You’d be forgiven for thinking that Tasmania isn’t a part of Australia. A “little” (by Aussie standards!) island off the south of the country, it seems like it can seem like a whole different world from the mainland.
Even if you haven’t been to Australia, what do you think of when somebody says the name?
Bondi Beach? Scary spiders? Skippy the Kangaroo and Blinky Bill? Dusty red roads in the outback hiding poisonous snakes?
Well, Tasmania has beaches but it isn’t really bikini weather.
Okay, snakes and spiders (I wasn’t saying it’s not like Aus at all!).
They don’t have wild kangaroos or koalas (not that this stops souvenir shops selling cutesy koala bear plushes!). They do have wallabies and, of course, the infamous Tasmanian Devil!
And swap those dirt tracks for views of jagged mountains, glistening lakes, and hills covered in some seriously lush trees.
Sounds pretty great, right? It is! But I want to make sure that you get the most of your Tassie trip so here are some tips I learned (from my own mistakes!) to make sure that you’re totally prepared!
Less time in Hobart
Hobart is great, don’t get me wrong. I’m just saying if you’re going to Tasmania then you may as well see the whole state, it ain’t that big.
Tasmania is known for its nature, not its towns and the moment you drive out of Hobart you are going to see that. Hobart has some nice old buildings and a harbour, and you should definitely go up Mt. Wellington – it has gorgeous views of the Hobart area. However, be careful of ice if you’re going early in the morning or at night.
After, say, 2 nights in Hobart you should venture either east towards Port Arthur, or west to see some of the 19 beautiful National Parks that Tassie is bursting with.
National Park Pass
Which brings me to this. All of the National Parks cost between $12 – $35 AUD but you can buy a National Park Pass that costs about $65 and it gets you into all of them (not 100% about Mt. Cradle though) so if you are planning on going to say, Mt. Cradle, Freycinet, Mt. Field, South Bruny then it will really save you some dollars. You can buy the pass at any of the National Park ticket desks.
The Sign of the Devil
This one might sound a bit silly but if you’re like me and you love taking photos of absolutely everything you set your eyes on, then listen up!
If you’re going to the South Arm Peninsula then you’ll pass a bunch of the yellow, diamond-shaped Australian signposts we all know and love. But these beauties caught my attention because they have Tasmanian Devils on them. I foolishly assumed that they were going to be all over Tasmania but trust me, they’re not. My eyes were glued to every new sign! So if you want to get a picture of these iconic signs then this is your one and only chance!
Taz Centres
How much do you really want to see a Tasmanian Devil? It’s pretty unlikely you’ll find them in the wild so the only other option is to call into a sanctuary or feeding centre. The thing is though, these places charge a fortune. As in $40-$60 per person!
I would suggest if you were desperate to see one then you might be better off (if you’re going back to the mainland) going to a zoo where you’ll see not only Tassie Devils but all of the other fun, native creatures this crazy country has to offer.
Also, they look nothing like the cartoon. Nothing.
Bring a Jacket
Finally, look up the weather before you go. Just because it’s Australia doesn’t mean it will be hot, even in their summer (Nov – Feb ish). It’s rainy (which is why it’s so green!), it’s windy, it’s pretty cloudy a lot of the time. Even when it’s a sunny day the temperature is generally lower than the rest of Aus. I mean, it doesn’t stop you from doing anything, just bring a jacket and maybe an umbrella while you’re at it.
Watch this space and I’ll tell you about the places we stopped at our during our Tasmanian Road Trip and what there is to do there!
