One of the special appeals of a Tasmanian touring holiday is the pleasure of driving the comfortably short distances from town to town and taking a break to explore the unique character of each place.

Tasmania’s towns are surprisingly varied – from the boom and bust mining towns of the west coast to the sunny fishing ports of the east, from the timber towns in the far south and north-west to the historic colonial villages of the Midlands. Either way, you’re bound to find your own favourites. Here, in no special order, are some of ours.

SHEFFIELD In Sheffield, the stories of the region are painted on the walls of the town’s buildings. On a stroll through the streets of this scenic north-west town you’ll see Gustav Weindorfer, the hermit of Cradle Mountain, and you’ll meet the deeply religious pioneer farmers who settled this rich area, giving colourful names to favourite places such as Paradise and Promised Land. Close to Sheffield is Lake Barrington, with its international rowing course – a good spot for a picnic.

FRANKLIN

The town of Franklin, on the quiet banks of the Huon River, is home to The Wooden Boat Centre, with its unique School of Wooden Boat Building, where you can learn some of the secrets and skills of an ancient art. Wooden riverboats once plied the waters of the Huon, carrying loads of timber and apples – Franklin is still surrounded by productive orchards. Heading south, you’re on the Huon Trail towards the timber town of Geeveston and the Tahune Airwalk, deep in the working forests.

STANLEY

The historic north-west coast town of Stanley nestles beneath The Nut, an ancient volcanic plug that rears up from Bass Strait. The picturesque cottages of this pretty fishing village cluster together between the cliffs and the water. There’s a chair-lift to the top – or you can stretch your legs on the walking track. Take a cruise to a seal colony near the town, then tour further west to the blackwood sinkhole at Dismal Swamp and the wild beaches of Marrawah.

PENGUIN

If you happen to drive past a larger than life penguin on the side of the road, you’re approaching the north-west coast town of – you guessed it – Penguin. There really are penguins in the coastal scrub – you can join an evening penguin tour and see them coming ashore after their day feeding at sea. If it’s a Sunday, don’t miss the market. With more than 200 stalls featuring just about anything you can think of, it’s the biggest undercover market in Tasmania by far.

STRAHAN

Strahan, the west coast harbourside village on the edge of the World Heritage Area, is the home port of the famous Gordon River Cruises and terminus of the West Coast Wilderness Railway, two of Tasmania’s most popular visitor experiences. Strahan was the home base of the tough bushmen who harvested Huon pine in the western forests, and it’s still the best place to buy fine woodcraft in this precious timber. Plan to spend at least a couple of nights in Strahan – there’s a lot to see and do.

KETTERING

At Kettering, home port of the Bruny Island ferry just south of Hobart, the bottom of the bay is so thickly covered in shucked scallop shells that boats have trouble getting their anchors to grab. The vehicle ferry Mirambeena makes the 15 minute crossing to Roberts Point on the Bruny Island shore several times a day. From Adventure Bay, Bruny Island Charters, one of the world’s best eco-cruises, departs to explore the massive sea cliffs, sea caves and seal colonies of the island’s delightful eastern coast.

SWANSEA

Named by homesick Welsh pioneering settlers, the seaside town of Swansea bears little resemblance to its northern hemisphere namesake. Tasmania’s Swansea is pure east coast – beaches of clean white sand, surf curling along the point, stately Oyster Bay pines and jaw-dropping views of the pink-granite Hazards across Oyster Bay. Heritage buildings line the main street – the Swansea Bark Mill, Wool and Wine Centre celebrates the region’s past and highlights the specialties of today.

EVANDALE

Just south of Launceston, Evandale is one of Australia’s best-preserved colonial villages, with Georgian inns, churches and cottages dating back to the early days of the colony. Evandale hosts the annual National Penny Farthing Championships, with cyclists racing their bizarre machines around the village streets. Evandale has a great Sunday morning market and it’s close to Clarendon House, a magnificent National Trust rural mansion.

OATLANDS

About halfway between Launceston and Hobart on the Heritage Highway, the historic town of Oatlands dates back to the 1830s. Like many of the town’s heritage buildings, the old sandstone courthouse was built by convict labour. The highway bypasses the town, but the Callington Mill is an obvious landmark. A walking tour of Oatlands makes a great break from the drive, and for travellers staying overnight, a guided ghost tour opens up some fascinating stories of the town and its history.

COLES BAY Coles Bay, gateway to the Freycinet National Park on the sunny east coast, holds the official title as being Australia’s first plastic bag-free town. It’s tucked away in a scenic corner of Oyster Bay, where you can cruise offshore to see dolphins, seabirds and, if you’re lucky and depending on the season, migrating humpback whales. One of Tasmania’s Great Short Walks is the climb over the Hazards to Wineglass Bay, one of the most stunning beaches on the planet.

SCOTTSDALE

The scenic regional town of Scottsdale, in the heart of the north-east’s farming country, is surrounded by rich dairy pastures and fertile vegetable fields. It’s also the site of the remarkable Forest Ecocentre, an amazing building that houses displays telling the stories of the region and celebrating the heritage of pioneer farmers and foresters. A short drive from Scottsdale is the idyllic seaside town of Bridport and the spectacular golf links at Barnbougle Dunes.

QUEENSTOWN

It’s advisable to take a deep breath as you drive down the astonishing Mt Lyell road into Queenstown. Hairpin bends wind down the steep descent into the valley, passing the bare red hills around the working copper mine. More than two kilometres underground, Queenstown’s miners are hard at work – put your hard hat on and take a 4WD tour of the mine with a local guide – it’s one of the most thrilling experiences of any Tasmanian journey.

BEACONSFIELD

The gold mining town of Beaconsfield, on the Tamar River north of Launceston, was the scene of the miraculous 2006 rescue of trapped miners Brant Webb and Todd Russell. Today, the Grubb Shaft Gold Mining Museum, close to the scene of the incredible events, has a special display dedicated to the miners and their brave rescuers. Close by is Beauty Point, with its unique Seahorse World and the Tamar Valley region, famous for its many cool-climate wineries.

STRATHGORDON

Built as the home for the workers who constructed the hydro-electric scheme in the far south-west, Strathgordon sits on the edge of Lake Pedder, famous for the quality of its trout fishing. From this village in the heart of the wilderness, it’s a short drive to the mighty concrete arch of the Gordon Dam – scene of Australia’s highest free-swinging abseil. 

 

STORY: CHRIS VINEY. 'Coles Bay' image courtesy of Tourism Tasmania.