The ultimate itinerary for an epic Tassie lap

January 19, 2026

Tasmania, Travel Itineraries

Six unforgettable months exploring Tasmania’s wild places, turned into the ultimate six-week island adventure.

We arrived in Tasmania on the cusp of winter with a one-way ferry ticket and a hunger for adventure.

In true Franky Roams style, we wanted to explore deeply, not just tick off the usual tourist hotspots.

Over six unforgettable months, we experienced a fiery Dark Mofo winter, explored Hobart like locals with housesits, tackled three multi-day hikes in 30 days, wandered through endless gorges, alpine peaks, misty waterfalls and heritage streets, and soaked up a wild and windswept coastline.

We have condensed the absolute best of six incredible months into an epic itinerary for a six-week Tassie trip of a lifetime.

How to use the itinerary?

No sweat if you don’t have six months to spare. We’ve suggested timeframes for each location, so you can easily pick out some standout destinations to form your own bucket-list vacay.

We just hope it inspires you to discover the magic of Tasmania — a rugged, dramatically beautiful, and truly wild place.

Davenport to Hobart (255km, 2 days)

If arriving by ferry, take the Heritage Highway down the guts of Tassie from Launceston to Hobart, and explore each town’s picturesque heritage streets. Here’s our Heritage Highway highlights.

Evandale

Evandale Sunday Market – Tassie’s longest-running and largest Sunday market with all the good vibes!

Ross

Ross Female Factory, which offers up an interesting glimpse into Tasmania’s convict history.
The historic convict-built Ross Bridge – completed in 1836 and Australia’s third oldest.
Ross Village Bakery, which serves up some amazing award-winning vanilla slice!

Oatlands

Camping on the shores of Lake Dulverton – a beautiful bird sanctuary.
Exploring Australia’s biggest collection of sandstone Georgian buildings – almost 90 were built by convicts in the 1800s (get the ‘Oatlands Key’ from council to access several impressive buildings).
The Callington Mill Distillery for a self-guided tour (they also do a unique whisky tasting experience and restaurant meals).

Where we stayed

We utilised free, short-stay RV parks run by local councils, including:

Blackburn Park, Campbell Town
Falls Park Reserve, Evandale
Station Park (Green Ponds), Kempton

Hobart and surrounds (3 days)

We came to Tassie in search of a winter like no other – and Hobart served it up in the bucket loads. It was weird, wild and wonderful – in equal measure! Here’s our highlights.

Dark Mofo

An epic festival (think fire, food, art and music)!
Highlights: Dark Park (festival hub), Winter Feast (fiery banquet, free after 9pm), Nude Winter Solstice Swim, Hanging Garden (awesome venue) and Night Mass (a holy labyrinth of crimson, fire and beats).

Mount Wellington / Kunanyi

Stacks of walks starting from The Springs (including the stunning Organ Pipes Circuit, Pinnacle and Zig Zag Tracks) and the best chai latte going at Lost Freight.
Plus, the 6km O’Gradys and Silver Fallsloop trail loop trail.
Mt Wellington in snow is magic (you’ll need to park lower down and head in on foot).

Coastal Gems

Kingston Beach and Blackmans Bay – Stunning coastal walks and beachfront cafes with a chilled vibe.
Seven Mile Beach – Scenic walking tracks including the Clarence Coastal Trail (3.3km one way) and Single Hill Track (5.3km return).

Markets

Cygnet Market – Enjoy the buzzing main street vibe.
Salamanca Market – Get there before 10am to avoid the crowds.
Farm Gate Market – ‘Farmy’ is a Sunday brekky ritual for many locals – delectable baked goods and music.

Mona (Museum of Old and New Art)

Make sure you stick around for the 4pm project (live performance), sneak in a wine tasting (Moorilla Cellar Door), enjoy live music on the lawns or by the fire, unconventional dining or bevvy at Faro (in-situ experimental performances).
Download ‘The O’ app for all things Mona. Step things up a notch and arrive by Posh Pit on the Mona Roma ferry.

Longley International Hotel

An iconic live music venue in the Huon Valley, offering free camping.

Bakeries

Hunting down the best local baked goods served as a tasty mission. Here’s some of our top bakery finds:

Summer Kitchen Bakery (Ranelagh) – Carrot cake + croissants = next level. Plus, this cozy spot has all the good vibes!
Pigeon Whole Bakers (Hobart) – Their Morning Bun is the ultimate flaky, buttery, cinnamon-honey dream.
Jackman & McRoss (Battery Point) – Pies that pack a punch and croissants that melt in your mouth.
Six Russell Bakes (Sandy Bay) – Their five-spice sugar crullers: think cinnamon donuts…but yummier.

Breweries

Cascade Brewery & bar – The best happy hour in town ($6 happy hour and 2-4-1 meals on Thurs).
Spotty Dog Brewery – Amazing chicken wings (half price on Wednesdays)!
Hobart Brewing Co – great beer right on the Hobart waterfront.
Deep South Brewing Co. – yummo pizzas (2-4-1 pizzas on Tues) and $6 happy hour.
Hopfields Brewery (Margate) – Live music and rustic cellar door with great vibes.

