What Not to Do on a Tasmania Road Trip
Driving around Tasmania is one of the best ways to experience the island and even after years of guiding guests to every corner of the state, we never tire of a Tassie road trip.
On this small chunk of rock at the bottom of Australia, you’ll find everything from ancient rainforests to untouched beaches, alpine plateaus and charming towns. And while there are highways connecting Tasmania’s major cities, there are also some wonderfully quiet and scenic roads to discover.
That said, the same remoteness and wildness that make Tassie so great for a driving holiday also brings challenges. In our experience, there are a few common road-trip habits that can quickly turn a great holiday into a stressful or unsafe one.
In this article, we’ll share our local knowledge to highlight some of the most common mistakes to avoid on a Tasmania road trip.
If, after reading it, you don’t feel like getting behind the wheel, we offer a whole host of transfers and tours to help you explore the island without car (and without the stress).
1. Don’t underestimate driving distances
Tasmania looks small on a map, and compared to the Australian mainland, it is quite small!
But a few millimetres on a map can be deceptive when it comes to driving times. Many of the island’s roads are winding and the weather can at times be…less than ideal!
A route that appears straightforward on Google Maps due to its kilometre count may take considerably longer than you imagined. That’s not only due to the road conditions, but also the number of stops you’ll likely make along the way.
So instead of building your driving times around kilometres, try to build your itinerary around realistic scenarios that take into account scenic stops, toilet breaks and meals. Also, add in some buffer time for unexpected delays, such as roadworks and detours or rain, ice and snow.
2. Don’t try to see the entire island in a few days
We regularly give feedback to guests on their Tasmania itineraries and one of the biggest mistakes we see again and again is trying to squeeze too much into a few days.
For example, people might have a week on the island and want to visit Hobart, Bruny Island and Port Arthur in the south, then drive up to Freycinet, Cradle Mountain and Strahan. It’s just too much!
Trying to combine so many destinations into such an ambitious itinerary will see you spending most of your holiday behind the wheel. And while you might feel like you’re seeing “everything”, you’ll actually be missing out on discovering those hidden gems that make Tassie so special.
For a shorter trip (a week or less), choose one region and explore it thoroughly. If you have time for a longer trip (two weeks or more), it’s possible to do an entire loop of the island without feeling like you’re rushed.
3. Don’t assume every road is suitable for your vehicle
If you're hiring a car, don't assume that because a road appears on a map, it's appropriate for every vehicle, especially every rental vehicle. Tasmania has a lot of dirt and gravel roads, with rough surfaces where conditions can change significantly after rain.
Always check your rental agreement before taking any vehicle onto unsealed roads. Some rental companies restrict where their vehicles can be driven or impose conditions around particular roads.
If you're planning to explore remote corners of Tasmania, ask the rental company before you leave the depot what is permitted and what isn’t.
4. Don’t drive without checking the weather
Tasmania's weather can change quickly, particularly in mountainous and exposed areas. If you wake up to a sunny morning, that doesn’t mean those conditions will persist throughout the day. In fact, it’s not uncommon to experience four seasons in one day!
Tasmania’s mountainous regions can be substantially colder than the coast, with rain, fog, wind or snow affecting driving conditions. This is particularly important to note if your itinerary includes places such as Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park or other highland areas.
Our advice: don’t simply check the forecast for Hobart or Launceston and assume it represents the whole island. Check the weather for the specific region you're travelling to, especially if you’re heading off on a long drive into a remote wilderness area.
5. Don’t leave fuel until the tank is nearly empty
Running low on fuel in a major city is an inconvenience. But if the same happens in a remote part of Tasmania, it can end up causing a serious headache.
That’s not to say Tasmania has a shortage of petrol stations. In fact, in the cities, you’ll find them on every second corner! It’s just that they aren't evenly distributed across the island and some rural services have limited opening hours.
So if you’re passing a fuel station and your tank is less than half, consider filling up. This is particularly important if you’re heading into a wilderness or rural area where fuel is harder to come by.
6. Don’t assume your phone will work everywhere
Tasmania has plenty of areas where mobile reception can be limited or unavailable, which is great if you’re planning a digital detox! But it’s not so great if you’re relying on mobile reception to be able to make important calls or using it for GPS live navigation.
Before leaving an area with reliable reception, always check your planned route and download an offline map to be on the safe side. We’d also recommend taking a screenshot of accommodation bookings and addresses so you aren’t relying on having internet access to find them.
If you’re heading off on long hikes or remote adventures, consider what emergency communication arrangements are appropriate for the conditions. Maybe that’s letting someone know about your plans or carrying a power bank to charge your phone.
7. Don’t forget that daylight hours change seasonally
Because Tasmania is located so far south, the differences in daylight hours between summer and winter are dramatic. If you're travelling during the summertime, you might have 15 or more daylight hours to work with. In winter, that drops down to just 9 hours on the June solstice.
Shorter daylight hours can dramatically affect what you can safely fit into a driving day. In summary, you should never plan a winter trip to Tassie with the same itinerary as in the summertime.
When planning any outdoor activities, check sunrise and sunset times and leave yourself a sensible buffer in case things go awry.
No matter what time of the year you’re visiting Tasmania, we recommend arriving at your accommodation before dusk. That way, you aren’t on the roads when wildlife species are most active.
8. Don’t treat wildlife like roadside scenery
Speaking of wildlife, Tasmania is famous for it and seeing animals in their natural habitat can be one of the highlights of a road trip. But wildlife and roads don't mix well, and you don’t have to drive far in Tassie to see roadkill…sometimes lots of it.
Wallabies and possums can appear unexpectedly on roads, particularly around dawn, dusk and during the night. And if you suddenly brake or swerve to avoid an animal, you could be putting yourself and your passengers in a dangerous situation.
Our message here is to drive slowly and never speed up on straight stretches just because the road “looks” empty.
Also, never stop in the middle of the road to photograph wildlife, no matter how exciting it might be. Slow down and pullover into a safe parking area, even if it means you have to backtrack on foot. It’s just not worth putting yourself and other road users at risk.
9. Don’t underestimate Tasmania’s national parks
Tasmania is famed of its wilderness areas and some of the island’s national parks have become iconic attractions. But many people treat them as nothing more than a quick photo stop before continuing on to their next destination.
In our opinion, any national park in Tasmania deserves more than just a brief visit and you’ll be rewarded if you allow yourself time to explore.
For somewhere like Cradle Mountain, you need at least a day to do it justice, although we’d recommend two or more. Rather than arriving with no plan and expecting to see everything in an hour, research the walks you’re interested in beforehand.
Also, remember that weather can affect walking and photography conditions. By giving yourself more time, you’ll have a greater chance of experiencing the national park in the way you hoped.
10. Don’t forget to enjoy the journey
Lastly, don’t spend your entire road trip rushing from A to B, trying to see a whole list of “must-visit” attractions. In our opinion, what makes Tasmania such a special place is the incredible scenery and historic towns that many travellers completely overlook.
If you’re so focused on seeing what everyone else has told you to see, you miss out on your own discoveries and the joy of the road trip itself.
So take the scenic route, stop for the view and leave yourself extra time to discover Tasmania the slow way.