Tasmania fits white-sand bays, tall forest and true wilderness into one island, and the weather can change in an afternoon. Here's the kit we'd bring and four campgrounds from the east coast to the far south.
Layers first. The weather here keeps you guessing.
A cosy bag, a proper rain jacket and a warm layer.
Sleeping bags with options down to 0°C for Tassie nights.
Rain jackets and ponchos for Tasmania's sudden showers.
Down and padded jackets for cold evenings around camp.
Our full ranges for fleeces, wet tracks and hot drinks.
Fleece jackets and tops for cool, changeable Tassie days.
Boots, shoes and hiking socks for muddy, rocky trails.
Hiking hats, beanies and buffs for cold Tasmanian starts.
From the east coast to the end of the road in the far south.
Beachfront camping beside the Freycinet visitor centre, with powered sites and tent-only spots in the dunes.
Good to knowPowered sites have coin-operated hot showers, and tent sites have cold showers. It's fuel stove only, so refill water at the visitor centre's filtered station and bring a gas stove.
View Campground DetailsFree beachside camping in the southern Bay of Fires, a short drive north of St Helens.
Good to knowIt's free and first come, first served, with a maximum stay of four weeks. Dogs on leads are allowed, and check local signage before lighting a fire.
View Campground DetailsA well-equipped campground just over an hour from Hobart, with powered and unpowered sites for tents, campervans and caravans.
Good to knowHot showers, laundry, a communal cooking shelter, free electric barbecues and drinking water. There are no bookings, so arrive by mid-morning, and fires aren't allowed in the campground.
View Campground DetailsFree camping across the bridge at Cockle Creek, on the edge of the Southwest wilderness and the start of the South Cape Bay walk.
Good to knowFirst come, first served, with pit toilets and a water tank that must be boiled before drinking. Fuel stove only, and no dogs past the bridge.
View Campground DetailsPlan for four seasons and fewer campfires than you'd expect.
In Tasmania's high country, snow, rain, wind and sun are all possible at any time of year. Pack a warm sleeping bag and a waterproof layer, even in summer.
Find a Sleeping BagFreycinet and Southwest National Park are fuel stove only, and fires are prohibited in the Mount Field campground. A gas stove keeps dinner simple wherever you pitch.
Find a Camp StoveYou need a valid parks pass to enter Tasmania's national parks. Sort it before you arrive so you can drive straight in.
Cockle Creek's tank water is untreated and must be boiled, and drinking water is scarce in Freycinet. Fill up at the Freycinet visitor centre station and carry a good supply.
Find a Water BottleMount Field, the Bay of Fires and Cockle Creek don't take bookings, so sites go to whoever arrives first. Aim for mid-morning, when other campers are packing up.
Rain can arrive with little warning, even on a clear morning. A properly pitched fly and a tarp over the kitchen keep things dry.
Find a Rain JacketBuilt for four seasons in one day.
Gear grouped by how you live and move.
Richardsons Beach in Freycinet National Park puts you on the sand at Coles Bay, and Cosy Corner at the Bay of Fires is free beachside camping near St Helens. Mount Field, just over an hour from Hobart, has hot showers and laundry. For somewhere remote, Boltons Green at Cockle Creek sits on the edge of the Southwest wilderness.
Yes. The Bay of Fires campgrounds are free with no bookings, and so is Boltons Green at Cockle Creek. Both work on a first come, first served basis, so arrive early. You'll still need a parks pass to enter Tasmania's national parks.
Often not. Freycinet and Southwest National Park are fuel stove only areas, and fires are prohibited in the Mount Field campground. At the Bay of Fires, bring a fire pot and check local signage first, and total fire bans override everything.
There's no car campground inside Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park. The park has the Waldheim Cabins, and the six-day Overland Track starts there for walkers. Campervans, caravans and trailers can't use Dove Lake Road, so park at the visitor centre and take the shuttle.
Generally not in national parks, so dogs can't come to Freycinet or past the bridge at Cockle Creek. Dogs on leads are allowed at most Bay of Fires campgrounds (not Jeanneret Beach) and at the Recherche Bay campgrounds just north of the Cockle Creek bridge.
Our gear is designed by campers and walkers, then tested in real weather before it goes on sale.
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