Tasmania's East Coast by Caravan: The Drive That Keeps Getting Better
There's a particular feeling you get when the Spirit of Tasmania clears Port Phillip Heads and the open water starts to move beneath you. It's not excitement exactly — it's the feeling of having properly committed. You're not flying somewhere for a quick trip. You're on a boat, your car and caravan are strapped to a deck below you, and by morning you'll be in a different state. It's the kind of travel that feels like it means something before you've even arrived.
We've done Tasmania's east coast by caravan, and it remains one of the best trips we've taken anywhere. Not because it's dramatic or difficult, but because the east coast has a way of getting better with every stop — and the stops are close enough together that you're never driving for hours between the good bits.
Here's the route.
Getting There: Spirit of Tasmania
The Spirit sails from Geelong to Devonport overnight. If you're bringing a caravan, book early — vehicle spots fill up fast in peak season, and you'll want to lock in a cabin rather than trying to sleep in the recliner seats.
One thing worth noting: the Spirit has a dedicated EV deck for electric vehicles, so if you're towing with an EV or simply driving one across, they've already thought of it. We took our caravan behind a conventional vehicle, but it's good to know the option exists for future trips.
You arrive in Devonport around 6am. Grab a coffee, jump in your car, and head east. The east coast is calling.
Derby: For the Mountain Bikers
Our first stop was Derby, a tiny former mining town in the northeast that has reinvented itself as one of the best mountain biking destinations in Australia. The trails here — Blue Derby, as they're known — have put this town on the international map.
Even if you're not a rider, Derby is worth a stop. The town has a good café or two fuelled by the biking crowd, and the surrounding forest is beautiful. If you are a rider, block out at least a full day — the trail network is extensive and the riding is exceptional.
Pipers Brook and Bridport
Before you head south to Derby from the coast, you pass through the Pipers Brook wine region. This is prime cool-climate territory — excellent sparkling, pinot noir, and chardonnay. Pipers Brook Vineyard is the obvious stop, but there are several smaller producers in the area worth pulling over for.
Nearby, Bridport is a quiet beach town on the north coast that most visitors drive straight past. The locals know better — this is one of those places where people say they want to retire, and once you've seen the beach you'll understand why. If you need a night of doing absolutely nothing before the east coast stretch, Bridport is where to do it.
St Helens: Seafood and the Gateway East
St Helens is the largest town on the east coast, and while it's not the prettiest stop on the route, it earns its place for one reason: the seafood. Fresh, local, and seriously good. Eat as much of it as you can while you're here.
St Helens also puts you within easy striking distance of the Bay of Fires — and I need to be honest with you, nothing I write here is going to prepare you for it.
Bay of Fires
The Bay of Fires is out of this world. That's not travel-writer hyperbole — it's the plain truth. White sand, turquoise water, and the orange lichen-covered granite boulders that give the bay its name. It looks like someone edited the saturation up to maximum, except it's real and it's right in front of you.
Walk along the beach. Swim if you can handle the temperature (it's Tasmania, so calibrate your expectations). Take photographs that won't do it justice. Stay as long as you can.
This was one of the highlights of our entire trip, and we've been lucky enough to travel widely. The Bay of Fires holds its own against any coastline we've seen.
Bicheno: The Lobster Shack
South of St Helens, the coast road takes you to Bicheno, a small fishing town with one essential stop: the Lobster Shack.
It's exactly what it sounds like — fresh lobster, simply served, in a casual setting right by the water. It's fun, it's delicious, and it's the kind of place where you sit outside with a crustacean and a glass of something cold and wonder why every coastal town doesn't do this. Don't skip it.
Bicheno is also known for its little penguin colony, which you can visit at dusk on a guided tour. Worth doing if the timing works.
Devil's Corner: Wine With a View
From Bicheno head a little further than your destination of Coles Bay, and pull into Devil's Corner — one of the best cellar door experiences in Tasmania, and arguably the one with the best view anywhere in Australia.
