Camping in the wild landscape of Tasmania was an unexpected adventure during my Aussie travels; I was living in Sydney and spontaneously wanted to go on an adventure that was the complete opposite of the busy city life – Tasmania was Australia’s perfect hidden gem.

Deciding to fully embrace the wildness of Tasmania, I went there on a solo camping trip, for the first time in over 10 years, and it was more incredible than I could have anticipated!

Since then, I have found myself recommending Tasmania to other travellers I bump into, so now it’s my chance to convince you to fit a camping trip to Tasmania into your next holiday to Australia!

If you aren’t aware, Tasmania is Australia’s smallest state and one of the least developed, resulting in an island full of history and wildness. I think of Tasmania as a mix between Australia and New Zealand; with gorgeous natural beauty and National Parks, it is a perfect mix of mountains, rainforests, lakes, and beaches – it is the ideal location to completely embrace the outdoors.

The western coast is known as the Wild West and, along with the southern region, consists of Tasmania’s UNESCO World Heritage Wilderness Area: 1.58 million hectares of protected rainforest and multiple national parks which are littered with lakes, rivers, and mountains, and so many incredible adventure and hiking opportunities.

The East coast offers a different experience, known for the tranquil beaches, local wineries, fresh seafood, and, of course, gorgeous sunrises – it provides a slower, more laid-back pace.

How to get to Tasmania?

Plane: I recommend flying into either Hobart or Launceston airport, as they have more direct flights and tend to be cheaper than the smaller cities of Devonport or Burnie, which only have direct flights from Melbourne. I flew the 1 hour 45 minutes from Sydney to Launceston as it was cheaper than Hobart on my dates.

Ferry: If you have your own car, or want to hire one in Australia before heading to Tasmania, you can get the Spirit of Tasmania ferry from Geelong to Devonport. For the 9 hour ferry, a return ticket ranges from $200 – $700, and is cheaper if you book in advance.

National Parks Pass

Tasmania is made up of 19 National Parks, and to enter any of them you require a National Park Pass. There is the option for a daily pass, holiday pass (2 months), annual pass, or two year park pass, depending on the length of your stay.

You will most likely need the holiday pass which is ​​$93.15 per vehicle, and much cheaper than buying an individual pass per park you visit.

You can buy this online prior to your arrival, or at visitor/information centres throughout Tasmania.

How to Travel Around Tasmania?

Renting a car or camper van: The best way to explore Tasmania is on the road, and is especially great if you are travelling with others, allowing both the rental and petrol costs to be split. I rented a car by myself and loved the ability to travel at my own pace and the freedom to stop wherever I fancied. I chose to pre-book the rental car before landing to try and find the cheapest price, I ended up going with a company called LeisureRent as they were the cheapest I could find online ($320 for 8 days) and didn’t have any problems at all.

Public transport: Another option is travelling using public buses, I initially planned to do this as it’s the cheapest way to travel; however, after looking into the timetables I decided it didn’t work well for my trip. The buses run a limited number of journeys each day between select locations, with some services only running on specific days each week. The cost of a trip depends on the distance but, for example, you could get from Launceston to Hobart for $17.00 (as of April 2025). Using the public buses is the most budget-friendly transport option, but it takes a lot more planning to line up your itinerary with the bus timetables and route.

Group tour: The last option is joining a group tour which I think is a great idea, particularly for solo travellers, if you want to socialise and travel with new people, but they tend to be on the pricier side. Do your research and check the itinerary to find a tour that includes locations you want to visit, and bear in mind that your experience may vary depending on the demographic of people, but I’ve personally had great experiences with group tours so far on my travels! Some companies running groups tours In Tasmania are: Under Down Under Tours, ULTIMATE Travel, and Intrepid Travel.

Tent campsite: Tent camping is huge in Tasmania, and I 100% recommend the experience to all travellers, because there is no better way to get close to the nature. You can hire a tent and camping equipment in Launceston or Hobart, or buy it cheap from a supermarket when you arrive (just don’t make my mistake of buying a sleeping bag that isn’t the right thickness for the weather conditions).

