Hi all,
I am new to this forum and looking for an advice.
We are about to visit Tasmania for three weeks either in November 2011 or March 2012 (avoiding what we think is a busier time). I would like to ask whether someone could guess or would know which of these two months is more stable weather-wise on an average and also whichever is less busy as far as camping is concerned.
We will be moving a lot around relaying mostly on ourselves (outdoor and camping, visiting National Parks, Reserves, hiring a car). Also – whether there is possible toplug in a normal (Australian) electricity plug to charge camera batteries and such in the paid camps or if there are only caravan hook-up units.
I would appreciate any advice on these.
Thank you.
Regards,
Ava
1
November or March?
Started by
Ava
, Aug 06 2011 08:15 AM
7 replies to this topic
#1 OFFLINE
Ava
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Posted 06 August 2011 - 08:15 AM
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Posted 06 August 2011 - 08:53 AM
Hi Ava and welcome to Real Tasmania.
November is about the start of the holiday season down here and March is getting close to the end. The weather down here is very changeable and we get snow at any time of year. It is starting to warm up in Nov, maybe a little bit windy and in March it should be still comfortable temperature wise. So either time would be good for camping and there may not be too many people around.
Most paid camping sites have power available. As do caravan parks, all you need to do is ask for a powered site.
November is about the start of the holiday season down here and March is getting close to the end. The weather down here is very changeable and we get snow at any time of year. It is starting to warm up in Nov, maybe a little bit windy and in March it should be still comfortable temperature wise. So either time would be good for camping and there may not be too many people around.
Most paid camping sites have power available. As do caravan parks, all you need to do is ask for a powered site.
#3 OFFLINE
Posted 06 August 2011 - 05:18 PM
Agree with Shane, though March does tend to be drier than November.
With charging batteries, we found that most places will not mind you plugging in (tourist info centres, Op Shops, Coffee Shops, etc) if you ask them nicely. We generally offered $5 for the use of power when we needed to charge batteries and found that every place we asked allowed the power but would not take the money.
Powered sites use a standard plug, so you would have no problems with those either.
With charging batteries, we found that most places will not mind you plugging in (tourist info centres, Op Shops, Coffee Shops, etc) if you ask them nicely. We generally offered $5 for the use of power when we needed to charge batteries and found that every place we asked allowed the power but would not take the money.
Powered sites use a standard plug, so you would have no problems with those either.
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If this website helps you, please consider a donation to help us keep the site running. Site Supporters (over $20 donation) also get ad free browsing
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#4 OFFLINE
Ava
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Posted 07 August 2011 - 06:40 AM
Shane V, on 06 August 2011 - 08:53 AM, said:
Hi Ava and welcome to Real Tasmania.
November is about the start of the holiday season down here and March is getting close to the end. The weather down here is very changeable and we get snow at any time of year. It is starting to warm up in Nov, maybe a little bit windy and in March it should be still comfortable temperature wise. So either time would be good for camping and there may not be too many people around.
Most paid camping sites have power available. As do caravan parks, all you need to do is ask for a powered site.
November is about the start of the holiday season down here and March is getting close to the end. The weather down here is very changeable and we get snow at any time of year. It is starting to warm up in Nov, maybe a little bit windy and in March it should be still comfortable temperature wise. So either time would be good for camping and there may not be too many people around.
Most paid camping sites have power available. As do caravan parks, all you need to do is ask for a powered site.
Hi,
thank you very much Shane, it really helps.
Best regards,
Ava
Mystic, on 06 August 2011 - 05:18 PM, said:
Agree with Shane, though March does tend to be drier than November.
With charging batteries, we found that most places will not mind you plugging in (tourist info centres, Op Shops, Coffee Shops, etc) if you ask them nicely. We generally offered $5 for the use of power when we needed to charge batteries and found that every place we asked allowed the power but would not take the money.
Powered sites use a standard plug, so you would have no problems with those either.
