Tasmania
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Tasmania, always nicknamed "Tassie", is an island south of Australia, the second smallest Australian state, and its small size by Australian standards (roughly 300 km x 300 km) makes it easily hitchable in a single afternoon. Hitchhiking on this island is probably a bit easier than on the main land.
Connor and Tine hitchhiked almost the entire east coast of Tasmania as well as traversing across to Launceston and Deloraine with very little problems.. Most people in Tasmania still maintain that loca mentality and are more than willing to give you a lift however far you may need to go. We found Hobart the only really struggle since there is not much area for people to pull over and the speed limit quickly jumps up to 100 km. The great thing about Tassie is that its never a really long distance to anywhere like on the mainland. Two different times we got rides directly from Hobart most of the way up to Launceston and vis versa from Perth, just south of Launie, to the Hobart area.
Contents
How to get there
To cross Bass' Strait, you would have to find other lift than the ones on the road. Maybe it is possible to hitchhike a boat, but so far no hitchhikers reported such experience. If you're tempted, keep in mind that's a 400km crossing, and Bass' strait has a quite bad reputation among seamen for its tempests.
Flight
As for the rest of Australia, flights might be the easiest way to reach Tasmania, and you will find airports in Hobart and Launceston. Although because the population is quite low there are fewer flights than more international destinations like Perth, Brisbane, or Adelaide. Don't expect more than 8 flights a day, even for Hobart "international" airport, and no real "Hot fares". Air fares seem to start at 89$ with Jetstar, not really cheaper than a ferry and a really less ecological.
Ferry
All year round, the ferry Spirit of Tasmania link Devonport with Melbourne, and it is a better way to feel the remoteness of an island. Two crossings a day in summer (one over night), one in winter (during day or night, varying), but you can then even manage to save a night on board. Fares starts at 89$ for day sailing, 99$ for night as a pedestrian.
Geography & Climate
Its particular position, southernmost land of the Australian continent, leads to a very oceanic climate. Indeed, situated in the 40ies South, the West Coast takes each depression coming from the Indian Ocean. The inland has lots of mountains, although not really high (1600m max) by European standards, but that can get freezing cold and wet because of the climate. In the opposite way, the East Coast is really dry, and even in winter this can create huge and really dangerous bushfires. All these explanations to explain some Tasmanian specific advices :
- Be aware of the difference of climate between both coasts. You can easily lose 10 degrees in windchill ! Possibly watch Bureau of Meteorology forecasts.
- Be really careful if you see bushfires, especially while camping at night. Bushfires can cover great distances very rapidly because of common strong winds, and every year bushwalkers get asphyxiated in their tent. That the first cause of mortality for hikers. Avoid them as soon as you see them if you don't have a lift.
- Tasmanian winter is really cold, possibly freezing even at the coast, possibly several degrees below zero inland. If you head to the mountains inland, be prepared for snow. Australia is a warm country, but Tasmania is a bit different ; in winter you will understand why all Tasmanian has Ugg boots.
- Because of a "high latitude" position, don't forget that the length of the day vary a lot within the year. In particular the sun set as early as 4:30pm in winter ! You should though still be able to find a lift after the sunset.
Infrastructures
Roads
Like on the mainland, small population entails few infrastructures, and especially few sealed roads. Only ten major roads (A1 to A10). But most of those unsealed roads seem to have enough traffic to be perfectly hitchable, by example C843 or C845 to Mount William Nat Park. They are also quite often leading to a natural park or reserve, a place where you'll find a carpark and campsite, and enough people getting there for a bushwalk, even in winter. Hitchhiker Barbo had a direct lift from Cockle Creek to Hobart in winter while finishing the South Coast Track.
Campsites
The Parks & Wildlife Service provides lots of campsites in the dozen of National parks throughout Tasmania. They are then often not directly on the main road, but as explained above, you'll get easily be picked up by someone heading to these campsites. As some of them are not free you may prefer to do wild camping, but in campsites you will always find lovely people with a campfire (when allowed) who will invite you to join them. To find official campsites : Camping Tasmania
Cities
- Hobart Capital of the state, still 200 000 inhabitants though, but as it means almost half of the state's population, it's very easy to find a direct lift from anywhere in the state. "International" airport where you might have your first contact with Tasmania.
Hitchhiking out of Hobart can be rough because you may need to cross the Tasman bridge which is more or less only a high way but we found a few places that might be of some help. Along the Brooker Highway going north towards Launceston, in the North Hobart area next to the Botanical Gardens, we found a few spots with shoulders where cars can park. Although the speed limit is high there people can see you from a long ways away and have no trouble pulling over.
- Launceston Same as for Hobart, very easy to find a direct lift in just an afternoon. Also have an airport although air fares might be bit more expensive than Hobart.
- Devonport Where you can catch the ferry Spirit of Tasmania to Melbourne.
- Deloraine
- St. Helens
States: New South Wales • Queensland • South Australia • Tasmania • Victoria • Western Australia
Territories: Australian Capital Territory • Jervis Bay Territory • Northern Territory