There are over 350 campsites scattered across the state, averaging between $30-$50 per night, including a lot free camp sites – particularly on the East Coast. Most campsites offer communal cooking facilities, or campfires/BBQ’s – I brought my own fuel stove with me to cook on evenings where these weren’t available. A great budget option for backpackers looking to save some money on accommodation and food.

Camper van campsite: A camper van is the most comfortable option if you have the funds, as these are more expensive to rent than an ordinary car and tent.

I would recommend a camper van for those travelling with a partner as it can work out cheaper per person. Most campsites in Tasmania offer both powered and unpowered sites, the powered sites are more expensive but give you the ability to recharge your battery and heat/cool your home for the night. When I travel Tasmania again, I’ll definitely hire a camper van for that extra bit of comfort.

Hostel or hotel: There are a lot fewer hostels in Tasmania compared to the rest of Australia, and you will only really find them around the bigger cities of Hobart and Launceston. The average price for a dorm room is $36 making it a good budget option whilst you are in those cities.

Holiday parks or capsule hotels offer budget dorms beds so check those out too as they may not be listed as ‘hostels’. There are a higher number hotels around the state, ranging from $50 – $600 per night, if you are going on a holiday and aren’t looking to skimp on accommodation.

Mountain huts: The final, and cheapest, option is mountain huts. There are many huts located throughout Tas, particularly near the walking tracks. They offer basic shelter for those hiking through remote areas, including the Overland Track in the Cradle Mountain – Lake St Clair National Park.

These are a great (and usually free) option for hikers planning multi-day hikes, they offering some shelter but I don’t recommend using them in regular circumstances.

I spent 8 days doing a road trip around Tasmania, and I honestly don’t think it was anywhere near long enough to explore the whole state, but I did find a way to prioritise all the places I wanted to visit.

If you have the same amount of time available for your trip, this is the route I would go for. It can be done in either direction – I chose to do it anticlockwise to line up with the activities I had planned.

My starting point was Launceston, but Hobart is also a great option if you’re flying into that airport instead.

• Day 1: Cradle Mountain
• Day 2-3: Strahan
• Day 4: Mount Field National Park
• Day 5: Bruny Island
• Day 6: Port Arthur Historic Site and Freycinet National Park
• Day 7: Freycinet National Park, Bicheno, and Bay of Fires
• Day 8: Derby and Launceston

You can’t visit Tasmania without hiking in the Cradle Mountain – Lake St Clair National Park. After I picked up my hire car and camping gear in Launceston, I drove 2 hours straight to the Cradle Mountain Visitor Centre to purchase my entry ticket. If you have already bought a National Parks pass, then you only need to pay for the shuttle bus service – which is only $25 per person for 72 hour park access – and great if you have longer to spend hiking in the area.

The shuttle buses run every day, generally between 8:45 and 17:00, but this changes each month, so check before you arrive as it’s a very long walk back to the visitor centre if you miss the last bus!

The shuttle bus makes four stops: the Interpretation Centre & Ranger Station, Snake Hill, Ronny Creek and Dove Lake, with different hikes beginning from each stop. I chose to do the Crater Lake Circuit, finishing at Marions Lookout – so I got off and back on the bus at the Ronny Creek bus stop. With more time, I would have continued the hike to the Dove Lake Circuit, and returned from the Dove Lake bus stop – which is the route I would recommend I you have the time.

The Crater Lake Circuit, to Marions Lookout and back, took me 1 hour and 15 minutes, but I was likely faster than average as I was very aware I needed to catch the last bus, so I would recommend allowing 1.5 – 2 hours for this hike. The hike itself wasn’t too strenuous, although there were parts towards the top that were fairly steep and rocky. I did meet an older couple who had turned back around at this point – so maybe keep that in mind. But generally it wasn’t a difficult hike, and the views are completely worth it!