Hobart waterfront

A picturesque stroll along the historic waterfront and fish and chips from the pontoons.

Where we stayed

We sought out Hobart housesits through Aussie House Sitters (save $10 on membership using code: V4MWR5). We also stayed at a couple of RV parks about 20 mins out:

Longley Hotel (free with a spend at the bar, 48hrs)
Sorell Council RV Park, Sorell (low-cost, 10 nights)

Richmond (50km return, 1 day)

This charming town definitely deserves a spot on your Tassie itinerary. While we did it as a day trip trip from Hobart, you could easily spend a night and delve deeper.

Richmond Bridge – this grand old bridge was built by convicts in 1825 and is Australia’s oldest.
Heritage walk – exploremore than 50 Georgian buildings and the country’s oldest surviving Catholic church.
Nocton Vineyard – one of the best cellar door experiences we’ve had. If wine is your thing, there are plenty of cellar doors in this area to explore.

Hobart to Port Arthur (90km, 4 days)

Three Capes (DIY)

We undertook an epic 60km, four-day adventure on Tassie’s breathtakingly beautiful Tasman Peninsula.

We stitched together our own journey to the tips of Cape Raoul, Cape Pillar and Cape Hauy – home to jaw-dropping dolerite cliffs, and the hauntingly beautiful Port Arthur Historic Site.

The official Three Capes Track with its luxe cabins and boat trip looks amazing, but we went full vanlife and created a budget-friendly DIY adventure instead.

Cape Raoul (Day 1)

5hr, 11km drive from Hobart to the Cape Raoul trailhead
5hr, 16.5km in-and-out hike to Cape Raoul and Shipsterns Lookout
Camped at the Port Arthur Tourist Park (to visit the nearby Port Arthur Historic Site)

Port Arthur (Day 2)

We spent 5 hours exploring the World Heritage-listed Port Arthur Historic Site – Australia’s largest and most intact convict settlement with over 30 historic buildings, museums, exhibitions and guided tours. Highlights included:

45min guided Port Arthur Essentials Tour($10 well spent – a good way to set the scene at the start of your visit)
complimentary 20min scenic harbour cruise and self-guided audio experience
Penitentiary themed complimentary site talk (there are several talksat key locations throughout the day)

Cape Pillar (Day 3)

It was a massive 28km day on trail, but totally awe-inspiring and worth every aching muscle. Cape Pillar is home to the tallest sea cliffs in the southern hemisphere, rising to 300 metres high.

Left our rig at Fortescue Campground
Hiked 8km (2.5hrs) to Bare Knoll camp, set up our tent and dumped our gear
Walked a further 20km (4.5hrs) with a day pack to Cape Pillar and back
Spent the night at Bare Knoll

Cape Hauy (Day 4)

The final day of our DIY adventure wrapped up with a 16km stunner! We hiked from Bare Knoll to Fortescue Bay via the jaw-dropping Cape Hauy – spectacular dolerite columns that plunge into the sea. Picture morning light in a glittering rainforest, ocean views on both sides of the track and two humpback whales dancing in the sea.

Pack-up camp at Bare Knoll
6km (2hr) hike to the Cape Hauy turn-off via Mt Fortescue
Packs down, 3km (2hr) return to the tip of Cape Hauy
Final stretch to Fortescue Bay, and our waiting rig

Where we stayed

Port Arthur Tourist Park
Fortescue Campground
Bare Knoll camp (walk-in)

Dunalley (45km, 1 day)

Highlights on the way to Dunalley:

Tessellated Pavement – a bizarre rock formation that looks like someone tiled the beach. Best seen at low tide.
Tasman Arch to Waterfall Bay Track – a spectacular coastal walk showcasing towering cliffs and dramatic rock formations in Tasman National Park (4.7 km return).
Tasman Blow Hole and Fossil Bay lookout – In our opinion, the Blowhole is underwhelming, but the lookout is beautiful.

Dunalley itself:

Dunalley Bay Distillery – Boutique craft gin on beautiful Dunalley Bay offering a rustic tasting experience, plus locally caught fish and chips.
Seal spotting – Look carefully on the large rocks along the waterway next to the overpass (just after the pub). Rumour has it the famous ‘Neil the Seal’ hails from Dunalley.
Taz Donuts – A one-woman enterprise serving up freshly-made hot jam donuts.

After spending the morning exploring the quiet fishing town of Dunalley, follow the picturesque stretch of road one hour north to Triabunna.

Where we stayed

Dunalley Hotel (free RV camp)

Triabunna / Maria Island (62km, 2 days)

The portside town of Triabunna is best known as the gateway to wildlife sanctuary, Maria Island. If you’re keen to catch the first ferry of the day – like us, there’s a donation campsite behind the local pub for the night before.

An overnighter on Maria Island will give you plenty of time to enjoy the main highlights, including:

Fossil Cliffs – 5km loop walk with epic coastline and stacks of ancient fossils.
Bishop and Clerk – challenging hike with spectacular summit views (4-5 hr, 11km return).
Painted Cliffs – absolutely stunning rock formation best viewed at low tide (we went late at low tide and we had it all to ourselves due to the 4pm ferry rush).
Wombat and wildlife spotting – dawn and dusk are prime wombat hours. We also spotted some devils.
Historic buildings – explore the old penitentiary and colonial ruins dotted around the island.
Plus, an island sunset at Darlington Bay and a fireside dinner in the camp kitchen (wood supplied, but you’ve gotta light it).

