Info on Tasmania

[hank]

The reason we took the overnight ferry was to avoid just that situation of not being able to find a caravan park upon arrival.
Just as a side note when we returned, also on the overnight ferry the ferry did not arrive in tassie until almost 8pm and then still had to unload, which went fairly quickly, but some people would have been looking for a caravan park around 9pm.
We plan to go again next year and will again go on the overnight ferry. It was a good trip both ways and we were able to have a couple of drinks on board and relax and enjoy the ride. We had a window en suite cabin and would probably do the same again.
Hope you can stay for at least four weeks and you will have a great time.

Hank

[jessdogster]

G’day Joz

Try this one for your first night perhaps
http://dhp-devonport.tas.big4.com.au/
Its a short distance (2 mins) from the ferry terminal (on the same side of the river) with modern facilities (and some sites are drive thru)
or this one
http://www.goseeaustralia.com.au/carava … mmodation/
One is around the corner pretty much from the other

Have fun

[rayw1]

Could I elicit some info from you knowledgeable Taswegians?

Where does the Western Explorer begin and end? I can’t see it labelled in Google. Is it all gravel?

Is the road from Zeehan to Corinna a steeper climb than going from Corinna to Zeehan?

I take it that there is no bridge across the Pieman River at Corinna and you have to cross by ferry? Is there any caravan parks in Corinna?

I notice someone mentioned doing a day trip from Corinna to Stanley so I presume that you could do Corinna to Arthur River and some part of the coast back to Corinna in a day?

Thanks in advance.
Ray.

[jessdogster]

Could I elicit some info from you knowledgeable Taswegians?

Where does the Western Explorer begin and end? I can’t see it labelled in Google. Is it all gravel?

Is the road from Zeehan to Corinna a steeper climb than going from Corinna to Zeehan?

I take it that there is no bridge across the Pieman River at Corinna and you have to cross by ferry? Is there any caravan parks in Corinna?

I notice someone mentioned doing a day trip from Corinna to Stanley so I presume that you could do Corinna to Arthur River and some part of the coast back to Corinna in a day?

Thanks in advance.
Ray.

G’day Ray
From a Northerly approach there are 2 ways of getting to the start of the Western Explorer. 1st from Smithton via Edith Creek through Roger River crossing the Roger River Bridge and turning right. 2nd Smithton to Marrawah to Arthur River to Couta Rocks and turn left. This could be a circuit trip if you weren’t turning onto the Western Explorer. We did this a couple of years ago using Stanley as the base – allow a comfortable day with an early start if you want to have a look around.

The Western Explorer is all gravel – unware of current surface condition – those who have travelled recently may be able to help?

We haven’t actually travelled from Corinna to Zeehan in either direction per se. We have travelled on the sealed surface from Zeehan to the Corinna turnoff (on the Heemskirk/Pieman Road)- reasonably hilly and windy whichever direction you are travelling I’d suggest. Detours for sightseeing at both Trial Harbour and Granville Harbour.

You are correct, there is no bridge across the Pieman River – I’ll leave the current ferry rate to those who have travelled recently?
We haven’t been to Corinna for some years. Don’t believe there to be a CP but there would probably be somewhere for a free camp. Those who have been there recently may be able to help further?

Personally, I wouldn’t be doing the Explorer twice in a day and using Corinna as a base. One way would be fine. Remember this is the West Coast of Tassie and renowned for its wild weather extremes, particularly wind and rain. Couple this with a gravel road, no mobile phone range and infrequent traffic and you will appeciate the remoteness of the area and perhaps risk in the event of a drama of some descript. Personal choice I suppose at the end of the day and a decision to be weighed from advice from recent visitors to the area and advice from locals in the area concerning current road and weather conditions.

Hope this helps

regards

[rayw1]

Does anyone have any info on the Great Lake in Tasmania? I was looking at doing a day trip from Devonport down to Meander and back through Mole Creek, Chudleigh, Deloraine, and Latrobe and saw that the Great Lake wasn’t much further south from Meander. However I can’t dig up too much tourist type info on it. If anyone has been that way recently and can advise I would appreciate it.
Ray.