The Dove Lake circuit is 6km and will take 2-3 hours, it is a fairly easy trail which has a boardwalk so is very accessible, especially with the shuttle bus being able to bring you right up to the track.

If you are time bound, I would recommend you choose either the Crater Lake Circuit trail, from Ronny Creek, or the Dove Lake Circuit, from Dove Lake. But, if you have enough time I would definitely recommend making the most of your time here and doing both hikes together (around 4 hours), as the views really are incredible!

The Enchanted Stroll: 1km, 20 minutes.

King Billy Track: 2km, 40 minutes.

Cradle Mountain Summit Hike: 12.5km, 5-8 hours.

Overland Hike: 65km, 6 days.

After dark Tasmanian devil tour with Devils @ Cradle.

For my first camping experience in Tasmania – and in about ten years – I headed to Cradle Mountain Fishery & Camping. This was one of my favourite campsites I stayed at in Tasmania and it was only a 15 minute drive from the Cradle Mountain Visitor Centre, which is a perfect base if you want to stay in the area for a few days.

You can camp here in a tent or camper van for $20/ person or $50 for more than three people, and it is definitely worth the money. The campsite is located on a dam, where you can fish for your dinner or take a canoe out onto the water. There is also a walking track around the dam where you can spot the wild wallabies, wombats, and Tasmanian devils that live in the area – I saw so many wild wallabies during my stay!

I began my trip on the west coast, my next stop was Strahan – another 2 hour drive from Cradle Mountain. You can either stay in Queenstown or Strahan, as they are very close to each other, I opted for Strahan as that was where my planned activities were.

Strahan is a small town with a few shops and places to eat, and some hotels, but overall very quiet – which I enjoyed! It was very quaint and not much of a tourist hotspot.

I had an early start from cradle mountain, to catch the Wild West Wilderness Railway in Strahan at 10am – I really enjoyed this experience as a way to explore the history of the previously copper mining region and the surrounding rainforest. You can either choose to do a 2.5 hour tour from Strahan, or the 3 hour trip from Queesntown.

Rinadeena Rack & Rainforest (3 hours, $85 or $95 adult) or Teepookana and the King (2.5 hours, $65 or $70 adult) run on different days of the week, so check the timetable before booking. You can also upgrade to the Wilderness Class ticket, for an extra $40 each – which includes food, drinks and more space to relax on the journey.

After returning to Strahan, it was a very rainy evening so instead of heading straight to the campsite to set up my tent, I decided to attend the local play ‘The Ship That Never Was’. The live performance runs every evening in the local Richard Davey Amphitheatre between September – May at 17:30, and costs $30 per adult.

You need to pre-book a ticket from the information centre next door, it does seem to get quite busy so do this earlier during the day if you are keen to go. It was an interesting and informative show, and is interactive so would be good to take kids to. I personally wouldn’t say it’s a must-do activity but if you have an evening free it’s a unique experience to see.

For my second day in Strahan I went on a Gordon River Cruise, I decided to go with World Heritage Cruises and it was a great experience; an adult ticket starts at $155 and goes up to $215, depending on your seats – you are able to move freely around the boat, so I went for the regular (cheapest) ticket. The trip includes lunch and a guided tour on Sarah Island, a rainforest walk, and, in summer, they offer evening cruises with dinner which would offer an amazing sunset experience from the river.

I really enjoyed the cruise and think it is a great way to explore the Wild West of Tasmania, and there are a few companies running different cruise experiences in the area. If you are up for a more physical adventure, opt for a day of river rafting or kayaking along the river instead!

Henty Dunes – hire a sand board.

Hogarth Falls Hike: 2.1km, 45 minutes.

King River Rafting / Kayaking.

Whisky or wine tasting.

Ocean Beach – Tasmania’s longest beach 40km.

Drive 99 bends to Queenstown.

Iron Blow Lookout.

I camped at the Macquarie Heads Campsite, situated a 30 minute drive from Strahan. I stayed here for two nights during my stay at Strahan. The camp has a dump point for camper vans to use, but the public showers are located in Strahan centre with tokens purchased at the visitor centre.

