Are you planning an East Coast Tasmania Road Trip? The east coast of Tasmania is features stunning natural beauty, with pristine beaches, breathtaking scenery, diverse wildlife, delicious food and wines, and a good mix of history and culture too. Tasmania’s East Coast is perfect for a road trip!
Whether you’re flying into Hobart and hiring a car, or visiting Tasmania with your campervan or caravan from the mainland, this Hobart to Launceston itinerary will show you all the best places to visit to maximise your time here.
We spent six weeks travelling around Tasmania in our campervan, and we absolutely fell in love with this state! Whether it’s hiking, wildlife spotting, history, art and culture, food and wine (and beer), Tassie’s east coast has something for everyone.
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Getting to the East Coast of Tasmania
Tasmania is an island, so you’ll either need to fly or come across on the Spirit of Tasmania. You can either fly into Hobart or Launceston (or Devonport) and you can hire a car from either of these airports for your trip. We recommend Discover Cars as a great car rental comparison site. You can read reviews from the different agencies and usually find the cheapest price!
Our Tasmania Road Trip took us on an anticlockwise loop, so we drove UP the east coast, from Hobart north. If you’re travelling north to south, simply read this itinerary in reverse.
Where to stay on your East Coast Tasmania Road Trip
If, like us, you’re travelling in an off-grid campervan, you’ll be pleased to know there are so many options for camping in Tasmania, and even free camping! We used the WikiCamps app to help us find places to stay.
If you’re travelling by car, you’ll find plenty of smaller hotels and Airbnbs on your Tasmania East Coast Road Trip too. If you’re travelling in the peak summer season, consider booking your accommodation in advance, as Tasmania can be very busy from mid-December to mid-February.
Best Things to do on an East Coast of Tasmania Road Trip
Hobart
Whether your trip starts or ends in Hobart, or you’re just passing through, the capital of Tasmania is well worth a couple of days to explore. The city centre itself is compact, and there is some amazing history here too.
Salamanca Markets
Try to time your visit for a Saturday, as that is when the Salamanca Markets are held. The Salamanca Markets are a Tasmania institution and are some of the best markets we’ve ever visited. You’ll find local food and drinks, crafts, and all the usual market fare. There’s a good selection of coffee vans and food trucks here, so it’s a great place to spend the morning and stop for lunch.
Constitution Dock
Just north of Battery Point is Constitution Dock. This places really comes alive between Christmas and New Year when the yachts racing in the Sydney to Hobart race begin to appear.
At any other time, it’s still a lively area where you can take a Harbour Cruise, visit the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery or stroll among the old woolstores. Why not pop into the Hobart Brewing Co. for a refreshing craft beer?
MONA – Museum of Old and New Art
Now admittedly, we’re not really big into the art scene, but this is one art museum you should definitely check out. Especially if you’re into weird stuff. While some of the exhibits are definitely “adults only” (there is a wall featuring plaster casts of female genitalia), there is enough there to keep you interested and entertained for a good few hours.
You can drive out to the museum, where there is ample parking (we were able to park our 7m van with no problems) or you can take the ferry from central Hobart.
Mt Wellington
No visit to Hobart would be complete without a drive up to the top of Mount Wellington for the views over the city. If you don’t feel up to the drive yourself, there is also a 2.5 hour bus tour that goes up to the summit, giving you time to look around at the top. The tour costs $40.
Battery Point
Visit the historic centre of Hobart and walk among some of the best preserved colonial buildings in all of Australia. This suburb was named after the guns pointing out to see, which were placed in 1818 as part of Hobart’s coastal defences.
Tasman Peninsula
The Tasman Peninsula is a must-see destination on your Road Trip on the East Coast of Tasmania.
Dunalley
You will pass through the small town of Dunalley on your way to the Tasman Peninsula. There’s not really a lot here, but the town has become quite famous for one of it’s residents: Neil the Seal.