[jessdogster]

G’day again Ray
We came back home via Great Lake on Sunday after a few days at Lake Burbury and Bronte Lagoon. As an indicator it takes us 3 hours to get to Bronte from home on the North West to Bronte Lagoon (towing our van). Not towing and travelling from Latrobe would probably take you 1 1/2 – 2 hours from Latrobe to the Great Lake Hotel. Counter meals (lunches and dinner) available at the hotel. Shop with petrol also on the Hotel site.

As an aside, the Great Lake Hotel has caravan sites, nothing too flash but power, water and amenities – about 8 sites in total. Last time we plugged in there a couple of years ago it was $8.00 per night – may have gone up slightly since then. Be mindful when staying here that it is likely to get quite cold.

The road is pretty much uphill and winding from the Meander turnoff to the Great Lake lookout where the road turns to gravel. After the lookout, traverse a short gravel road ladder of 3 corners and its pretty much flat travel around the Lake to the Hotel. It would take you 1/2 – 3/4 of an hour. The road is all gravel aound the Lake and varies in surface condition dependant on the weather conditions – a bit corrugated at present.

If you were to return thru Mole Creek, there is a honey/bee museum on the way (Chudleigh I think) and Limestone caves at Mole Creek itself. If you were to continue on this road you could travel over Mount Roland (steep and winding), into Sheffield then back to Latrobe.

As an alternative, if you were to continue on towards Bothwell instead of turning off to the pub, you could continue around the Lake and turn left at the Poatina Highway which travels past Arthurs Lake – the road is sealed from the turnoff of the Lake Highway. On the way down Poatina Hill is a lookout that has one of the best views in Tasmania and looks over Cressy to Launceston. The downhill run is teep and winding with 25kph hairpins – keep a lookout for log trucks. Good site seeing all along this road thru to Cressy and Longford (great bakery).

Allowing for siteseeing and stops etc. you would probably have a pretty big day.

Hope this helps, if you need more let us know

regards

[rayw1]

Thanks Adrian/Steph for your help and advice. We might just meander to Meander and back to Devonport then in a day.
ta
Ray.

[pooh1601]

Just a word of caution for those thinking of crossing the Pieman River on the Fatman Barge the max. combination wheelbase is 9mtrs. Check their website at www.corinna.com.au
Haven’t been their for years, someone who’s made the crossing may give you an update.
Pooh 1601 The Great Southland (Tasmania)
Patrol – 23′ Sterling

[GrahP]

Just a note, Tassie related.
We spent a couple of days last weekend up in Deloraine – not the Apex site but the free site down past the Police station. There is ample room for big rigs, a dump point and fresh water and an easy walk accross the bridge in to Deloraine. From there we drove up to Penguin and had a remarkable lunch at “Wild” on the beach front, returning to Longford, fantastic CP on the river esk, thence back to Hobart via Ross.

[scotty52]

Hi

Were planning on going to Tasmania in March 2010. We were wondering what the road was like from Arthur River to Corinna. As we have only a few weeks any information would be appreciated as we know we can only see so much in a short time.

Thanks

Hi Nispat1
I have just travelled tha Arthur River to Corinna road. Road conditions were quite good although it rained the night before. This meant no dust but came out the Corinna end with filthy 4wd,s and vans. We are still getting the grey coloured grit out of the vehicles.
Interesting trip completed by landcruiser pulling 20 ft Evernew, landcruiser pulling Golf Linwood and a nissan patrol pulling a kedron. Limited free camping along the way which saw us camping some 300m from the junction of the road in question and the Pieman river to Waratah road, which is about 3km from the pieman river ferry.
The ferry indeed does have a lenght limit on it. 9 meters between front and rear axles (none of us fitted which didn’t concern us as we always intended to travel to Waratah (great little council owned park, $21 per night for power and water, $15 without, plus free washing machine and free dryer) and then onto Cradle mountain.
Cost of the Pieman ferry was $25 for heavy vehicles, $20 for medium and small vehicles.
Have a great time in Tassie. we are 2 weeks into a 7 week trip of Tassie and we are all thoroughly enjoying ourselves
phil