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North Coast

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Tasmania's north coast is rich in history and offers fine landscape and coastal areas. Inland are pretty towns and plenty of rivers, although the rocky and sandy coastline also has some great places to visit. The Bass Highway runs along the north coast allowing access to plenty of places along the way. Other routes lead off of this further south.

To the far west is Arthur River, which offers good fishing and easy access to the spectacular Arthur Pieman Protected Area. The area includes Bluff Hill Point, as well as West Point, and is beautiful to walk around. A trip along the Arthur River is also very popular. Just north is Marrawah, which is the most westerly town in Tasmania. Once home to the Tasmanian Aborigines there are plenty of Aboriginal rock carvings, especially around Green Point, Preminghana and West Point. There is little accommodation, although the isolation is what makes Marrawah special. However, there is a large surfing and windsurfing competition held in the area each year, as the surf is fantastic.

Further inland from here is the beautiful Lake Chisholm and Milkshake Hills Forest Reserve, offering fantastic rainforest landscape. North towards the forestry region near Smithton, you will pass the attractive Allendale Gardens. From Smithton you can head up to Stanley and the North Point, and then follow the coastal road along the coast.

There are some really pretty places along the way and some magnificent waterfalls, including Detention falls, near Myalla, and Dip Falls, near Mawbanna. You should also visit the fantastic Rocky Cape National Park, hosting the Birdland Native Gardens. Within the park you will also find Sisters Beach, which offers safe swimming for the family as well as decent fishing. The next beach along is Boat Harbour Beach, which also offers beautiful clear water. Heading east to Wynyard you should detour from the main road towards Table Cape, which has magnificent views of the surrounding area, along with a pretty tulip farm and a lighthouse.

Wynyard is situated along the Inglis River and the coastline. Nearby you can visit Fossil Bluff, which has a large collection of fossils amongst the sandstone rock. It is also the place in Australia, where the oldest marsupial fossil was found. The next town along is Somerset from where you should travel the extra 40km south to the amazing Heller Gorge. The road leads through the gorge, and so you get fantastic views. The next town along is the industrial port of Burnie, followed shortly by the holiday resort of Ulverstone and the busy port of Devonport.

From Devonport it is worth heading south towards Sheffield, which has aptly been named the ‘Town of Murals’, due to its many murals telling the areas history. You can find out about the murals at the interesting Diversity Murals Theatrette. You must also travel around the beautiful landscape surrounding Sheffield, and visit the glorious Lake Barrington and the Promised Land. Rowing is popular on the lake, and if you love ‘Bambi’ you should visit the Deer Park at Paradise. Deloraine is also a popular place to visit, with its attractive Georgian and Victorian buildings and fabulous setting at the base of the Great Western Tiers. This central northern area of Tasmania also features the wonderful Mole Creek Karst National Park, and is a must to visit.

If you continue along the coast then you will soon reach the Tamar River, surrounded by the Tamar Valley and the many pretty towns within this area. You can also follow the river south to the large town of Launceston.

Further east along the coast you will find many beautiful sandy beaches, as well as some glorious vineyards further inland. Heading north east from Launceston you will reach the agricultural town of Scottsdale. The scenery is wonderful in this area, and you can also visit the pretty Bridstowe Lavender Farm. Heading north from here you can also stop at the coastal resort of Bridport, which has a fantastic beach. Near here are the famous wine regions of Pipers Brook and Pipers River.

East of Scottsdale is Derby, which is an old tin mining town featuring an interesting museum about tin mining. Derby is also known for its Derby River Derby, which is held every year in October where contestants follow a 5km course in inflatable vessels. Heading south towards St Helens there is a small route which leads north along the coast passing through the Bay of Fires and the Mt William National Park, which is situated on the far north eastern tip of Tasmania. There are fantastic beaches at the Bay of Fires, popular for surfing, and some glorious lagoons where you can swim. Camping is also popular in this area, especially at the truly wonderful Policemans Point.

St Helens is an old whaling town, and is now Tasmania's largest fishing port. There are numerous boat charters which you can join, for a relaxing day out or an action packed fishing trip. There are also some beautiful beaches around St Helens including Binalong Beach, Sloop Rock and Stieglitz, although many aren’t great for swimming. Nearby you should visit the spectacular mountainous rainforest of the Weldborough Pass, and the beautiful St Columba Falls. They are spectacular 90 metres high, with the best view being at the base of the waterfalls, just 10 minutes walking distance from the carpark.

Both Tasmanian Redline Coaches (TRC) and Tasmanian Wilderness Travel (TWT) offer transport services along the north coastal region. Although most areas have services to them some areas have no access by public transport, therefore you will need to check this before commencing your journey.

Popular Tasmania Travel Destinations

PLEASE NOTE: The Tasmania travel destinations outlined above are only a small selection from the tens of thousands of Australian travel information pages available on Australian Explorer. A comprehensive list of destinations for Tasmania Holidays can be found on the main Tasmania Holidays location guide.