Hi all you nomads out there.
I am intending to go to Tassie some time soon.  It would probably be in the summer, eg Feb 2010.  I tow my 20ft van with my 80 Series Cruiser. My original plan was to cross the creek by ferry with my rig, and then take my time travelling around the Apple Isle. But then someone suggested I leave the van on the mainland, because the terrain is a bit hilly and corners keep the driver busy. I'd appreciate the opinions of all you experienced vanners on my dilemma.
I've done the Great Ocean Road with the rig, traversed the Great Dividing Range several times, and had no problems.  But why make it hard work if I don't have to.  I still want to enjoy the trip.
Should I just go over with my cruiser and stay at parks and camps?  Or do I take the van, park at strategic places and do day trips without the van?
They say it pays to ask.  So as rare as it seems, I'm asking.

Hi Granny, As a resident of the apple isle I can tell you that if you have done those road you won't have a problem doing Tassie. Yes, parts of the West Coast will keep you busy but that can be done over several days. As an immigrant here and one who has done a fair bit of driving about the place towing boats and trailers I reckon you will will love it. I think you will find people who can such travel in Tas are those who, generally, have not researched their own travel. Cheers and good travels

Yep I'd agree with Cito and I'm a mainlander....I don't think you would have any trouble, sure some of the roads are a bit "english country lane" but the lack of traffic makes driving easier than if you were for example climbing one of the east coast escarpment roads and having to cope with b doubles on your side of the road. I would do as you suggest and find a nice spot as a base camp and trip around from there and move on after a few days.... Tassie is a compact place and the natives have a different, almost European, concept of distance. Many from Launceston have never been to Hobart and vice versa as it is a "long way", in reality a cuppla hours drive. You could do it like Dave who has only a short time and has his trip planned with military precision....

we did tassie earlier last year.put car &van on ferry.no problems.toured tassie for a month,only hilly narrow road was east from launceston but definitely no problems.nearly all roads are caravan friendly .careful staying into winter as some van parks close down or shut some of their amenity blocks. worked out slightly cheaper taking van including ferry cost compared to hotel/motel costs . so many nice places to see,great place rocan

granny I have done those roads that you mentioned and found them to be a walk in the park compared to some of tassies roads, the centre (Launceston to Hobart) and some of the east side is very good for caravans, nice and flat, the west coast and far north east coast is not van friendly at all it is straight up and straight down with hairpin turns at the bottom Hobart to lake st Clair is good and reasonably flat but beyond lake st Clair it gets very rugged, beautifull though, I would leave my van at new Norfolk (nice open park with good walks from it to the bridge) and travel to lake st Clair or book in to lake st Clair but not take it any further the road from Hobart to port Arthur is the same, very twisty and hairpins, the entrance to the port Arthur caravan park is an experience in itself it is straight up for about 40 mtrs, if you are not prepared for it one could get in to trouble, the roads in the park are very narrow with no room for maneuvering, I would give this park a miss if I was towing, however there is a free camp at nubeena you don't have road trains to contend with on these lovely little roads but you do have the local idiot hoons who see it as their right to take up all the road and proceed through these corners at a rapid rate of knots if it was me with a van behind I would pick strategic positions to leave the van, there are a lot of motorhome friendly towns in tassie who will let you kip for little or no cost, these areas are large open places with showers and toilets and firepits some of these places are Burnie.................... Devonport....... Franklin George Town........... Latrobe.......... Penguin Port Huon............... Port Sorrell..... Railton Sheffield................. Smithton .........Stanley Ulverstone............... Wynyard Tassie is not very big but if you ask a local it is huge, a trip from Launceston to Hobart is far out of reach for most locals although in reality it is 2.5 hours apart I have been further for a loaf of bread) watch the coppers over there they drive all different vehicles and different colors as well if you go into "google maps" go on tassie, click "terrain" you will see where it is and is not caravan friendly we took a 5 ton motorhome around in about 98 and I can tell you it was not easy, the roads lean into the cliffs so overhang is a problem, the corners are very sharp so you will need all of it, much easier to place the van and explore out from those positions with the vehicle when we returned the motorhome to the hire company they said it was the most kilometers they had seen knocked up in that time period by anyone we plan what we want to see as we are on a limited schedule and we want the most out of it, we were paying $220 per day for that thing and we got our moneys worth out of it when we go for 12 months the planning will go out the window, but it is such a lovely place to just daudle around in

I'm back again. As one who lives in near to Launceston I think the windy roads you are being warned about in the north east would be the Tasman Hwy over a range known as the Sideling between Launceston (Lonny) and Scottsdale. The locals don't use it but GPS units take you to it because it is the main hwy. I would suggest you use the road via Lilydale to Scottsdale or via George Town. Either way you will go past some terrific wineries! Both these roads are van friendly although a couple of decent hills via Lilydale. I am currently practicing in the north east with our new c/t in the north east because of the variety of road surfaces we can access so feel free to check on any other thing you may like to know. Cheers

i'm with cito on the sidling, i grew up in lonny and we went from there to bridport (near scotsdale) for holidays and weekends, what a nightmare, you wouldn't believe the hairpin on it. such relief when someone told my dad about the way through lilydale, ah bliss. the locals don't use it cos they know better. always ask the locals first. i still remember that almost every trip on that horror there was a truck down in the gully, (no not the same one). also there is a reason tassie has a low road toll every year. people are forced to drive careful, a good thing i reckon. whichever choice you make, me i would take the van and use the advice given in above posts, you will love it. check out bridport and mole creek wet caves. have fun. cheers. shadow.

-- Edited by romanyrebel2 at 13:31, 2009-01-20

Wow! Thanks heaps everyone.  You have all given me great, useful, unbiased advice, which I appreciate, and will certainly bear in mind.
I would only go in summer, eg. Feb after school hols are over.
After living in the Kimberleys in WA, where the nearest town is 250kms away, and we'd go for a drive to "do lunch" at the King Sound Pub, Tassie will be a piece of cake.  In fact, having driven around Oz by the top and the bottom, Tassie will be easy.
I do plan to base myself and do day trips etc. I have friends near Hobart, and I hope I can park in their paddock for some of my stay.
The warning came from my daughter who has been over there 3 times, the most recent being Christmas. She's just looking after he mum.
Once again, thank you everyone for your responses and advice.
Cheers Granny

Well CG you sound prepared.... Before you go read "For the Term of His Natural Life" by Marcus Clark.....

Hey Granny. Your gunna love it over there, I lived at Meander for quite a few years, built a two story stone house on ten acres with air strip and nursery.
Every one in Tas are friendly, it will take you a long time to see it all as there is no better state to wander around and you wont want to leave.

Something else to do in Tassie is to travel to the southernmost point of Australia, South East Cape  http://www.ontheroad.com.au/old/previous/october2000/oct00cape.htm and while you are at it visit the Ida Bay Railway, when I was there we did the trip in an antique Wolsley Rail Motor.... http://www.idabayrailway.com.au/default.htm

Road Ranger wrote:

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Hey Granny. Your gunna love it over there, I lived at Meander for quite a few years, built a two story stone house on ten acres with air strip and nursery.
Every one in Tas are friendly, it will take you a long time to see it all as there is no better state to wander around and you wont want to leave.

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 Oh yes I will, when it gets too cold for "dem bones".  But I'm sure I'll see nearly everything, thanks to everyone's advice.  I'm glad I asked.
I really do appreciate all the experiences you have shared with me. That's what is so great about this site. Nice to be among friends.
Cheers Granny

just a little note from one who has just returned from there if you stick to the highways with the van you will be fine, the road to keep the van away from is the western tiers but you absolutely MUST do this drive...............