Where we stayed

Spring Bay Hotel, Triabunna (donation)
Darlington Campground, Maria Island

Tips

The Darlington Campground ($7 pp pn) is the best base to explore the north (above attractions).
Its camp kitchen has BBQs, gas cookers, and food storage lockers, meaning you can go fancier than dehydrated meals.
If you’re not up for camping, book the the Penitentiary Accommodation (it’s low-cost but sells out fast).
The more remote south deserves extra time (even if you’re cycling) and is home to two free camps (Frenchs Farm and Escarpment Cove).

Jump on the ferry back to Triabunna the next morning. Then hit the road north.

Mayfield Beach (35km, 1 day)

Mayfield Bay Conservation Area

A popular stop-off on the Great Eastern Drive for coastal camping, with superb views across Great Oyster Bay, swimming, snorkelling and fishing.

Tip: It’s a busy campsite, so arrive early.

Mayfield Estate

Mayfield is top-notch cellar door with ripper coastal views and the best cheese plate ever. Plus, it’s only minutes away from Mayfield campground.

Where we stayed

Mayfield Campground, Mayfield Bay Conservation Area (free)

Coles Bay / Freycinet (75km, 4 days)

East Coast wine trail

It’d be downright rude not to swing by a cellar door or two on your way up the coast from Mayfield. This stretch is serving up some seriously good vino and vibes. Here’s what we loved:

Devils Corner – Speccy views and DIY wine paddles in a sleek cellar door.
Craigie Knowe – the east coast’s oldest vineyard serving up delicious reds.
Spring Vale – Rustic charm and a fab guided tasting.

Tip

The ‘town’ of Cranbrook packs four wineries within easy reach. Park up at the Craigie Knowe RV camp and taste away.

Meetus Falls

On your way up the coast, a detour to Meetus Falls (65km return) also makes for an exciting side trip. Take the Lake Leake Hwy turnoff just after Swansea. The Falls are located on McKay’s Road, 10km from the Lake Leake info booth.

Take the 15-minute return walk to the spectacular lookout or walk to the Cygnet River Lookout along the riverbed.
The road in is unsealed, potholed and gets rougher closer to the falls. If in a 2WD, park around 1km away (judgement call) on the roadside and walk in.
We wouldn’t recommend heading out to nearby Lost Falls as it predominantly runs dry (as we discovered).

Freycinet National Park

Experience the beauty of Freycinet National Park, with its sheltered bays and the dramatic granite peaks of the Hazards always in sight.

Wineglass Bay Lookout – A 1.5 km (30–45 min return ) walk rewards with sweeping views of the iconic bay.
Mount Amos – a steep and rocky scramble that rewards you with incredible views of the iconic Wineglass Bay (2-3 hours, 4km return, avoid in wet weather as very slippery).
Honeymoon Bay – a tiny, secluded bay perfect for a refreshing swim or sunset picnic on the granite knoll.
Richardsons Beach Walk – 3.9km coastal walk from the visitor centre, with stunning mountain and ocean views.
Coles Bay – Enjoy a coffee or ice-cream from one of the love eateries in town.

Where we stayed

River Rocks Campground, Coles Bay (closest free camp to Freycinet)
Freycinet National Park Campground (coastal camp, power, water, showers)

Tips

There’s only 18 RV/car camping sites at Freycinet NP – the rest are ground tent only (so it can and does book out). We camped a couple of nights at the River & Rocks free campground (8km from Coles Bay) before snagging a spot at Freycinet NP
Book directly via Freycinet Visitor Centre (phone, email, or in-person)

Freycinet Peninsula Circuit hike

If you have the time, explore more deeply – like we did – by spending three epic days exploring the spectacular Freycinet Peninsula by foot.

Cooks Corner camp (Day 1)

Sixteen kilometres of windswept coastline featuring the dramatic Hazards Range and the ever-present silhouette of Mt Freycinet, with a stunning trek across Hazards and Cooks Beaches and an optional 2-hour side trip to the wild, remote Bryans Beach. Stay at Cooks Corner for dinner in a cosy hut and easy access to water, or choose Bryans Beach for fewer people, shelter from the wind and breathtaking views.

Wineglass Bay camp (Day 2)

Tackle a 13 km, 7.5-hour trek that includes a rewarding climb up Mt Freycinet with sweeping coastal views (side-trip), followed by a challenging ascent of Mt Graham. After crossing open moorlands, descend into Graham Creek valley and continue to stunning Wineglass Bay, where you’ll camp behind the dunes among friendly kangaroos and possums.

Wineglass Bay car park (Day 3)

Start the final day with a relaxed 5 km trek along Wineglass Bay, taking in the sorrounding peaks and turquoise waters. Finish with a climb of around 1,000 steps to the iconic Wineglass Bay Lookout for stunning views of the Freycinet Peninsula before heading to the car park.