Have you ever heard of Tasmania? It’s the small Australian Island located in the Pacific, 2 hours away from the South Coast of Australia by flight.
And even if it looks small, there is plenty to see there! Tasmania is well known for its beautiful landscapes, but also its wildlife.
I came with my eyes wide opened ready for a brand new adventure.
We booked a car for our five days there and we drew our road trip on this map to be sure to not miss a single piece of it!
DAY 1 | Bruny Island – Hobart
Our journey started at Hobart Airport, where we took our car to start the trip.
Our first day was dedicated to Bruny Island (and yes, it’s an island off an island). The ferry to go there is only 45 minutes away from the center of Hobart. Once there, the ferry will take you and your car to the island (20mn).
There we were, on Bruny Island. Our first stop was at a Cheese, bread and beer factory where we could taste the cheese they are producing on the island. I reckon it’s not as tasty as the French cheese, but it’s quite good. You can have a nice cheese plate to share with some wine if you feel like it.
Our next stop was the Scenic Neck Lookout. It’s the point between the northern part and the southern part of the Island, which is delimitated by a huge beach. You have to take some stairs to go there, but it’s definitively worth it!
Next and last stop : Bruny Island Lighthouse, at the very end south of the island. I don’t know if you have ever been to a road trip in Australia, but there is always a lighthouse to stop by. This one is quite famous for Tasmania. Also, and mostly, you have a beautiful view of the rest of the island.
The sunset was on its way, and we did not want to drive by night. We headed to our hostel (The Pickled Frog, quite ok for the price) and we had dinner in a very nice restaurant in the Docks of Hobart (you have to get the fresh seafood and fish there, it’s Hobart’s specialty).
DAY 2 | Port Arthur – Coles Bay
Here we go, day two! We left Hobart behind, direction Port Arthur. To give you a bit of context, Port Arthur was a jail during the British empire. Criminals but also politic opponents (Charles Dickens included) were taken to Tasmania to be incarcerated.
The site tour begins with a guide who explains during 40 mn the history of this monument, classified at UNESCO. Then we went for a walk all around the site. We finished with a 25 mn cruise along the bay which was very pretty since it was a bit sunny out there.
I would recommend this visit if you have the time, the site is well located and it’s worth the entry price.
After this cultural morning, we decided to go to the Remarkable Caves, a great spot between the sea and the earth.
As it was raining we did not do much after that, but we really wanted to go and see a wombats refugee at white beach. The lady there was very welcoming and we got the chance to hold a grown-up wombat. She explained that people are giving her baby wombats when their mothers were killed by a car.
The end of the day was already here. And it was time for us to reach Coles Bay.
DAY 3 | Freycinet – Bay of Fires – Launceston
Halfway of our trip… We started the day with the beautiful Wineglass Bay walk at Freycinet National Park (which is named under the French explorer). It’s honestly by far the best spot I’ve seen in my time in Australia. It’s amazing, there are no other words.
If you plan to go to Tasmania one day, YOU HAVE to make a stop at Freycinet. Moreover, the weather this day was just perfect. Mornings should always be like this.
After a small lunch at Coles Bay, we headed to Bay of Fires. Bay of Fires is a national park with a conversion area, where the red rocks meet the white sand of the beaches. It’s also a stop that is worth it.
As the sun went down, it was time for us to reach Launceston, where we had to stop for the night. Our hostel was absolutely creepy!!! The people were weird too, so we were glad to spend only one night there!
DAY 4 | Cradle Mountains
We quickly got out of our hostel, where we did not want to spend one more minute there.
We headed to the Cradle Mountains to have a nice walk day, it was our only stop of the day. At first sight, the weather seemed good. But once there… it was totally different and it was freezing and snowing. We could not do the walk because of the weather, but we did take the shuttle to Dove Lake to have a look. And we did not regret our choice, it’s stunning out there! If the weather is ok, it’s worth the walk!
On our way back, we stopped at a distillery in Wolmit which produces very nice Gin. We had a free tasting there (best remedy against the cold I must say). The guy there was very very welcoming, and he just started this activity after buying the domain from the previous owner.
After this little sneak outside, we went to our airbnb in the mountains. The place was awesome! I don’t have any other words. It was a little roundhouse that our host build a few years ago. The perfect place to rest in nature and to escape the cities. But also, if you are lucky, you’ll probably see the stars from a great perspective!
DAY 5 | Great Lake – MONA
Where has the time gone? Seriously. It’s already the last day here, and we are all a bit sad to leave.
We took the road to Hobart and we stopped at MONA, the famous museum of contemporary art in Tasmania.
The road was really pretty but too snowy… it’s was a bit dangerous I have to admit so I was glad I was not driving! During springtime or summertime, the road must be magnificent as well and not dangerous. Just be aware that the weather in Tasmania can change really quickly.
MONA is insane. There is no other word. You can see so much art with a specific context that you can lose your mind. I.E: a machine which reproduces the human digestive system…. but as it was raining, we were very happy to do it. Honestly, a good and strange museum, who does not look like any other museum I have ever done before.
The different restaurants and the café are proposing very nice food (quite pricy as well).
The journey to Tasmania ends here… after these 5 amazing days, Sydney was calling me back. I’m really glad I had the chance to visit this cute little island.. if you are looking for a next adventure that combines nature and culture, choose Tasmania! The only risk is that you might never want to come back…
To write about business one should be in business, just as in writing about Tasmania one should visit Tasmania.
James Cook
See you soon Tasmania 🍃🐾
OFF THE ROAD 