With charging batteries, we found that most places will not mind you plugging in (tourist info centres, Op Shops, Coffee Shops, etc) if you ask them nicely. We generally offered $5 for the use of power when we needed to charge batteries and found that every place we asked allowed the power but would not take the money.
Powered sites use a standard plug, so you would have no problems with those either.
Hi Mystic,
thank you for your reply and the added info on the batteries and the power matter. It sure shouldn't be any problem.
Thanks again.
Best regards,
Ava
#5 OFFLINE
Posted 07 August 2011 - 01:17 PM
Hi Ava,
Welcome to "Real Tasmania" and great to hear your organising a trip to our wonderful State and planning to hire a vehicle. You may want to have a quick look at the "Explore in Tasmania" post by cat123
Just to put a spanner in the works, myself I would choose November, but it really depends on what season you wish to experience in Tassie, whether it is the end of Spring or the beginning of Autumn both being great times of the year. Especially after a nice frosty morning which you can expect in either of those months including possible snowfalls at higher altitudes. Both of those months fall into the shoulder period of the tourism calendar.
If you are planning to backpack the Overland Track you will need to make a booking to get your start date allow at least 5 days, and it has to be walked north to south. The track fee is $180.00 plus you will also need a National Parks pass on top of that fee at $30.00 each. (Holiday pass which lasts for 8 weeks.) You will need this anyway if you intend to visit other national parks in Tassie. Also, unless you can get someone to transport your hire vehicle you will need to bus back to Cradle from Lake St Claire or or drive to Lake St Clair and bus or get transported back to the start of the walk but it makes it a late start to your first day. If you don't have time to do the walk and want the experience of the wilderness with a little altitude and a little luxury then an overnight-er at the BP Scout Lodge, at Cradle Mountain is worth a visit, but you will have to walk a little way to get there and carry sleeping bag and food and wine you may need to survive. It's about a 30 minute walk. Scout Lodge website
You have managed to choose travel times when children are at school which will mean that most things you want to do or see will be relatively free of noisy kids unless you arrive somewhere when there's a school trip happening.
In most of the Parks you will be expected to pay a camping fee at the specified camping area, but if your prepared to do it, you can find many good free camping spots, some of which are covered in this forum. As your planning to hire a car you may want to consider hiring a small camper-van for around $500 per week over three weeks plus fuel, instead which will make my previous comment a lot easier to achieve. A popular company with backpackers to Tassie Having a vehicle is really the only way to maximize your time in Tassie. A word of advice, if you do get a hire vehicle, take photo's of front, back & sides of the vehicle and the roof before you take charge of it, and a close-up of any specific damaged, even better if they see you doing it, this may well save you some time and any arguments when you return the vehicle in relation to scratches or dents that may have pre existed when you hired it.
If you have a roughed out itinerary of what you wish to do while your here I'm sure many of our members can point you to one or two free camping spots in their locality. My "Preston" back yard has been used a few times in the past, I have quick access to Preston Falls, 10 min walk, driving, Gunns Plains Caves, 10 mins, Leven Canyon Lookout & Walks, 20 mins, Cradle Mountain via Spellmans Bridge & Wilmot, 1 hr and a couple of vineyards with door sales if your into partaking in a little of the local fruit juices. Plus of course "The Nut" at Stanley, a drive down the "Western Explorer" Tarkine Forest route to Corrina, a nice overnight camp spot but book in advance, also have some cash for the "Fatboy Ferry" or you'll have to detour back a little of the way you came. Check with the vehicle hire company to make sure your allowed to drive this route. Some say yes and some say NO. But then again if you take it easy, they'll never know anyway, as its well and truly drive-able in a two wheel drive vehicle as are most gravel road in Tassie.
If your hiring a vehicle as you stated and your camera batteries are AA or AAA for a few of your hard earned dollars you can get a 12 volt charger that you can plug into the cigarette lighter which will solve that problem for you as you can charge while your on the move.
When your here, don't be frightened to talk to the locals and ask if they can put you onto any local vantage points or special hidden spots, these are often well worth a look-see.
Hope I have not complicated your planned trip to much, I/we look forward to seeing some of your photos after your trip published on our forum, be it later this year or in the new year to come.