Neil is an elephant seal who delights tourists and locals alike as he flops around the streets of the town. You’ll have to be lucky to see Neil though, as he is a wild animal and only comes ashore when he feels like it.
Neil the Seal gained notoriety in 2022 when he spent a month in Hobart, and he was later moved to Dunalley. Traffic cones are often placed around him to protect him from over-zealous visitors. Remember: He’s a wild animal, and he weighs 600kg!
Eaglehawk Neck
On the way down to the Tasman Peninsula (or the way back) you’ll pass through Eaglehawk Neck. This narrow isthmus of land connects the peninsula to the main part of Tasmania.
As the Eaglehawk Neck isthmus is only 30m wide at it’s narrowest point, it provided an extra line of containment for the Port Arthur convicts. A line of guard dogs was placed along the isthmus and there is a statue of one of these savage looking dogs on the left side of the road as you drive over.
Just before driving over the isthmus, stop off the view the Tessalated Pavement. You can walk along the beach to the pavement, or view it from above by the Lufra Hotel.
Other attractions near Eaglehawk Neck include the Tasman Arch, Devil’s Kitchen, and the Blowhole at Doo-Town. Oh, and no trip to Doo-Town is complete without a visit to the famous Fish and Chip Food Truck!
Port Arthur Historic Site
The highlight of a trip from Hobart to the Tasman Peninsula is a visit to the Port Arthur Historic Site. This open air museum at the former convict penitentiary is enlightening and sobering, especially given that this was the scene of Australia’s largest mass shooting in 1996.
Hiking on the Tasman Peninsula
The Tasman Peninsula is also home to some of the state’s best hiking. We loved the Cape Hauy hike which is one of the 60 best short hikes in Tasmania.
Keen hikers will want to consider the multi-day Three Capes Trail but you will need to book this hike in advance.
Freycinet National Park
Freycinet National Park sits on a narrow peninsula on the East Coast of Tasmania. The peninsula is dominated by “the Hazards” – a group of pink granite outcrops. The closest town to Freycinet is Coles Bay, which has a few shops and some very fancy resorts.
Probably the best known feature of Freycinet National Park is Wineglass Bay – one of the most beautiful beaches we have ever visited.
For us, a big part of the attraction of Wineglass Bay is that there is no vehicle access to this beach. The only way to get there is to walk or take a boat.
The hike to the Wineglass Bay lookout is one of the most popular hikes in Australia, taking you up to this incredibly iconic viewpoint. Although there are plenty of steps on the way up, the path is well formed, and there are plenty of places to sit and rest if you need to. This hike is suitable for anyone with a moderate level of fitness.
Wineglass Bay Beach
If you wish to walk to Wineglass Bay beach, there is a path leading down 1000 steps. This path is not as well-formed as the main path to the lookout, so you’ll need to be wearing good shoes for this hike.
Once at Wineglass Bay beach you can walk along the beautiful unspoiled beach with hardly anyone else around! We stopped for lunch here and Nigel had a swim. We had a very tame pademelon come up and pose for photos, but please don’t feed the wildlife.
You can return to the carpark the same way you came or take the longer route around Hazards Beach. After walking across a narrow isthmus you’ll come to the beach, walk along the beach and then make your way up into the bush.
You’ll pass 3 or 4 little coves which would be perfect for a swim. Sadly we thought there would be more coves than there were, and missed out!
Mt Amos
The very best views of Wineglass Bay are from the summit of Mount Amos (particularly at sunrise). This is quite a challenging hike, and many people I know chose to “butt-scoot” down as the rock is so steep and slippery.
We chose not to do this hike as we were still recovering from the 4,000 steps of the Cape Hauy hike on the Tasman Peninsula.
Bicheno
This town is known for it’s blowhole (best when the wind and sea is up) and is also a great place for spotting penguins.
St Helens
St Helens is one of the larger towns on the East Coast of Tasmania, and is the gateway to the Bay of Fires. This town has become increasingly popular in recent years due to the excellent network of Mountain Bike trails just outside of town.
