Tasmania is possibly the most under-rated state in our amazing country. We had been told before our 4 week caravanning adventure began that Tassie was gorgeous, beautiful and had erratic weather! We were told not to bother as it is too expensive and a pain to get over there with your caravan. DO NOT LET THIS STOP YOU! Nothing could have prepared us for what was the ULTIMATE caravanning adventure.  Filled with so much beauty, history, natural wonders and FUN!

Grab a cuppa, a wine, a beer, a cider or a bubbles as we go back and give you a run down on the most incredible 29 days!

There are a few points that we need to make before you read through our 4 Week Caravanning Itinerary:

  • When we go on our family holiday caravanning adventures, we like to jam pack as much as we can into EVERY…SINGLE…DAY! We are not the family that you will find lazing by the beach for weeks.  Some of you might find yourselves exhausted as you read through what we did – so if you have MORE time to explore Tassie, we would recommend 6-8 weeks!  We only had 4 weeks and LOVED smashing it out and exploring as much as we could!
  • Our girls were 6 years and 9 years old – we always try and fill our days with a mix of things that we love and also things that the kids will love.
  • Our girls are very good car travellers – this enables us to travel long distances if required.  Everything in Tasmania is super close – unlike our Red Centre Adventure, where we could drive for hours and the scenery does not change – Tasmania was breathtaking around every corner.  WOW moments, every few minutes.  There was no time to read a book in the car – the ever changing scenery kept us enthralled the whole time.
  • ROADS:  We were told the roads in Tasmania were shocking, curly, windy, hilly, rough…the list goes on! We really didn’t think they were that bad! Yes, they were windy and at times we did not get over 20km an hour, but we were not in a rush and our 24ft van handled it all with ease.  We have made note in our itinerary below of any roads we felt would not be great for a big van.
  • THERE IS MORE TO COME! Stay tuned for more details on various areas and activities that we explored across Tassie!
  • Check out our Travel Journals & The Big Tassie Lap Activtiy Book here.

A couple of STATS:

  • Car & Caravan KMS = 4262km
  • Caravan KMS = 2624km – this is where our Caravan/Camper Log Book comes in handy!!
  • FUEL = 758.86 litres of diesel
  • FUEL COST = average $1.45 per litre = Total $1102.46

Are you ready? Hold onto your hats…away we go…

****firstly – here is the route we took & souvenirs collected ***

DAY 1: Caravanning with Kids sail on the Spirit of Tasmania

We got up bright and early and travelled from our base at the Melbourne BIG4 Holiday Park, the perfect place to stay before a day sail, only half an hour from the port! Boarding the Spirit was surprisingly super smooth, easy and QUICK!…We sailed with our great mates from TIAV and the sail was PERFECT! We were all very impressed with the onboard services. The food was delicious, the seating areas were comfortable, the kids activities were heaps of FUN…We were so glad we booked a cabin as well, this enabled us to dump some of our gear to explore and also have a nanna nap and relax…WOO HOO…Disembarking was even quicker! Which gave us plenty of time to set up at the Abel Tasman Caravan Park and meet up with The Blonde Nomads !

Check out our Day Sail vs Night Sail article here!

BIG4 Melbourne – the night before.

 

What a glorious morning to SAIL!

 

Two rigs, Two Families, CWK & TIAV are very excited!

 

Click this photo for our review of DAY sailing vs Night Sailing!

 

We hit the Abel Tasman Caravan Park in Devonport with TIAV & The Blonde Nomads.

Day 2: Devonport & Surrounds

We had a wonderful day trip down to Sheffield – the town on murals – and Railton – the town of topiary! Topped off with a visit to the House Of Anvers – chocolate museum, tastings and viewing!! Delicious!!Then a ripper BBQ back at the Abel Tasman Caravan Park – check out our review here!

Sheffield – the town of Murals

 

Railton – Spot the Topiary

Day 3: Another Day Trip from Devonport! 

