Frequently Asked Questions
How much time do we need to see Tasmania?
How long is a piece of string?
Because the island looks so small on the map compared with the continent of Australia, it conveys the impression that the island can easily be toured in 2-3 days. This is a big mistake, and 90% of all visitors who stay less than a week go away disappointed they missed so much, and promising to return one day.
You will be disappointed if you try to see all of Tasmania in less than a week.
If you are committed to a maximum of 3-4 days, we recommend you come directly to Hobart to enjoy the waterfront, the arts, crafts and cuisine and use a rental car or local tours to take a day trip out of the city - east to the beaches and magnificent coastline of the East Coast Escape, South to the Huon Trail or the Convict Trail or west to the wilderness along the Rivers Run Touring Route. Alternatively consider taking a light aircraft flight into or over the remote, virtually untouched wilderness areas such as the South West National Park - the whole bottom left quadrant of the state.
In Tasmania, distances are deceptive. Tasmania is triangular, with each side of the triangle being approximately 200km, the total area being 67,800 sq km.
However the three sides of the triangle - North, East and West Coasts - are each totally different, and each needs at the very minimum 3-4 days to be explored.
Similarly, each of the southern touring routes ideally needs at least a one-night stopover to get the most from the experience. The city of Hobart itself needs at least three days to be explored properly.
If you don't allow time to get out of the vehicle and walk in the forests, along the beaches, or along the historic waterfront, you will have missed the very essence of Tasmania.
If you do not have 10 days, then plan on selecting experiences which appeal to your interests, and don't try to cover the whole of Tasmania in one trip. You will have a far better quality experience selecting two or three places to stay, as bases, rather than trying to "do the island" in a week, staying in 4-6 different locations. This is a recipe for disaster, resulting in a superficial look from a car window, tiredness, irritability and a generally unsatisfactory holiday!
Select the areas and experiences you would most enjoy depending on your interests, lifestyle and fitness levels. The Tasmanian Visitor Information Centres are happy to assist you with this.
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When is the best time to visit?
Summer is the time when most people choose to visit Tasmania - from December until after Easter in April. Accommodation is heavily booked at this time of the year and should be booked in advance.
The best times to travel in Tasmania are without doubt during the Spring and Autumn months when nature is at her best.
You can fully appreciate the four distinct seasons with springtime blossoming of deciduous trees, bulbs and temperate climate flowers presenting an uplifting sight from September until November.
Similarly in March and April, the climate goes through a serene phase and the tempestuous winds of spring and summer abate leaving a mellow stillness in the air. At this time the colours of the trees are spectacular, especially in places such as the upper reaches of the Derwent Valley, where willows and poplars line the banks of the river.
Tasmania's myrtle tree, Nothofagus gunnii is also a spectacular sight in Autumn.
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What is the weather like?
The weather can be glorious, but is notoriously temperamental, owing to Tamania's location in the path of the Roaring Forties trade winds which blow direct from the Indian Ocean and its proximity to the Antarctic.
We can experience all four seasons in one day. From late November to late April temperatures will range from mild to warm with most days from 17-24°C.
Winter days from June to August are crisp and cool, with days varying generally from about 8-13°C. In the cities it rarely snows, and then only for a few minutes. But in the mountainous central highlands of Tasmania, it can be a very different story.
In winter, Hobart's Mount Wellington can be snow capped for three months of the year, and many of the highland mountains carry a spectacular coating of snow.
Spring and Autumn weather is absolutely glorious with the beauty of young growth and flowering unmatched elsewhere in Australia, and similarly the mellowness of the Autumn colourings and the beautiful Autumn light. Spring and Autumn day temperatures are generally mild in the range of 15-20°C.
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What clothing should we pack?
The changeable weather means you should come prepared for a range of conditions. In winter pack a water or wind proof jacket, and warm jumpers [sweaters], jackets, scarves and gloves, but bring T-shirts and sunglasses as well.
In summer the accent is on lighter clothing, but always include something warm for evening.
There is little need for formal clothing. Informality is our way of life in Australia, a hangover from the early settlement days of convicts and political prisoners from England who were happy to be rid of anything which reminded them of their oppressive masters. However, you might feel a little uncomfortable if you have nothing smart/casual to wear for dinner at restaurants or theatre nights. Locals tend to dress up for these occasions, so you might feel the odd one out in the diningroom in jeans and Tshirt.
A must is good waterproof walking shoes or boots. You will be in Tasmania with its magic wilderness and will probably spend some time walking bush tracks. You should be prepared for a bit of mud along the way, although for the casual "bush tourist", all of the popular areas have walkways, both to make them accessible to the non-experienced walker as well as to protect the environment.
Another essential is a good strong sun block cream, especially in summer, but even in winter its best to bring some. The Australian sun is always harsh - in Tasmania the effect is worse as the sun does not appear to be so hot.
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Is driving in Tasmania easy?
Visitors from Europe and the USA need to get accustomed to driving "down under" on the wrong side of the road! Other than that there are no real problems.
Main highways carry little traffic. Coastal highways can be winding and mountainous and are mostly two lanes while the central highway is often 3-4 lanes with frequent passing lanes.
For most of the year, most times of the day, the roads are fairly empty. But do note:
- Be aware of speeding. Police speed cameras are frequently on major roads.
- Forestry is a major industry in Tasmania. On the smaller country roads it can be a quite a shock at high speed to meet one of the giant log trucks.
- Equally startling can be meeting wildlife which is everywhere once you have left the last suburban house behind you. Wallabies especially can make a mess of the front of your car, as well as being an unpleasant experience.
- As an agricultural state, in country regions, you may find yourself occasionally behind some large produce-bearing truck or a slow moving tractor. Alternatively do not be surprised to find yourself on country roads trapped behind a slow moving tourist campervan!
All major roads are in good repair and well signposted and for the most part remarkably empty of traffic. For people accustomed to busy commuter traffic or highways, it can seem as if you are driving in your own private estate, the only car on the road.
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Will we be safe in Tasmania? What about crime?
It would be foolish to state that we have no crime here. A recession, changing world economics, the age of the computer, drugs, all have combined to create average unemployment level slightly above the national level and the beginning of more serious crimes.
Petty thefts exist everywhere. Don't leave your car unlocked, do not leave valuables on display in unattended cars.
If you forget a purse or wallet in the city areas it will probably be emptied. On the other hand, there is still an 80% chance it will be handed in untouched &mdash or at least with drivers licences or passports intact.
Those accustomed to the violence and major crimes of North America, would consider Tasmania to be virtually crime free. However locals notice the change from almost zero crime of just a few years ago.
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What is the time in Tasmania?
Tasmania and the other Eastern states: Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland, spend most of the year in the same time zone which is GMT plus 10 hours.
However, summer can cause confusion around October and March as the eastern states change their clocks to daylight saving time on different dates. South Australia is 30 minutes behind the East, and Western Australiais three hours behind. Tasmania's daylight saving "Summer time " means that the clocks are put back an hour from the beginning of October and are returned to GMT at the end of March.
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Any questions?
If you have any further questions about Tasmania please send us an email and we will do out best to assist with you query as soon as possible.