You’ll find a supermarket here, a small hardware store, and even a hospital (see why we know that!)
Binalong Bay
At the southern end of the Bay of Fires is Binalong Bay. You’ll see beautiful white sand beaches with aqua blue water here. Binalong Bay was once a small fishing village, and now is a popular accommodation spot for people visiting the Bay of Fires.
Bay of Fires
The Bay of Fires gets its name from the orange lichen on the rocks (or is it because the early Europeans saw many indigenous camp fires along the coast when they first arrived?). Either way, this is some of the most stunning coastline we’ve ever seen.
The Bay of Fires stretches from Binalong Bay to The Gardens, and if you’re in a campervan on your road trip, you’re probably already looking forward to camping here. Tasmania is known for it’s abundance of excellent free camps, and those on the Bay of Fires are some of the best.
You can’t book these campsites, its just a matter of turning up and hoping for the best.
TIP: Plan to arrive mid-morning and you might just get lucky and snag a spot as someone is leaving.
Swimcart Beach
We were super lucky and got to stay at the Swimcart Beach campsite. This is arguably the best campsite (and accordingly popular) as it is the only one where you can camp looking directly out onto the white sandy beach.
The rocks at the northern end of Swimcart Beach (or just south of Cosy Corner) are some of the best for those orange shots.
The Gardens
At the northern end of the Bay of Fires you’ll find The Gardens, a beautiful collection of orange rocks. It’s well worth a drive up here especially if you have a nice blue sky day.
We should mention that the carpark is tiny. We felt bad for the local residents with a lot of tourists parked all over their yards!
Blue Tier
Even if you’re not a mountain biker, it’s worth the drive up the mountain to Blue Tier. There is an ancient forest walk here, which is only short, or you can walk to the top of Mt Poimena for views right down to the coast.
If you ARE a keen mountain biker the Bay of Fires MTB trail is a 40km mostly downhill trail from Blue Tier back to Swimcart Beach. Commercial shuttles are available to take you and your bike to the trailhead.
Nigel had planned to do this ride, and we even drove to the trailhead where we planned to do a sneaky wild camp, before his concussion got the better of him, and we had to head back to the afore-mentioned hospital at St Helens (he’d crashed his bike riding the St Helens trails earlier that day).
Pyengana
Halls Falls
Heading further inland you’ll come to the beautiful Halls Falls, which is reached after an easy 2.4km hike. You will have to hike over a few rocky patches and fallen trees, but the view of the falls is well worth it.
Pub in the Paddock
It’s no secret that we love a beer! We had been looking forward to the Pub in the Paddock at Pyengana. The main attraction at this pub is Priscilla, the “beer” drinking pig. For a gold coin donation you can buy a bottle of “beer” which is actually hop flavoured water – no alcohol – and feed it to the rather greedy Priscilla.
We found this so entertaining – especially when Priscilla went into the pig-house and got chased out by Mr Pig!
St Columba Falls
At the end of the road you’ll arrive at St Columba Falls. The car-parking area is only small here, so if you’re towing, you might like to leave your caravan at the Pub in the Paddock, or the campsite in Pyengana. We managed to fit our 7m van on the side of the road.
The walk down to the base of the waterfall is an easy 600m, 15 minute stroll. This walk is advertised as being wheelchair accessible. There is a small viewing platform at the end of the path but we found a better viewpoint out on the rocks.
St Columba Falls is one of the highest waterfalls in all of Tasmania, at over 90m.
TIP: Come in the morning for better light on the waterfall, and better photos!
Derby
The town of Derby (once a tin-mining town) is considered the Mountain biking capital of Tasmania. The network of trails here is extensive, and intermediate and advanced riders are very well catered for.
As with most trails in Tasmania, I found the Green (easy) trails were harder than other green trails I’ve ridden in the country, so we probably wouldn’t recommend Derby for complete beginners.