The access road to the campsite is a gravel road so may be easier to access if you have a 4WD. This campsite is $30 per vehicle, per night, which you give to the caretaker, or leave at his office if you arrive after hours.

The drive from Strahan to Mount Field is just under 4 hours, so it’s best to start the drive early and plan some stops along the way. I decided to stop for breakfast in Queenstown – which is made up of small, quaint buildings, surrounded by mountains and worth a visit during your trip.

Another great stop to make is at Lake St Clair, halfway through the journey. From the Lake St Clair visitor centre there are a few options of hikes, I opted for the 40 minute Platypus Bay Walk – in the hopes of seeing a platypus. Other options are the Watersmeet Walk (3.5km, 45 minutes) or the Larmairremener Tabelti (1 hour).

After an unsuccessful attempt to spot platypuses, (I recommend going at sunrise, or sunset for higher chance of spotting one), I drove the rest of the way to the Mount Field National Park – where the Mount Field Campground is located.

You should definitely hike the Three Falls Circuit, consisting of a beautiful, relaxing walk through the forest to see Russell Falls, Horseshoe Falls, and Lady Baron Falls. The circuit took me a total of 1 hour 20 minutes, however, it does consist of a lot of steps following Russell Falls, so moderate fitness levels are advised.

I even went back to visit Russell Falls the following morning before my departure, due to the close proximity and the beauty of the waterfall!

As I mentioned above, I camped at the Mount Field Campground and I would highly recommend this to anyone camping as the location is great and it is also cheap – only $16 for 2 adults on an unpowered site and $20 on a powered site. There are hot showers, which you an purchase a token for at the visitor centre, and washing machines on site.

There are also alternative accommodation options in the nearby towns of Westerway, Ellendale, and New Norfolk.

Tarn Shelf Circuit: (12km, 5-7 hours).

I love Bruny Island! I would recommend a day trip to anyone visiting Tasmania, which is surprising to me as it wasn’t on my initial itinerary. I had planned to visit the Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) on this day, but it was closed on this day (Tuesday), so Bruny was my back up option and I am actually very glad with how it turned out! (If you want to visit the MONA instead make sure to check it’s open first!).

To get to Bruny island you catch the ferry from Kettering – a 35 minute drive from Hobart. The Sealink ferry departs every 40 minutes, from 6:10am and I recommend getting the earliest ferry possible, to avoid the long queues and so you can spend as much time on the island as possible! You can pre-book a ticket or buy it at the terminal – it doesn’t make much difference as you still aren’t guaranteed a specific time, just a spot on the next available ferry. Therefore, I just paid when I arrived at the ferry port. A return trip, with a car, costs between £39 and £54, depending on the time of day.

You’ll receive an island map from Sealink, highlighting the popular spots to visit, and is very handy for the day. Bruny Island is actually formed from two islands, North and South Bruny, which are connected by “The Neck” (a popular photo spot I recommend stopping at to take in the view), and has one main road traversing both islands.

From the ferry port you should head south, towards The Neck, and on the way stop at Bruny Island Cheese & Beer Co. to taste the local produce – the cheese was amazing! Following this, I also visited Bruny Island Honey, to sample the honey which is made locally on the property, and Get Shucked Oyster Farm and Oyster Bar for a taste of fresh sea food.

After my stop at The Neck, I drove towards Adventure Bay. My one quest whilst on Bruny Island was to see a white wallaby, as this is the only place in the world you can see them, and I managed to see one (eventually) at Adventure Bay!

Park in the car park outside the Bruny Island Cruises Restaurant and from here you can choose either the Grass Point (4km, 1.5 hour) or the Fluted Cape walk (5.4km, 2.5 hour). From the car park I would take the southern most path to begin the route, and do the circuit anti-clockwise, this means you begin the walk through the wallaby paddocks, and this is where I was lucky enough to spot a white wallaby!

