When to go to Tasmania?
→ The detailed month-by-month page, with real weather records
Best time: December to April
At a glance
Why go to Tasmania?
Tasmania is an island the size of Ireland with 570,000 inhabitants, a fifth of whose territory is World Heritage-listed for its wilderness. The temperate rainforests of the west, the dolerite plateaus of Cradle Mountain, the granite beaches of the east coast and the cliffs of the Tasman Peninsula all lie within a three-hour drive. You come across wombats, wallabies, echidnas and, with luck, a Tasmanian devil, on roads where traffic amounts to a few cars an hour.
Its history is brutal and ever present. The Port Arthur penal settlement, the solitary confinement cells, the ruins of the Cascades Female Factory in Hobart and the convict-built bridges of Richmond and Ross tell the story of the penal colony, while 40,000 years of palawa presence and their near-annihilation in the 19th century can be read in the dual place names, kunanyi for Mount Wellington, and in the galleries of the TMAG museum. MONA, the underground museum of a professional gambler, has since 2011 added a layer of provocation that has changed the island's image.
And the food is excellent. Cold-water oysters and salmon, lamb, truffles, Bruny cheeses, pinot noir from the Tamar Valley and the Coal River, single malt whisky from Lark or Sullivans Cove, ciders from the Huon Valley: the Saturday Salamanca Market and the farm gates along the east coast roads make it a foodie destination in its own right, without Sydney prices for the night's room.
Map of Tasmania: what is where?
The map shows the 6 places covered in this guide, to picture the distances and plan your route.
- Hobart
- Tasman Peninsula and Port Arthur
- Freycinet and east coast
- Cradle Mountain
- Bruny Island
- Launceston and Tamar Valley
How much does a trip to Tasmania cost?
Tasmania is cheaper than Sydney for sleeping and eating, but the car, fuel, park passes and flights from the mainland push up the bill. Park campsites, self-catering accommodation and farmers' markets make it possible to keep to a reasonable budget for nature of this calibre.
| Style | Per day | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Backpacker | €70-100/day | Car shared between two, campsites and hostels, supermarket shopping, free walks, an 8-week parks pass |
| Comfort | €150-220/day | Car, cottages and motels with kitchens, one restaurant meal a day, MONA, Port Arthur, the Bruny ferry, a Pennicott cruise |
| Premium | €400-700/day | Lodges at Cradle Mountain and Freycinet, Hobart's fine-dining restaurants, a helicopter flight, private tastings |
The Australian dollar trades at around 1.65 to 1.70 to €1. Contactless cards work everywhere, including at markets and staffed campsites, but keep a little cash for roadside fruit stalls and farm honesty boxes. Cash machines become scarce outside Hobart and Launceston. A vehicle parks pass valid for 8 weeks costs around A$90 and pays for itself by the third day.
Is Tasmania safe?
Tasmania is one of the safest places in Australia in terms of crime, and the danger comes from the weather and the roads. In the parks, the weather turns from sunshine to snow within an hour, even in January: walkers set off with a waterproof jacket, a warm layer, water, a map and their name in the trailhead logbook, and the trails of Cradle Mountain and the Three Capes Track see cases of hypothermia every year. On the road, animals cross at dawn and dusk and collisions are frequent, so drive at 80 instead of 100 km/h at those times. Bushfires sometimes close roads in summer, so check the Tasmania Fire Service website. The sun burns in twenty minutes under these clear skies, with the UV index rising to 10 in summer. Mobile coverage disappears outside the towns, so tell someone your route and carry a first-aid kit, as the nearest hospital is often two hours away.
What to see and do in Tasmania
- MONA
- Salamanca Market
- kunanyi / Mount Wellington
- Port Arthur
- Wineglass Bay
- Cradle Mountain
- Bay of Fires
- Bruny Island
Hobart
A capital of 250,000 people at the foot of kunanyi, on the Derwent estuary, and the second-oldest city in Australia, founded in 1804. The Sullivans Cove waterfront, with the Georgian warehouses of Salamanca Place, the Saturday market, the pontoons of Constitution Dock where you eat fried fish, and Battery Point just above, can be explored on foot in a day. The TMAG museum, which is free, covers palawa history and Antarctic expeditions, since Hobart is the departure port for icebreakers. MONA is reached by ferry, kunanyi in 30 minutes by car.
Tasman Peninsula and Port Arthur
95 km south-east of Hobart, a peninsula hanging on by the isthmus of Eaglehawk Neck, which the prison guards sealed off with a line of dogs. The dolerite cliffs of Cape Pillar and Cape Hauy, up to 300 metres high, are among the tallest in Australia and can be walked on the Three Capes Track, 48 km in four days, or on the day hike to Cape Hauy, 4 hours return. Along the way, the Tessellated Pavement, the Tasman Arch and the Blowhole can be seen from the car parks. The Port Arthur site needs half a day, and Pennicott's cruises beneath the cliffs three hours.
