dutyfree

Leaving next week for Tasmania to meet up with my adult daughter. We have our trip totally planned out for the two weeks that we are there but are having problems with the one night that we leave Cradle Mountain at the end of our trip to return back to the Hobart Airport.(We are staying in Hobart for 4 nights,2 nights in Port Arthur,3 nights in Freycinet/Swansea area,2 nights in Launceston and 2 nights in Cradle Mountain.)
I understand that the drive back to Launceston from Cradle Mountain is about 2 1/2 hours and about 5 plus hours back all the way to the Hobart Airport. Is there a city between Launceston and Hobart Airport near the major highway that you think is worth spending the night? I am just trying to break up the long drive from Cradle Mountain. Thanks!

Melnq8

I'd stay in the Bay of Fires area, St. Mary's or St. Helens.
Not cities though, more like rural towns:

http://www.eastcoasttasmania.com/st-marys

http://www.visitsthelenstasmania.com.au/

Or if possible, switch around your Launceston and Cradle Mt nights and head back to Hobart from Launceston, freeing up a total of two nights for elsewhere.

Melnq8

Sorry, posted too quickly. I meant that by switching Cradle Mtn and Launceston you could drive from Launceston to Hobart w/o having to spend a night en route, so you could add it to one of your other stops and prevent an additional one night stay somewhere (I'd suggest adding it to Cradle Mtn).

What time does your flight leave Hobart?

Melnq8

If the above don't work for you, Oatlands is another option, a historic village 115 km south of Launceston, 84 km north of Hobart, right on the highway. Just don't drink any tea brewed with poppies.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-02-1...oppies/5265468

peterSale

Oh the choices!
Don't go back to Launceston for a start.
My picks would be go to Deloraine - have a look at the cloth mural- then head over the mountains past the Great Lake and stay the night in Bothwell. There is not much there but the drive is magic. Bothwell does has a distillery that has world class whisky albeit $300 a bottle. They have tasting which are well worth doing. They have a bar in Hobart as well.
Before you get to the Great lake there is a little lake on your right (west side) with a board walk. The walk is less than a kilometre but lovely, through stunted pencil pines.

OR for a longer drive, through forests and old mining areas
Go west and drive down to Queenstown then to Hobart.
Queenstown is bigger and the bare hills around the old mining sites are famous. The Queenstown oval is gravel not grass!
This is a longer drive but spectacular, consequently steep and windy in parts.

The third option is Launceston to Hobart by the main Highway. This is a highway and dual carriage most of the way, but does get you from L to H quickly. Oatlands is lovely. If you do go there be sure to do the Windmill tour. This route is over farmland predominantly and therefore not at stunning as other parts.

Some other tips for your trip,
Between Launceston and Cradle stop at Chudleigh and visit the honey shop - 55 types, free tastings, great ice cream and the best nougat I've tasted.

When at Launceston go to Low head and do the penguin tour. Low head is about an hour's drive and you will get within an arm's length to the penguins. You will be in a small group of a dozen or so.

When at Port Arthur do the Tasman Island Cruise. This is BRILLIANT. Be sure to dress warm and take sea sick tablets. Crossing the bay can be rough. Just remember YELLOW BOATS. This is the original trip and he does great conservation works. The crew were fantastic. Some people got sick but you would barely notice, the crew were so quiet and gentle about it.
They also run a similar trip along Bruny Island.

Maria island near Freycinet is also well worth doing. The fossil cliffs are literally packed with fossils by the thousands. Also if you look for white stains on rocks and follow them inland to the cliffs you will find penguins. We got so close it filled the frame of the photo. I could have touched it we were so close. This tip goes for most of the Tassie coast. Penguin are quite common.

If you haven't already - read my trip reports. They are more a list of things to see and do rather than a journal.