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Voykit pocket guide · Australia
Margate
Skip as a base: Margate is a 20-minute stop on the Channel Highway between Hobart and Kingston. Stay in Hobart or Kingston and drive down for half a day.
Margate is a small Channel Highway town of about 3,900 people, 20 km south of Hobart and 8 km southwest of Kingston. Most of the old town burned in the 1967 bushfires, so what is left is a short list: a museum, a garden, and a train parked beside the road that now holds shops and food. It works as a half-day stop on the way to the Huon Valley, not as a place to sleep.
- Country
- Australia
- Best months
- Nov–Apr
- Avoid
- Jun–Aug (cold, wet, short days)
- Stay
- 0–1 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$90–140 excl. bed · Mid A$150–230 excl. bed · High A$250+ 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 · Tasmania Police assistance line 131 444
- 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$4.50–6 |
| Museum entry, adult | A$7.50 |
| Kebab or gozleme at the Margate Train | A$10–18 |
| Counter meal in Kingston | A$25–40 |
| Fuel, unleaded per litre | A$1.80–2.10 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | A$10–30 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- HBA · Hobart Airport
- About 35–40 min by car via the Tasman Highway and Southern Outlet; no direct bus to Margate
Typical fares
- Hobart → Margate by car
- about 20 km (12 mi), 30–40 minabout 12 mi (20 km), 30–40 min
- Margate → Kingston by car
- about 8 km (5 mi), 15 minabout 5 mi (8 km), 15 min
- Hobart Airport → Margate by car
- about 35–40 min
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
You need a car. Margate sits on the B68 Channel Highway; from Hobart take the Southern Outlet (A6) then the Kingston Bypass (B68) for about 5 km (3.1 mi) past Kingston. There is no useful local bus for sightseeing, and the two main sights are 1.5 km (0.9 mi) apart on the same highway, so most people drive between them or walk the shoulder.You need a car. Margate sits on the B68 Channel Highway; from Hobart take the Southern Outlet (A6) then the Kingston Bypass (B68) for about 3.1 mi (5 km) past Kingston. There is no useful local bus for sightseeing, and the two main sights are 0.9 mi (1.5 km) apart on the same highway, so most people drive between them or walk the shoulder.
See and do
Known for
- The Margate Train and its carriages of shops
- Channel Museum and the 1967 bushfire history
- Inverawe Native Gardens and birdlife
- Gateway to the D'Entrecasteaux Channel and the Huon Valley
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Kingston | Drive northeast on the B68 Channel Highway | About 15 min |
| Hobart | B68 to the Kingston Bypass, then the Southern Outlet (A6) | About 30–40 min |
| Richmond | Drive via Kingston and the Coal River Valley | About 45 min |
| Cygnet and the Huon Valley | Continue south on the B68 through Kettering and Cygnet | About 45–60 min to Cygnet |
Sleep
- Hobart or Kingston (recommended)
- Full range of beds and evening food; Margate is a 20–30 min drive.
- Margate and Snug
- A caravan park and a few cabins only; book ahead in summer and expect to drive for dinner.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Thank you | Thanks |
| Where is the toilet? | Where's the loo? |
| Can I pay by card? | Card OK? |
| How much is it? | How much? |
| Is it far? | Is it far? |
| Cheers | Cheers |
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
- Distances look short on the map but the Channel Highway is slow and winding; allow more time than a map app suggests.
- Summer bushfire risk is real in this region; check the Tasmanian fire service warnings before a hot, windy day.
- Cell coverage is patchy on parts of the Channel Highway south of Margate.
- Many Margate businesses are small and close early or on odd days; check before you drive down.
Very safe for a small town; the real risks are the winding Channel Highway, wildlife on the road at dusk, and summer bushfire weather. Lock the car and keep valuables out of sight at trailheads.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Margate yet. Suggested stay: 0–1 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- The Margate Train and its carriages of shops
- Channel Museum and the 1967 bushfire history
- Inverawe Native Gardens and birdlife
- Gateway to the D'Entrecasteaux Channel and the Huon Valley
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Channel Museum: channelmuseum.org/
- Inverawe Native Gardens: www.inverawe.com.au/
- Discover Tasmania — The Margate Train: www.discovertasmania.com.au/things-to-do/heritage-and-history/themargatetrain/
- Wikivoyage: Margate (Tasmania), revision 4712689 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4712689
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Margate
1567 Channel Highway, Margate TAS 7054
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies in Margate; consulates and embassies are in Canberra, with consulates-general in Sydney and Melbourne.
Most businesses here are small and cash-free; tap-and-go cards work almost everywhere.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/margate-tasmania). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.