Ultimate Tasmanian road trip: Launceston, Freycinet National Park, Corinda and MONA

With Easter just around the corner, and the cool, crisp air of winter just six weeks away, there’s no better time to head south to the Apple Isle.

With Easter just around the corner, and the cool, crisp air of winter just six weeks away, there’s no better time to road trip Tasmania.
The Apple Isle is one of the most drivable regions in Australia with the state’s two main cities — Launceston and Hobart — less than three hours apart.

But if you embrace the scenic route, and track along the coast, there’s plenty to see and do along the way.

Fly into Launceston and head straight to hire a car from the airport.

All the big names have hire desks at the airport, including Budget and Avis, with plenty of options available.

If you’re in the mood for a particularly luxurious roadtrip, make a short detour north to the Floating Sauna on Lake Derby.

The sauna is perched on the water, with visitors being able to warm themselves in the steaming sauna before embracing a bit of cold water therapy and jumping in the chilly lake, before repeating the process again.

After your refreshing visit to the floating sauna, head east for the coast, stopping in at Binalong Bay to see the famous Bay of Fires and its incredible white sand and bright orange rocks.

Following that, you’ll be able to trace Tasmania’s east coast and take part in one of Australia’s most iconic road trips.

Freycinet National Park and the iconic Wineglass Bay is a must if you’re making your way south to Hobart.

The iconic Wineglass Bay, from the summit of Mt Amos, a popular hike within Freycinet National Park Picture: Nigel Killeen

While plenty of people think Wineglass Bay got its name from its very obvious wine-looking shape, the naming of the bay actually comes from a more tragic story.

In the early 1800s, the bay was a hub for the whaling and sealing industry, with sailors chasing the animals into the small bay and killing them in the calmer waters, turning the ocean and adjacent sand blood-red.

Despite its chequered past, the national park and its stunning Hazards mountain range, is well worth a stop.

If you’re looking for somewhere to stay the night, the stunning Freycinet Lodge, located right in the middle of the park, is stunning.

Nestled in the bush, the lodge sits on Richardsons Beach and has a range of accommodation, including the recently completed coastal pavilions with outdoor bathtubs and stunning views of the water.

The lodge is also the perfect base for hiking around the national park, and, if you’re feeling fancy, is also just down the road from Freycinet Air, which offers breathtaking scenic flights over some of Tasmania’s most wild country.

The accommodation at Freycinet Lodge. Picture: Melissa Findley

A visit to Freycinet National Park wouldn’t be complete without lunch or a drink at Devil’s Corner, Tasmania’s most picturesque winery.

The winery, perched on top of a hill with sprawling views across to Moulting Lagoon and the Hazards, recently underwent a multimillion-dollar expansion to accommodate the thousands of visitors dropping in each year.

Following Devil’s Corner, it’s an easy two hour drive south to Hobart, where your opportunities to experience Tasmania’s best are endless.

If you feel like stepping back in time, stay at the Corinda Collection, a stately and grand Victorian mansion that’s been resorted to its former glory.

The boutique hotel had its beginnings in the 1870s, when timber merchant-come-Lord Mayor, Alfred Crisp, raised ten children there.

The house was lost to the Crisp family in the 1930s before, 90 years later, Alfred’s great-great grandson, Julian Roberts, reclaimed the ancestral treasure in 2016.

The house is like stepping back in time.

The cosy hotel is full of wide windows, offering stunning views across the River Derwent and out to Kunanyi/Mount Wellington.

Every Friday night, Corinda offers pop-up dinners with the winter series featuring cuisine from France’s Burgundy region and Tasmanian wines.

Chef Ben Gilligan prepares a five-course meal for the 30 guests for $169 a head.

The gardens are also famous around Hobart, with perfectly manicured hedges shaped into some of Tasmania’s most famous animals.

The garden at Corinda.

And once Corinda has satisfied your urge to step back in time, there’s always Hobart’s Museum of Old and New Art to drag you back to the present.

The world-famous museum, which turned Hobart into a tourist juggernaut when it opened in 2011, is best known as MONA and offers up some of the most provocative and brilliant art installations seen in Australia.

The museum also boasts a number of incredible restaurants and puts on one of Australia’s busiest festivals Dark Mofo each year.

This year Dark Mofo will kick off on June 8.

This trip was supported by Devil’s Corner, Avis and Corinda.