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Voykit pocket guide · Australia
Smithton
Use Smithton as a one-night base for the far northwest: the Tarkine, Arthur River and Stanley are the draw, not the town itself.
Smithton is a town of about 3,900 people on the Bass Highway (A2), roughly an hour west of Burnie, and it is the practical base for Tasmania's far northwest — the Tarkine rainforest, the wild Arthur River coast and the Nut at Stanley. There is almost no public transport out here, so a car is effectively required. Most travellers sleep one or two nights, use the town for fuel, food and a bed, and spend the daylight hours in the surrounding country.
- Country
- Australia
- Best months
- Nov–Apr
- Avoid
- Jun–Aug (cold, wet, short days)
- 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$120–180 excl. bed · Mid A$180–300 excl. bed · High A$300+ 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 mobiles 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 |
| Pub or café meal | A$20–35 |
| Takeaway pizza | A$15–25 |
| Motel double room, per night | A$120–260 (check) |
| Fuel, per litre | A$1.80–2.10 (check) |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- BWT · Burnie Airport (Wynyard)
- About 50 min east by car on the Bass Highway; small regional flights from Melbourne.
- DPO · Devonport Airport
- About 1 h 45 min east by car; the main northern gateway with the Spirit of Tasmania ferry.
Typical fares
- Smithton → Stanley by car
- about 30 min, 35 km (22 mi)about 30 min, 22 mi (35 km)
- Smithton → Burnie by car
- about 1 h, 75 km (47 mi)about 1 h, 47 mi (75 km)
- Smithton → Arthur River by car
- about 1 h, 60 km (37 mi)about 1 h, 37 mi (60 km)
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 the only realistic way to see the region; there is no useful public transport between Smithton, Stanley and Arthur River. Fuel up in Smithton before heading south — the next reliable fuel is a long way off. Roads to Arthur River and the Tarkine are sealed but narrow and wildlife-active at dawn and dusk.
See and do
Known for
- Gateway to the Tarkine rainforest
- Arthur River and the wild northwest coast
- Stanley and the Nut
- Circular Head dairy country
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Stanley and the Nut | Bass Highway (A2) east, about 30 min by car | About 30 min |
| Arthur River and the Tarkine edge | C214 south from Smithton, about 1 h by car | About 1 h |
| Burnie | Bass Highway (A2) east, about 1 h by car | About 1 h |
| Wynyard | Bass Highway (A2) east, about 40 min by car | About 40 min |
Sleep
- Smithton town centre
- Motels and the pub on and around Smith and Emmett streets; walkable to food, best for one night.
- Stanley (30 min east)
- Smaller, prettier base under the Nut; book ahead in summer.
- Arthur River (about 1 h south)
- Remote cabins and camping for the Tarkine edge; no services, bring supplies.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Where is the fuel station? | Where is the fuel station? |
| Is there phone coverage here? | Is there phone coverage here? |
| How far to the next town? | How far to the next town? |
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
- Wildlife on the road at dawn and dusk: wombats and wallabies cause real damage.
- Phone coverage drops out fast south and west of town; download offline maps.
- Fuel and food options thin out beyond Smithton; carry water and supplies.
- Many Tarkine and Arthur River experiences need booking ahead in summer.
A small, quiet town and generally safe. The real risks are rural: wildlife on the road at dawn and dusk, fast-changing weather in the Tarkine, and long gaps between fuel and phone coverage.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Smithton yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Gateway to the Tarkine rainforest
- Arthur River and the wild northwest coast
- Stanley and the Nut
- Circular Head dairy country
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Tourism Tasmania: www.discovertasmania.com.au/
- Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service: parks.tas.gov.au/
- Wikivoyage: Smithton, revision 5030576 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5030576
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Smithton
To this address, please
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No consulates in Smithton; the nearest are in Hobart, with embassies in Canberra.
Fuel up and buy supplies in Smithton before heading south or west.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/smithton). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.