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Voykit pocket guide · Australia
Taranna
Stay 1 night only if you want the Tasmanian Devil Unzoo at opening; otherwise pass through Taranna and sleep in Port Arthur or Eaglehawk Neck.
Taranna is a 156-person township on the Arthur Highway, 9 km north of Port Arthur and about 1 h 15 min from Hobart. Its one draw is the Tasmanian Devil Unzoo, an unfenced wildlife park where devils on the Tasman Peninsula have stayed free of the facial tumour disease. Everything else here is a road, a jetty and a handful of beds: treat it as a stop, not a base.
- Country
- Australia
- Best months
- Nov–Apr
- 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$140–230 excl. bed · High A$230+ 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 |
| Counter meal or pub meal | A$22–35 |
| Tasmanian Devil Unzoo entry, adult | A$44 |
| Fuel, per litre | A$1.80–2.10 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | A$15–35 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- HBA · Hobart International Airport
- Nearest major airport; about 1 h 15 min by car via Sorell and the Arthur Highway (check)
Typical fares
- Hobart → Taranna by car
- about 1 h 15 min, 75 km (47 mi) (check)about 1 h 15 min, 47 mi (75 km) (check)
- Sorell → Taranna by car
- 40–50 min on the winding A9 (check)
- Taranna → Port Arthur by car
- about 15 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. The Arthur Highway (A9) is the only through road and it is winding, so allow 40–50 min from Sorell and about 1 h 15 min from Hobart. Nubeena Road (B37) links Taranna to Nubeena in roughly 15 min. There is no useful local bus service; check with your accommodation before relying on anything but your own vehicle.
See and do
Known for
- Tasmanian Devil Unzoo
- Tasman Peninsula devils
- Arthur Highway stop between Hobart and Port Arthur
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Port Arthur Historic Site | Drive south on the Arthur Highway (A9) | About 15 min |
| Eaglehawk Neck and the Tessellated Pavement | Drive north on the Arthur Highway (A9) | About 20 min |
| Nubeena | Nubeena Road (B37) west | About 20 min |
| Sorell | Arthur Highway (A9) north | About 50 min |
Sleep
- Arthur Highway frontage
- A few motels, cabins and B&Bs strung along the A9; you need a car for all of them.
- Port Arthur (9 km south)
- More beds, the historic site and restaurants; the better base if you are staying two nights.
- Eaglehawk Neck (about 15 km north)
- Beach and lookout side; useful if you are driving down from Hobart late.
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? |
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 Arthur Highway is winding with a 100 km/h limit: drive it in daylight and expect slower times than the map suggests.
- Fuel and food are limited on the peninsula; fill up in Sorell or Hobart.
- Mobile coverage is patchy on parts of the peninsula: download maps before you leave.
- Wildlife on the road at dusk and dawn, especially between Taranna and Port Arthur.
Very safe. The real risks are the winding highway, wildlife on the road at dusk, and cold wet weather any month: carry a layer and drive in daylight.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Taranna yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Tasmanian Devil Unzoo
- Tasman Peninsula devils
- Arthur Highway stop between Hobart and Port Arthur
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Tasmanian Devil Unzoo: tasmaniandevilunzoo.com.au/
- Tourism Tasmania: www.discovertasmania.com.au/
- Wikivoyage: Taranna, revision 5166250 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5166250
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Taranna
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No consulates on the peninsula; embassies and consulates-general are in Canberra, Sydney and Melbourne (check).
Fuel, food and phone signal are limited on the Tasman Peninsula: sort all three before you leave Sorell.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/taranna). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.