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Driving and distances
North West Tasmania is a long stretch of coast with a lot of quiet road in between.
Here’s how to get around it, how far things are, and what to know before you set off.
Yes. The North West is a self-drive destination. The towns, walks, lookouts and farm gates are spread out, and your own wheels let you stop whenever something looks good. Bring your car or book a hire car ahead.
Hire cars are available at Devonport and Burnie Wynyard airports and in the main towns. Book ahead for summer, school holidays and long weekends, as fleets are limited.
Pick-up spots vary by company, so check where your car is waiting before you land. Flying into Launceston instead? Hire there and drive west. It’s about an hour and 15 minutes to Devonport Tasmania.
AutoRent is a Tasmanian-owned campervan and motorhome rental company. AutoRent offers you a complete range of campervan and motorhome rental options and has done so for decades. They…
AutoRent is a Tasmanian-owned campervan and motorhome rental company. AutoRent offers you a complete range of campervan and motorhome rental options and has done for decades. They know…
Europcar Devonport Airport offers convenient airport car rental on Tasmania’s North West coast, providing easy access to some of the island’s most scenic regions. With a wide range…
Europcar Devonport City provides convenient car hire in Tasmania’s North West, located close to the Spirit of Tasmania terminal. Offering a wide range of vehicles, it is an…
Europcar Devonport Ferry offers convenient car hire directly at the Spirit of Tasmania terminal, allowing travellers to transition seamlessly from sea to road. With a wide range of…
Caravan and 4WD rental company, modern, clean, and affordable. Tasmania Caravan Hire has the perfect caravan for you to explore Tasmania, from twin berth to room for six.…
Electric vehicles suit North West Tasmania well. The towns are close together, the coast road is easy going and most days are short hops. The part to plan is the longer legs, because fast chargers are concentrated in the bigger towns and thin out heading west.
A few things make it smoother:
Coaches and local buses link the main towns, including Devonport Tasmania, Burnie, Wynyard, Ulverstone, Penguin and Smithton, with longer services to Launceston and Hobart. For getting between towns, they’re an option.
Just know that Tasmania is an island with a small population and long distances between places, so services run less often than you might expect and thin out further on weekends and public holidays. The walks, lookouts and smaller towns also sit well off the main routes. If you’re planning to rely on buses, build your days around the timetable and keep a Plan B up your sleeve.
Check current routes and times on the Tasmanian Government public transport page before you commit a day to one.
eGuide is a Devonport-based operator running transfers and tours across the North West, including Spirit of Tasmania pickups and runs to Cradle Mountain, Burnie and Stanley. Book ahead.
Rough drive times from Devonport Tasmania, without stops. You will stop.
Drive on the left. Wildlife is most active at dawn, dusk and overnight, especially on country roads, and wallabies and pademelons are the usual suspects. Fuel up in the larger towns before heading somewhere remote, and download offline maps because reception drops out in forest and on some remote stretches.
Weather can turn quickly. If it does, there’s no medal for pushing on.
For most of it, yes. Buses link the main towns, but the walks, lookouts and smaller towns are spread out. A car, campervan or hire vehicle makes the region far easier.
Yes. Hire cars are available at Devonport and Burnie Wynyard airports and in town. Book ahead in peak periods and check the pick-up location with the company.
Fast chargers are in Devonport Tasmania, Burnie and Smithton, with more around Sheffield, Cradle Mountain and Waratah. Smaller coastal towns including Stanley and Wynyard have slower charging, which suits an overnight stop. Nothing west of Smithton, so Arthur River and the takayna / Tarkine Drive need a plan before you set off. PlugShare and Chargefox show what’s working on the day.
Yes, between the main towns. Coaches run between Devonport Tasmania, Burnie, Wynyard, Ulverstone, Penguin and Smithton, and to Launceston and Hobart. Services are thinner on weekends and public holidays.
Uber operates in Devonport, and taxis meet flights at Devonport Airport and Burnie Wynyard Airport. Beyond that, availability thins out quickly. Pre-booked rides can fall through.
For anything with a deadline, a hire car is the safest bet. Failing that, ask your accommodation host about a local transfer before you arrive.
Yes, the road to the park is sealed. Inside the park you’ll use the shuttle bus to reach Dove Lake. Check current park rules and passes with Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service before you go.
Mostly in the towns and along the main roads. It drops out in forest and on some remote stretches. Download offline maps before you set off and tell someone where you’re headed.
It’s fine, but wildlife is most active after dark, so slow down and expect the unexpected on country roads. Where you can, daytime driving is the easier option.
Itineraries & Ideas has trip ideas for the drive ahead. For what’s open today, the visitor information centres will know.
Find your way
The North West unfolds along a single ribbon of coast - west from Devonport's ferry terminal to the edge of the Tarkine, then inland to Cradle Mountain. Tap a town on the map to start exploring.
Rest easy
From off-grid lodges with outdoor baths to cottages and farmstays - settle in somewhere with a view, then let the season come to you.