4 seasons in one day! In January, Tassie sure put on a show!  Winter chilly one minute, followed by gorgeous sunshine.  We started the day with a lazy sleep in then headed out towards Tasmazia & The Village of Lower Crackpot …we stopped and checked out Devils Gate Dam in the freezing rain then spent the next few hours at Tasmazia! There is so much hype around this adventure tourist spot and it did not disappoint! A super impressive set up that was so much fun for us all. 8 mazes and a mini model village that was hilarious. Followed by the best pancakes and stroll through the lavender field…it is sure to be a highlight of our trip… Plenty of time to check out Spreyton Cider Co. and enjoy a tasting board…plus they did juice tasting boards for the kids which they loved! Served with fresh cherries we left and were all full as a goog! Another stop at Latrobe on the way back to Devonport to check out Reliquaire …the most amazing gift shop you will ever see!! Back to the Abel Tasman Caravan Park where we all got together and cooked up some left overs…

Devils Gate Dam

 

TASMAZIA – so much FUN!

 

TAZMAZIA – miniature world wonder!

 

DELISH!

 

Lavender Fields at TASMAZIA.

 

Spreyton Cider – real stuff for us, juice for the kids.

 

Reliquaire – gorgeous TOY store & cafe.

Day 4: Go West – Devonport to Stanley! 

The drive from Devonport to Stanley was filled with so many things to see and do, a coastline that many who visit Tassie actually miss!! Next time we are here we will stay longer in Ulverstone and Burnie…but this time we headed to Stanley and had a fantastic afternoon exploring the Stanley Cabin Park, the town and The Nut! The Nut Chairlift Stanley was a little hairy scary for me, maybe because of the wind…but the kids loved every second…once at the top The Nut Circuit walk is 2km around the nut and delivers some spectacular views! Back on safe ground we walked the main street of Stanley. This town is quirky, unique, super cute and very enjoyable! We tasted our first cup of Van Diemens Land Creamery and it won’t be our last…lol…We ended the day with scooting, walkie talkie fun and games night! Tomorrow we hit the Tarkine!

Nearly at the NUT!

 

On top of the NUT

 

The chairlift was one of the BEST!

 

This was our first taste (chocolate and lemon Gelato) and it was not the last…

 

Stanley Caravan Park

Day 5: The entire Tarkine Drive from Stanley in one massive day.

We filled our bellies at Moby Dicks Breakfast Bar Stanley with the most delicious feed of eggs and waffles then headed out to the Tarkine Drive…we knew we wanted to see the Trowutta Arch so headed that way first!

What followed was the most amazing day exploring Tasmania’s North West …one full day experiencing so many different landscapes…it blew our minds! From Rainforests to farms…from river lookouts to sinkholes…from paddocks to fire ravaged mountains…from rugged coastlines to quaint sea side towns. The Tarkine Drive had it ALL!! We topped the day off with a visit to Dismal Swamp so Ashlee and Wayne could fly down the 110m slide into the rainforest at Tarkine Forest Adventures. What a hoot! Back to Stanley Cabin Park for tacos and a well earned beer! Huge day…brilliant day…highly recommend The Tarkine Drive! 260km of wow moments around every windy corner!

Breaky in Stanley

 

So much to see along the Tarkine Drive – stay tuned for more soon.

 

Western point of Tasmania

 

The FUNNEST slide in Tassie

 

Tarkine Forest Adventures

 

Tired Tacos

Keep track of your own travels using our Travel Journal and Log Book!

Day 6: Stanley to Waratah to see Cradle Mountain!

We sadly left the gorgeous Stanley and headed towards Cradle Mountain. We stopped at Dip Falls and The Big Tree…um…hiccup, there is no parking for big vans!! Oops…lol…we un hooked into a side track…detour to Table Cape…another lookout where you can’t take a big van…Wayne’s 26 point turn was hilarious!
Stocked up with supplies in Wynyard and saw the ladies in the info centre who were brilliant… down towards Cradle Mountain…windy roads…ended up at the Waratah Camp ground next to Hart Australian Round Trip Unplugged…a ripper family who have been on the road for 9 months and who have our Travel Journals…crazy small world! Tomorrow we tackle Cradle!!!

Backed the rig into a fire track at Dip Falls

 

Over 200 steps down into Dip Falls

 

Dip Falls

 

Big Tree

 

Table Cape Lookout

 

Waratah Camp Ground

 

New friends at the Waratah Camp Ground.

Day 7: Cradle Mountain!…plus our tips!

Today was a very emotional day! We ventured into the most gorgeous part of Tassie! Yes…the pictures are real! This really is a breathtaking destination and one of the best days we have had in years!!!