Freycinet and the east coast
The sunniest coast on the island, 2 hours 30 from Hobart along the Tasman Highway. The Freycinet Peninsula lines up the pink granite Hazards, the walk to Wineglass Bay, the beaches of Honeymoon Bay and Friendly Beaches, and the village of Coles Bay with its oysters and beach bar. Further north are Bicheno and its penguins in the evening, the Douglas-Apsley reserve, then St Helens and the Bay of Fires. In between, the road passes vineyards and berry farms where you stop for lunch. Two nights minimum, three with the Bay of Fires.
Cradle Mountain
The island's emblematic peak, 4 hours from Hobart and 2 hours from Launceston or Devonport, in moorland of buttercups and deciduous beech. The circuit of Dove Lake, 6 km, and the climb to Marions Lookout, 3 hours, give the classic views; the ascent of the summit, 1,545 metres, takes 6 to 8 hours and clear weather. Wombats come out at Ronny Creek at dusk, and devils can be seen at the Devils at Cradle sanctuary on night tours. It rains or snows one day in two, even in summer, and accommodation in the village, from campsite to lodge, is booked months ahead.
Bruny Island
The southern island, 20 minutes by ferry from Kettering, 35 km south of Hobart. The isthmus of The Neck joins two halves: to the north, farms and a cheesemaker; to the south, the forest, Adventure Bay where Cook and Bligh dropped anchor, the cliffs of Fluted Cape and the Cape Bruny lighthouse of 1838. The producers' trail strings together oysters, cheese, cider, whisky, chocolate and leatherwood honey over 60 km. Little penguins come ashore at The Neck after nightfall, and white wallabies graze at Adventure Bay. A day is enough for tasting, a night lets you see the penguins.
Launceston and the Tamar Valley
The island's second city, 90,000 people, 200 km north of Hobart, with a well-preserved Victorian centre and Cataract Gorge 15 minutes' walk from the centre: a deep-cut river, a swimming basin, a chairlift from 1972 and free-roaming peacocks. To the north, the Tamar Valley unrolls 60 km of pinot noir, chardonnay and sparkling wine vineyards, with cellar doors open at Rosevears, Pipers Brook and Jansz. The city is the gateway to Cradle Mountain, 2 hours away, the Bay of Fires, 2 hours 15, and the convict villages of Ross and Longford. The QVMAG museum is free.
How many days, and which itinerary?
A week allows a loop through Hobart, Port Arthur, Freycinet, the Bay of Fires, Launceston and Cradle Mountain, back to Hobart. Ten days add Bruny Island and an extra night in the parks. With less than five days, stay in the south: Hobart, MONA, Bruny and Port Arthur.
🗺️ Day-by-day itinerary · 📓 Free printable Tasmania guide (PDF) · 🌍 All of Australia
The south from Hobart (4 days)
Day 1: Hobart, Salamanca and Battery Point, kunanyi at the end of the day. Day 2: MONA by ferry in the morning, Richmond and its bridge of 1823 in the afternoon, or the Coal River Valley for wine. Day 3: Port Arthur with the guided tour and the cruise, Tasman Arch and Eaglehawk Neck on the way, a night on the peninsula or back to Hobart. Day 4: Bruny Island on the first ferry, The Neck, Cape Bruny, oysters and cheese, back on the last boat. A format that works without changing hotels, with a car hired at the airport.
The classic loop (1 week)
Day 1: Hobart and kunanyi. Day 2: Port Arthur, a night at Eaglehawk Neck. Day 3: drive up the east coast to Freycinet, the Wineglass Bay walk, a night at Coles Bay. Day 4: Bicheno, the Bay of Fires, a night at St Helens or Binalong Bay. Day 5: Launceston via the Tamar Valley or the wine route, Cataract Gorge. Day 6: Cradle Mountain, the Dove Lake circuit, wombats at dusk, a night there. Day 7: back to Hobart via Lake St Clair and Derwent Bridge, or via Devonport for the ferry. 1,100 km in total, with no leg longer than 3 hours.
Tasmania in full (10 to 12 days)
The one-week loop, with a second night at Cradle Mountain, a day on Bruny Island and the south-west: Strahan and a Gordon River cruise from the west coast, the West Coast Wilderness Railway rack train, and the road from Queenstown to Lake St Clair through the myrtle forests. Hikers swap part of the loop for the Three Capes Track, 4 days on the Tasman Peninsula, or the Overland Track, 6 days from Cradle to St Clair, with a permit booked well in advance. The ferry back to Geelong lets you set off with the car towards the Great Ocean Road.
Getting there and getting around
Hobart and Launceston are 1 hour 15 by air from Melbourne and 1 hour 50 from Sydney, with Jetstar, Virgin and Qantas, often for under A$100 if you book early. There are no regular international flights: everything goes via the mainland.
The Spirit of Tasmania ferry links Geelong, near Melbourne, to Devonport in 9 to 11 hours, by day or overnight, with your car on board: A$150 to 300 per adult depending on the season, plus cabin and vehicle. Book months ahead in summer.
