In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · Australia
Scottsdale
Stay one night as a base for the northeast forests, or skip it: the town centre is a 15-minute walk end to end, and you need a car for anything beyond it.
Scottsdale is a small farming town of about 2,000 people in northeast Tasmania, 70 km from Launceston. It works as a cheap, quiet base for bushwalks, the Bridestowe lavender farm in December and January, and the drive to Bridport and Derby. Without a car there is little to do, and the town centre is a single main street.
- Country
- Australia
- Best months
- Nov–Apr; lavender blooms late Dec–Jan
- Avoid
- Jun–Aug (cold, wet, short days)
- Stay
- 1 night
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
- 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 |
| Pie or pastie | A$6–9 |
| Pub counter meal | A$22–35 |
| Draught beer, pub | A$8–12 |
| Supermarket groceries, per person per day | A$15–25 |
| Litre of fuel | A$1.80–2.10 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- LST · Launceston Airport
- About 1 h by road; hire cars at the airport.
Typical fares
- Redline coach, Launceston → Scottsdale
- about A$20–30, about 1 h (check)
- Hire car, one day
- A$60–140 plus fuel
- Bridestowe entry
- a few dollars in season
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
A car is close to essential: sights are spread along forest roads and the coast. The town centre is walkable in about 15 minutes end to end. Redline Coaches run a couple of services a day from Launceston and Derby (check the timetable).
See and do
Known for
- Bridestowe lavender farm (Dec–Jan)
- Northeast forest bushwalks
- Northeast Park and its creek
- Base for Bridport and Derby
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Bridestowe lavender farm | Drive from town; about 15 min | About 20 min |
| Bridport | Drive north on the B84, about 15 min | About 20 min |
| Derby | Drive east on the Tasman Highway, about 30 min | About 35 min |
| Launceston | Drive the Tasman Highway or Lilydale Road, about 1 h | About 1 h |
Sleep
- King Street and the town centre
- Walk to the shops, pubs and Northeast Park; the only area with real choice.
- Bridport (15 min north)
- Coastal option with beaches; needs a car for every trip into town.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Thank you | Thanks |
| Where is the supermarket? | Where's the Woolies? |
| Is this the road to Bridport? | Is this the Bridport road? |
| Can I pay by card? | Card OK? |
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
- Arriving via Lilydale Road, turn into King Street or you can drive past the town without noticing it.
- Forest walks start off unsealed logging roads: get a map and check conditions before you go.
- Mobile coverage is patchy on the forest roads and around Cuckoo Falls.
- Fuel and food options are limited after about 18:00; fill up in Launceston if you arrive late.
The real risks are unsealed forest roads, patchy mobile coverage and cold, wet weather on walks: carry water, a jacket and a paper map, and check road conditions before you go.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Scottsdale yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Bridestowe lavender farm (Dec–Jan)
- Northeast forest bushwalks
- Northeast Park and its creek
- Base for Bridport and Derby
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Discover Tasmania — official state tourism: www.discovertasmania.com.au/
- Bridestowe Estate: bridestowelavender.com.au/
- Redline Coaches: www.redlinecoaches.com.au/
- Wikivoyage: Scottsdale (Tasmania), revision 5242311 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5242311
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Scottsdale
Can you take me to this address?
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No consulates in town; the nearest are in Hobart and Melbourne.
Fuel up and buy food before 18:00; options are limited after that.Fuel up and buy food before 6:00 PM; options are limited after that.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/scottsdale-tasmania). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.