Tasmania General
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You are currently reading a thread in /trv/ - Travel
You are currently reading a thread in /trv/ - Travel
Any anons been to Tasmania before?
Looking to know a few things before I head for a week over there.
>Must See Sights
>Popular Locations that are overrated (and can be skipped)
>Transportation: Rental car Y/N?
>Costs?
Also Tazzy General for those who want to go as well.
>>1075381
I've lived all my life across the strait from it in Melbourne, but I've never visited it once. I'd really like to though, it looks really beautiful for camping plus I know a lot of great food comes from there. Hobart looks super comfy too.
>>1075422
It's like stepping in a time machine
>snow on Eucalyptus trees
Now I've seen everything.
>>1075381
Was there for a week, but failed to do much due to privatized public transport which made it quite a hassle to figure things out - especially finding the individual companies proved to be a challenge, compare timetables and prices, etc.
Only did Hobart - Launceston - Cradle Mountain as a result, had to skip Bruny Island. The former two are cities, nice enough to spend a day or two each. Visit the MONA while in Hobart. Didn't really blow my mind, but was still pretty cool. Cradle Mountain is really nice. Full of wildlife, too. Just grab a decent torch and go walk at night. Wombats, wallabies and kangaroos by the dozens.
Costs are much like mainland Australia. Would return to explore further - and do the Overland Track while I'm at it. Would recommend hiring a car, public transport can be quite expensive and is relatively limited.
>>1075381
I went in the late 90s with my family, but we had a great time there. Loads of wildlife, i caught a moth as big as a sparrow at a motel, we went for a drive at nigh amd saw loads of critters. We went to bruny island, i think we saw penguins there? I cant remember so well, but i really liked the isthmus, id never seen a piece of land like that before. Theres a cool blowhole at bicheno. Cradle mountain was good, we only walked round the lake there, but the region is beautiful. It gets cold though, we went in early summer and it was very cold at night. I didnt like the area where the tin mining had happend, the drive from cradle mountain to there was long and slow and the road was so twisty i got car sick several times. The actual town and area was desolate, all the trees and stuff had been killed from the pollution and there was hardly anything to see in the town. I imagine things have started to grow back and theres more to do in the town now, as well as the drive not being so bad if you are driving it yourself. Loved the tasmanian devils, there was some adorable ones in some nature park we watched getting fed and stuff, they are so playful.
>>1075449
>Just grab a decent torch and go walk at night. Wombats, wallabies and kangaroos by the dozens.
This is exactly what I was looking for, thanks anon. And you can just rock on up there? Did you have a car, or is getting there pretty easy without?
>>1075449
Also,
how are the roads out there? fairly easy driving?
I spent a couple weeks in Tassie during new years last year. Definitely rent a car and do a road trip on your own. We only had time to go up and down the east coast, but it was amazing, you really can't go wrong. The whole Tasman Peninsula and Tasman National Park is really nice. Wine Glass Bay is a must see, one of best beaches I've ever seen. There's a bunch of cool hikes around there if you're into that sort of thing. Port Arthur is overrated and overpriced if you've ever seen any old prison before. I would recommend skipping that. Still bummed that I didn't have time to go to Cradle Mountain.
Hobart is a really nice city too if you're there in the summer, I suggest spending a few days there. Definitely go to the MONA museum and check out the Salamanca market you're there on a saturday. That's one of my favorite markets I've ever been to.
>>1075381
If I ever went to Tasmania, I'd totally high five TheNewStoryteller then maybe go hunt a kangaroo or some shit.
>>1075610
Cradle Mountain? Yeah, there's an entrance fee, but other than that you can just go there. Had to go by public transport, which is easy enough once you've found all the timetables. It is, however, pricey to go there that way. Think I spent 120AUD both ways, possibly more.
>>1075611
Yeah, at the very least the road to Cradle Mountain is excellent - it's quite popular after all. Don't know about the small backcountry roads, but I expect them to be in reasonable shape.