Happy Tassie Travelling......
Welcome to "Real Tasmania" and great to hear your organising a trip to our wonderful State and planning to hire a vehicle. You may want to have a quick look at the "Explore in Tasmania" post by cat123
Just to put a spanner in the works, myself I would choose November, but it really depends on what season you wish to experience in Tassie, whether it is the end of Spring or the beginning of Autumn both being great times of the year. Especially after a nice frosty morning which you can expect in either of those months including possible snowfalls at higher altitudes. Both of those months fall into the shoulder period of the tourism calendar.
If you are planning to backpack the Overland Track you will need to make a booking to get your start date allow at least 5 days, and it has to be walked north to south. The track fee is $180.00 plus you will also need a National Parks pass on top of that fee at $30.00 each. (Holiday pass which lasts for 8 weeks.) You will need this anyway if you intend to visit other national parks in Tassie. Also, unless you can get someone to transport your hire vehicle you will need to bus back to Cradle from Lake St Claire or or drive to Lake St Clair and bus or get transported back to the start of the walk but it makes it a late start to your first day. If you don't have time to do the walk and want the experience of the wilderness with a little altitude and a little luxury then an overnight-er at the BP Scout Lodge, at Cradle Mountain is worth a visit, but you will have to walk a little way to get there and carry sleeping bag and food and wine you may need to survive. It's about a 30 minute walk. Scout Lodge website
You have managed to choose travel times when children are at school which will mean that most things you want to do or see will be relatively free of noisy kids unless you arrive somewhere when there's a school trip happening.
In most of the Parks you will be expected to pay a camping fee at the specified camping area, but if your prepared to do it, you can find many good free camping spots, some of which are covered in this forum. As your planning to hire a car you may want to consider hiring a small camper-van for around $500 per week over three weeks plus fuel, instead which will make my previous comment a lot easier to achieve. A popular company with backpackers to Tassie Having a vehicle is really the only way to maximize your time in Tassie. A word of advice, if you do get a hire vehicle, take photo's of front, back & sides of the vehicle and the roof before you take charge of it, and a close-up of any specific damaged, even better if they see you doing it, this may well save you some time and any arguments when you return the vehicle in relation to scratches or dents that may have pre existed when you hired it.
If you have a roughed out itinerary of what you wish to do while your here I'm sure many of our members can point you to one or two free camping spots in their locality. My "Preston" back yard has been used a few times in the past, I have quick access to Preston Falls, 10 min walk, driving, Gunns Plains Caves, 10 mins, Leven Canyon Lookout & Walks, 20 mins, Cradle Mountain via Spellmans Bridge & Wilmot, 1 hr and a couple of vineyards with door sales if your into partaking in a little of the local fruit juices. Plus of course "The Nut" at Stanley, a drive down the "Western Explorer" Tarkine Forest route to Corrina, a nice overnight camp spot but book in advance, also have some cash for the "Fatboy Ferry" or you'll have to detour back a little of the way you came. Check with the vehicle hire company to make sure your allowed to drive this route. Some say yes and some say NO. But then again if you take it easy, they'll never know anyway, as its well and truly drive-able in a two wheel drive vehicle as are most gravel road in Tassie.
If your hiring a vehicle as you stated and your camera batteries are AA or AAA for a few of your hard earned dollars you can get a 12 volt charger that you can plug into the cigarette lighter which will solve that problem for you as you can charge while your on the move.
When your here, don't be frightened to talk to the locals and ask if they can put you onto any local vantage points or special hidden spots, these are often well worth a look-see.
Hope I have not complicated your planned trip to much, I/we look forward to seeing some of your photos after your trip published on our forum, be it later this year or in the new year to come.
Happy Tassie Travelling......
Some, walk in the rain, others, just get wet.
