SA Footy

Dutchy wrote:Thanks, have just realised today 5 days ain't going to be enough! Oh well, looking at 2 nights to start in Hobart, then to Strahan for the cruise, was looking at WHC so thats good info. Then across the north and end up in Coles Bay and back to Hobart.

Going to be a bit I wanted to see that we won't however leaves time for another trip!

You can't really do one night in Strahan. Reason being is that it takes you 4 and a bit hours to get there, so there's half your day gone, next morning, get up, go and do your cruise and it gets in at about 2.30-3pm, so can take off again but you'll miss Cradle Mountain and then all other things to do close at 5pm.

My tip: just do Hobart and either East or West - if you try and tackle both sides in 5 days you'll end up doing more driving than seeing stuff and that's not the way to see Tassie. I'd go 2 nights Hobart, 1 night Strahan, do your cruise the next day, drive to Cradle, stay there the night, have a look around in the mroning, drive to Launceston and spend the night there (heaps of foody stuff to see on the way) and then drive back to Hobart early to catch your flight out, depending on what time your flight leaves. If you don't stop, Launie to Hobart is about 2.5 - 3 hours.

Hell It took me six trips of 4-6 days duration for me to see the whole island and there's still stuff i wan't to go back and see because I missed it.

Yeah thanks for the tips FC....we have reversed the order and going spend first 2 nights in Hobart, up to Launceston for 1 might (drive along the east coast to get there) across to Stanley for a night, explore the North coast, down to Strahan for 1 night, cruise next day, then back to Hobart for 1 night.

Strahan is a prick of place to get to, burns up so much time there and back, but looks like the cruise will be one of the highlights so have to do it.

Good news is the forecast is for high 20's all next week

Looking at doing a road trip, no van, late Feb to Mid March 2024 for 20 year wedding anniversary.
Done some limited research but so far am thinking:

-Off the Spirit of Tassie in the morning drive to Stanley, then to Cradle Mountain in the arvo for 2 nights.
-Cradle to Strahan for 2 nights, definitely want to do a cruise on the Gordon and the Wilderness Railway.
-Strahan to Hobart for 4 nights, be in Hobart on Saturday for the Salamanca markets, from Hobart visit Port Arthur & Bruny Island.
-Hobart to the East Coast 5 nights, thinking Freycinet, Bay of Fires, Bicheno
-East Coast to Launceston 2 nights, Cataract Gorge
-Back on the Spirit of Tassie

Any must do's and see's in those regions or areas worth seeing I've missed would be appreciated.

Vamos wrote:Looking at doing a road trip, no van, late Feb to Mid March 2024 for 20 year wedding anniversary.
Done some limited research but so far am thinking:

-Off the Spirit of Tassie in the morning drive to Stanley, then to Cradle Mountain in the arvo for 2 nights.
-Cradle to Strahan for 2 nights, definitely want to do a cruise on the Gordon and the Wilderness Railway.
-Strahan to Hobart for 4 nights, be in Hobart on Saturday for the Salamanca markets, from Hobart visit Port Arthur & Bruny Island.
-Hobart to the East Coast 5 nights, thinking Freycinet, Bay of Fires, Bicheno
-East Coast to Launceston 2 nights, Cataract Gorge
-Back on the Spirit of Tassie

Any must do's and see's in those regions or areas worth seeing I've missed would be appreciated.

Good trip I reckon! Ive been 3 times in the last 5 years and still not seen everything, still haven't done the full east coast.

Id consider a night in Stanley, great spot with plenty to see and check out the NW coast from there.

Gordon Cruise is awesome, dont forget to check out the footy ground in Queenstown on the way down to Stahan. Bruny Island is a great day trip - the produce on the island is fantastic.

If you are a golfer get up to Barnbougle, an hour north east from Launceston.

Overall you cant go wrong down there, I could spend months there (and plan to one day)

Definitely will check the footy oval out, might even take my sherrin and have a dob. My old boy grew up in New Norfolk so will probably swing past his old house for a look on the way to Hobart.

