Melb -> Tassie cruise

[Liub]

Hi all,

Been thinking about this for around 2 years now and finally decided to take some action! I am planning to take my car on the Spirit and head down to Tassie for a tour of the island, heard lots of great things about the roads down there . I'm hoping some of you have done the same and can share some hints/tips, or any locals suggest any routes I should take or areas I should explore? Where do the locals go for a cruise? And tips on travelling on the Spirit with a car? I would prefer to take as little day off as possible, but it's flexible depending on the final route to take.

I may go by myself, or with another car, not really sure yet. The only thing I found that may interest me (non-driving related) is the Museum of Old and New Art. I've been to Tassie years ago as a young'un so I've done most of the touristy things, any hidden gems that I can visit whilst on the road?

Will bring a camera to document everything as well .

Thanks for any responses! On the off chance someone is interested to come along, let me know!

[gazz]

It will be cold cold cold. Definitely see MONA, catch the ferry from the Hobart docks. Roads are best during the week as weekends are, understandably, much busier. ( Why is the word "busy" pronounced bizzy? Is there any other word which has the letter U pronounced as an i ? As in wit, fit etc. ) Anyway - we stayed at Battery Point in Hobart which is very historic and an easy walk to Salamanca and the city. It will be cold. Road to Strahan from Hobart is excellent. Must do Gordon River and Maquarie harbour while there. It will freeeeeezing. Launceston is meh but there is an interesting historic car museum worth a visit.

Port Arthur, Huon trail, Freisinet peninsula, Stanley. If you are a golfer you MUST play Barnbougle Dunes on the North coast. Did I mention it will be cold?

[Liub]

Originally Posted by gazz

snip

Thanks for that gazz! I'm pretty good with the cold being a bit of a snow bunny, plus colder air = more killer wasps? Lol. But definitely noted, may go around Sept/Oct and hope its warmer by then!

From Devonport, is it better to go clockwise or counterclockwise for the Strahan/Hobart/Launceston trifecta? I guess I'll try to time my trip so that I'll spend the weekend on the east coast where there's more thing's to do (I assume), and weekday on the west where its more driving-centric!

Sounds like I might give Launceston a miss though, or a pit stop depending on whether I'm going clock/counterclockwise.

[vans]

When When When

[Liub]

Originally Posted by vans

When When When

Atm thinking maybe October mate, but avoiding the school holidays! Maybe September, but as the good people pointed out it might still be cold and wet!

Need to decide whether to keep the rear sways in before the trip too .

[vans]

Interested!!

[Liub]

Originally Posted by vans

Interested!!

We'll take this offline did research over the wknd! Perhaps can get a convoy going!

[vans]

LIKE!

[Liub]

Just a bump, I will be in Tassie first weekend of November, if there are people who wishes to come for a drive .

[Liub]

Off to the Port after work today, hope to see some of you Tassie boys and girls on the road!

[woosh]

Aren't some of the EUROCCA members doing the same run this weekend?

[Liub]

Originally Posted by woosh

Aren't some of the EUROCCA members doing the same run this weekend?

No idea, will investigate! Hope it's different routes to be honest, don't want a big convoy and attract attention...

edit: Ah yeah same boat, different direction! Will try and say hi on the Spirit .

[woosh]

Originally Posted by Liub

No idea, will investigate! Hope it's different routes to be honest, don't want a big convoy and attract attention...

edit: Ah yeah same boat, different direction! Will try and say hi on the Spirit .

Or maybe you might just end up joining their convoy after saying hello hehe

Have fun and be safe.

[Liub]

Originally Posted by woosh

Or maybe you might just end up joining their convoy after saying hello hehe

Have fun and be safe.

I'm trying to log onto my account but I forgot my password... I cannot for the life of me figure out the answer to the random question?!

If you go to a trackday with four 'race' wheels and four 'street' wheels, how many wheels do you have in total?

I can't get it?! I must be retarded.

And thanks I'm heading back a day earlier so no chance of following their itinerary unfortunately. My first day drive is 7 hrs .

edit: turns out i never activated my account. doh.

[oystero]

Haha. What an imaginative question. Enjoy the drive !!

[oystero]

Have a safe trip

[woosh]

Did you make it back in one piece?

[Liub]

Originally Posted by oystero

Have a safe trip

Thanks Jeff!

Originally Posted by woosh

Did you make it back in one piece?

Yeah mate, tired but all good! I'll post up some pictures later tonight! Only had my iPhone but it turned out ok I think.

Tasmanian roads... amazing... Honestly, the entirety of the west coast was empty and roads were awesome, both condition wise and traffic...

[MrBlonde]

Keen to do this myself at some point.

[Moocow]

I was over near Launceston over an extended Cup weekend I was visiting my old man (with the family) who has moved there recently.

He is ~40kms north of launceston, at a place called Beauty Point. Pretty speccy.
We did a couple of day trips. I unfortunately was driving the family in a Holden dunnydore

Man their roads are amazing. You never see a pot hole, the roads are very very rarely straight, there are hardly any one using them & there doesn't appear to be any cops!

I kept saying to my wife: "I wish I was on a motorbike (fireblade) or in the BM!"

I can really see why they have the Targa rally. Simply awesome!

Weather wise, it was not cold, around 2-6 degrees cooler than Melbourne, although the sun when out seems to have more punch. I couldn't believe how much the temp varies throughout the state.

[Convert]

Are there any faster ways of getting a car down their other than the Spirit?

[Moocow]

Originally Posted by Ian///M

Spirit is over-night ... how fast do you want it?

in summer they run 2 boats, one at night and one during the day. I don't know how you'd get it there faster than Spirit.