>>1075422
Hey m8 I'll be in Melbs. 9/2 -15/2 prior to tasty.
What do? Preferably free activities. Also best spots for spotting koalas on the Great Ocean Road?
>>1075821
Not him, but I can help with the koalas on great ocean road. After you pass through Apollo Bay and the highway goes inland for a bit, take a left turn somewhere into Great Otway national park and they'll just be hanging out in the trees. You should be able to tell where the Koalas are, because other cars will park on the side of the road and get out to take pictures of them. They can be hard be hard to see at first cause they're lazy fuckers. But once you see one, you'll start seeing them everywhere.
>>1075381
Avoid MONA it is a tourist trap, I enjoyed the cradle mountain track during winter.
>>1075906
Fuck MONA. Too many left wing faggots recommended that shit to me. If I want art, I'll go to a real art gallery, not some hipster modern art piece of shit.
>>1075381
cradle mt, wineglass bay, cape raoul, bruny island, strathgordon, lake st clare. - all beautiful locations but you wont stop driving if you try to do them all in one week.
YOU NEED A CAR. full stop. if you dont have a car you'll be disappointed. 'public' transport is hit and miss. bus services can take literally an entire day to do what takes a car 2 hours. and many places you want to go for wilderness public transport doesnt even reach.
roads are ok, apart from the few highways they're often quite narrow. anything in the highlands (like cradle, lake st clare, the entire west coast) expect slow and winding, multiple hairpin corners etc. DONT ALWAYS BELIEVE THE SPEED LIMIT.
did i mention i live in hobart? yeah well look, hitch hiking is pretty easy, but bring a tent and a sleeping bag. the number of backpackers i've given a lift to who think they can do 200km+ ride and a hike in the middle in a day.... *rolls eyes*
interesting things to do include;
HOBART
mona (left wing AF its true), salamanca market (i've been to 15 countries and still think it has the best variety and quality of any market i've been to), hike to the summit of mt wellington, or do a cycling tour which drives you to the top and gives you a bike to ride back down. cascade brewery tour, lark distillery tour, theres heaps of well recognised restaurants, i cant really think of any i would say to avoid. could do a wine tour of the coal river valley (cool climate whites mostly)
its high season at the moment so costs of activities and stuff is comparable to the rest of australia... you do know tasmania is part of australia right?
>>1076122
oh and if you're around on a sunday the bathurst st farmers market has some tastey produce
>>1075381
It'd like to go on a guided tour of the 'bush' for one of the last remaining Tasmanian tigers.
I have an Aussie friend who said that his cousin saw one drinking from a stream.
>>1076125
seriously? you do realise if its a guided tour but a tiger hasnt been seen for 85 years the guide must be full of shit?
story sounds like cascade draught.
>>1075423
kek that's my neighbourhood.
Lived in Hobart 20 something years. Ask away.
Rent a car. You'll get the most out of the unique (or less common for aus standards) things tassie has.
Don't bother with MONA it's shit and the people who run it are wanna be melbournites. The guy who runs it is a borderline cult leader for bored weed-loving hipsters.
Casino; skip.
Cadbury's factory; skip. they shut down the tours anyway.
Peppermint Bay ride; Skip. Go on the speedboat instead.
Hobart musts;
Salamanca Markets on saturdays are awesome, especially if you can catch it on a sunny day. A little bit expensive but you can get Huon pine shit (which is allowed to be logged anymore) and food and weird crap.
Go up to the top of Mount wellington, which is just called 'The Mountian' (and we also have; The River, The Bridge and the Other Bridge) its purdy, great views, cool rocks.
Richmond and Port Arthur if you like history
Cascade brewery if you like breweries.
The forest Airwalk if you like giant ass trees.
If you don't generally like these things skipped them.
Wineglass bay, cradle mountain and gordon river dam are all great day drives or one night trips for views and landscape. Food and booze is over priced so byo.
