A two-week loop from Hobart: the Port Arthur convict settlement, the granite of Freycinet and the Bay of Fires, Launceston's gorge, Dove Lake beneath Cradle Mountain, then the west coast at Strahan and the waterfalls of Mount Field. No tolls and short stages, but narrow, winding roads where wildlife crosses at dawn and dusk.
| Days | Stop | Drive |
|---|---|---|
| Days 1 to 2 | Hobart | Start |
| Day 3 | Port Arthur | 95 km · 1h20 |
| Days 4 to 5 | Coles Bay (Freycinet) | 239 km · 3h15 |
| Day 6 | St Helens (Bay of Fires) | 114 km · 1h35 |
| Days 7 to 8 | Launceston | 161 km · 2h10 |
| Days 9 to 10 | Cradle Mountain | 141 km · 1h50 |
| Days 11 to 12 | Strahan | 138 km · 1h55 |
| Day 13 | Mount Field (National Park) | 250 km · 3h15 |
| Day 14 | Back to Hobart | 74 km · 1h10 |
Road route calculated from the stops (OpenStreetMap). Driving times assume no stops and no traffic: add time for photo breaks.
December to April: long days, 21 to 22°C in Hobart in January and February, lavender in bloom at Nabowla in December and January; it is also when car hire is most expensive (December). In winter, snow and ice sometimes close the kunanyi road and the Lyell Highway plateau.
🚗 95 km · 1h20 of driving from Hobart
Tasman Highway (A3) to Sorell, then the Arthur Highway (A9) via Dunalley and the Eaglehawk Neck isthmus: two lanes, often winding.
🚗 239 km · 3h15 of driving from Port Arthur
Back to Sorell, then the Tasman Highway (A3) via Orford and Swansea, along Great Oyster Bay; few overtaking lanes.
🚗 114 km · 1h35 of driving from Coles Bay
Back on the Tasman Highway (A3) via Bicheno, then the coast to Scamander: the road runs just a few metres from the sea.
🚗 161 km · 2h10 of driving from St Helens
Tasman Highway (A3) inland via Weldborough, Derby, Scottsdale and the Sideling Range: a long mountain section, narrow and winding.
🚗 141 km · 1h50 of driving from Launceston
Bass Highway (1), then Railton, Sheffield and the C136 at the foot of Mount Roland: narrow, winding roads towards the end.
🚗 138 km · 1h55 of driving from Cradle Mountain
Murchison Highway (A10) via Tullah and Rosebery, then the Zeehan Highway (B27) and Henty Road across the mining west coast.
🚗 250 km · 3h15 of driving from Strahan
Lyell Highway (B24 then A10) via Queenstown, the West Coast Range and Derwent Bridge, then Ellendale; icy plateau in winter.
🚗 74 km · 1h10 of driving from Mount Field
In 8 days, keep to the east and north: Hobart (2 nights), Port Arthur (1), Coles Bay (1), St Helens (1), Launceston (1), Cradle Mountain (1), then back to Hobart on the Midland Highway, about 4 hours. You give up the west coast and Mount Field.
| All categories, Hobart, average | ≈ €46 a day (Kayak, Sept. 2026) |
|---|---|
| Small car, Hobart | €18 to €60 a day depending on the date |
| Cheapest month (August) | ≈ €25 a day |
| Most expensive month (December) | ≈ €74 a day |
| SUV, Hobart, average | ≈ €52 a day |
| Vehicle | City car or compact: the whole route is sealed. Vans and motorhomes are banned on the Dove Lake road. |
|---|---|
| Where to pick it up | Hobart airport or city centre, returned to the same place: it is a loop, so no one-way fee. |
| Banned under the contract | Taking the car off Tasmania is banned; Bruny Island and unsealed roads are often excluded or need permission. |
| Insurance | High excess by default; excess reduction, windscreen and tyre cover sold as extras. |
| Age and card | Minimum age 21, with a surcharge under 25; credit card in the driver's name. |
⚠️ A licence not written in English is not enough on its own: without an International Driving Permit or an approved translation, the rental company can refuse to hand over the car.
Licence not written in English: an International Driving Permit or an approved translation (NAATI) is required.
