10 day East Coast Tasmanian Road Trip
With kids!
One of the most immersive ways to explore Tasmania's East Coast is by car. It promises a stunning drive of pristine white sands, blue water, and lots of winery stops. With our two girls, we did a two-week loop in October from Devonport and back, tracing the East Coast's scenic route, down to Hobart and back uncovering a multitude of discoveries along the way. This compact island has mountainous landscapes, stunning costal drives and lots of wildlife, 10 days was a perfect amount of time for us to enjoy each area by car.
Just a reminder if you plan on visiting National Parks in Tasmania you must purchase a permit which you can find here.
Day 1. Devonport to Bay Of Fires with stop offs on the way.
Cataract Gorge, Launceston
We kicked off our road trip with big first day! Upon arriving in Devonport from the Spirit of Tasmania with our camper trailer in tow, we set our sights on our initial destination: Cataract Gorge in Launceston. This dramatic gorge, enveloped by forests, rivers, and wandering peacocks, left us spellbound. We could have easily spent an entire day here. With a playground, a public pool (open in the warmer months), numerous trail walks, and a scenic chairlift, there was no shortage of activities to enjoy. Both the kids and us loved this visit, setting the perfect tone for our first day in Tasmania.
Marion’s Vineyard in the Tammar Valley
On our way to the Bay of Fires we stopped at Marion’s Vineyard in the Tammer Valley for lunch. This picture perfect spot was beautiful and peaceful to look out at the ocean in front, made you feel welcome and homely. We nibbled on a cheeseboard and a glass of Chardonnay before continuing on.
Address: Cataract Gorge Reserve, 74-90 Basin Rd, West Launceston TAS 7250
Little Blue Lake, South Mount Cameron
This intentional detour to the little blue lake was a must-see for me, and though it added some extra time to our journey to the Bay of Fires, it was absolutely worth every moment. I've never seen water so brilliantly blue before – it's something you really have to witness in person to fully appreciate. While there's a viewing platform available, I found that taking a stroll offered an even better perspective. This stunning natural phenomenon is a result of the area's mining history, with the high mineral content in the base giving the water its striking colour. Just a heads up, swimming isn't recommended here, but it's definitely worth a stop to admire the beauty!
Day 1 & 2 - Bay of Fires
Arriving late afternoon on our first day of road tripping. We set up camp at Cozy Corner, Bay of Fires and stayed here for 2 nights. The water is turquoise and the sand white, it is an amazing site when paired with the red rocks as contrast. The cam grounds were clean, well maintained with clean hybrid toilets. The campgrounds are sheltered in the scrub but have easy access to the beautiful beaches. I could have camped here a week or two and not been sick of it.
Where did we camp? Cozy Corner Campground, Binalong Bay
What can you do at the Bay of Fires?
At the Bay of Fires, we enjoyed a range of activities including camping, walking, swimming, beach hopping, picnicking, and just soaking in the scenery. It's truly an incredible destination to wake up and explore. There are many areas within the Bay of Fires to discover, and each offers its own unique beauty with its orange lichen-covered rocks contrasting against the bright blue waters. The kids really enjoyed this part, they swam eve though it wasn’t that warm, built sandcastles and climb rocks. They enjoyed exploring a new area as much as we did.
During our 2 day camp we explored St Helens, The Gardens, and Binalong Bay. Among these, The Gardens was particularly impressive.
Days 3 Freycinet
On the 3rd day we packed up our campsite and made our way towards Freycinet, a 2 hour drive. Stopping into Bicheno beach to stretch our legs.
Cole’s Bay had a good variety of shops, we stocked up on a few items and treated us all to an icecream from Main Street.
We set up camp at the Big 4 in Coles Bay for one light, a lovely clean campsite with showers and plenty of communal areas, it has plenty of walks close by as well as a bistro on site. Handy after a big day of driving and walking. We used this as our base for exploring Coles Bay and Wine Glass Bay where we did the shorter Wine glass bay lookout walk that is just under 3km, of a steady incline, pack snacks! We all got hungry and didn’t continue on to do the full walk to Hazards beach. But a very friendly wallaby lifted our spirits as she and her joey came to say hello in the carpark.
Where did we camp? BIG4 Iluka on Freycinet Holiday Park
Day 4 & 5 Tasman National Park
Packed up the trailer early morning, and started on our 3 hour drive towards Tasman National Park, our next camping destination on our 10 day Tassie road trip .With multiple stops along the way to keep us and the kids entertained. Driving past vineyards, through forest and small towns it was a pretty drive with lots to see.
Where did we camp? Forscue Bay ,Tasman National Park
Devils Corner Vineayard
We stopped off to refuel with fish and chips in Dunalley, a small fishing town on the way to Port Arthur before continuing our drive towards the Tessellated Pavement, our last stop before our destination of Tasman National Park.
