HBA - Tour suggestions - Dec 2020 & NYE

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Ade

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Hello dear AFF'ers,

Trust yourself & everyone you know are safe during this pandemic.

A very good friend of mine & I are planning to do a road trip across Tasmania during the last weeks of Dec 2020 and planning to spend the NYE in HBA.

Our idea is to fly MEL-HBA and hire a car. The plan is to visit the below places ;

1. Mt. Wellington
2. Russell Falls Creek Track
3. Lake St. Clair
4. Cradle Mountain
5. Launceston & surroundings
6. Bridestowe Lavender farm
7. Bay of Fires
8. Freycinet National Park

then return to HBA airport and fly back to MEL. We were thinking we'd do the above route in 6 days ... Any advice on the above ? Am I missing any OBVIOUS places to visit or too little? Thoughts?

And for the NYE, want to see the fireworks that MIGHT happen at the Waterfront. I read up online and there was a suggestion to go up to Mt. Wellington to get a good view of the fireworks.

I checked HBA city council website - no mention of any firework for NYE :(

So, does anyone, local to HBA perhaps know if there is going to be fireworks and if yes, how sooner should I get to HBA Waterfront to secure 2 good spots to see the fireworks - that is if they are going to happen ...

Any & every suggestions welcome :)

Cheers,
Ade
 
You may get some tips from @drron 's trip report:
 
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I'm no expert on southern Tasmania but there are a few members down there.
Though for Launceston there are these TRs I have done.First pre Covid and the second at the height of Tasmania's covid experience and the North West lockdown.


In the current TR linked above there will be some Launceston restaurant reviews and there will be some reports of the area around Deloraine and possibly Sheffield which are on the route back to Launceston from cradle Mountain.

Another source of information is Ben Milbourne's new TV show Left off the Map.All about Tassie and on every weekday at 3.30,Saturday at 4.00 and Sunday at 2.30.
 
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......
1. Mt. Wellington
2. Russell Falls Creek Track
3. Lake St. Clair
4. Cradle Mountain
5. Launceston & surroundings
6. Bridestowe Lavender farm
7. Bay of Fires
8. Freycinet National Park

then return to HBA airport and fly back to MEL. We were thinking we'd do the above route in 6 days ..

Thats a lot to do in only 6 days. I think we spent 4 days in Cradle Mountain alone.

Bridestowe lavender farm would be wonderful! I can only wonder what its like without all the bus loads of tourists! My advise is to get there 5mins before it opens or an hour before closing - better lighting.
 
What an amazing trip.

Can I point out though you are going to be spending 90% of your time driving though with that very ambitious itinerary!

My advice to people is to always allow more time, split up the regions and come back in a few months and do another region.

Tassie is a lot bigger than people think :)
 
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NYE in Hobart this year will be much tamer than usual - no Taste of Tasmania and a limited Sydney-Hobart yacht race reception. Due to all that I don't think space will be at a premium; you can get good views from many places around the docks and beyond - it just depends if you want to be in a social type venue. But we still have seated to have a drink rule (I think outside venues you can stand). I haven't heard that they have cancelled the fireworks. Going up Mt Wellington is an in interesting idea, if its a clear night. Not sure if there will be hoards of others? Its a pretty narrow and winding road up there and back. There is also Mt Nelson lookout - lower but much more accessible (and possibly much more popular??) Frankly, I wouldn't put NYE fireworks in Hobart near the top of highlights for your trip.

Your itinerary is a bit ambitious for 6 days. I wouldn't recommend it as is

Cradle Mtn - at least a day, preferably 2 minimum. 1/2 a day drive to get there and 1/2 a day back.

Freycinet - at least a day, preferably 2-3.

Hobart / Mt Wellington / Mt Field National Park (Russell Falls) - 2-3 days

Launceston / Tamar Valley - 2 days

Personally, I would drop Launceston, Bay of Fires, Lake St Clair (definitely drop this - a pretty view, but a full day to get there and back!) and the lavender farm, and keep to the 'south' for the 6 days, but I have a feeling that the Lavender farm is a highlight; in that case I think there might be others closer to the south? Bay of Fires is a very nice beach, but hardly unique and again, a lot of driving to get there.

Look at Google earth to check out drive times - places may look close but the roads are often narrow and winding with limited overtaking - summer means caravans etc on the road.

Also, once you decide on an itinerary, *book accommodation and a car ASAP* ASAP!! Although tourism will still be down, many of the places you want to go are premium and usually you can't get decent accommodation at this stage.

For Freycinet look at www.wineglassbay.com Self-contained rentals are your best bet.

If you prune all the north off, you might look at Port Arthur - a day trip from Hobart. Not only very scenic, but a pretty unique place. Look at Stewarts Bay Lodge to stay at.
 
I agree with every else above - you are trying to do too much in a week ! Maybe concentrate on doing Hobart - Cradle Mt - Hobart loop.
Plenty to see and do in the bottom half of tassie.






 
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Bridestowe lavender farm would be wonderful! I can only wonder what its like without all the bus loads of tourists! My advise is to get there 5mins before it opens or an hour before closing - better lighting.

Thanks @Denali for this point - I have let my friend know about your comment and she is excited :) We are planning to go 10 mins before it opens ...
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Can I point out though you are going to be spending 90% of your time driving though with that very ambitious itinerary!
hmm ... I think we'd have to revisit the trip plan ...
 
I agree with every else above - you are trying to do too much in a week ! Maybe concentrate on doing Hobart - Cradle Mt - Hobart loop.
Plenty to see and do in the bottom half of tassie.







Thank you @mrs.dr.ron

re : trying to do too much in a week - reading the response on this thread, we are also arriving at a similar understanding, that we are indeed squeezing in too much in a week's time.