We felt very blessed…why?…it rains for 300 days a year on Cradle…and most of the time it is covered in thick fog…so, today…we got the BEST day EVER! Clear skies and sunshine…here are our tips:
– Get there early! If you arrive early (before 9am) you can drive up past the car park to the boom gate and drive 8km to Dove Lake.
– Dove Lake Circuit walk TURN RIGHT! Hart Australian Round Trip Unplugged suggested this and we LOVED every second. We hit the Boat House within minutes for some gorgeous early morning shots then hit the mountain while the girls legs were fresh…2.5hrs later and we had experienced the BEST nature walk ever!!!
– We then hit Weindorfers Lodge Forest walk that was steeped in history and an incredible insight into Laķe St Clair National Park…off to another walk…to see Pencil Pine Falls and Knyvet Falls…followed by a well earned drink at Peppers Retreats, Resorts & Hotels , back to Warratah for a swim and to check out the history of the town…dinner at the Waratah Camping Ground with great new mates…BEST DAY!!!!

INCREDIBLE!

 

Pine Falls at Cradle Mountain

 

Waratah Camping Ground was amazing!

Day 8: Cradle Mountain to Strahan!

The west coast is magical…rolling hills and mining towns filled with history and beauty.
We left Waratah and stopped in at Macintosh Dam, then Rosebery for the biggest Rose Yo Yo Kate had seen. Next stop was Zeehan, home to the West Coast Heritage Centre, Zeehan which takes you on a journey through the mining history of the west coast…we then rolled into Strahan and set up at the Strahan Beach Tourist Park on a perfect Summer arvo! We topped off our day with a visit to the longest running play – The Ship That Never Was – we all laughed our heads off! Back to the caravan, heat up some Tuna casserole pre-prepared at home and a Pimms!! Life is gooooooooood! Tomorrow we cruise with World Heritage Cruises

Macintosh Dam

 

Rosebury Yo Yo

 

Zeehan Heritage Centre

 

One of the funniest plays we have ever seen.

 

Both girls got asked to join the cast!

 

Strahan Tourist Park

Day 9: Strahan – West Tasmania!

Strahan has given us the most incredible history lesson…so many people recemmended World Heritage Cruises, Strahan, Tasmania and the experience was so worth it! (check out our full review here)It all started with a display at the local Saw Mill…then on to the Harbour Master…a gorgeous vessel built in 2016…the Captain took us out to Devils Gate, past the Fish farms and we docked on Sarah Island! An hour tour of the convict ruins was OUTSTANDING! We then headed down the magestic Gordon River and were treated to a delicious dinner followed by another dock at the Heritage Landing…a boardwalk stroll into the forest to see ancient Huon Pine…back onboard we settled into some breathtaking views of the Gordon River and Mount Sorell while listening to the history of Huon Pine logging…mind blown again! Topped off by a tassie sunset…what a cruise!!!!
PLUS…the Harbour Master had a Kids Play Room and fabulous facilities..kids were in heaven!!

Click on the photo to read our FULL review of World Heritage Cruises

Day 10: Strahan to Mount Field National Park

We left the Strahan Beach Tourist Park and headed to Queenstown…a quirky little town with the best coffee from Queenstown Cafe Serenade…next up was the curliest and prettiest drive we have been on…driving out of Queenstown was breathtaking… OMG…the windiest and hairiest drive…lucky the kids slept! So INCREDIBLE! We caught up with Trip In A Van at The Wall In The Wilderness and saw the most amazing carving…then a bloody awesome roll at The Hungry Wombat Cafe Derwent Bridge and on to Left of Field Caravan park…wowzers…this site is brilliant! Adrian has just celebrated 7 years here and has created something very special…What a day…time for a fish and a bbq and fire!

Best coffee in Queenstown!

 

The Wall – no cameras! Bummer…

 

The food in Tassie is AMAZING!

 

Left of Field Caravan Park with TIAV

Day 11: Are you afraid of heights? The magnificent Gordon Dam!

I didn’t think I was until I looked over the edge of Gordon Dam!…an hour and a half windy and bumpy drive from Left of Field through more breathtaking Tasmanian landscape…especially Lake Pedder…AMAZING and worth every second! Our big day was topped off with a Bush Bath at Left of Field and a scrummy dinner with our mates.

