where we decided to spend the most time.

Evening

After one of the busiest days of our entire trip, we were back on the road down to Bicheno to check into our accommodation situated right on the Douglas River. If privacy is what you’re looking for this unique self-contained accommodation ticks all the boxes as our only visitors were the resident wallabies.

Launceston - Cataract Gorge Reserve

Bridestowe Lavender Farm

Bay of Fire - Sloop Rock

Accommodation: Sea Stacks at the Dension, Bicheno.

Distance travelled: 390km (approx 5hrs, 15mins).

Cradle Mountain

Morning/Afternoon

Our next big drive took us to the equally iconic Cradle Mountain (approx. 3.5hrs, 278km). Be warned, Tassie isn’t called the roadkill capital for no reason and I can’t stress how careful you have to be when driving particularly at dawn and dusk.

As we’d already done quite a lot of hiking, we decided to explore the area another way; canyoning. Luckily for us, this was the one rainy day of the trip, so we didn’t mind at all getting wet. Booking on the full-day tour with Cradle Mountain Canyons, we had a jam-packed day of waterfall jumps, slides and abseils at Dove Canyon. With two experienced guides directing you the whole way, I couldn’t recommend this adventure highly enough.

Cradle Mountain warrants more time to explore fully. So if you can stick around, we have been recommended the Cradle Mountain Lodge as a perfect overnight stay.

Accommodation: Sea Stacks at the Dension, Bicheno.

Distance travelled: 780km (approx. 7hrs).

Cradle Mountain - Canyoning

Sea Stacks - Bicheno

Bicheno

Morning

For our last full day in Tasmania, we stayed local to Bicheno; heading thirty minutes back to the Freycinet Marine Farm (approx. 39km), and one of the most unique experiences of the trip, the Oyster Bay Tours.

Delivering exactly what it says on the tin, this trip had us donning waders and wandering out into the waters of the Freycinet Marine Farm to learn from an expert how to grow and shuck Oysters. Nicely finished off with a dozen fresh Oysters, cooked mussels, and a paired glass of white wine this is one experience that will live long in the memory.

Afternoon

We spent our final afternoon at one of the larger commercial wineries on the island; Devils Corner, a twenty-minute drive away. We enjoyed the tasting but by mid-afternoon, the crowds really had descended. For a quieter, boutique experience, one of the locals had instead recommended the Freycinet Cellar Door just around the corner.

The one remaining thing on our list that we didn’t get round to seeing was the Bicheno Blowhole, but I can’t say we were too disappointed as instead spent the evening tucking into a seafood platter from the Lobster Shack Bicheno and finishing off a bottle of white.

Oyster bay

Accommodation: Sea Stacks at the Dension, Bicheno.

Distance travelled: 82km (approx. 1hr).