Pubs; New Sydney, Republic Bar or Irish Murphys are our general go to pubs because they have good smoking areas but there's probably better. If you ever think 'i should live here' go to the Brisbane at 2am on any day for a reason why you shouldn't.
The CBD's good for a wander, but if your from a big city you'll probably be disappointed by it's size.
North Hobart strip has a good restaurant/pub life by hobart's standards, as does Salamanca.
Huonvilles where I grew up, apples and sheep and cherrys and shit. Good for some Tassie made stuff, got it's own decent backpackers, spend a night there, walk up to the willie smith cider shed, get drunk, talk to locals, get some fish and chips from the boat house, passout in your crappy hostel bed and everyone will be your friend the next day.
>>1075381
You need a week to see all of Tassie, tops.
>>1075381
Go before winter and have a vehicle.
Cycle touring is pretty easy with minimal preparation.
>>1076417
oh and i forgot, like i said its high season.
>>>>> BOOK ACCOMMODATION IN ADVANCE <<<
people travel to hobart to come to my work and at present there is a family of 3 in three different backpackers because they're the only spare beds they can find. my brother used to work in a very central hotel and around this time of year everything within 20km of central hobart can get filled up, especially at weekends.
>>1076246
>If you ever think 'i should live here' go to the Brisbane at 2am on any day for a reason why you shouldn't.
i never go to the brisbane (for this exact reason), problem solved.
>>1076618
Where do u work anon?
>>1077165
RHH, - tertiary referral hospital for many specialist services for the island. some people dont like 8 hr round trips to the NW..
>>1076587
There's so much more than a week to spend in Tassie, especially if you like bushwalking etc.
Launceston local here if you have any questions ?
MTB riding has become a big thing in the last few years with huge trails built in Derby, Hollybank, existing trails in the meehan ranges, north south track etc. A lot of people holidaying here just for that.
If you like the outdoors, you can find walks from easy (Mt Wellington or around Dove lake and Cradle Mt) to what's considered the hardest in Australia (Federation peak).
Most of the best restaurants are in Hobart, there are wineries and distilleries everywhere if you're into that.
In Launceston I think most people rate the Cataract Gorge the best attraction, and it's almost in the city center. We've got beer tours too, at Boags.
Definitely get a rental car because the buses are expensive and a huge pain in the ass to deal with.
I liked MONA surprised a lot of you didn't.
I went to Port Arthur you can spend a whole day there if you are into it.
Tahune airwalk
Hastings caves
Wineglass bay
Salmananca markets
Franklin restaurant if you are into food.
>>1078242
I'm going to Launceston this coming weekend and then going to the Queenstown heritage renting a car is the only way?
>>1078377
There are buses, google redline but a car is definitely easier.
>>1078390
Yeah redline's times are all school times so useless
Is there anything I need to know about the roads I've not driven for a while since I live in Melbourne and walk to work.
I watched this ad for a tourist attraction in Tasmania: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYEfzopALrw
It was cozy/10.
>>1078491
hobart to launnie is a nothing special highway with a few nice towns to stop off in along the way, oatlands, ross and campbelltown primarily.
hobart or launnie to queenstown is bendy as fuck, try to avoid the drive at dawn or dusk unless you want wallabies all up in your grill.
i like the queenstown museum, it has a very local focus on the history of the area, upstairs each of the exhibit rooms were donated by a local so its all these funny little personal stories.
are you planning on going from launceston to queenstown in a day? just wondering because depending on your route theres a number of nice places to stop for breaks/curiosities.
>>1078520
>are you planning on going from launceston to queenstown in a day?
Yes
Also was planning to go to the mole creek caves and do this
https://www.tripadvisor.com.au/Attraction_Review-g504310-d1984761-Reviews-Wild_Cave_Tours-Mole_Creek_Tasmania.html
but the tour company needs more than 2 people to book.
>>1079621
Try Hasting Caves and Thermal Springs too. Pretty cool geo shit there.
>>1079625
last time I went to tas I saw that