Gordon Dam

 

Gordon Dam – well worth the drive!

 

HOT Bush Bath at Left of Field

Good tucker with great friends…

Day 12: Mount Field National Park to Huonville

Last night we ventured into Russell Falls at night to see the glow worms then treked back in early this morning before breaky. Only a 2 min drive from Left of Field Caravan Park…what a way to start the day! We then headed to the Salmon Ponds to feed the fishies which the kids loved! A stop in New Norfolk for lunch and then off to Huonville to set up camp on the river. The kids loved seeing the baby chicks and a couple of Tassie devils at Huon Valley Caravan Park…time for a swim, some washing and a well earned drink with Bec.

Russell Falls

 

Salmon Ponds

 

Huon Valley Caravan Park

 

Tassie Devils at Huon Valley Caravan park

 

Reality check – washing still needs doing – to grab a pack of our Aussie made Pegless Clotheslines, simply click on this photo.

 

Happy Hour…again! Our Caravan Bamboo Travel Mugs are not just for coffee…hahaha..Click on this photo to see more…

Day 13: Huon Valley & Down South.

HUGE DAY! Tasmania has been bloody awesome at every…single…turn! Today we headed to Tahune Adventures Tasmania to experience the airwalk and swinging bridges…gulp…despite feeling a bit wobbly it was a super morning…lunch in Geeveston and then further south to Hastings Caves and Thermal Springs…WOW…the girls loved the caves and they were the best we had been to, so well worth the trip…back to have a bevvie at Willie Smith’s Organic Cider and a swim for the crew in Mountain River, dinner and movie night  We are half way there and loving Tassie!!

Tahune Air Walk

 

Tahune Swaying Bridge

 

Tahune Walk – well worth the trip!

 

Hastings Caves

 

Hastings Caves – INCREDIBLE!

 

Willy Smith Cider House

 

Huonville Caravan Park

Day 14: We are half way through our Tour of Tassie ! Huonville to Cockle Creek.

The southern most point of Australia & Tassie is BEAUTIFUL! We found a ripper free camp with Trip In A Van and the guys did the 4 hr walk to South Cape while we played in the ocean and walked to the Whale Sculpture…amazing part of our world!!

The road down to Cockle Creek – 19kms of dirt!

 

Free Camp – just over the bridge into the National Park

 

Fun in the sun at Cockle Creek with Jack

 

Cockle Creek

 

Whale Sculpture at the Southern Tip!

Day 15: Cockle Creek to Hobart 

It was a big day on the road! After a sleep in at the free camp (YES!), we waved good bye again to Trip In A Van and headed towards Hobart. We checked out the main drag of Huonville, had lunch and added our Aussie made Travel Journals to the Huon Valley Visitor Information Centre YAY! Coming over the mountains into Hobart was a beautiful drive, we set up at the BIG4 Hobart Airport Tourist Park and headed in to town to explore: The Wharf, Salamanca, Battery Point, Princes Park & Arthurs Circus ticked off our list!  Tamania is rich in history and breathtaking at every single turn!! Tomorrow we hit Richmond.

Hobart

 

BIG4 Airport Hobart

 

Hobart

 

Princes Park Hobart

Day 16: Australia Day in Richmond.

What a day! We started at Zoodoo Zoo – Richmond Tasmania where we all got up close and personal with lots of animals…off to Richmond to soak up some more history…Richmond Bridge is the oldest working bridge in Australia and was beautiful! The Richmond Goal was so worth a visit…preserved NOT restored! Off to see Old Hobart Town Model Village, an incredible model town of how it was in the 1800’s with a hard eye spy game for the kids (and grown ups!) …A visit to Richmond would not be complete without a visit to the Richmond Lolly Shop (homemade turkish delight and raspberry licorice…yummo). Wicked Cheese has a vast selection of Tasmania’s finest cheese and we topped off the day with wine tasting at Puddleduck Vineyard which had a play area for the kids and loads of ducks!!!

Australia Day!

Old Richmond Goal

 

Richmond Bridge

 

Old Hobart Model Village

 

Lolly Shop Heaven!

 

Wicked Cheese – so much FOOD in Tassie – Loving it!

 

Puddleduck Vineyard

 

Puddleduck Vineyard – Proud stockists of our Aussie made Travel Journals…

Day 17: Hobart from high & low.

