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Travelling by car

Travel info

When you glance at a map of Tasmania, distances seem short in comparison to other Australian states. That's true - you can drive from Hobart to Launceston in two and a half hours, and from Launceston to Burnie in less. But in many parts of the Island, roads are often winding, with ascents and descents over hilly and mountainous regions. You should always allow extra time for your journey, especially in areas like the west coast. Check local conditions on exposed and elevated roads, where frost, ice and snow can occur.

Tasmania's bushland is rich in wildlife - unfortunately, native animals have no road sense. Be very careful in the early morning and on dusk.

There are excellent sealed highways to all parts of Tasmania - they're marked as 'A' roads on your map. 'B' roads are also sealed, as are some of the network of smaller 'C' roads. Occasionally you may want to travel on an unsealed gravel 'C' road to reach a particular destination - for example, Cockle Creek in the far south, or the Western Explorer road in the far north-west. Take extra care on these roads, and be aware that some car hire contracts have special conditions in relation to unsealed roads.

Tasmania's network of highways allows you to loop around the Island discovering an ever-changing landscape.

The road to the west coast (A10) winds from Hobart to Strahan through the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area (WHA). You can follow the Bass Highway (A2) along the north-west coast to the far north-west. On the east coast, the Tasman Highway (A3) takes you alongside beaches and tiny seaside towns to Coles Bay and Freycinet National Park and on to St Helens.

On the the Lake Highway (A5) you cross the "roof" of Tasmania - the Central Plateau; while the Heritage Highway (Highway1) links the historic Georgian midland villages. On the Arthur Highway (A9) you travel the Tasman Peninsula to Port Arthur and the Port Arthur Historic Site, while the Huon Highway (A6) takes you to waterways and wilderness south of Hobart.

Most of all, it's important to take time to stop and explore on foot - we want you to see more of Tasmania than the white line on the highway!

Avis - Wynyard/Burnie Airport Tasmania

Based from the Burnie Airport at Wynyard, Avis Rent a Car have a wide range of vehicles for hire, at competitive prices. Whatever your needs, from small manuals to large automatics, 4 wheel drives and even an 8-seater people mover. Phone (03) 6442 2512 or visit the Avis Rent a Car website for more information.

Thrifty Car Rental - Wynyard/Burnie Airport Tasmania

Thrifty has a branch located in Wynyard right next to the Burnie Airport. Thrifty have a complete range of Mitsubishi vehicles, the only range of sports cars in Tasmania, removal vans and buses. Phone (03) 6442 3407 or visit the Thrifty website for more information.

Europcar - Wynyard/Burnie Airport Tasmania

Located at the Burnie Airport in Wynyard, Delta Europcar cater for all needs, and have economy, compact, mid-size, full-size, luxury, prestige, vans, utility and trucks available. Phone (03) 6427 0888 or visit the Delta Europcar website for more information.