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Ava
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Posted 17 December 2011 - 09:39 PM
Cascade, on 07 August 2011 - 01:17 PM, said:
Hi Ava,
Welcome to "Real Tasmania" and great to hear your organising a trip to our wonderful State and planning to hire a vehicle. You may want to have a quick look at the "Explore in Tasmania" post by cat123
Just to put a spanner in the works, myself I would choose November, but it really depends on what season you wish to experience in Tassie, whether it is the end of Spring or the beginning of Autumn both being great times of the year. Especially after a nice frosty morning which you can expect in either of those months including possible snowfalls at higher altitudes. Both of those months fall into the shoulder period of the tourism calendar.
If you are planning to backpack the Overland Track you will need to make a booking to get your start date allow at least 5 days, and it has to be walked north to south. The track fee is $180.00 plus you will also need a National Parks pass on top of that fee at $30.00 each. (Holiday pass which lasts for 8 weeks.) You will need this anyway if you intend to visit other national parks in Tassie. Also, unless you can get someone to transport your hire vehicle you will need to bus back to Cradle from Lake St Claire or or drive to Lake St Clair and bus or get transported back to the start of the walk but it makes it a late start to your first day. If you don't have time to do the walk and want the experience of the wilderness with a little altitude and a little luxury then an overnight-er at the BP Scout Lodge, at Cradle Mountain is worth a visit, but you will have to walk a little way to get there and carry sleeping bag and food and wine you may need to survive. It's about a 30 minute walk. Scout Lodge website
You have managed to choose travel times when children are at school which will mean that most things you want to do or see will be relatively free of noisy kids unless you arrive somewhere when there's a school trip happening.
In most of the Parks you will be expected to pay a camping fee at the specified camping area, but if your prepared to do it, you can find many good free camping spots, some of which are covered in this forum. As your planning to hire a car you may want to consider hiring a small camper-van for around $500 per week over three weeks plus fuel, instead which will make my previous comment a lot easier to achieve. A popular company with backpackers to Tassie Having a vehicle is really the only way to maximize your time in Tassie. A word of advice, if you do get a hire vehicle, take photo's of front, back & sides of the vehicle and the roof before you take charge of it, and a close-up of any specific damaged, even better if they see you doing it, this may well save you some time and any arguments when you return the vehicle in relation to scratches or dents that may have pre existed when you hired it.
If you have a roughed out itinerary of what you wish to do while your here I'm sure many of our members can point you to one or two free camping spots in their locality. My "Preston" back yard has been used a few times in the past, I have quick access to Preston Falls, 10 min walk, driving, Gunns Plains Caves, 10 mins, Leven Canyon Lookout & Walks, 20 mins, Cradle Mountain via Spellmans Bridge & Wilmot, 1 hr and a couple of vineyards with door sales if your into partaking in a little of the local fruit juices. Plus of course "The Nut" at Stanley, a drive down the "Western Explorer" Tarkine Forest route to Corrina, a nice overnight camp spot but book in advance, also have some cash for the "Fatboy Ferry" or you'll have to detour back a little of the way you came. Check with the vehicle hire company to make sure your allowed to drive this route. Some say yes and some say NO. But then again if you take it easy, they'll never know anyway, as its well and truly drive-able in a two wheel drive vehicle as are most gravel road in Tassie.
If your hiring a vehicle as you stated and your camera batteries are AA or AAA for a few of your hard earned dollars you can get a 12 volt charger that you can plug into the cigarette lighter which will solve that problem for you as you can charge while your on the move.
When your here, don't be frightened to talk to the locals and ask if they can put you onto any local vantage points or special hidden spots, these are often well worth a look-see.
Hope I have not complicated your planned trip to much, I/we look forward to seeing some of your photos after your trip published on our forum, be it later this year or in the new year to come.
Happy Tassie Travelling......
Welcome to "Real Tasmania" and great to hear your organising a trip to our wonderful State and planning to hire a vehicle. You may want to have a quick look at the "Explore in Tasmania" post by cat123
Just to put a spanner in the works, myself I would choose November, but it really depends on what season you wish to experience in Tassie, whether it is the end of Spring or the beginning of Autumn both being great times of the year. Especially after a nice frosty morning which you can expect in either of those months including possible snowfalls at higher altitudes. Both of those months fall into the shoulder period of the tourism calendar.
