Songdoc

As part of a business trip to Australia we're planning to vacation in Tasmania in mid- to late-November. We enjoy nature; easy-to-moderate hikes; wildlife; beautiful scenery.

Any suggestions for an itinerary--and a good amount of time to spend? This will be the last stop at the end of a long trip. How long would you recommend to see the scenic highlights without rushing to check things off the list? I know it's big--and I'd rather not spend all my time driving.

Thanks!

Melnq8

Oh man Songdoc, here you go torturing me again!

Funnily enough when I was planning our first trip to TAS, I consulted with an Australian friend, who reckoned we only needed a few days to see it. He could not have been more wrong.

We've made two trips to TAS, spending about two weeks each time, and we still want to go back.

TAS is pretty small, but there's lots to see and do, particularly for those of us who love the outdoors.

I have a couple of trip reports here that might give you some ideas...they're really old, but the itineraries might give you an idea of possible driving routes and what you can accomplish within a certain timeframe.

http://www.fodors.com/community/aust...rip-report.cfm


http://www.fodors.com/community/aust...t-wild-tas.cfm

Do not miss Cradle Mountain!

Songdoc

WOW, Melnq8! Those were some serious reports!!! Thanks so much.

I'm guessing we'll spend around a week. Will have to sort through all the info and prioritize.

Again, MUCH appreciated.

PS. <Oh man Songdoc, here you go torturing me again!>

Well, then to make the torture complete I'll add that before we leave for NZ (in October), I'll be in the Canadian wilderness (British Columbia) then six weeks in Kauai. Had a great trip to Ireland and Italy (Venice, Florence, Tuscany) in March.

I like my crazy life!!!

peterSale

You can check out my trip reports as well. We have spent 11 weeks in total and only doubled up on a few days.

Five days and you can see the highlights and only be slightly rushed. Seven is better, ten would be great. Seven is what you have so you will be able to see the highlights and some other gems as well.

Low Head Penguins is a must do. It is about an hour out of Launceston and you will get within reach of the penguins.

We love Hartz Mountain and Mt Field National Parks.
The board walk at Cradle Mountain is lovely and easy. When at Cradle take the free shuttle bus and enjoy the views.

Let us know when you have specific questions.

Susan7

Some things not to miss in Tasmania: Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) catch the ferry from Hobart, the restaurant Garagistes also in Hobart, Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery (TMAG) there's a show of one of the most important Tasmania photographers Pat Brassington (think though it finishes in September).

Port Arthur for convict history, you could easily spend the day there. Richmond and Ross are also interesting places to visit for convict history.

National Parks not to miss: Cradle Mountain, Wine Glass Bay, Narawntapu National Park (guaranteed views of wombats, not far from Launceston)

http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/indeX.aspX?base=3665

For Wilderness, a Gordon river cruise from Strahan. http://www.gordonrivercruises.com.au/

Treepol

I would highly recommend a visit to Corinna in conjunction with maybe Cradle Mountain. The accommodation and food are of a high standard, there is a good range of walks, a choice of 2 river cruises and lots of wildlife - wallabies and possums visit every day/night.

You could fly into Devonport or Launceston, see Cradle Mountain, drive to Corinna and then cross the Pieman River on the barge and head to Strahan.

Photos from our Easter 2014 trip are at https://picasaweb.google.com/Treepol...naAndNorthwest

Songdoc

This is such great info -- and Treepol, your pix are gorgeous!!!

But I'm confused about the comment about flying into Devonport or Launceston ...
Are you suggesting we fly within Tasmania? Or are you saying to fly into Devonport or Launceston instead of Hobart?

Patty

You could fly open jaw into Hobart and out of Devonport or Launceston or vice versa to avoid backtracking. We actually did northern and southern Tasmania on two separate trips as there is a lot to cover. One week trying to do both may feel rushed.

Nice pics, Treepol!

Bokhara2

They are gorgeous pics, Treepol. Thanks for posting them.

Songdoc, nice to see you're planning a ramble around our beautiful island. I'm sure you'll be enchanted.

Melnq8

Incredible photos Treepol!

Susan7

Great pics, Treepol! Corrine looks great, particularly your accommodation there. I liked the northwest a lot, we stayed at Stanley. The food was amazing Cape Grim beef and fresh crayfish!

Treepol

Thanks for the kind comments everyone.

Songdoc, I was thinking if you flew into Devonport from Melbourne, picked up a car at the airport and went to Cradle, then drove to Corinna via Waratah, then across on the barge to Strahan and then drive to Hobart. This will give you prime walking and wildlife destinations.

I'm not a big fan of Cradle, haven't been there for years. November is usually OK, but Cradle is in the highlands and prone to unseasonal weather at any time of the year. The drive to Corinna through Waratah is an adventure in itself. Waratah is a very old mining town with a waterfall right in the town. This year I thought the rainforest was just waiting for the right moment to reclaim the narrow, gravel road that finally arrives in Corinna.