The weather in Tassie can be pretty erratic, however our 4 week Tour of Tassie is having the best run of sunshine!  A trip to Hobart wouldn’t be complete without a venture through the Salamanca Market, filled with great food, fresh produce and truck loads of impressive stalls…Mount Wellington was next and on such a clear day the views were STUNNING…we could have stayed up there for hours. Back down the mountain to check out the view from South Arm, an area that is often missed by tourists but has some ripper beaches. We visited our great mates from Step N Store who we had not seen for ages and had a wonderful afternoon chewing the fat and eating fresh mulberries xx Thanks Pete & Deb xx Back to BIG4 Hobart Airport Tourist Park for some Puddleduck Vineyard ciders!!

Salamanca Market Hobart

 

New hat for Kate at the Salamanca Market – we were absolutely spoilt with perfect weather!

 

The drive to the top of Mount Wellington was steep and windy with the most breathtaking views…

 

On the Top of the World – Mount Wellington Hobart (one of my all time favourite photos)

 

Hello Hobart from the top of Mt Wellington

 

The view from the other side of Hobart – South Arm

 

South Arm – the beaches in Tassie are amazing…

 

Ending the day in style with a spot of local cider from Puddleduck Vineyard. YUMMO!

Day 18: Bruny Island from Tip to Toe.

We left Hobart and headed for the Bruny Island Ferry Terminal at Kettering…easy peasy boarding process and we were off on another glorious adventure!
Off the ferry, we drove from the North Island to the South Island to set up camp at the Captain Cook Holiday Park …we then went to the Neck to take in the most incredible views! WOW!
The rest of the afternoon was spent exploring… Bruny Island Honey has the yummiest Honey Mustard… Bruny Island Cheese Co. & Bruny Island Beer Co. not only has delicious cheese (try the Otto & the George…OMG!) but also has a lovely beer selection and yummy cider on tap in a bush setting with heaps of shaded areas and ambiance… further north, we hit the Tip at Dennes Point and enjoyed coffee at the Jetty Cafe, we did the dirt loop across the west and the girls fell asleep as we crossed back over the Neck, so we kept driving (…as you do!)…they woke up 5km from the Cape Bruny Lighthouse which was perfect! This southern point was rich in history and gave us some more super WOW views! Back to camp at Adventure Bay for some beach time and dinner…
Holy Moly!!! What a day…we were only going to day trip it, but are now so glad we are staying a couple of nights…

The ferry from the main land to Bruny was super smooth and quick!

 

Quick stop to Captain Cook Caravan Park, do dump and explore!

 

The Neck – GULP!

 

Food, food and more food! We love Bruny Island…

 

Bruny Island Cheese – some of the best we have every tasted!

 

Not just cheese…cheese cake, cider and craft beers!

 

The very north – Dennes Point

 

Hidden cafe with delish icecream…

 

Bruny Island Lighthouse – A highlight of our Tassie Adventure

 

Bruny Island Lighthouse views – SPECIAL!

Day 19: History Lesson, rain and more food on Bruny Island!

We started the day with a pretty cool history lesson! Captain Cooks landing spot followed by the quirky Bligh Museum…so much happened here on Bruny. Our stay was made complete by indulging on more of what Bruny Island is famous for…food & produce! Awesome coffee at the new Penguin & Pardalote Coffee House ☕at Adventure Bay… Off to the Bruny Island Chocolate Company to stock up (YUM), a quick visit to the Bruny Island Berry Farm and then a ripper lunch at the NEW seafood restaurant at Pennicott Wilderness Journeys. Delicious and affordable with the most amazing views… A rainy arvo was spent chillin’ out with Trip In A Van before heading to Bruny Island Premium Wines and then Hotel Bruny for dinner…Back to the Captain Cook Holiday Park for Go Karting fun, a fire and more cheese!!! Baha… This was a wonderful base to explore Bruny Island from.

Captain Cook history at Adventure Bay – Bruny Island.

 

I thought I knew my explorer history! Clearly, I was mistaken…Great little museum with loads of very special pieces.

 

Best Coffee on the Island!

 

Gorgeous Bruny Island sculpture

 

More chocolate!

 

New Seafood restaurant – the rain stayed away while we enjoyed a bit of deliciousness at very affordable prices!

