Thread: Loving Tasmania, BUT. No2

Found the same when we went over a couple of times.
Unfortunately it doesn't matter where you go these days, if there's something to enjoy, someone always has their hand out.

We were lucky enough to do 5 weeks in Tassie a couple of years ago and plan to go back for 3 months. We free camped in the Fender and van - found so many well equipped free camps it was amazing. Did lots of free stuff like walks in the state forests and kayaking on the lakes and rivers. Sure we had the odd splurge on a cappo or 2 but we avoided the expensive tourist 'traps' - we just drove in and strait out of Cradle Mountain (once we got the cost to go any further) and went and found some good free spots instead, especially around the Tarkine area. Cant wait to go back. And lots of dog friendly too..

I forget what Port Arthur looks like now, it's been that long since I was able to afford the entrance fee and the staff there are some of the most laziest spoilt slobs you can come across! With one exception, dear old Tommy Purdon who does the ghost tour and he is closer to eighty than sixty, good on you Tom.

As for the tucker costs, if you lot that are thinking of coming over for a visit, sing out before you get here, you will find that there is a heap of information that the locals can give you. e.g. where you can get the best deals for a feed.

Try $10 in North Hobart for the same sized meal of fish and chips for two, and don't forget the snacks for the road you can get in the local Coles and Woolies.

Hope you aren't towing something, the TT Line loves those who do.

A freeby camp site with mains water is available at my place for any AULRO member and their family that wants to set up a camp next to the river and do some day tours, just PM me.
If it suits you I can even organise a port-a-loo as a neighbour a K up the road is an agent.

My wife and I went around Tassie about 16 years ago and loved it. You just need to plan the expensive things and for food talk to and look where the locals go. Big shops are good for stocking up on snacks and the pub bottlo is a good place to find info as well as a heat warmer.

I think we can thank the greens for everything being so expensive in Tasmania. The logging industry is going down and Tassie relies on tourism now to support its economy.

I'm not convinced that it's the loss of logging. Sounds too simple. I think that it's just priced to the maximum that any individual business thinks they can squeeze out of you. In other words, greed. Using my fish and chips example the portion size was insulting given the price. Some processed French fry chips in a (very) small bowl and two bits of fish 3" long by 1". And it cost $16. I asked for my money back. I realise I have to pay to do the things I want to see but I get very offended when I'm just plan ripped off.
And as wrinkle Arthur said, the sheer cost of getting over here on the boat, towing the trailer should have been the first combat indicator. $1400 return. No cabin, just in chairs. And I noticed that there was an $860 government rebate! So it really cost closer to $2300, WTF! That is the airfare for one of us to almost anywhere!!!
We will certainly do the desert trips and free tour in the future but as for being a "tourist" so to speak, as far as Aus is concerned, forget it.

Nino.

We've just been away for 8 weeks, including across to Tassie. Didn't take the camper trailer this time, partly due to the cost of having it behind us on the boat, but also because it's getting too old and I just can't be bothered with it any more. A couple of tents did the job - a small one that attaches under the awning for short overnight stops, and the Oztent for longer stays.

Yes - we saw some pretty "out there" pricing (and not just in Tassie either) - but it's generally pretty easy to avoid this. Plenty of free camping sites around, and also plenty of reasonably priced "paid" sites with all the facilities if you do your homework and look at what is available.

As for food - we found it no more expensive than eating at home in general - but we did have a well stocked fridge and did most of our own cooking. If you go to restaurants / eat take-away a lot, then it is going to cost, no matter where you go.

Fees to get into national parks and some attractions can be a bit on the steep side - but there are plenty of places to go that are either free or cost next to nothing. It's not only in Tassie where you have to pay to go into national parks - we had to pay to drive into the Coffin Bay national park in SA on the way home as well.

In general, I didn't find Tassie any more expensive than anywhere else on our travels. If you want expensive - drive across the Nullarbor and buy some fuel on the way. Fortunately, we didn't have to, as the long range tank gets us across quite easily. We did stop overnight in the motel at Eucla on the way back though (couldn't be bothered putting up a tent on our last night before getting home). The price for the room there was actually quite reasonable - I was surprised. The food in the motel restaurant was excellent, and also very reasonably priced.

Must admit though, as Arthur has already pointed out, local knowledge will save you a lot of money. We have a house to stay at in Tassie so acommodation was no cost unless we were travelling around the state - and my mum knows all the best places to shop.

Cost of fuel in Tassie was slightly cheaper than we are used to paying in WA. Cheapest fuel that we bought while away was in SA.

After finished our motorhome conversion in Hobart we expend 1 year in Tassie before heading north.
In 12 month we never paid 1 cent in accommodation, camping in the most beautiful places including water front in fantastic beaches.
In some towns we have free power in the camping spots.
Eating out in the local hotels was a bargain and we never paid more than $10 a head.
Those to come to Tasmania have to do the home work and will have a fantastic cheap holidays and at the same time meet very nice people.
Going back north to Bundaberg was a different experience with fines up to $1000 a day for camping in the beaches, but then again we have done the home work and during our trip north we only paid for camping in two occasions in a 12 months trip
For those that like camping in quite beautiful bush spots do the home work, get all the fossiking license that are required in each state, couple of sieves and enjoy your free camping all around Australia.

It can be done, we have done it for a total of over 24 month with an accommodation total costs of less than $60.00.
You cannot do this cheap in Europe