Right-hand drive, overtake on the right. Roundabouts go clockwise, and vehicles already on them have priority.
50 in towns and 80 on unsealed roads without signs; 110 only where signposted.
Zero for learners and probationary (P) licence holders: on a probationary licence, don't drink at all.
Wallabies and wombats on the road. Slow down, brake without swerving, and arrive before dark.
Official advice: 150 km can take 2 hours. Watch for the curve warning chevrons.
Ice and moss on the road in the shade; snow possible on the plateaus.
1 m of side clearance at 60 km/h or less, 1.5 m above that.
Calls and GPS only in a fixed cradle or hands-free; the road safety council advises against any use.
≈ €1.39 per litre of unleaded (A$2.24 on 21 September 2026)
Price recorded in September 2026: it changes every week, sometimes by 10 to 20 cents in a month. Check it before you go.
⛽ 1,212 km at 7 l per 100 km: about €120 at September 2026 prices, to share between passengers.
Australian average; no Tasmania-specific figure found. Fill up in town before Cradle Mountain and the west coast.
| Roads and bridges | No road tolls in Tasmania |
|---|---|
| Parks pass, Holiday Pass (up to 2 months) | A$98.35 per vehicle, up to 8 people, Cradle Mountain included |
| Parks pass, 24 hours | A$49.15 per vehicle, excluding Cradle Mountain |
| Dove Lake shuttle (Cradle Mountain) | A$15.50 per adult on top of the Holiday Pass, valid for 72 hours |
| Port Arthur Historic Site | A$55 per adult, 20-minute cruise included |
| Tasmans Arch and Devils Kitchen (Eaglehawk Neck) | Closed for works until 17 October 2026 |
|---|---|
| kunanyi summit road (Pinnacle Road) | Closed by snow or ice, especially from April to September |
| Lyell Highway, plateau west of Derwent Bridge | Often cut off in winter by ice and snow |
| Dove Lake road | Closed to cars during shuttle hours; vans banned all year round |
| Lake Dobson road (Mount Field) | 16 km unsealed road, chains may be needed in winter, not recommended for vans |
| Occasional closures (bushfires, floods) | Check Tasmania Police Community Alerts and TasALERT before setting off |
Allow 10 to 14 days for the loop from Hobart: our itinerary has 13 nights over 8 stages, with 1 hour to 3 hours 20 minutes of driving a day. The roads are slow: Tasmania's road safety authority advises 300 km a day at most. With 8 days, give up the west coast and Mount Field.
For 14 days: car hire at around €25 a day in August and €74 in December (Kayak, 2026). Parks pass: A$98.35 per car; Cradle Mountain shuttle: A$15.50 per adult. Petrol: about 1,500 km, 105 litres at A$2.24, so A$235 (€145). Accommodation not included.
In practice, yes, if your licence is not in English. A licence not written in English must be accompanied by an International Driving Permit or a translation by an accredited translator (NAATI), and rental companies require it. Apply for it in the country that issued your licence, well before departure.
The Holiday Pass: A$98.35 per vehicle, up to 8 people, valid for up to 2 months. It covers every park on the itinerary, Cradle Mountain included, but not the Dove Lake shuttle (A$15.50 per adult). The 24-hour pass costs A$49.15: from two days in the parks, the Holiday Pass works out cheaper.
Yes: the Spirit of Tasmania links Geelong and Devonport in 9 hours 30 to 11 hours 30, and two new ships are due to enter service from 31 October 2026. But cars hired on the mainland are often not allowed to make the crossing. If you are coming from abroad, fly to Hobart instead and hire a car there.
It is legal but not advisable: wallabies, wombats and other animals cross mainly at dawn and dusk, on narrow, winding roads. Tasmania's road safety authority asks drivers to slow down at those times. Plan to reach each stop before dark, especially around Cradle Mountain, on the west coast and on the Tasman Peninsula.
Driving rules, prices and closures checked in September 2026; hotels checked on OpenStreetMap and then on Booking. Rules change: read the official source before you leave, and check your own government's travel advice for the country. Stop photos: Wikimedia Commons, authors and licences under each image.
Off We Gooo road trip guide · offwegooo.com/en/road-trips/tasmania · by Pierrick, updated 1 October 2026
