Tasmanian Sojourn

In February I managed to get in a few days cycle touring in Tasmania riding from Launceston to Hobart to visit friends. The route I took is a popular one with cyclists - The Tassie Express.

February is a good time to cycle Tasmania – the maximum daytime temperatures are in the low 20s, the humidity is low and you have 14 hours of daylight. Everyone seems to have hit on the same conclusion and I saw many touring cyclists, but also lots of Grey Nomads, hired campervans and packs of middle aged motorcyclists in leathers (MAMILS?). The caravan parks were full.

Traffic

Tasmanian roads tend to be narrow and often without a shoulder. However I found traffic volumes to be low. Tasmanian drivers in the main were courteous, usually giving me wide berth or slowing down behind me until it was safe to overtake. Not so much with caravans, campervans and people towing boats. Currently there is a prime time TV ad campaign about giving cyclist 1.5m overtaking room that would seem to be working.

Distance makes the difference

Distance makes the difference 2

Launceston Airport – Longford [14 km]

I arrived on a late afternoon flight so it was straight off to my camp at Longford. If I had had more time I would have gone via Evandale home of the penny-farthing races.

Launceston Airport has a “Bike Port” immediately across the road from the Arrivals area. Here you can find bicycle tools and pumps to assist with assembling your bicycle.

Longford – Cressy – Cambelltown [66km]

Well if you tour in Tasmania you have got to expect rain! As I rode along I got on and off showers, then a thunderstorm with gale force wind came over and I had to take cover. The high winds kept up, but being from behind, I was able to clip along at a good pace on the meandering flattish road through rolling farmlands.

Cambelltown – B34 road - Swansea [71km]

This was the best day’s ride of the tour. I left Cambelltown early in a light mist heading towards the hills in the east lit with pre-dawn light. The road is a 650m climb through farmlands and forests followed by a decent back down to sea level. As you scream down to the coast you see the Freycinet Peninsula in front of you. There was very little traffic. The only supply stop is the Kalangadoo store.

Swansea – Triabunna [51km]

This section is along the Tasman Highway so has a lot of tourist traffic on it. The road is undulating with some sharp blind curves and in places has no real edge. I left very early to avoid the traffic. As you leave Swansea there are great views of Freycinet on your left. Triabunna is the port for the Maria Island ferry if you wish to explore the island. I saw several touring cyclist get off the morning ferry.

Triabunna – Tasman Highway –C350 road – Richmond [63km]

Another day of hill climbs which start at Orford where you find the Prosser River on your immediate right and “beware of falling rocks” cliffs on your left. I had intended to turn off the Highway at Buckland and take the dirt road through Nugent but as there was very little traffic I ended up staying on the Highway. Richmond of course is “the” historic Tasmanian town and was packed to the gills with tourists.

Compulsory photos for every cycle tourist

Richmond – Bridgewater – Intercity Cycleway – Hobart [45km]

This is the long way into Hobart but keeps you off the main roads. After crossing the Derwent at Bridgewater you will see a sign directing cyclists onto the back roads. At Claremont this becomes the Intercity Cycleway which runs by the river all the way to the docks at Hobart and Salamanca Place. On the way you pass the famous MONA art galley – well worth a visit.

Flying-out Warning

I flew out of Hobart on the morning flight. The check-in counters only opened 1 ½ hours before the flight. I was lucky that I had pre-boxed my bike and was driven to the airport by a friend. If I had had to box at the airport I would have been in trouble: 20 minute line up to get a box, 1 hour to assemble box and disassemble the bike, 20 minutes line up again to check-in the bike, 10 minutes to get bike box through over-sized luggage.