Have been several times in the last few years as international travel was out.
Last time was for just over a month in October last year. Flew direct from Adelaide to Launceston and grabbed a hire car. Pretty much drove to all corners and due to the pandemic we had to alter plans a couple of times so some backtracking was required. From Launceston we went via Bridport to the NE and around to Scamander. A few days spent between there and Beaumaris. Had to then double back to Launceston through some stunning scenery and spent a couple of days there. Cataract Gorge was fantastic and numerous stunning winery visits in the Tamar with great wine, exceptional food and superb views. Visited the Great Lakes are next with some absolutely jaw dropping views and mountain roads before reaching the lakes where it was peaceful and had the place to ourselves. More great drives up to Devonport and along the coast with stops at Penguin before heading to Cradle Mountain. The hotel was absolutely superb and weather brilliant so we walked around Dove Lake which was absolutely amazing and got plenty of great photos. Then back up the NW to Stanley which was beautiful and had a great couple of days there, definitely go up the Nut and have a wander just for the views alone. From there we headed as far West as possible to Arthur River and then off the beaten track (and some dirt roads) down to Corunna and the Piemans ferry before reaching Strahan. A few days there with the Gordon River Cruise being a must and also the Wilderness Railway. Just a day in Queenstown before heading to Lake St Clair stopping off at numerous waterfalls and copping a Snow storm in the middle of October! A few more dirt roads and short cuts to get over to Freycinet. Freycinet was absolute paradise and I fully recommend the hike to wineglass bay or the water taxi from the resort followed by a short walk to the bay. If money permits I’d definitely take a flight over it too. Tons of great wineries in the region too if you are into that. Spent a few days at Eaglehawk neck, Pt Arthur and Dunalley region. Pt Arthur definitely shouldn’t be missed and some stunning coastal scenery. Finally headed down to Hobart for a few days with side trips to Bruny Island and the most Southerly point of Tassie by road.
Definitely want to head back again and spend some more time at a couple of locations

Good suggestions Jimbo, not the wine type but love food and scenery.

Vamos wrote:Looking at doing a road trip, no van, late Feb to Mid March 2024 for 20 year wedding anniversary.
Done some limited research but so far am thinking:

-Off the Spirit of Tassie in the morning drive to Stanley, then to Cradle Mountain in the arvo for 2 nights.
-Cradle to Strahan for 2 nights, definitely want to do a cruise on the Gordon and the Wilderness Railway.
-Strahan to Hobart for 4 nights, be in Hobart on Saturday for the Salamanca markets, from Hobart visit Port Arthur & Bruny Island.
-Hobart to the East Coast 5 nights, thinking Freycinet, Bay of Fires, Bicheno
-East Coast to Launceston 2 nights, Cataract Gorge
-Back on the Spirit of Tassie

Any must do's and see's in those regions or areas worth seeing I've missed would be appreciated.

-Cradle to Strahan for 2 nights, definitely want to do a cruise on the Gordon and the Wilderness Railway. - take an extra night here or you're rushing too much - on the way into Strahan, stop in at Zeehan, they have a fantastic local history museum there (if you're into that sort of thing)

I mentioned in a post above that you'll drive in in the afternoon and there's one night gone - next day you'll do one tour - and then the day after you'll do another tour - you can easily take that night off of the East Coast. I have a preference for the World Heritage Cruise over the Gordon River cruise, for no other reason than it's a family run business as opposed to government run. There's not much to do in Strahan at night so if there's a Bonnet Island Cruise still running, it's good value for something different, goes at sunset and its about the history of the lighthouse families etc, you can go looking for penguins and then they feed you Tassie cheeses and wines on the way back

The restaurant at the Strahan Village is beautiful - it overlooks the harbour. Go to the fish and chip shop there - but get there early so you can see your catch being carted across the road from the boat - it is dead set the freshest seafood you will ever eat.

Thanks FC, I pretty much have all of that March off so we are pretty flexible and can stay a few extra nights if we like. Wish it was this March

Vamos wrote:Thanks FC, I pretty much have all of that March off so we are pretty flexible and can stay a few extra nights if we like. Wish it was this March

We went in March 2017 for the 1st time and prepared for it to be coolish, ended up 25-28 degrees and humid most of the trip, felt like we were in Qld

Dutchy wrote:

Vamos wrote:Thanks FC, I pretty much have all of that March off so we are pretty flexible and can stay a few extra nights if we like. Wish it was this March

We went in March 2017 for the 1st time and prepared for it to be coolish, ended up 25-28 degrees and humid most of the trip, felt like we were in Qld

Yet I did Cradle in early November and didn't reach above 4c the whole time i was there

Vamos wrote:Looking at doing a road trip, no van, late Feb to Mid March 2024 for 20 year wedding anniversary.
Done some limited research but so far am thinking:

-Off the Spirit of Tassie in the morning drive to Stanley, then to Cradle Mountain in the arvo for 2 nights.
-Cradle to Strahan for 2 nights, definitely want to do a cruise on the Gordon and the Wilderness Railway.
-Strahan to Hobart for 4 nights, be in Hobart on Saturday for the Salamanca markets, from Hobart visit Port Arthur & Bruny Island.
-Hobart to the East Coast 5 nights, thinking Freycinet, Bay of Fires, Bicheno
-East Coast to Launceston 2 nights, Cataract Gorge
-Back on the Spirit of Tassie

Any must do's and see's in those regions or areas worth seeing I've missed would be appreciated.