If you are planning to backpack the Overland Track you will need to make a booking to get your start date allow at least 5 days, and it has to be walked north to south. The track fee is $180.00 plus you will also need a National Parks pass on top of that fee at $30.00 each. (Holiday pass which lasts for 8 weeks.) You will need this anyway if you intend to visit other national parks in Tassie. Also, unless you can get someone to transport your hire vehicle you will need to bus back to Cradle from Lake St Claire or or drive to Lake St Clair and bus or get transported back to the start of the walk but it makes it a late start to your first day. If you don't have time to do the walk and want the experience of the wilderness with a little altitude and a little luxury then an overnight-er at the BP Scout Lodge, at Cradle Mountain is worth a visit, but you will have to walk a little way to get there and carry sleeping bag and food and wine you may need to survive. It's about a 30 minute walk. Scout Lodge website
You have managed to choose travel times when children are at school which will mean that most things you want to do or see will be relatively free of noisy kids unless you arrive somewhere when there's a school trip happening.
In most of the Parks you will be expected to pay a camping fee at the specified camping area, but if your prepared to do it, you can find many good free camping spots, some of which are covered in this forum. As your planning to hire a car you may want to consider hiring a small camper-van for around $500 per week over three weeks plus fuel, instead which will make my previous comment a lot easier to achieve. A popular company with backpackers to Tassie Having a vehicle is really the only way to maximize your time in Tassie. A word of advice, if you do get a hire vehicle, take photo's of front, back & sides of the vehicle and the roof before you take charge of it, and a close-up of any specific damaged, even better if they see you doing it, this may well save you some time and any arguments when you return the vehicle in relation to scratches or dents that may have pre existed when you hired it.
If you have a roughed out itinerary of what you wish to do while your here I'm sure many of our members can point you to one or two free camping spots in their locality. My "Preston" back yard has been used a few times in the past, I have quick access to Preston Falls, 10 min walk, driving, Gunns Plains Caves, 10 mins, Leven Canyon Lookout & Walks, 20 mins, Cradle Mountain via Spellmans Bridge & Wilmot, 1 hr and a couple of vineyards with door sales if your into partaking in a little of the local fruit juices. Plus of course "The Nut" at Stanley, a drive down the "Western Explorer" Tarkine Forest route to Corrina, a nice overnight camp spot but book in advance, also have some cash for the "Fatboy Ferry" or you'll have to detour back a little of the way you came. Check with the vehicle hire company to make sure your allowed to drive this route. Some say yes and some say NO. But then again if you take it easy, they'll never know anyway, as its well and truly drive-able in a two wheel drive vehicle as are most gravel road in Tassie.
If your hiring a vehicle as you stated and your camera batteries are AA or AAA for a few of your hard earned dollars you can get a 12 volt charger that you can plug into the cigarette lighter which will solve that problem for you as you can charge while your on the move.
When your here, don't be frightened to talk to the locals and ask if they can put you onto any local vantage points or special hidden spots, these are often well worth a look-see.
Hope I have not complicated your planned trip to much, I/we look forward to seeing some of your photos after your trip published on our forum, be it later this year or in the new year to come.
Happy Tassie Travelling......
Hello Cascade,
we just started detailed planning of our trip. We opted for end of summer at the end and I now found your detailed advice and suggestions for which I thank you very much indeed.
I found this site is full of great advice and very useful information.
Thanks again.....
Kind Regards,
Ava
#7 OFFLINE
Posted 18 December 2011 - 09:17 AM
Glad we have been of help and hope you enjoy your trip. Please return and share with us later 
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dave
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Posted 18 December 2011 - 03:59 PM
Hi Ava and welcome to the site,.........cant add any more so I won't........good luck to you and I hope you enjoy the place!
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if you come across someone without a smile,.................. give them one of your's....... and watch it grow!
never be mean with a kind word, ........................you may need one yourself one day!
just as I get used to today along comes tomorrow!
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