Iconic Destination: Tasmania’s North West Coastline
TASMANIA’S STUNNING NORTH WEST COASTLINE – A CARAVANNING HOTSPOT LIKE NO OTHER!
WHERE:
With a fantastic collection of coastal and inland free camps, natural attractions and a brilliant distillery, my tour of Tasmania’s North West was absolutely one to remember. By far, my favourite attraction was the fantastic “Mt Nut” chairlift in Stanley, which offered incredible 360° views over the town and coastline.
The Lobster Pond Haven was also exceptional, as it gave us the chance to explore the park and learn about Tasmania’s native Giant Freshwater Crayfish. Tasmania’s North West has something for everyone and is an absolute must-visit if you’re planning a travel.
WHEN:
When visiting Tasmania, it really depends on what kind of weather you enjoy. During the summer there are plenty of warm days, perfect for water sports and the nights cool down nicely.
CAMPING/ACCOMMODATION OPTIONS:
Tasmania is filled with incredible camping and accommodation options. Camp at Stanley’s Recreation Ground for as little as $10 a night and enjoy flat, grassed areas right on the marine esplanade. The only downside is that you have to be fully self-sufficient to camp there.
The Rocky Cape Tavern and free camp is another beauty. It’s central to almost every North West attraction and offers great meals, hospitality and amenities. They have large, grassed sites for easy parking and unhitching, as well as a dump point.
There is a small fee for power and hot water, but that’s the only downside to an otherwise fantastic free camp.
Burnie Beach Ocean View Holiday Park is one of the best caravan parks in the area. It has over 37 flat, grassed sites with plenty of shade available. The best thing is, there’s no hurry to get there as you can check in right up until 9PM. However, if you’re looking for a dump point, you’ll have to travel a kilometre down the road.
WHAT TO TAKE/PREPARATION
The North West of Tasmania is known for giving travellers all four seasons in one day, so make sure you pack clothing to suit this. You might also need to modify your van to be self-sufficient to stay at some free camps – this means you’ll need to be able to catch your grey and black water and have adequate toilet facilities.
SUPPLIES AND FACILITIES:
Burnie has a public dump point and toilet across from the Yacht club and Penguin has a dump point on the main street. If you’re looking for both dump and water points, you will find these in Stanley and Smithton.
TRIP STANDARD:
Enjoy stunning coastal views as your car and caravan drive effortlessly over the blacktop. The roads between each town is sealed, which makes for stress free driving.
CONTACTS AND INFORMATION:
There are a variety of Information Centres in Tasmania’s North West, but the most prominent ones are:
Penguin Tourist Information Centre
78 Main Rd, Penguin TAS Ph: (03) 6437 1421 W: www.centralcoast.tas.gov.au
Stanley Visitor Centre
45 Main Rd, Stanley TAS Ph: (03) 6458 1330 W: www.stanley.com.au
PERMITS AND MAPS:
You won’t need permits to enter towns or free camps and maps can be found at each information centre.
THE TYRES FOR THE JOB:
Tasmania has such a huge range of climates and terrains, so you need a tyre that can handle it all. That’s why I run Cooper Discoverer HT3s – they are the perfect tyre for caravanners. Their light truck construction makes them brilliant at carrying loads, while 3D Micro Siping, Silica compound, and innovative tread design will give you superior grip on all road conditions, brilliant fuel economy and a long lasting tread life.