2-3 nights Corinna (Chalet 25 is very new and backs onto the rainforest) to do some walks and maybe a cruise, or you could leave the cruise until you get to Strahan and spend 2-3 nights there. The trip on the Abt railway from Queenstown is also worth doing if you have the time. Its a long drive to Hobart from Strahan, allow all day with a couple of stops - there is the walk to Nelson Falls and also the walk to Donaghys Lookout. If you have time you could overnight at Lake St Clair which is the southern point of the Cradle Mountain NP.

I'm not sure how much time you have but you could spend up to a week in Hobart sightseeing in the city and surrounds. Port Arthur of course, the Huon Valley (try a rustic lunch at My slice of pie), Dover and Police Point and Orford via the Wielangta Forest Drive.

Alternatively, you could spend the time in the northwest and visit Cradle, Corinna and Stanley. I recommend Stamps of Stanley for accommodation and dinner at Xanders of Stanley, just along the street.

Songdoc

Thank you SO much for this incredible info. FYI, we'll be flying to Tasmania from Sydney--not doing Melbourne on this trip. We LOVE Melbourne, the Grampians, and the GOR -- but we've done them twice.

The number of days we spend in TAS will be partly determined by the availability of frequent flyer flights. We're guessing 8 - 10 nights.

We're interested in scenery, hikes, and parks -- not cities or museums. (And, we'll have already been working in Auckland, Wellington, Sydney, and Brisbane. So we'll have our fill of cities.)

With that in mind, how much time do you recommend in Hobart? Is that somewhere we should base for day trips?

Again, thanks so much!

Susan7

If you are not that interested in cities or museums then maybe skip Hobart and fly in and out of Launceston and do the west of Tasmania. There are some incredibly cheap airfares at the moment, I just got a Jetstar flight Sydney to Launceston for $45 for a conference later this year, so if you sign up for their specials you may not need to rely on frequent flyer points. You just need to watch their endless efforts on the booking website to add things on.

Skipping Hobart would mean missing Port Arthur, the ruins of a convict settlement. It is a place that holds great significance for Australians but may not have the same resonance for an International tourist. In any case, if you go to Strahan the river trip takes in Sarah Island which is another convict site, although there's nothing much left there.

Songdoc

Thanks, Susan7. That's good info. We've been to convict settlements in other countries and appreciated them. But for us, the reason to visit Tasmania is the scenery and nature. So maybe skipping Hobart would be a good idea for us. This might all change if I wind up working a day in Hobart--but I'm still waiting to hear about that.

FYI, we're not using FF miles for flights within Australia, New Zealand, or between the two; just to fly from Nashville to New Zealand--and from Tasmania back to Nashville. But I will sign up for Jetstar's specials. That's a great idea. Thanks, again!!!

Melnq8

Hobart makes a good base from which to see Mt Field National Park Songdoc, as well as Mt Wellington and the Huon Valley.

I'd suggest at least a few days in Hobart.

Personally, I'd forego Launceston, unless just to fly in and out of as it's much less interesting than Hobart (to me anway).

Patty

If you do end up in Hobart, MONA is worth a visit even if you aren't into museums.

We really enjoyed Bruny Island.

Treepol

I like Susan7s suggestion to skip Hobart and concentrate on the west, this will meet your main interests and give you a leisurely look around a very scenic part of Tasmania. There is good accommodation and excellent food in the northwest and west!

Songdoc

The more I read and research, the more confused and concerned I get. Is the weather really as bad as it seems?

I read this online about Cradle Mountain:

On average it is cloudy here on 294 days per year. Rain falls an average 275 days per year. And if you are lucky and it's sunny when you visit, you have arrived on one of the 32 sunny days per year.
* * *

I’m not sure I like those odds—even though November is historically one of the less rainy months! Are some areas less rainy than others? With it being all about scenery, photography, nature and hiking, I'm really worried about the rain. I read the average number of clear days is (4) per month at Cradle Mountain.

Corinna looks beautiful—but I read it rains an average of (18) days in November. Mt. Field shows an average of (15.6) rainy days per month in November.

On the north shore of Kauai, where I spend a lot of time, it rains almost every day—but it’s a typically a brief shower—or the rain comes at night. It’s not as if it’s pouring all day. Do you think that’s the kind of rain these figures are referring to?

Still haven't decided about Hobart, but the airfares might help make our decision.

Turns out that because of an additional business engagement, we'll be flying to TAS from Brisbane. Brisbane to Hobart is $127 pp; Brisbane to Launceston is $140 pp; Brisbane to Devonport is $323 pp. agghh!

I trust this will all work out and that it will be a great trip. But at the moment, I’m still a bit flustered! Thanks for all your help.

Patty

We spent 3 nights at Cradle in winter and had alternating rain, snow, fog and sun. It's a temperate rainforest. Reminded me of Olympic National Park.