Campervan Hire in Hobart

Camping and caravan parks around Hobart

Tasmania offers some of Australia’s best campervan camping, national-park sites, free riverside rest areas, full-service holiday parks, and bookable bush camps inside World Heritage wilderness. The state has invested heavily in camper-friendly infrastructure: over 200 free or low-cost campsites are maintained by Tasmania Parks, local councils and forestry reserves.

Holiday parks within 30 minutes of Hobart

• Hobart Showground Discovery Parks (Glenorchy): The closest full-service holiday park to the CBD — 5 km north, powered sites, camp kitchen, en-suite sites and a Metro bus into Salamanca. Ideal for MONA ferry and Salamanca Market days.
• Treasure Island Holiday Park (Berriedale): Beside the Derwent River, 12 km north of the CBD and 2 km from MONA. Powered sites, pool, playground, a favourite for families.
• Seven Mile Beach Cabin & Tourist Park: Right next to Hobart Airport (HBA) and a patrolled swimming beach. Perfect for first and last night of the trip.
• BIG4 Hobart Airport Tourist Park (Cambridge): 3 km from HBA terminal, powered sites, camp kitchen, pool and a free airport shuttle.
• NRMA Hobart Beachside Holiday Park (Kingston Beach): 12 km south of the CBD, sheltered beach, walking distance to cafés, a quieter alternative to Glenorchy.

National-park and bush campgrounds around Tasmania

• Mt Field National Park. Russell Falls campground: 75 minutes northwest of Hobart. Powered sites, hot showers, next to the Russell Falls track and a dawn platypus-viewing spot at the Tyenna River. Book via Tasmania Parks & Wildlife.
• Fortescue Bay (Tasman National Park): 90 minutes southeast of Hobart, white-sand beach campground at the trailhead for Cape Hauy and Cape Pillar. Unpowered sites, pit toilets, no showers. Book ahead in summer.
• Freycinet National Park. Richardsons Beach: 2.5 hours north of Hobart. Powered and unpowered sites at the base of the Hazards, 15 minutes from Wineglass Bay Lookout. Ballot entry for December–January summer.
• Bay of Fires Conservation Area. Cosy Corner North & South: Free bush camping on the pink-granite coast north of Binalong Bay. No booking, no facilities, self-sufficient. 14-day max stay.
• Discovery Parks. Cradle Mountain: The only powered park inside the Cradle Mountain precinct. Camp kitchen, heated amenities, Dove Lake shuttle from the park gate. Book 3–6 months ahead.
• Huon Valley Caravan Park (Huonville): 35 minutes southwest of Hobart, riverside, gateway to the Tahune Airwalk, Hastings Caves and Cockle Creek.
• BIG4 St Helens Holiday Park: Powered base for the Bay of Fires, Binalong Bay and the northern East Coast.

Freedom camping and overnight rules

Tasmania is the most camper-friendly state in Australia. Most council areas and forestry reserves allow self-contained campervans to overnight at designated rest areas, riverside reserves and fishing spots. However, the Hobart City Council prohibits overnight street parking, Salamanca waterfront parking and Battery Point lanes, fines from AUD $163. Approved free sites within easy reach of Hobart include Bronte Lagoon (Lyell Highway), Dennistoun Bridge (Bothwell), Spring Beach (Orford) and the Prosser River (Orford). Further afield, the Arthur River, Friendly Beaches (near Coles Bay) and Lake Leake are classic free camps. The WikiCamps Australia app filters by facilities, dump points and council rules, essential for avoiding fines and finding the best spots.

Things to do around Hobart by campervan

Salamanca, Battery Point and the Hobart waterfront

Start at Salamanca Place, a row of restored 1830s sandstone warehouses now housing cafés, galleries, an award-winning whisky distillery and the iconic Salamanca Market every Saturday (8:30 AM–3 PM, 300+ stalls). Walk uphill to Battery Point, Hobart’s colonial-era village of narrow streets, fisherman cottages and Arthur Circus. Follow Kelly’s Steps down to Constitution Dock for fish-and-chips at Flippers or Mures. Campervans cannot park on Salamanca Place itself, use Princes Wharf 1 or Argyle Street Car Park during the day and a holiday park at night.

MONA, kunanyi/Mt Wellington and the Derwent

MONA (Museum of Old and New Art) in Berriedale is Tasmania’s most talked-about experience, a subterranean sandstone gallery of David Walsh’s private collection, reached by a purpose-built fast ferry from Brooke Street Pier. Allow a full day. kunanyi/Mt Wellington (1,271 m) rises directly behind the city; drive the 21 km sealed road to the summit for panoramic views of the Derwent, Storm Bay and Bruny Island. Check conditions in winter, the road closes for snow. Richmond (30 minutes northeast) has Australia’s oldest bridge (1823), Richmond Gaol and boutique cellar doors.

