Pick up your THRIFTY MEDIUM SEDAN rental car either at the Launceston Airport Depot or Launceston City Depot and commence drive via Deloraine, Elizabeth Town, Moltema, Sheffield , Gowrie Park and Daisy Dell to arrive at Cradle Mountain where you overnight at the CRADLE MOUNTAIN LODGE . This drive is approximately 150km via the Bass Highway and turning off the Highway at Elizabeth Town.

CRADLE MOUNTAIN - LAKE ST. CLAIR NATIONAL PARK is part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. The wildlife most commonly seen in the park are Bennett's wallabies, rufus wallabies and potoroos. Bird life consists of parrots, birds of prey and numerous smaller bush birds. Vehicle access is only possible to Cradle Valley in the north of the park, and Lake St. Clair in the south. Lake St. Clair is the deepest lake in Australia .

A short walk from the Cradle Mountain Lodge is the Visitor Centre where there is a good source of information about the fauna and flora in the region as well as the walks available ranging from gentle nature rambles and day walks to the internationally famous Overland Track

Depart Cradle Mountain and travel to the Murchison Highway , where you will head south-west, past the towns of Tullah, Rosebery and Zeehan to reach Strahan, and your overnight accommodation at the STRAHAN VILLAGE COTTAGES. The drive is approximately 155km and the roads are hilly and windy.

ZEEHAN is rich in both history and minerals, and the discovery of silver and lead in 1882 saw it become the third largest settlement in the early 1900s. Many historic buildings line the main street of Zeehan and one of the best mining displays and history of the region can be found at the West Coast Pioneers Memorial Museum .

STRAHAN located on the Tasmanian west coast, is the gateway to South West World Heritage National Park - one of the world's most beautiful cool climate rainforests. The town is situated on beautiful Macquarie Harbor and was once a penal colony, until 1833 when the convicts were all moved to Port Arthur on the east coast. Macquarie Harbor is also the departure point for cruises on the magnificent Gordon River - a major sightseeing attraction.
(We suggest pre-booking this cruise from October to March)

Depart Strahan via the Lyell Highway, traveling past the towns of Queenstown, Derwent Bridge, Lawrenny, New Norfolk and Granton to reach Hobart, and your overnight accommodation at the QUALITY MACQUARIE MANOR . This drive is approximately 290 km direct.
A detour well worthwhile taking today is to leave the Lyell Highway at Lawrenny and travel via Ellendale to the beautiful Mt Field National Park. A major highlight here is a visit to magnificent Russell Falls. Departing Russell Falls, travel via the towns of Westerway and Glenora to rejoin the Lyell Highway at Gretna, and continue on to Hobart. This detour is approximately 75km to the eastern side of the National Park.
Lake St. Clair has an excellent Eco Centre and restaurant. It is only approximately 5 minutes off the highway and well worth a lunch stop, if this fits in with your itinerary.
MT. FIELD NATIONAL PARK is Tasmania's oldest National Park. The striking landscape of the park is bountiful in flora, from rainforest to towering forests of swamp gum, stringybarks and conifers. The bird and animal life is abundant and major attractions are the Lady Barron, Horseshoe and Russell Falls.
HOBART is the smallest of Australia's state capitals. It is situated on the Derwent River, one of the deepest harbors in the world. The old city centre, with its wealth of colonial buildings, clusters around Sullivans Cove, backed by wooded slopes rising to the often snow-capped peak of Mount Wellington. Its limited size, rich architectural heritage and beautiful setting make Hobart a delight to explore. Please note, each Saturday there is an excellent market in Salamanca.

Departing Hobart today, travel via the Arthur Highway past the towns of Midway Point and Dunalley. Continue on to the Tasman Peninsula , which is joined to Tasmania by an isthmus of land known as Eaglehawk Neck, and then onto Port Arthur where you will stay overnight at the COMFORT INN PORT ARTHUR. The drive is approximately 100km.

PORT ARTHUR is a symbol of Australia 's 19th century convict system. The settlement operated from 1830 to 1877 as a timber producing sawing station, and later as an industrial prison. After the closure, most of the land and buildings were auctioned off, with new residents renaming it Carnarvon Township . Following bushfires in 1895, the old settlement has now been restored and is today, Tasmania 's premier historic site.

A visit to the Bush Mill Pioneer Park is worthwhile, or perhaps a visit to the Tasmanian Devil Park . Other natural attractions on the Tasman Peninsula that should not be missed include the Blow Hole, Tasman's Arch and the Devil's Kitchen (unusual coastal rock formations). In the evening, you can attend "Ghost tours" where you walk around the settlement with a guide who tells of all the ghosts who still "live" in the area!