Tassie road trip named second in country’s top tourism experiences

A TASMANIAN road trip has been named second in the top 100 holiday experiences across Australia.

Beerbarrel Beach, Bay of Fires, Tasmania, Sunset, Australia, 2009

A TASMANIAN road trip is seen as a jewel in the crown of tourist experiences across the nation, being named second in the top 100 holiday experiences across Australia.

Eleven Tasmanian experiences made it into the top 100 compiled by Australian Traveller magazine, chosen from 12,000 nominations.

“Tasmania’s superb wilderness is a major drawcard,’’ Australian Traveller editor Georgia Rickard said.

Ms Rickard said it was a pleasant surprise to see an affordable option at number two.

“The best thing about the East Coast Escape road trip is that the luxury is in the environment,’’ she said.

“It’s one, long continuous reel of six-star surroundings. And you can absolutely do it without blowing the budget.’’

The East Coast Escape road trip came in at number two, behind an adventure cruise in the Kimberley and knocking off more-famous road trips such as The Big Lap, The Great Ocean Road and the Pacific Highway.

Four luxury Tasmanian walking holidays cracked the top 30, highlighting wilderness as the lure for travellers.

Saffire Freycinet knocked off Hamilton Island’s Qualia to be named Australia’s best luxury lodge, coming in at number 5 overall.

The four-day Freycinet Experience walk was the country’s best, beating the Great Ocean Walk and Larapinta Trail.

Australian Traveller, out today, said the trip from Hobart to Bay of Fires took in several natural icons including Maria Island, The Hazards, Wineglass Bay and the Bay of Fires.

The Liberals made an election pledge to rename the Tasman Highway from Orford to St Helens as the Great Eastern Drive and spend $500,000 over two years to market the route and improve road infrastructure so it rivalled the Great Ocean Road on Victoria’s south-west coast.

Tassie holidays that made the cut:

2 Road trip, the East Coast Escape

5 Book into Saffire Freycinet

13 Walk, The Freycinet Experience

16 Trek the Bay of Fires Lodge Walk

22 Hike the Overland Track (via Cradle Mountain Huts

25 Trek the Maria Island Walk

28 Take a Hobart weekend (including MONA)

41 Visit the Tarkine wilderness

68 Foodie break in Tamar Valley

75 Road trip to Strahan

77 Take a wild journey with Rob Pennicott