Freycinet, Wineglass Bay and the East Coast

Freycinet National Park (2.5 hours north) is Tasmania’s poster destination, the 1-hour return walk to Wineglass Bay Lookout is the single most-photographed view in the state, and the half-day circuit continues to the beach itself. Nearby: Bicheno penguin-viewing tours, Coles Bay oyster farm gate-sales, and scenic flights over Schouten Island. Further north, the Bay of Fires (Binalong Bay to Eddystone Point) is 50 km of orange-lichen granite, white-sand beaches and crystalline water, one of Lonely Planet’s top global destinations.

Cradle Mountain, Mt Field and the Tasmanian Wilderness

Tasmania’s World Heritage wilderness covers 20% of the state. Cradle Mountain–Lake St Clair National Park (4.5 hours northwest of Hobart) is the signature alpine walk, the Dove Lake Circuit is 6 km and doable in sneakers, the 6-day Overland Track requires bookings Oct–May and serious hiking gear. Mt Field National Park (75 minutes from Hobart) is the easy alpine day trip. Russell Falls, the Tall Trees Walk, and Lake Dobson are all within reach of the car park. Keep an eye out for wombats, platypus at dawn and the endemic fagus beech in April.

Port Arthur, Bruny Island and the southern coast

Port Arthur Historic Site (90 minutes southeast) is a UNESCO World Heritage convict settlement, allow a full day, book the Isle of the Dead tour and the chilling after-dark Ghost Tour. Bruny Island (Kettering ferry, 45 minutes south) is a 100-km-long slice of wilderness, drive to The Neck lookout for little-penguin viewing at dusk, hike to South Bruny Lighthouse, and eat your way through Bruny Island Cheese Co., Get Shucked oysters and Bruny Island Premium Wines. For the truly remote, Cockle Creek (2.5 hours south of Hobart) is the southernmost road end in Australia, start of the South Coast Track.

Wildlife, whisky and Tasmanian food

Tasmania has become Australia’s gourmet capital. Visit Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary (Brighton) to hand-feed kangaroos and meet Tasmanian devils, Sullivan’s Cove, Lark and Overeem distilleries for world-class whisky, Coal River Valley vineyards near Richmond for cool-climate pinot and Willie Smiths Cider in the Huon Valley. The Huon Valley is also apple country (the state’s nickname is the “Apple Isle”) and hosts winter fire festivals at the Huon Valley Mid-Winter Festival in July.

Practical tips for campervan travel around Hobart

Getting to Hobart (flights and the Spirit of Tasmania ferry)

Hobart Airport (HBA) is Tasmania’s second busiest after Launceston (LST), with direct daily flights from Melbourne (1h10), Sydney (1h50), Brisbane (2h30) and Adelaide (2h). A campervan hired at HBA puts you straight on the Tasman Highway. The alternative is the Spirit of Tasmania ferry, an overnight crossing from Geelong (near Melbourne) to Devonport on the north coast, allowing you to bring your own vehicle. From Devonport it’s a 3-hour drive south to Hobart via Launceston. Ferry bookings sell out 6 months ahead for summer; book at spiritoftasmania.com.au.

Fuel and supplies

Unleaded petrol runs AUD $1.85–2.15/L in Tasmania, typically 5–10 cents more than the mainland. BP, Caltex, United and Shell are common; independent stations at Sorell, New Norfolk and Ouse are often cheapest. Campervan diesel averages AUD $1.90–2.10/L. Fill up before heading into remote areas, stations are sparse between Strahan and Queenstown, on the Lyell Highway and south of Cockle Creek. Major supermarkets (Coles, Woolworths, IGA) are in Hobart (Sandy Bay, Glenorchy, Kingston, Rosny Park), Launceston, Devonport, Burnie, New Norfolk and Huonville, fresh produce thins out on the East Coast and west of Cradle Mountain. Stock up on the Salamanca Market Saturdays for Tasmanian artisan cheese, bread and produce.

Parking in Hobart

Hobart CBD parking is limited and expensive. AUD $4–6/hour on street meters, AUD $25–35/day in most multi-storeys. Overnight street parking is prohibited. The best strategy: drop the campervan at a holiday park in Glenorchy, Berriedale, Kingston or Seven Mile Beach, then use Metro Tas bus or a rideshare into town. Free 2-hour street parking is available around Battery Point, Sandy Bay and parts of North Hobart. The Hobart ferry terminal and Brooke Street Pier have limited long-vehicle bays, check signage carefully.