Just under 4 months to go now. Have changed it up from my first post, now going the other direction and spending 18 nights in TAS.

Staying at:
St Helens, Freycinet NP, Bruny Is, Hobart, Derwent Bridge or Queenstown, Strahan, Stanley, Cradle Mountain & Launceston.

We are in Tassie from 9 - 16th March, travelling up the east coast from 9th-13th then the wives leave us in Launceston and the boys head to Barnbougle for 3 nights

Strahan is a beautiful spot on the map. Enjoyed just being there. The cruise and the loco trip well recommended.

Vamos wrote:

Vamos wrote:Looking at doing a road trip, no van, late Feb to Mid March 2024 for 20 year wedding anniversary.
Done some limited research but so far am thinking:

-Off the Spirit of Tassie in the morning drive to Stanley, then to Cradle Mountain in the arvo for 2 nights.
-Cradle to Strahan for 2 nights, definitely want to do a cruise on the Gordon and the Wilderness Railway.
-Strahan to Hobart for 4 nights, be in Hobart on Saturday for the Salamanca markets, from Hobart visit Port Arthur & Bruny Island.
-Hobart to the East Coast 5 nights, thinking Freycinet, Bay of Fires, Bicheno
-East Coast to Launceston 2 nights, Cataract Gorge
-Back on the Spirit of Tassie

Any must do's and see's in those regions or areas worth seeing I've missed would be appreciated.

Just under 4 months to go now. Have changed it up from my first post, now going the other direction and spending 18 nights in TAS.

Staying at:
St Helens, Freycinet NP, Bruny Is, Hobart, Derwent Bridge or Queenstown, Strahan, Stanley, Cradle Mountain & Launceston.

Went to Tassie for my honeymoon in Dec 2021 and stayed or drove through most of those places you've mention. A few recommendations from me.

Strahan - go on the river cruise which stops at Sarah Island, old convict settlement. If it's calm the driver may also head out in the ocean.
Queenstown - nothing going on there but have the footy which can't grow grass and is basically hard sand.
Bruny island - If you're into Oysters stop at get shucked. It's a few kms down the road after coming off the ferry.
Cradle Mountain - Hike up the mountain some absolute un real views.
Launey - Head to a place called The Black Cow, probably had the best steak I've eaten.

Good work MH, have all those in my itinerary.

I’ve stayed in some pretty flash places around the World, however a Harbourview room at the Macq1 takes the cake for the best ever hotel room I’ve stayed in. On top of that the dining in the complex is sensational.

The Henry Jones Art Hotel wine and dine package is hands down the best meal I’ve ever eaten and second isn’t even close. Costs an absolute shitload, however it’s a once in a lifetime experience and 13 months later myself and 25 others who we went with all agree it’s the best meal they’ve ever had.

LaughingKookaburra wrote:I’ve stayed in some pretty flash places around the World, however a Harbourview room at the Macq1 takes the cake for the best ever hotel room I’ve stayed in. On top of that the dining in the complex is sensational.

The Henry Jones Art Hotel wine and dine package is hands down the best meal I’ve ever eaten and second isn’t even close. Costs an absolute shitload, however it’s a once in a lifetime experience and 13 months later myself and 25 others who we went with all agree it’s the best meal they’ve ever had.

I originally booked accommodation at the Henry Jones Art Hotel but opted for an apartment with a washing machine and free parking in Battery Point. Going to be spoilt for choice food wise that's for sure

I’m down in Hobart for 2 weeks this Friday with work. The bonus with virgin platinum membership is the free additional 23kg luggage so the spare one gets filled up with Boag’s Red cans which you can’t get on the mainland.

4 weeks until we get back to Tassie, for those who have been along the East Coast what are the must see's? We have a wineglass bay boat trip booked and going to skip Maria Island this time