The exception is the Derby Lake Trail, which is a dual walking and cycling trail around the “Lake”. This lake is called Briseis Hole, and is the result of an open cut tin mine that was once on this spot. The walk around the lake is beautiful, and don’t miss the Floating Sauna at the boathouse.
Another great short walk in Derby is to the Derby Tunnel. This was originally a tunnel used by miners, and is now part of the MTB trail network. The tunnel is VERY dark, and there are lights on a sensor. I rode through here with a friend, and some of the lights weren’t working so it was very scary, not being able to see if there was a big rock or hole in front of me!
Derby is only a small town, and easy to walk around. There are many historic buildings including miners cottages – many of which are now accommodation houses. You’ll also find some great cafes, a brewery/gin distillery and several bike hire and repair shops.
Where to stay in Derby
For availability and pricing for accommodation in Derby check booking.com.
If you’re travelling with a van, there is plenty of space down along the river where you can park up. Some of these areas are free, and there is a large area by the tennis courts with toilets and showers which asks a $25 donation to help with the upkeep of the MTB Trails.
Scottsdale
Scottsdale may be noteworthy for having the first larger supermarket since leaving Hobart, but we were more excited about going to the Little Rivers Brewery. This small craft brewery produces some delicious Pale Ales. And it’s right across the road from the Woolworths supermarket, so well worth a visit!
Ben Lomond National Park
Ben Lomond National Park is Tasmania’s premier alpine sports destination. During the summer months the area is great for hiking or just admiring the incredible views. The rock formations are other-worldly and include huge dolerite columns.
The big attraction for us was driving up the infamous “Jacob’s Ladder” a steep gravel road consisting of 7 tight switchbacks going up the side of the mountain. This was definitely one of the scariest roads we’ve ever driven on.
There is a national park campsite at the bottom of the mountain, but you’ll need to get there early, it is only small and fills up quickly.
Launceston
Launceston (pronounced LON-ceston, not Lawn-ceston) is Tasmania’s second “city”. The main attractions are just outside of the city, though the historic centre is interesting to wander around.
Tamar Valley
The Tamar Valley is Tasmania’s largest wine-growing region, and is also famous for its gastronomy. There are over 60 “Paddock to Plate” eateries within this area, with many farm gate shops offering delicacies from escargot to truffles.
Cataract Gorge
Just minutes from the centre of Launceston you’ll find the Cataract Gorge Reserve. You’ll find walking trails through nature, manicured gardens, a swimming pool and the world’s longest single-span chairlift (308m) here. This is a popular area for tourists and locals alike.
The Cataract Gorge chairlift costs adults $15 for a one way ticket, or $20 return. Concession tickets are $12/$15, children age 3-15 $10/12 and children under 3 ride free. Tickets can be purchased at the ticket office on site.
Suggested Itineraries
7 Day East Coast Tasmania Road Trip Itinerary
- Day 1 Arrive Hobart, explore city, MONA, Mt Wellington
- Day 2 Port Arthur
- Day 3 Port Arthur to Coles Bay
- Day 4 Visit Freycinet National Park, Hike to Wineglass Bay Lookout
- Day 5 Coles Bay to Bay of Fires via St Helens
- Day 6 Bay of Fires
- Day 7 Bay of Fires to Launceston
10 Day Tasmania East Coast Itinerary
- Day 1 Arrive Hobart
- Day 2 Hobart to Port Arthur
- Day 3 Hike in Tasman National Park
- Day 4 Port Arthur to Coles Bay
- Day 5 Visit Freycinet National Park, Hike to Wineglass Bay Lookout
- Day 6 Coles Bay to St Helens
- Day 7 Bay of Fires
- Day 8 Bay of Fires to Derby via Pyengana
- Day 9 Derby to Launceston via Ben Lomond National Park
- Day 10 Launceston, visit Tamar Valley and Cataract Gorge
Essential Information for your Tasmania East Coast Road Trip
Permits and Passes
You’ll be visiting several National Parks on this Road Trip and you will need to have a valid Parks Tas pass.