Back to the drawing board - to trim & shape the trip plan :)

Re : the links you shared - thank you so much, we will use these resources :)
 
NYE in Hobart this year will be much tamer than usual - no Taste of Tasmania and a limited Sydney-Hobart yacht race reception. Due to all that I don't think space will be at a premium; you can get good views from many places around the docks and beyond - it just depends if you want to be in a social type venue. But we still have seated to have a drink rule (I think outside venues you can stand). I haven't heard that they have cancelled the fireworks. Going up Mt Wellington is an in interesting idea, if its a clear night. Not sure if there will be hoards of others? Its a pretty narrow and winding road up there and back. There is also Mt Nelson lookout - lower but much more accessible (and possibly much more popular??) Frankly, I wouldn't put NYE fireworks in Hobart near the top of highlights for your trip.

Your itinerary is a bit ambitious for 6 days. I wouldn't recommend it as is

Cradle Mtn - at least a day, preferably 2 minimum. 1/2 a day drive to get there and 1/2 a day back.

Freycinet - at least a day, preferably 2-3.

Hobart / Mt Wellington / Mt Field National Park (Russell Falls) - 2-3 days

Launceston / Tamar Valley - 2 days

Personally, I would drop Launceston, Bay of Fires, Lake St Clair (definitely drop this - a pretty view, but a full day to get there and back!) and the lavender farm, and keep to the 'south' for the 6 days, but I have a feeling that the Lavender farm is a highlight; in that case I think there might be others closer to the south? Bay of Fires is a very nice beach, but hardly unique and again, a lot of driving to get there.

Look at Google earth to check out drive times - places may look close but the roads are often narrow and winding with limited overtaking - summer means caravans etc on the road.

Also, once you decide on an itinerary, *book accommodation and a car ASAP* ASAP!! Although tourism will still be down, many of the places you want to go are premium and usually you can't get decent accommodation at this stage.

For Freycinet look at www.wineglassbay.com Self-contained rentals are your best bet.

If you prune all the north off, you might look at Port Arthur - a day trip from Hobart. Not only very scenic, but a pretty unique place. Look at Stewarts Bay Lodge to stay at.

Thank you @RooFlyer for the information. We are going to look into the trip and do necessary re-planning

Re : Car - as of last night, we were only able to find a few cars left at Hertz (airport & CBD). All other providers (Avis, Budget, Thrifty) are all out of stock !

Re : Accommodation - We still did not look into this. I guess we need to start sorting this today !
 
No priority boarding/blossoming?

Wouldn't it awesome if they had something like that :D I was looking at a private tour of the farm ... still working on it I'd say ...

Besides, I'd be flying JQ into HBA from MEL ... So I'm not expecting any priority boarding. lol
 
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Make sure you have a lavender ice cream !

We last went in December 2018
 
We went there for opening.

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And dont forget to stop for fruit and cheese goodies. We visited Hillview Berries and Ashgrove Cheese.
 
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Re : Car - as of last night, we were only able to find a few cars left at Hertz (airport & CBD). All other providers (Avis, Budget, Thrifty) are all out of stock !

On the radio this morning. Hire car companies have sold up to half their stock due to covid downtown plus good second hand market.

And I forgot MONA - thanks drron. It’s been refurbed during its closure. Take the ferry up from Hobart docks.
 
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Make sure you have a lavender ice cream !

We last went in December 2018
I'm suddenly back in Hokkaido :)
 
Here's our (now booked but cancellable) plans for March - April next year. 11 nights. We've been to Hobart a couple of times now and could easily go again, just won't be stopping this time.

We were going to hire a Cruisin' Sandpiper but ended up booking an Apollo Euro Tourer. Sandpiper nearly one metre shorter and with permanent bed but also another $600! 10% discount on Apollo with RACQ membership.

Coles Bay 2 nights
Launceston 1 night (big Al tells me just 15 minutes from Josef Chromy)
Cradle Mountain 2 nights
Strahan 2 nights (Gordon River Cruise booked, again 10% discount with RACQ membership)
Pedder Wilderness Lodge 1 night (decided to pay for a room at the lodge and be able to walk more, rather than drive back out)
Cygnet (Fat Pig Farm feast) 1 night (luckily a Saturday feast, due to it being Easter weekend)
Bruny Island 1 night (Bruny Island Cheese here we come!!!)
 
This is probably paywalled, but Google the headline (The Mercury) to see if you can get it. An interesting piece by David Walsh - MONA's creator. It will help you understand him/MONA a bit (maybe!!).

A sample

MONA to reopen on Boxing Day after nine-month COVID-19 closure

IMAGINE, if you will, a world not salted with meaning, nor peppered with purpose.

Imagine there’s no consequence for our actions other than those that we mutually cohere, and socially implement (‘no hell below us, above us only sky’).

Imagine our choices being bound only to our beliefs, not tarnished by our fear of repercussions. Imagine, for example, that I built Mona, not out of Catholic guilt nor evolutionarily mediated status-seeking, but in a passionate attempt to entertain, and edify, and enable.

You’d have to have a vivid imagination to imagine that last imagining.

Come, my people, enter your rooms and shut your doors behind you. Hide yourselves for a little while until the fury has passed by.

Isaiah 26:20


Mona was ceded to its audience out of some perverse longing to remould some tiny segment of my world to my own ends (whatever they may be), to augment my understanding of things I should know but forever doubt (opinions vary – some people really like Vegemite, or Donald Trump, or prayer, but their opinions grace them as nobly as mine ennoble me), and to uphold and expand my social covenant (Mona is a friendship filter – if you like it, there’s an increased chance you’ll like me).
 
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