Region
Tasman and South East
Base in Sorell or Port Arthur for 2 nights; drive the Arthur Highway loop — no buses, no taxis.
Key facts · Australia
- Best months
- Nov–Feb
- Currency
- Australian dollar (AUD, A$)
- Language
- English
- Plugs
- I · 230 V
- Time zone
- UTC+10 east
Rules in force · 7
- Oceania ↗Oceania's island states guard their farms and reefs at the border: tick 'yes' on the arrival card for any food, plant, animal product, soil or used outdoor gear, and let the officer decide.
- Oceania ↗Across the tropical South Pacific, cyclones are possible from November to April: choose insurance that covers weather delays and keep one spare night before a long-haul departure.
- Australia and New Zealand ↗Both countries drive on the left, with long distances between fuel stops in the outback and on New Zealand's back roads; fatigue causes more visitor crashes than speed.
- Australia ↗Almost every visitor needs a visa or an electronic authorisation (ETA or eVisitor, depending on passport) before boarding: apply only through the official Department of Home Affairs site or the official AustralianETA app, and check the rules for your passport.
- Australia ↗Declare all food, plant material, seeds, wood and animal products on your arrival declaration; undeclared items can bring on-the-spot fines or visa cancellation. When unsure, declare it.
- Australia ↗Drive on the left. An overseas licence in English (or with an official translation or International Driving Permit) is accepted for visitors; check the state rules and your rental contract.
- Australia ↗Swim between the red and yellow flags on patrolled beaches; rip currents cause most beach drownings.
This is the peninsula east of Hobart: the convict site at Port Arthur, the dog-line at Eaglehawk Neck, sea cliffs and arches, and a string of sheltered beaches at Dodges Ferry, Lewisham and Primrose Sands. It is two sparsely populated areas — turrakana / Tasman Peninsula and the South East around Sorell — joined by one road, the Arthur Highway (A9). Almost everyone sees it as a day trip from Hobart or as one overnight near Port Arthur. Without a car you cannot do it properly.
Sleep
Which bed, for how many nights, and what to do from it
Where to sleep
Sleep base
- SorellCity guide
Only supermarkets in the region; junction of the Tasman (A3) and Arthur (A9) highways.
Best Oct–Apr
JFMAMJJASOND - Port ArthurCity guide
Sleep here to start the historic site at opening; village of about 500.
Best Nov–Apr
JFMAMJJASOND
Day trip
- NubeenaPlanned
Second main town, IGA and a bank; southern end of the A9.
Page planned: listed so the region plan is complete.
- Eaglehawk NeckPlanned
The narrow neck; museum, Tessellated Pavement, Tasman Arch, Devil's Kitchen.
Page planned: listed so the region plan is complete.
- TarannaPlanned
Small stop on the A9 between Eaglehawk Neck and Port Arthur.
Page planned: listed so the region plan is complete.
Night sequences
- 1 nights
- Hobart → Port Arthur site in the afternoon → sleep Port Arthur or Sorell
- 2 nights
- Day 1 Port Arthur + Coal Mines; Day 2 Eaglehawk Neck lookouts and Southern Beaches, back to Hobart
- 3 nights
- Add a slow beach day at Dodges Ferry / Primrose Sands and a Nubeena loop
- Port Arthur + Eaglehawk Neck + the Coal Mines + the Southern Beaches in one day is four stops and a lot of driving on one road.
- Mobile coverage is patchy outside the townships; download offline maps before you leave Hobart.
- The 2013 fires destroyed much of Dunalley; fire risk is real in summer — check alerts.
Day-trips door to door
| To | From | Door-to-door p50 | Last return | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Port Arthur | Hobart | 90 min | unknown | About 100 km each way on the A3 then A9; allow a full day, or sleep over.About 62 mi each way on the A3 then A9; allow a full day, or sleep over. |
| Eaglehawk Neck | Hobart | 60 min | unknown | Lookouts and the Tessellated Pavement are short walks off the highway. |
| Coal Mines Historic Site | Port Arthur | 20 min | unknown | Saltwater River, end of Coal Mine Road; free entry, far quieter than Port Arthur. |
| Dodges Ferry / Primrose Sands | Sorell | 20 min | unknown | Sheltered beaches; the Southern Beaches micro-region. |
Bags between cities
No luggage forwarding here; you are driving, so bags stay in the car.