 

Rain won’t stop this lot from FUN!

 

More wine tasting before dinner…

 

Bruny Hotel

 

Rugged up FUN , Fire and more cheese with our great mates from TIAV!

Day 20: Bruny Island to Port Arthur

What a drive! So many places to stop and explore along the way…including the Tessellated Pavement, Eaglehawk Neck, Tasmans Arch, Devils Kitchen, Pirates Bay, Blowhole and Fossil Bay lookout…wowzers!!! We arrived at the NRMA Port Arthur Holiday Park buggered…but not too tired to wizz around the Modular Pumptrack Australia with the guys from Trip In A Van 😉
This caravan park is bliss – check out our review here! 

Eaglehawk views..on our way around to Port Arthur!

 

Tessellated Pavement

 

Tessellated Pavement

 

Tasman Arch

 

Devils Kitchen

 

Blow hole

 

Fossil Bay Lookout

 

NRMA Port Arthur

 

Modular Pumptrack!

Day 21: Port Arthur & Surrounds.

Port Arthur was hauntingly beautiful! It rained, it hailed and the sun shone down…typical Tassie summer day apparently… We toured around the Port Arthur Historical Site and were flooded with convict and early settlement history that we all LOVED! The site is stunning… We enjoyed the cruise around the Isle of the Dead and were very impressed with the whole set up…worth every cent of the 2 day pass. We then headed to the Remarkable Cave which was nestled in some pretty spectacular coastline…more history to follow with a walk around the Coal Mines Historic Site …a special place that many tourists miss…take some time with this one, it was worth it! On the way back we stopped at White Beach, which was a little grey…lol…and then it was time to taste some McHenry Distillery whisky & gin…geez, what a way to knock our socks off…back to our gorgeous base at the NRMA Port Arthur Holiday Park to have our last supper with Trip In A Van (again!). After 3 weeks of fun and games it’s time to finish our Tour of Tassie up the East coast without them as they have an extra week up their sleeves…lucky buggers!

Port Arthur – stay tuned for more info about this Historical Site soon…

 

History Lesson!

 

Stunning ruins!

 

Remarkable Cave

 

The other side of the Remarkable Cave

 

White Beach

 

Coal Mines Historical Site – well worth the drive!

 

Coal Mine Historical Site…all to ourselves!

 

Distillery in the middle of no where!

 

Another Happy Hour….

Day 22: East Coast.

We left Port Arthur and followed the GPS on some pretty ‘interesting’ roads…lol…we followed the gorgeous East Coast Tasmania road north and saw some amazing beaches. Wayne tried his first Scallop Pie in Orford (the jury is still out!)…we saw the Spiky Bridge…very cool…and had some ripper jam tastings at Kates Berry Farm…off to find a free camp…Lagoon Beach is perfect! The beach was huge, the sand was clean and the camp was filled with friendly travellers.
*Wayne and I travelled to Coles Bay and Freycinet NP for a kid free celebration a few years ago…so we skipped these gorgeous parts for this trip…pretty sure the girls were not fussed…Our mates from TIAV headed there just after us with their kids and this is their recap!

Oops!! A few hairy parts on the way up…we went through Nugent…was a pretty drive, but a bit rough…

 

Orford…Scallop Pie…Have you tried one?

 

Blink and you might miss this one…very unique. Look for the sign!

 

Kate tasting Jam at Kate’s Berry Farm.

 

OMG! So goooooooood!

 

Lagoon Beach Free Camp. WOW!

 

Time to fix the battery! Free Camp Bush Beach FUN! Lagoon Beach

Day 23: Bicheno, St Helens & BAY OF FIRES! 

We explored the Bicheno Blowhole (that really blew!), the Gulch and had a ripper cuppa and morning tea at PASINIS Cafe * Wine Bar * Deli YUM! The friendly crew at the Bicheno News and Lotto now stock our Aussie made Travel Journals too…woo hoo. Time to head north to St Helens, via a little detour along Elephants Pass (not suitable for caravans…gulp…lucky the rig was at the campsite)…we set up camp at BIG4 St Helens Holiday Park and headed out to explore Bay of Fires and all the little camping areas (no room for our big rig this time ) The girls had a ball climbing all over the coloured rocks…due to the wind and cold the beaches were all ours and we soaked up everything the ocean could dish up…so much FUN…back to the park for another delish dinner.
* big shoutout to Emma & Chris from Gap Year Australia who made our night at Lagoon Beach so enjoyable…

Bicheno Blowhole!

