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Voykit pocket guide · Australia
Devonport
Give Devonport one night as a ferry or airport stop, or two if you want Cradle Mountain next morning; the town itself needs half a day.
Devonport is Tasmania's third-largest city and the mainland ferry port, about 25,000 people on the Mersey River. Most travellers pass through on the way to Cradle Mountain, an hour's drive south. The town centre sits in West Devonport; the ferry terminal is across the river in East Devonport, a long walk or a short taxi away.
- Country
- Australia
- Best months
- Nov–Apr
- Avoid
- Jun–Aug (cold, wet, windy)
- Stay
- 1–2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- AUD
- Money
- Currency is the Australian dollar (AUD, A$). Contactless cards and phones are accepted almost everywhere, including public transport in the big cities; some small cafes are card-only.
- Daily spend
- Budget A$90–150 excl. bed · Mid A$150–260 excl. bed · High A$260+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Telstra has the widest outback coverage; Optus and Vodafone (TPG) are cheaper and fine in cities and along highways.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 000 · From a mobile 112
- Plugs
- Types I · 230 V · 50 Hz · Angled two- or three-pin Type I, shared with NZ, Fiji and China; sockets have their own switch — turn it on.
- Tipping
- Cafés and casual meals: Nothing; a tip jar is optional.; Restaurants: Not expected; 10% for very good service in a nice restaurant if you wish.; Taxi / rideshare: Round up or nothing.; Tours and guides: Optional; A$10–20 for a great day guide.; Surcharges: Weekend and public-holiday surcharges of 10–15% are legal if shown on the menu.
- Water
- Tap water is safe in cities and towns; in remote places use signed drinking taps. Carry plenty on any outback drive or walk.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets in parks, beaches, shopping centres and petrol stations (servos); the National Public Toilet Map app lists them.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | A$4–6 |
| Fish and chips | A$12–20 |
| Pub main course | A$22–35 |
| Beer: schooner in a pub / six-pack at a bottle shop | A$7–10 / A$18–24 |
| 5 km (3.1 mi) taxi3.1 mi (5 km) taxi | A$15–22 |
| Bass Strait Maritime Centre entry | A$10 adults, A$5 children, A$25 family |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | A$20–40 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- DPO · Devonport Airport
- 8 km (5 mi) from the centre; QantasLink flights connect via Melbourne, up to six a day. Taxi about A$20 (check).5 mi (8 km) from the centre; QantasLink flights connect via Melbourne, up to six a day. Taxi about A$20 (check).
Typical fares
- Taxi, ferry terminal to town centre
- about A$20 (check)
- Airport shuttle, one way
- from A$10 (check)
- Spirit of Tasmania seat, Geelong–Devonport
- about A$120–180 each way, more in peak season (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The CBD is walkable; the Bluff and lighthouse are just over 30 minutes on foot. Merseylink buses cover the town and reach East Devonport roughly hourly on weekdays, but not the ferry terminal itself. Car rental desks sit at the wharf and the airport. The old cross-river passenger ferry has been suspended, so the road bridge or a taxi is the way between the two halves of town.
See and do
Known for
- Spirit of Tasmania ferry terminal
- Mersey Bluff and lighthouse
- Gateway to Cradle Mountain
- Bass Strait Maritime Centre
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Cradle Mountain | Drive the B14/C132 via Sheffield, about 88 km (55 mi)Drive the B14/C132 via Sheffield, about 55 mi (88 km) | About 1 h 20 min each way |
| Burnie | Drive the Bass Highway west, about 46 km (29 mi)Drive the Bass Highway west, about 29 mi (46 km) | About 30 min |
| Wynyard | Drive west on the Bass Highway | About 45 min |
| Stanley | Drive west via the Bass Highway | About 1 h 15 min |
| Deloraine | Drive the Bass Highway east, about 55 km (34 mi)Drive the Bass Highway east, about 34 mi (55 km) | About 45 min (check) |
| Queenstown | Drive the A10 west via Burnie and the coast | About 3 h |
Sleep
- West Devonport CBD
- Shops, pubs and the maritime centre within walking distance; best if you are on foot.
- East Devonport / near the ferry terminal
- Convenient for an early sailing or a late arrival; few services, so plan dinner before you cross.
- Along the Bluff and beachfront
- Motels and apartments near the water; 30 minutes' walk or a short drive from the CBD.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Thank you | Thanks |
| Where is the ferry terminal? | Where's the Spirit of Tasmania terminal? |
| Can I pay by card? | Card OK? |
| Is there a table for two? | Table for two, please? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake or 'G'day' / 'How are you going?'; first names from the start; avoid: Formal titles; long answers to 'how are you'
- Rounds: Buy your round ('shout') when drinking in a group; avoid: Leaving before your shout
- Queues: Queue patiently; sitting in the front seat of a taxi when alone is common; avoid: Pushing in — it is noticed
- Country: Listen to Welcomes and Acknowledgements; use local place names when offered; avoid: Touching artefacts or photographing ceremonies without permission
- Beach: Swim between the flags; respect lifesavers' instructions; avoid: Swimming at unpatrolled beaches alone
- Humour: Expect teasing and understatement; laugh along; avoid: Taking dry sarcasm literally or boasting
- Walking and driving: Keep left on footpaths and escalators; wave thanks to drivers who let you in; avoid: Stopping on the road to photograph kangaroos
Scams and watch-outs
- The walk from the ferry terminal to the town centre is long; take a taxi if you have bags.
- Book beds ahead on weekends and from December to February, when summer demand can sell out the area.
- Bass Strait crossings can be rough; if you get seasick, book a cabin rather than a seat.
- Rural roads toward Cradle Mountain can carry ice and snow outside summer.
A quiet, safe country town; the real risks are Bass Strait weather, wildlife on rural roads at dusk and cold water at the beaches.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Devonport yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Spirit of Tasmania ferry terminal
- Mersey Bluff and lighthouse
- Gateway to Cradle Mountain
- Bass Strait Maritime Centre
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Spirit of Tasmania: www.spiritoftasmania.com.au/
- Devonport City Council: www.devonport.tas.gov.au/
- Devonport Airport: www.devonportairport.com.au/
- Merseylink: www.merseylink.com.au/
- Bass Strait Maritime Centre: bassstraitmaritimecentre.com.au/
- Don River Railway: www.donriverrailway.com.au/
- Tasmanian Arboretum: www.tasmanianarboretum.org.au/
- Wikivoyage: Devonport, revision 5273387 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5273387
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Devonport
Can you take me to this address, please?
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
Most places take cards; keep a little cash for markets and small cafés. No embassies here: check your own embassy or consulate for the nearest office.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/devonport). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.