Load up your 4WD and drive straight off Spirit of Tasmania onto a next-level road trip adventure off the beaten track.
Did you read our article about the best 4WD tracks in Tassie’s north? We’ve now narrowed down Tassie’s best southern tracks, from mountain to lagoon. So start preparing your adventure – including getting your hands on a 4WD permit or Parks Pass when required – and don’t forget to drive safely, and respect our Aboriginal and natural heritage along the way.
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1.Easy as you like
Get your 4WD skills up to speed on the cruisy nine-kilometre Eaglehawk Neck Lookout Track, starting about an hour’s drive east of Hobart. Follow the track through bushland to the lookout for grand views of the sea, and the narrow isthmus joining the Tasman Peninsula to the rest of Tassie. The lookout is just inside Tasman National Park, so you’ll need a Parks Pass. It’s small change well spent, especially if you also visit natural wonders like Waterfall Bay and Remarkable Cave, keep practising on the Fortescue Bay 4WD Track, and even stay overnight.
Rating: Easy.
Camping: Tasman National Park’s Fortescue Bay campground, where forest meets sea and the legendary Three Capes Track hike ends.
2. Island excursion
Another easy one, but at 24 kilometres the South Bruny Range Track gives you more time to practise (and challenging muddy sections after wet weather). From Adventure Bay through bushland to Cloudy Bay, it’s a beautiful journey ending with a three-kilometre beach drive (maximum 40 kilometres per hour, and drive above the high-tide mark to protect wildlife). This takes you to prime beach camping only accessible by 4WD in South Bruny National Park. A Parks Pass is required even if you’re not staying overnight.
Rating: Easy.
Camping: Cloudy Corner campground is your 4WD-only access seaside haven inside the national park.
3. Drive through the west
Forty-four kilometres there and back, the Mount McCall Track takes you into the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, including Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park. So expect epic vistas, and watch for wildlife including platypuses. If you want to stretch your legs along the way, there’s an 11-kilometre return walk along an old rail line to the abandoned town of Pillinger. The 4WD track is gated so you’ll need to get a key from a Parks and Wildlife Service office, and don’t forget your Parks Pass too.
Rating: Medium.
Camping: Not permitted along the route, but the picturesque Lake Burbury campground is nearby.
4. Go south
Almost as far south as you can go in Tasmania, about 100 kilometres from Hobart, the Southport Lagoon Track packs a lot into its six kilometres. Sand, rocks and some muddy areas can make driving this route slow going – just what you need for getting into the Southport Lagoon Conservation Area state of mind. From views to kayaking, fishing and campfires, it’s all about tranquillity.
Rating: Medium
Camping: The conservation area has 10 free camp sites only accessible by 4WD.
5. Urban adventure
Some of Tasmania’s gnarliest off-road conditions are on Hobart’s doorstep around kunayi/Mount Wellington. The 20-kilometre east-west track in Wellington Park includes difficult climbs and descents on steep, rocky sections, as well as sandy and muddy patches. Your reward: awesome views across the capital, the Derwent and Huon valleys, and even the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area’s edge.
The tough conditions mean permits are usually only issued in warmer, drier months. Get yours, and a gate key, from the Parks and Wildlife Service. If a half day (one way) of challenging driving isn’t for you, try Wellington Park’s other, easier tracks.
Rating: Difficult.
Camping: Not permitted in the park, but just beyond the track’s western end is Valley Campground in the Huon Valley.
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