 

The Gulch – Bicheno

 

Food..so much food!!

 

We now have 7 stockists in Tassie! Awesome…Click on this photo to check out our Aussie made Travel Journals and other goodies.

 

St Helens Caravan Park

 

Bay of FIRES!!

 

The world is their STAGE! So much fun with the Bay of Fires all to ourselves!

Day 24: The North EastTrail! St Helens to Bridport.

If you are planning Tassie with your van then please read this! It was suggested that we head back south to get to Launceston as the road from St Helens to Scottsdale is pretty hairy! We umm’d and arhh’d, checked the map, asked in a few forums and then decided that we would miss too much if we headed south…so, off we went…what followed was one of the best days on the road!
First stop: St Columba Falls…the best falls we have seen so far…
2. The Pub in the Paddock Pyengana where the girls gave the pigs a beer…hilarious…
3. Pyengana Holy Cow Cafe and Pyengana Dairy Co ..yummy cafe and play area for the kids plus a Wasabi Cheyre that was divine and delish on a wrap for lunch
4. Windy drive! It was slow going, we averaged about 40km/hr, the roads were narrow in parts…but nothing that we had not seen before over in the west…so, all good for us and our 24ft van…
5. Morinna: an interesting cemetery with a Tin dragon stop…
6. We turned right…travelled 15km…and found the Blue Lakes! Hidden near South Mount Cameron, the drive in was smooth and easy with incredible views…
7. Derby: A quirky little town with a Tin Mining Museum and a meca for mountain bikers…
8. Legerwood: only 3km off the highway you will find the Legerwood Memorial Tree Carvings…WOW and a little sad at the same time…very impressive. Throw in a gold coin donation to help out xx
9. Scottsdale: the largest town between St Helens and Launceston, great coffee stop and stock up. The popular free camping spot was chocka block, so we kept moving…
10. Bridport: another very pretty coastal town…
11. Back SW and we took a wrong turn that ended up taking us to free camp BLISS! We love it when that happens! Huge thanks to Pipers Brook Vineyard for such an amazing back drop.
12: Dinner (pre made at home) in a vineyard with my most dearest.
Could this day have gone any better?
Huge thanks to everyone who posted and messaged with suggestions… you guys ROCK!!!

St Columba Falls

 

Giving the pig a beer at the Pub in the Paddock!

 

More Cheese! YASS!

 

Morinna

 

BLUE LAKES! Photos really don’t do this justice!

 

Walk right from the look out to get up close and personal!

 

War time wood carvings…

 

Pipers Brook Vineyard FREE CAMP! The views were incredible!

 

Yup…we had the whole place to ourselves!

Day 25: Just when we thought Tassie couldn’t get any better…we hit Lonny!

Waking up in the gorgeous Pipers Brook Vineyard was a ripper way to start the day…off towards Georgetown, the third oldest Australian town behind Sydney & Hobart and up to Low Head. The light house gave us wonderful views and an encounter with penguins. The Low Head Pilot Station Maritime Museum was interesting with plenty of RV parking and coffee at Coxswain Cottage Cafe was delish.
We then headed down to Launceston to set up camp for our final few days.  Old Macs Farmstay was highly recommended and we landed a ripper site right on the lake…with the arvo left to explore we headed into Cataract Gorge! WOW…can you imagine having this in your backyard! It was sensational…the Gorge Scenic Chairlift is the longest of its kind and gives you a fantastic view of this family friendly playground. Swim in the gorge or the pool, enjoy the playground, the cafes and the scenic walks…pretty sure we will be back over the next few days…time to relax back at camp with more Wicked Cheese and yet another Happy Hour.

By Pipers Brook – check our WikiCamps for this awesome FREE Camp

 

Low Head Lighthouse

 

So much history…

 

Plenty of parking for big rigs!

 

Old Macs Farm – one of the BEST low cost camp spots in an awesome location!

 

HIGHLIGHT! Cataract Gorge Launceston

 

Cataract Gorge FUN

 

What a day!!

 

Wicked Cheese…AGAIN!