After you have spotted a white wallaby at Adventure Bay, get back in your car and head west down the south island, I recommend stopping at Bruny Island Premium Wines, Cider and Restaurant for some lunch and a tasting with gorgeous views over Australia’s most southern vineyard!

To access the most southern part of the island you need to drive on unsealed roads so if your car is suitable, you can drive down towards Cloudy Bay Lagoon, Cloudy Bay, and the Cape Bruny Lighthouse to end your day before heading back to the ferry port.

Keep in mind that it takes about an hour to drive from Cape Bruny Lighthouse on South Bruny to the ferry port at Roberts Point – don’t miss the last ferry back to Kettering!

After my day on Bruny Island, I decided to drive 1 hour 40 minutes to Port Arthur was to reduce my driving the following day. If you decide to stay the night in Port Arthur, you should do the Port Arthur Ghost Tour. The 90-minute tour is $35/ adult and 90 minutes and starts between 6pm and 9pm (depending on the time of year). It explores the darker side of the rumoured-to-be-haunted Port Arthur Historic Site.

Accommodation is pretty expensive on Bruny Island, especially for us budget travellers, but there are lots of cottages, cabins, and clamping options around the island for anyone wanting to stay overnight.

The best alternative option is to stay overnight in Hobart where you can find campsites, hostels, and hotels for all budgets.

I stayed at the NRMA Port Arthur Holiday Park, where unpowered sites cost $24 and powered sites cost $31, including use of the camp kitchen, hot showers, and wood-fired pizza ovens.

The reason I decided to make the drive to Port Arthur was so I could explore the area early in the morning before beginning the drive up the East coast. If you aren’t a fan of exploring after dark, spend the morning touring the Port Arthur Historic Site and local landmarks including the Tasman Arch, Remarkable Cave and Tasmanian Devil Unzoo.

Begin your drive up the East coast of Tasmania with the 3 hour drive to Freycinet, stopping at Eaglehawk neck and Tesselated Pavements on the way.

After arriving in Freycinet, I did the sunset Freycinet Sea Kayaking with Freycinet Adventures, from Coles Bay. The three hour tour takes you around the beautiful Freycinet coastline, stopping half way for a well needed snack and hot drink break. The tour costs $145 per adult, and we had a small group of 6 people and our tour guide was amazing, sharing lots of information about the landscape and local area.

It actually rained during my tour and it was still amazing, so I would definitely recommend it (but maybe check the weather beforehand). Freycinet Adventures also offer a sunrise kayak, which would be amazing to see whilst on Tasmania’s east coast.

The Freycinet National Park Camping Ground, was one of my favourite ones I stayed at in Tasmania, mainly due to the sites being right on the beach! Each camping site has a direct path down to Richardsons Beach, where you have an amazing view of both sunrise and sunset, for only $13 a night (or $16 for a powered site). There’s a shower and toilet nearby, but no cooking facilities – I used my portable camping stove.

Free campsite in Freycinet: Friendly Beaches Camping (Isaacs Point).

The Wineglass Bay Lookout hike is the most popular trail in the Freycinet National Park, and it’s easy to see why with that stunning view! The hike is best done at sunrise which meant a 4am wake up time for me. It’s only a 10 minute drive from the camping ground to the Wineglass Bay Car Park, where you can begin the 3km hike.

The walk is pretty steep and took me 30-40 minutes to reach the lookout point, you should aim to arrive at the peak about 30 minutes before sunrise to see first light. The view over wineglass bay is beautiful, and I pretty much had the lookout to myself at 6:30am – it tends to get a lot busier during the day.

After the hike to Wineglass Bay lookout, head down the 1000 steps to Wineglass Bay beach – voted one of the best beaches in the whole of Australia. The steps are steep and the return trip takes 2-2.5 hours return, so ensure good fitness levels. At the bottom, you will step out onto a white, sandy beach surrounding clear turquoise water – a serene paradise!!

I returned to my car and headed to the Cape Tourville Lighthouse walk, it is a lovely, short (600m, 15-20 minutes) coastal walk where it is possible to see whales during migrating season. There were also wild wallabies roaming the car park here – so a good spot to find some if you haven’t seen wallabies in the wild yet!