The winery sits on the coast looking straight at the Hazards mountain range across Moulting Lagoon. Climb the lookout tower — built from shipping containers and local timber — and take in the panoramic view. It's the kind of scene that makes you stop talking for a moment.
The wines are good, particularly the pinot noir and the cool-climate whites. The on-site food partners serve fresh seafood and wood-fired pizza. You could easily spend a couple of hours here without meaning to, and you should.
Coles Bay and Freycinet
Coles Bay is your base for the Freycinet Peninsula, and this is where we camped. The setting is beautiful — sheltered, quiet, and close enough to everything that you don't need to drive far once you're set up.
The Wineglass Bay lookout walk is the iconic hike — about an hour return to the saddle lookout, where you get that famous view down to the perfect crescent of white sand. It's popular for good reason and well worth doing, even if you've seen the photograph a thousand times.
But the real highlight for us was the Wineglass Bay cruise with Pennicott Wilderness Journeys.
We booked the tour from the jetty at Coles Bay — the option with the upper deck, which is adults only and includes all-you-can-drink wine, beer, and spirits. They poured us bubbles before 10am, which set the tone for the rest of the day.
The cruise takes you along the coastline and into Wineglass Bay from the water, which gives you a completely different perspective from the lookout walk. But what made it unforgettable was the wildlife. We saw whales — close enough that the boat slowed and stayed to watch — and dolphins riding the bow wave. The captain extended the trip to let everyone take it in. It was one of those travel moments that stays with you.
If you do one thing at Freycinet, do the cruise. And book the upper deck.
Putting It Together
Here's the rough shape of the trip:
Day 1: Spirit of Tasmania overnight from Melbourne to Devonport.
Day 2: Pipers Brook wineries, then Bridport for the night.
Day 3: Drive to Derby. Mountain biking or a wander through town.
Day 4: Drive south to St Helens. Seafood for dinner.
Day 5: Bay of Fires. Spend the whole day.
Day 6: Drive south to Bicheno. Lobster Shack for lunch. Devil's Corner in the afternoon.
Day 7: Coles Bay. Set up camp. Wineglass Bay lookout walk in the afternoon.
Day 8: Wineglass Bay cruise. Book the upper deck.
Day 9: Drive back to Devonport (or continue south to Hobart if you have more time). Spirit of Tasmania home.
Adjust as needed — you could easily spend an extra day at Bay of Fires or Coles Bay, or add a night in Hobart on the way back. The distances on Tasmania's east coast are short, so you're never in a rush.
Practical Notes
Caravan parks: Book ahead in peak season (December–February), especially at Coles Bay. Tasmania's caravan parks are generally well-maintained and well-located.
Fuel and supplies: St Helens and Bicheno have supermarkets and fuel. Coles Bay has limited supplies, so stock up before you arrive.
Spirit of Tasmania bookings: Vehicle fares vary by season and sell out in summer. Book as early as you can, particularly if you're bringing a caravan or trailer.
Weather: Tasmania's east coast is the driest part of the state, but the weather can change quickly. Pack layers, even in summer. The water is cold year-round — beautiful, but cold.
The Honest Version
Tasmania's east coast is one of the great Australian road trips, and doing it by caravan is the best way to experience it. You set your own pace, you stay in places that hotels don't reach, and you wake up in the morning to places like Coles Bay and Bay of Fires without having paid resort prices to be there.
The drive itself is beautiful, the food is excellent (particularly the seafood), and the landscape shifts constantly — from the mountain biking forests of Derby to the white sand and orange granite of Bay of Fires to the dramatic peaks of the Freycinet Peninsula.
It's not a long trip. Nine days is comfortable, a week is doable, and two weeks would let you linger everywhere you deserve to. However long you take, the east coast will reward every day of it.
The Quiet Road covers regional Victoria, Tasmania, Italy, EV road trips, and the food and wine that connects it all. Subscribe to the newsletter for one recommendation every Friday.