Day 26: North of Launceston.

After bacon & eggs and a cuppa next door at Stonesthrow Launceston we headed half an hour north of Launceston to the Beconsfield Mine & Heritage Centre …this is a unique heritage site with loads of hands on displays for the girls to touch and feel. They looked for the ‘gold hands’ and they knew they could touch and discover! A mix of the very old and modern mining stories, it was a fabulous journey into it’s history…
Next stop: Seahorse World 🙂 Once again, the girls were faced with new experiences and loved seeing the little ‘horsies’ and learning all about them…especially the part about the males growing a thousand babies at a time!!
Next door is Platypus House and we once again dove into interesting facts about platypus and echidnas…a short doco film was followed by meeting a few residents… yup…safe to say this was a huge hit for the kids…
On the drive back we detoured over the iconic Batman Bridge, took in Bradys Lookout and marvelled at the beautiful landscape…
Back to the peace of our camp at Old Macs Farm where we enjoyed dinner cooked by the girls.
Every day in Tassie has been HUGE!
Every day in Tassie has been jam packed!
Every day in Tassie has been brilliant!

Beaconsfield Mine – so much history from over the last 100 years….

 

The kids LOVED watching and learning about how little Seahorsies were born/grown. We were not too sure…

 

Everyone else was seeing heaps of wildlife in Tassie, we were not that lucky…so to see these gorgeous creatures up close and personal at Platypus House was very special for all of us.

 

Crossing from one side to the other along the Batman Bridge.

 

More gorgeous views along the Tamar region…more wine?

 

Thanks girls! Dinner at Old Macs Farm…and YES, that is Pimms in my bamboo coffee mug (available in our shop)

Day 27: Flying, Zip Lines and FUN!

We had always planned to spoil the girls with something super fun during our 4 week Tour of Tassie and Hollybank Treetops Adventure didn’t disappoint! Wayne & Ashlee loved the 3 hour Canopy Tour…zip lining 400 mtres over the forest floor and Piper Creek at 70km an hour! Kate & I hit the Tree Adventures course for our own fun, it was 2 hours of pure joy!

Could our day get any better? A quick lunch and it was off to Penny Royal Tasmania, a quirky and unique area in Launceston. More flying fox and quick drop action plus a cliff climb for the whole family with Penny Royal Adventures and our day of adventure and fun was compete!
Back to Old Macs and Stonesthrow Launceston for bubbles and cheesecake then dinner and happy hour drinks with our new caravanning neighbours…

2 hours of pure FUN!

 

EPIC Day…more fun at Penny Royal – worth the visit!

 

Penny Royal – such a unique place of FUN and adventure!

 

More zip lining! Dad having fun being a kid…

 

The final selfie!

Day 28: Magic Liffy Falls and Final Night!

DO NOT take your caravan into Liffy Falls…ok…now that we have that out of the way…lol…we drove in *without the van* and walked down into the falls, the sun was shining through the canopy and because the falls were not flowing fast we were able to climb right in and explore! What a magical way to end our Tour of Tassie!
Off to check out Ashgrove Cheese and then polish off a super delish lunch at ETC – Elizabeth Town Bakery Cafe …our Tour of Tassie is complete! Back to our Launceston base at Old Macs and our final happy hour…thanks Emma & Chris from Gap Year Australia for the twice cooked pork belly and Andrew, Kim and Mitchell from Laughtons Living Life for joining us to celebrate our final night…

The walk into Liffy Falls was longish…but easy…glad we did it first thing, before the heat.

 

LIFFY FALLS!! Love love love…

 

All to ourselves….

 

Last cheese stop!

 

Parking at Elizabeth Town Bakery – excellent!

Day 29: HOME

We sailed back on the night sail – Check out our review of Day Sailing vs Night Sailing on the Spirit of Tasmania.

A very sad day in Devonport…home time.

 

Our faces say it all…

28 days filled with beauty and amazement at every single turn. Exploring the most under-rated state in Australia.

The scenery…the wine…the food….the Adventures! TASMANIA – WE WILL BE BACK!!! Have you been? What were your favourite places?

HUGE THANKS to:

If you have ANY QUESTIONS – please let us know – contact us via Facebook, Instagram or email – we would love to hear from you.  Happy & Safe travels…

Do you collect Souvenirs?

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