Fuel and EV Charging
You’ll find fuel stations in all the larger towns along the East Coast of Tasmania. We use the Petrol Spy app to find the best fuel prices. EV charging stations are definitely becoming more common in Tasmania, you can check the PlugShare app.
Food and Water
Between Hobart and Scottsdale we only found smaller IGA supermarkets, so if you’re self-catering we advise stocking up on groceries before you leave Hobart. You’ll find plenty of roadside food stalls along the route, along with local cafes and restaurants with delicious local cuisine.
Nigel was particularly obsessed with the Oysters in Tasmania, and can recommend the Oysters at Lease 65, just outside St Helens.
The Wikicamps App has recently been updated to show potable water filling stations. We filled up at the Orford War Memorial Recreation Reserve, and again in St Helens. There is also a dump point conveniently located in St Helens.
Phone and Internet
Most of Tasmania is patchy for mobile phone and internet service, although along the east coast we found coverage to be better than other places in the state. We use the Aus Phone Towers app to locate the closest towers.
FAQs
How many days do you need for an East Coast Tasmania Road Trip?
While you could do a quick trip up the East Coast in 5 days, we really recommend spending 10-14 days in this beautiful part of the state. We spent 17 days, and still feel like we rushed parts, and we missed Maria Island! Although Tasmania is small, there is SO much to see here. Slow down, take your time!
When is the best time for an Tasmania East Coast Road Trip?
Summer is definitely the most popular time to visit Tasmania, but do remember the school holidays here last until the second week in February. The entire state is busy throughout late December and all of January.
We found we needed to arrive at campsites early in the day to be sure of getting a space. The campsites along the Bay of Fires were especially busy.
The weather in January and February is mild, even warm some days. It can be quite windy along the coast. We did have some quite chilly nights, so you’ll definitely need to have your layers with you.
We travelled the East Coast in late January, hoping that it would be a bit quieter. In hindsight, mid-late February would be the ideal time for this road trip.
What is the best way to travel around Tasmania?
While there are local busses to take you between the main towns, we definitely think a road trip is the best way to travel around Tasmania. The road network is good, and the distances between the main sights are not too long. If you don’t have your own vehicle you can hire a car (check out Discover Cars for the best rates across a variety of car rental companies).
Is Tasmania easy to drive around?
While the road network is good, and distances are short (in terms of kilometres), these distances can be deceptive! A lot of the roads in Tasmania are quite windy and mountainous, so it can take you longer than you expect to drive from one place to the next.
Do I need a 4×4 for my Tasmania Road Trip?
You definitely don’t need a 4×4 to drive along the east coast of Tasmania. The roads are sealed all the way up the coast. We did however, try to take one “short cut” along a gravel road, but the condition of this road was so bad we turned back.
What about Maria Island?
We are glad you asked! Maria Island is renowned for being one of the best places to see wildlife on the East Coast of Tasmania. Sadly, we didn’t make it to Maria Island on this trip – we did want to stay over on the island but we didn’t have the time or the camping gear. We definitely plan to come back!
East Coast Tasmania Adventure Travel Films
As we travel around Australia, we produce weekly Adventure Travel films, showing you the highlights and hidden gems of this beautiful country. Enjoy seeing this beautiful part of the country through our eyes. Click on the image to open each film in YouTube
Final thoughts
While a trip over to Tasmania from the mainland can be a big undertaking, its SOOOO worth it. Tasmania really is an amazing state with something for everyone. As a small, compact state, the distances between each highlight aren’t huge, making this the perfect place for a road trip.
The East Coast of Tasmania deserves it’s place as one of the most scenicly beautiful places in the entire country.
Where to next? Head over to the Wild West Coast of Tasmania.
Need help planning your Tassie Road Trip?
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