Following this, stop for lunch at the Freycinet Marine Farm in Coles Bay for some fresh, local produce – including freshly harvested mussels and oysters.

Continue your drive up the East coast of Tasmania with the 30 minute drive to the fishing town of Bicheno. I stopped here for a coffee, and of course to see the Bicheno Blowhole!

If you want to spend longer here, I recommend visiting The Farm Shed for some wine, gin, and whisky tasting, and from May to December you should walk the National Walk Trail (3km) to spot migrating humpback whales off the coast.

The final destination for the day is the Bay of Fires. I arrived late afternoon, after the 1.5 hour drive, and headed straight to the campsite, watched the sunset on one of the most gorgeous Australian beaches and cooked myself dinner, before a getting early night.

Bay of Fires Cosy Corner North and South are two free campsites located just down the road from each other and are perfect for tents or camper vans. I stayed at Cosy Corner South, as the North was full, so you should arrive early to secure a site. Like most free campsites, there were only basic facilities: a pit toilet and no cooking facilities, showers, or water – so make sure to bring enough water for your stay!

The campsites are located along the beach, and offer close proximity to the iconic Bay of Fires red rocks found along the coast.

On my final day in Tasmania, I headed back towards Launceston, with a quick stop at Derby on the way.

The town of Derby is well known for being Australia’s Mountain Biking Town, and you will notice straight away that there are bikes everywhere! There are over 34 mountain bike trails, spanning 250km so this is the perfect stop for anyone into mountain biking, or keen to give it a go.

However, I visited Derby for a different reason, the Floating Sauna Lake Derby. You book an hours use of a sauna positioned on the Derby Lake where you can experience hot and cold therapy. You sit in the sauna at around 90 degrees, get very hot and sweaty, then cool down with a jump in the cold lake (around 3-10 degrees celsius), and repeat as many times as you like in the hour.

It costs $55 per person for a shared group of 5 people, or you can book a private session for $250 (unless you are a group of 4/5 or on a romantic getaway, I would just recommend the shared option) and the whole experience is unquestionably worth the price!

The floating sauna is popular with tourists, so I did have to book a while in advance to secure my space.

After my short stop in Derby, it was time to reach my final destination: Launceston.

I booked the floating sauna in the morning, so I had time to explore Launceston in the afternoon – which I spent hiking at Cataract Gorge. I did the Cataract Walk, Zig Zag Track, and First Basin Loop, taking me just under an hour for the 3.5km. There are a few more hikes to choose from including the Duck Reach Trail, you can view the trail map on arrival and decide which ones suit you best.

Whilst here you should take a ride on the chairlift ($12 one way, or $20 return) and in summer, take a dip in the First Basin Swimming Pool, unfortunately, I didn’t get to try it out since I went in winter, which was definitely too chilly for a swim!

I dropped of my camping gear and headed to my hostel for the night, before my early flight back to Sydney the following morning.

I opted for a hostel on my final night: Podd Inn, Launceston for a final night of comfort. The hostel is located in the city centre and felt private with each bed in its secluded pod.

Campsites near Launceston: Old Macs Caravan and Motorhome Farm Stay / Myrtle Park Camping & Recreation Ground.

Saturday-morning harvest market.

Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery.

Hollybank Forest Treetop Zip Lining.

Tamar Valley Wine Tour.

Cataract Gorge Cruise.

Being on a tight time schedule allowed me to see only a portion of the Tasmania’s highlights. I wish I had more time to explore everything, but here are some additional stops I’d recommend if you have extra days:

Stanley – The Nut and Table Cape Tulip Farm (September – October).

Hastings Caves & Thermal Springs and Tahune Airwalk.

Hobart: the MONA and Salamanca markets.

Maria Island – day trip.

Lavender Fields – December to February. Bridestowe Lavender Estate (worlds largest private lavender farm) or Port Arthur Lavender Farm are popular.