When and how
Months, arrival and passes
Seasons at a glance
Pick a month to see where to go.
| Country | JJan | FFeb | MMar | AApr | MMay | JJun | JJul | AAug | SSep | OOct | NNov | DDec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sorell | go | go | go | go | ok | × | × | × | ok | go | go | go |
| Port Arthur | go | go | go | go | ok | × | × | × | ok | ok | go | go |
| Australia (country-wide) | go | go | go | go | go | go | go | go | go | go | ok | ok |
Computed from each country’s own data; hover a country name for the source. Advisory countries are left out.
Climate strip
| Zone | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tasman Peninsula and South EastEast of Hobart, both sides of the A9 | best | best | ok | ok | cool | cool | cool | cool | ok | ok | best | best |
- Tasman Peninsula and South East
- Mild and drier than Hobart; beaches are usable in summer but the Tasman Sea stays cold. Bushfire risk peaks in summer — December to February — and the region burned badly in 2013.
Summer (Dec–Feb) is beach weather and also the fire season; autumn (Mar–Apr) and spring (Oct–Nov) give the same sights with fewer people.
Get in
| From | To | How | p50 | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Sorell | Tasman Highway (A3) by car | ~30 min | Sorell is the gateway and the last full supermarket stop. |
| Hobart | Port Arthur | A3 then Arthur Highway (A9) | ~90 min | About 100 km; the A9 runs the length of the region to Nubeena.About 62 mi; the A9 runs the length of the region to Nubeena. |
| Hobart International Airport (HBA) | Sorell | Car via Cambridge | ~20 min | The airport at Cambridge is close to the region; pick up a rental car there. |
| Orford / East Coast | Sorell | Smaller, less-travelled roads | check | Links the region to the east-coast holiday town; check road conditions. |
Regional passes
Port Arthur Historic Site ticket
buyThe region's main paid attraction and one of the 11 Australian Convict Sites; buy online and arrive at opening. Check current prices.
Coal Mines Historic Site
buyFree entry, open-air ruins and information boards at Saltwater River; worth the detour from Port Arthur.
Eaglehawk Neck lookouts (Tessellated Pavement, Tasman Arch, Devil's Kitchen)
buyFree roadside stops off the A9; short walks, no ticket.
Eat and move on
Regional food
| Dish | Where | Timing / trap |
|---|---|---|
| Scallop pies | Dodges Ferry: Richmond Bakery, 50 Carlton Beach Rd | A local favourite; the name is confusing — the bakery is in Dodges Ferry, not Richmond. |
| Pies and fish and chips | Dunalley Bakery, 168 Arthur Highway | Rebuilt after the 2013 fire; the pies are the draw. |
| Seafood and counter meals | Dunalley Hotel, 210 Arthur Highway (A9) | Victorian hotel built in 1892; now a seafood restaurant. |
| Seafood with water views | The Cannery, 4 Imlay St, Dunalley | In the former fish-canning wharf building; Wednesday to Saturday, closes early Sunday. |
| Cafe breakfast and lunch | Park Beach Cafe, 2 Payeena St, Dodges Ferry | Small beachside cafe; Thursday to Saturday only, mornings to early afternoon. |
Go next
Southern Tasmania
plannedBack along the A3 to Hobart, ~30 min from Sorell
The parent region; Hobart is the base for this peninsula.
Huon and Far South
plannedVia Hobart, or the channel roads south
The other southern day-trip region from Hobart.
Greater Hobart
plannedA3 west, ~30 min to the city edge
Airport, MONA and the city itself.
Derwent Valley
plannedVia Hobart, north-west
Inland alternative if the coast is wet.
Tasmania
Statewide loop via Hobart or Launceston
Plan the rest of the island from here.
Deep dive
Photos, reading and every source