I've wanted to visit Tasmania in March for a long time. I want to see fall foliage. I may have an opportunity to bring someone with me who could drive so we might rent a camper van and camp. Does 7 days in March sound feasible? My main goal is to visit an e-pal in St. Helens, but I also want to see as much of the state as I can. Thanks for any info.

Just 7 days is not enough to get right around the island. Maybe you'll have to restrict yourself to a loop between Launceston, Hobart and the West Coast. You'll see wonderful scenery. Make sure you take in the Port Arthur area in the far south-west.

We spent 12 days traveling about Tasmania in a campervan in April, and it was grand. Assuming that you are going to rent the vehicle in Tassie, there aren't a lot of choices. We rented a gigantic Hertz motorhome that was a bit much to drive, but was awfully comfortable. You might want to consider just renting a car and staying in 'tourist flats' that are available in most holiday campgrounds. You can do it in a week, but you will be rushing about a bit. Matt's idea sounds sensible, but I sure do love the mountains in central Tassie (Cradle Mountain Natnl Park). Don't forget to make a reservation to take a tour of the Cadbury's factory in Hobart!

Thanks for your replies. The only must-do is to see my e-pal Rosemary in St. Helens. ALF, do you have any idea if one needs reservations for the tourist flats or can one just drive up? I'd prefer to be staying nearer to nature than one can do in hotels in town. The motor home sounds great as there is no packing or unpacking. And if I have a partner with me, he could handle the driving, I'm sure. <BR> <BR>We may have to extend our trip longer, although we don't really expect to see everything in one trip. <BR> <BR>And Cadbury's sounds wonderful!

I would think that in March you would not need to make reservations to get into tourist flats at most Caravan/Holiday Parks (Ozzies call trailers 'Caravans'). You certainly won't need to make reservations for campsites if you have a campervan. There are several rental agencies in Devenport, at or near the ferry terminal. The Cradle Mtn Natnl Park campground was one of the nicest ones we saw in all Australia. If you do have time, there is a really great cruise up the Gordon River, near the town of Strahan (pronounced 'strawn'). The other nice campground we stayed in was at Lake St. Clair, which is at the other end of the 80km-long Overland Track from Cradle Mountain. In Hobart, we stayed at the Treasure Island Caravan park, which has many (non-descript)tourist flats. Try to make it to Hobart on the weekend so that you can experience the Salamanca Street Market. As for Cadbury's you should make reservations for a tour at least a week in advance. This is very poor place to be on a diet, as they take chocolate from every single line and offer it to you! Port Arthur Historic Site is apparently the most-visited location in Australia (by Australians), as this is the source of much of the country's convict heritage. Port Arthur lies in ruins, but it is still very interesting. The nearby Port Arthur Caravan Park was very pleasant and well-appointed. Have a great time!

Port Arthur <BR>Queenstown (UNIQUE) <BR>Top of Mt Wellington(Hobart) <BR>Cadbury's <BR>Shot Tower(Hobart) <BR>Stanley(and The Nut) to Devonport to Launceston. Time might prevent - work out an efficient loop <BR>