The Tessellated Pavement located in the little historical town of Eagle Hawk Neck on the Tasman Peninsula was a great leg stretcher. A natural, geological phenomenon of perfectly cut and ‘human-made’ looking tiles. These siltstone pavements have been eroded by salt from the Tasman Sea overtime. It’s hard to believe they are a natural element as they look very ‘man made’ The sunsets over the tiles and the ocean gathers in the small pools creating a stunning reflective surface making for a photographers dream, the kids or I didn’t feel like hanging around until the end of the day so we had a walk and carried on.
Close by you will find ‘the neck’ a strip of land that was once guarded by a line of vicious dogs in the 1800’s to prevent escaped convicts of the Port Arthur Prison. So if your a bit of a history buff this is a very interesting place to visit on your Tasmanian road trip.
Tasman National Park -
After a long drive, we finally reached Tasman National Park, where we set up camp for the next three nights. Looking back, I regret not capturing more photos of this stunning place.
Camping at Forscue Bay was a dream. It's a highly popular campsite, and it's easy to see why. The spacious campsites are nestled between the ocean, mountains and forest offering many hiking options. With an onsite ranger available for ice and firewood purchases, and showers available for a gold coin, it's the perfect base for exploring the region and serves as the starting point for the renowned 3 Capes Hike. While we didn't dare to tackle the 3 Capes Hike, we did do the Canoe Bay Hike, a relatively easy 6km trail that leads to a shipwreck in the water. We were treated got the biggest surprise when we sent the drone up and saw the submerged boat! Despite the wet weather, the scenery was beautiful.
During our two-night stay, we were joined by friendly local wallabies. While they are incredibly friendly, they may be tempted to join you for dinner, so it's important to keep all food securely locked away!
Port Arthur -
A beautiful coastal setting with a terrible past. Port Arthur is a World Heritage-listed Historic Site and was a great day out for all of us. We spent the full day wandering the site, learning and exploring. Its incredibly interactive and caters well for both parents and children. The gardens are manicured, the cottages are frozen in time and the buildings full of history. Hard to believe this was such a brutal place once upon a time as it is so nice to walk around now.
There are over 30 buildings on site, from the penitentiary to the chilling ‘Seperate Prison’ the asylum. Tours run regularly, podcasts are an option and very intriguing and a boat ride to the Isle of the Dead is included in the ticket price.
Day 6 & 7 Snug -
Day 6 & 7 of our Tasmanian road trip were spent in Snug, Southern Tasmania. A small town 25 minutes of out of Hobart and only 7 minutes to Kettering, where the ferry terminal is to visit Bruny Island.
It poured with rain as we set up camp, and unfortunately I didn’t take many photos. We stayed in the Snug Caravan park, a clean park with a well-equipped amenities block, coin-operated laundromat and a camp kitchen with a playground close by for the kids. Its very close to the Huon Valley, an area bursting with wineries to explore and only a short drive to ferry terminal to take us to Bruny Island.
Where did we camp? Snug Caravan Park
Snug, Tasmania
Bruny Island, Tasmania
Having camped in Snug, the ferry terminal was only a short 7 minute drive away at Kettering. Bruny island is known for its local produce, beaches and wild terrain. The rain continued but that didn’t stop us from ticking Bruny Island off our road trip list.
Driving around the island, I was surprised by its size and the distances between stops, but knowing Bruny Island's reputation as a foodie hub, we arrived with empty stomachs and high hopes. From honey tastings to winery lunches, chocolate indulgences, and brewery pit stops, we ate our way through the island.
With our bellies happy and spirits high, we walked the short climb to Cape Bruny Lighthouse braving the winds for stunning sea views and a dose of history.
I would love to revisit on a blue sky day to enjoy the blue beaches and whites sands!
The Neck Bruny island
Day 8 & 9 Hobart.
Framed by Mount Wellington, Hobart was such an eye catching town that had so much to give. Exploring on foot we visited patisseries, delis, the museum ,(which was incredible, the girls and myself loved it) we walked along the water front and deep in the city full of historic buildings and interesting shop windows. Hobart has such a big food and culture scene, I could have easily spent a week here eating my way through. The Royal Botanic Tasmanian Gardens were a great stop in. So much care has gone into taking care of every unique section. There are 14 hectares to discover, we were running out of time to fully appreciate them, but bring a picnic and stay the day, its a beautiful place.
Day 10 - Loop back to Devonport
Our last day of our Tasmania road trip finished up at the same place we set off, Devonport. Choosing the night time boat we were able to take our time driving back to Devonport and soaking in the country side scenery.
Tulips in Devonport