Weather and packing (the four-seasons-in-a-day rule)

Tasmanian weather is famously unpredictable, the saying is “four seasons in one day.” Even in January you can start the day sunbathing at Wineglass Bay and end it in 10°C horizontal rain at Cradle Mountain. Always pack: thermal base layer, fleece or wool mid-layer, waterproof shell jacket, warm hat and gloves, sturdy walking shoes, sun hat and SPF 50+ sunscreen (Tasmania has the worst UV in Australia in midsummer thanks to the ozone hole). Campervans come fitted with bedding, but an extra wool blanket or sleeping bag is wise for winter trips. Check bom.gov.au/tas daily, the Tasmanian forecast is often wrong beyond 48 hours.

Connectivity

Telstra has by far the best coverage in Tasmania, essential if you plan to travel the West Coast, Cradle Mountain or the Tasman Peninsula. Optus has decent coverage in Hobart, Launceston and along the East Coast. Vodafone is limited outside the three main cities. No-signal zones to plan for: Lake St Clair, inside Cradle Mountain NP, the Arthur River road, parts of Bruny Island and most of the South West. Download offline maps (Google Maps, Maps.me) and the WikiCamps Australia campsite database before you head out. Free Wi-Fi is available at TasLib public libraries, McDonald’s, most cafés and every holiday park.

Time zone (and the daylight-saving rule)

Tasmania uses Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST, UTC+10) in winter and Australian Eastern Daylight Time (AEDT, UTC+11) from the first Sunday of October to the first Sunday of April. Tasmania follows the same clock as Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra year-round. Summer daylight is extraordinary, sunrise 5:30 AM, sunset 9:00 PM at Hobart’s December peak, giving 16 hours of usable driving and hiking time.

Wildlife viewing and photography

Tasmania is Australia’s wildlife capital, roughly half the state is protected parkland, and iconic species including Tasmanian devils, wombats, echidnas, platypus, pademelons and 12 endemic bird species are regularly spotted. Best viewing: Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary (Brighton) for hand-feeding, Maria Island (ferry from Triabunna) for wild Tassie devils and wombats, the Tyenna River (Mt Field) at dawn for platypus, and Bruny Island for white wallabies and 40-spotted pardalote. Never feed wildlife, it’s illegal and causes road deaths when animals approach vehicles.

Events and festivals in Hobart and Tasmania

Hobart punches well above its weight as a festival city, home to Dark Mofo, the finish line of the Sydney–Hobart Yacht Race, Taste of Summer and MONA FOMA. The calendar is relentless from December to June, and most events draw visitors from the mainland who arrive with their own campervans via the Spirit of Tasmania ferry. Book holiday parks 4–6 months ahead for any of the major events below.

Major festivals and events

• Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race (finish: 27–29 December): One of the world’s most famous ocean races, starting in Sydney on Boxing Day. The fleet arrives in Hobart via Storm Bay and the Derwent River 2–4 days later. The finish-line celebrations run alongside the Taste of Summer festival on Hobart’s Princes Wharf, expect packed waterfronts, live music and every holiday park in the city booked out.
• Taste of Summer (26 December – 3 January): Hobart’s premier food-and-wine festival on Princes Wharf, over 80 Tasmanian producers, chefs and cellar doors across 9 days bridging Christmas and New Year. Free entry. Stay at Glenorchy Discovery Parks or Seven Mile Beach.
• Dark Mofo (mid-June, two weeks): Tasmania’s signature winter arts festival curated by MONA, bonfires on the Hobart waterfront, the Winter Feast night market, the Nude Solstice Swim, avant-garde music and all-night performances across the city. Temperatures can drop to −2°C; book campervans with diesel heaters and holiday parks near Glenorchy or Cambridge 8 months ahead.
• MONA FOMA (January, Launceston): MONA’s summer music festival moved from Hobart to Launceston in 2019 and continues with international headliners across three days of indoor and outdoor venues. Campervan accommodation: BIG4 Launceston and Country Club Launceston.
• Falls Festival (NYE, Marion Bay): Three-day music festival 70 km east of Hobart, camping-inclusive tickets, with an onsite campervan zone. Sells out within hours of release each year.
• Ten Days on the Island (March, biennial): A state-wide arts festival that rotates venues across Hobart, Launceston, Cradle Mountain and coastal towns, perfect for a campervan itinerary that loops the island.
• Australian Wooden Boat Festival (February, biennial): The southern hemisphere’s largest wooden-boat gathering — 500+ vessels tied up along Hobart’s Constitution Dock and Princes Wharf. Free entry, four days.
• Huon Valley Mid-Winter Festival (mid-July): Three nights of fire, cider, wassailing the apple trees and Tasmanian folk music at Willie Smiths Apple Shed, 45 minutes south of Hobart. An antidote to the dark and cold.
• Targa Tasmania (April): Australia’s premier tarmac-rally event — 2,000 km of closed Tasmanian roads over six days. A reason to avoid certain highways if you’re not there for the race; also a reason to go if you are.
• Royal Hobart Regatta (February): Hobart’s oldest sporting event (since 1838), rowing, sailing and waterfront carnival on the Queens Domain and Derwent River.