A car is essential: A$50 to 90 a day for a small car, more in January. Distances are deceptive, as 200 km takes 2 hours 30 on winding roads. Drive slowly at dawn and dusk, when wallabies and wombats cross, and fuel becomes scarce in the west.
Without a car, Redline and Tassielink coaches link Hobart, Launceston, Devonport and a few sites, but not the parks on a daily basis. Metro buses cover Hobart, the MONA ferry leaves from the harbour, and day tours run to Port Arthur, Bruny or Wineglass Bay for A$150 to 250.
Where to stay in Tasmania?
Hostels in Hobart and Launceston: €30 to 45 for a bed, €80 to 110 for a double room. The Montacute Boutique Bunkhouse, in a Battery Point house, is the nicest in Hobart. National park campsites cost A$10 to 20 a night, with free sites at the Bay of Fires.
Motels, cottages and B&Bs along the roads: €100 to 180 a night, often with a kitchen, which matters given how few restaurants open in the evening outside the towns. Coles Bay, Cradle Mountain and Bruny have few beds: book these three stops first.
Hobart hotels, from the Grand Chancellor on the waterfront to the apartments of the Old Woolstore: €110 to 170 a night, cheaper than Sydney or Melbourne for the same standard. The Dark Mofo weekends in June and the Sydney to Hobart race in late December double prices.
Exceptional lodges and hotels: MACq 01 and The Tasman on the Hobart waterfront, €250 to 400; Saffire Freycinet facing the Hazards, more than €2,000 all-inclusive; Peppers Cradle Mountain Lodge with its cabins and spa, €300 to 500. The wilderness is the real reason to pay.
Our places to stay, stop by stop, at three budgets →
What to eat in Tasmania?
Pacific oysters farmed on Bruny, at Coles Bay and at Pipeclay Lagoon, shucked in front of you for A$20 to 30 a dozen, salmon and trout from the Huon, rock lobster and abalone from the west coast. The scallop pie, a curried scallop pie, is sold in the island's bakeries.
Salamanca Market on Saturday and the Farm Gate Market on Sunday in Hobart bring the producers together: cheeses from Bruny and Grandvewe, leatherwood honey, apples and cherries in summer, truffles in winter, smoked wallaby. East coast farms sell berries and ice cream.
The wine is cool-climate and expensive: pinot noir, riesling and sparkling wines from the Tamar Valley, the Coal River and the east coast, A$30 to 60 a bottle at the cellar door. Tasmanian whisky, Lark in Hobart and Sullivans Cove, has won world awards since 2014, with tastings at A$20.
In the evening, restaurants close early outside Hobart and Launceston, often at 20:00, and many villages have only a pub. Shop in town and choose accommodation with a kitchen. In Hobart, Franklin, Fico and the restaurants of Salamanca serve local-produce menus at A$60 to 120.
Entry requirements
You need an online authorisation before you fly, applied for with a passport: eVisitor for EU and UK citizens, an ETA for US and Canadian ones, 90 days either way.
Rules change: check your own government's travel advice before you go.
Frequently asked questions about Tasmania
How do I get to Tasmania from Europe?
No direct or international flights arrive in Tasmania. The journey goes via Melbourne or Sydney, with a stopover in Singapore, Doha or Dubai, making 22 to 24 hours of flying, then a 1 hour 15 to 1 hour 50 domestic flight to Hobart or Launceston. The other option is the Spirit of Tasmania ferry from Geelong, near Melbourne, 9 to 11 hours with your car on board, handy for a trip combined with the mainland.
When is the best time to visit Tasmania?
From December to April: long days, 20 to 24°C in the valleys, the sea at 18°C on the east coast, trails open. January brings the Australian holidays and high prices, while March and April offer autumn colours and accommodation that is easier to find. Winter, from June to August, brings snow to the plateaus, days of 12°C and the Dark Mofo festival in Hobart, with high-altitude roads and trails sometimes closed.
How many days do you need to visit Tasmania?
A week allows the classic loop through Hobart, Port Arthur, the east coast, Launceston and Cradle Mountain, with about 1,100 km on the clock. Ten days add Bruny Island and a second night in the parks, while two weeks open up the west coast and Strahan or a long-distance hike. With four days, stick to the south around Hobart, MONA, Bruny and Port Arthur.
Do I need a car in Tasmania?
Yes, except for a short stay in Hobart with organised tours. Public transport is limited to the towns and a few coach lines between Hobart, Launceston and Devonport, with no daily service to the parks. Hire costs A$50 to 90 a day, driving is on the left on narrow roads, and you need to slow down at dawn and dusk for the animals. A campervan is a popular option in summer.
Can you see Tasmanian devils?
In the wild, rarely: the species is nocturnal and has been decimated since the 1990s by a contagious facial tumour. The sanctuaries of Bonorong near Hobart, Devils at Cradle at Cradle Mountain and the Unzoo park on the Tasman Peninsula show them at feeding time, often at night, for A$30 to 45, funding conservation programmes. Wombats, wallabies and echidnas, on the other hand, can be seen everywhere at dusk.
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