2016-11-26

Over the past two months we have been highlighting some of the best 4WD destinations and adventures in Australia. This is the 7th installment in our blog series. All Budget Trucks locations have a wide variety of vehicles available including 4WD and all terrain trucks that allow you to get to some of the most remote and rugged destinations in Australia. There are many tracks, adventurous road trips, and destinations in Australia where a four wheel drive vehicle is required and then others where one is recommended.

In part one of our blog series on 4WD Adventures in Australia, we featured Stockton Beach, the Simpson Desert French Line, and Gibb River Road. For part two of our 4WD destinations, we explored Canning Stock Route, the Gunbarrel Highway, the Birdsville Track and the Hay River Track. For part three, we highlighted  4WD adventures Cape York Track / Old Telegraph Track, Binns Track, and Victorian High Country and Billy Goat Bluff. For part four of our 4WD Destinations and Adventures, we took you on more 4WD adventures to the Nullarbor Plain, Cape Le Grand National Park, and Cape Leveque. For part five of our rugged terrain destinations, we covered the Great Central Road, Shark Bay, the Warlu Way, and the Oodnadatta Track. In part 6, we discovered The Old Andado Track, Anne Beadell Highway, Dalhousie Springs, Owen Springs Reserve, and Palm Valley in Finke Gorge National park. Today, we are still on the rugged trail for 4WD destinations and will be exploring four wheel drive destinations in Tasmania. The four wheel drive tracks we will explore in this blog include Mt Wellington, Cradle Mountain, and the Huon Valley.

Mt Wellington



Mount Wellington Photo Credit: (Wikipedia) By tubagooba – http://www.flickr.com/photos/tubagooba/2656035626/, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6316506



View of Hobart from Mount Wellington Photo Credit: (Wikipedia) By JJ Harrison (jjharrison89@facebook.com) – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5285572



Mount Wellington Summit Photo Credit: Australia.com

Wellington Park Map Photo Credit: Google Maps

Mount Wellington overlooks Tasmania’s capital city of Hobart. It is located in the southeast corner of the island state. Wellington Park provides protection for all of the wilderness that is located so close to the city. You will need a four wheel drive vehicle to traverse the rugged terrain of Mt Wellington. Once you drive to Mt Wellington, there is plenty to do on foot as well. There are walking tracks, hiking tracks, and mountain bike trails too. Of course, you can drive the 21 km to the summit and enjoy the panoramic views of Hobart, the Tasman Sea and beyond. Other four wheel drive trails in Mt Wellington Park include Jefferys Track that follows the route from the Derwent Valley to the Huon Valley and Wellington Park Fire Trails. The Wellington Park Fire Trails are rated hard and you need a permit for the East West trail via Montrose Road.

Huon Valley

Huon River Photo Credit: (Wikipedia) By Peripitus – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2878349

Huon Valley Aerial View Photo Credit: Tasmania.com

Huon Valley Tahune Airwalk Photo Credit: Tasmania.com

Huon Valley Map Photo Credit: Google Maps

The Huon Valley is located in the southernmost section of Tasmania. It is just a 30 minute drive from Hobart. The “old road” in the Huon Valley is a winding but very scenic drive from the foothills of Mount Wellington all the way south to Huonville. Stops along the route include the Apple and Heritage Museum, the Tahune Forest Reserve with the Tahune AirWalk in Geeveston, and the Huon River. This road takes you to the furthest point south that you can drive in Australia as well as Southport, the southernmost settlement in Australia. The drive from Hobart to Geeveston is about 60 km and takes about an hour if you go straight through, but you certainly should stop along the way and see the sights that southern Tasmania has to offer.

Hiring a Four Wheel Drive in Hobart

City of Hobart Truck Hire Map Photo Credit: BudgetTrucks.com.au

Hobart is in the southwest corner of Tasmania, Australia’s island state. Since Hobart  is a hub city in Tasmania, there are two truck rental locations in Hobart. You can hire a four wheel drive vehicle in the city of Hobart  or at the Hobart International Airport.  If you plan to visit any destinations in Tasmania outside of Hobart, talk to your car rental agent about the type of vehicle you should hire out. Much of Tasmania is rugged terrain so you might need a 4WD vehicle even if you aren’t specifically planning on four wheel drive track adventures. Also, when you let your agent know where you are going they can provide you with maps, local tips, and driving instructions. While in Hobart, check out these other blog post for tips on what to do on holiday there:

Things to Do in Hobart, Tasmania

Tasmania’s East Coast Road Trip

Tasmania’s Tasman National Park

5 Places to Visit in Tasmania

The River Run Road Trip across Tasmania

Strangest Places to Visit in Tasmania

The Taste of Tasmania

Bay of Fires Lodge Walk

The Freycinet Experience Walk

The Maria Island Walk

The South Coast Track

The Tarkine Rainforest Walk

Cradle Mountain

Cradle Mountain as seen from the north, across Dove Lake Photo Credit: (Wikipedia) By Bjørn Christian Tørrissen – Own work by uploader, http://bjornfree.com/galleries.html, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6496154

Cradle Mountain and Barn Bluff Photo Credit:(Wikipedia) By Bjørn Christian Tørrissen – Own work by uploader, http://bjornfree.com/galleries.html, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6496092

New Pelion Hut on the Overland Track in Cradle Mountain – Lake St Clair National Park Photo Credit: Australia.com

Pine Forest Moor in Cradle Mountain – Lake St Clair National Park Photo Credit: Australia.com

Cradle Mountain is located in the north west of Tasmania in Cradle Mountain – Lake St Clair National Park in the region called the Central Highlands. This region is very remote and rugged and four wheel drive vehicles are necessary to get around. Much of the park is for mountain climbing and bushwalking. Cradle Mountain is the fifth highest mountain in Tasmania, reaching 1,545 metres above sea level. There are different walks and trails to follow on your unique, remote holiday.  They varying terrain includes mountains, valleys, plains, forest, and river, so you can expect your experience in this region to include diversity, to say the least. The climate is also likely to change with temps reaching above 35°C in the summers and below freezing in the winters. It can snow at any time, and rain is also very common. Ice makes bushwalking or mountain hiking much more difficult in the winter, so less experienced bushwalkers or hikers are advised to go in the summertime, which is more temperate. If you want to stay in Cradle Mountain, camping is available, so are the Cradle Mountain huts and the Cradle Mountain Lodge, for a more luxurious experience in nature.

Hiring a Truck in Northern Tasmania

Cradle Mountain Map Photo Credit:Google Maps

Tasmania Truck Hire Map Photo Credit: BudgetTrucks.com

There are three locations in Tasmania where you can hire a vehicle for your Tasmanian adventure holiday. The closest ones to hire a truck to get to Cradle Mountain are in Davenport  or Launceston. Cradle Mountain is about a 2 hour drive from Launceston or a little over an hour drive from Devonport. Both cities have airports so if you have flown into Tasmania or taken the ferry over from the Australian mainland, you still can have a means of getting around on your own while on the island state of Tasmania. Launceston is located in the north of Tasmania where you can rent a truck at the Launceston Airport, or hire a vehicle in the city of Launceston location. The coastal city of Devonport is another location where you can hire a truck in Tasmania at the Devonport Airport  or rent a vehicle in the city of Devonport. Click the links above a see our site to get a rate quote and see what great rates Budget has available for you. You will want to hire a car so that you will be able to get around Tasmania. When you do hire a vehicle in Tasmania, be sure to consult with the car rental agent for guidelines about driving in Tasmania and about any specific restrictions. Much of the Tasmanian landscape is rugged terrain so be sure to let your agent know where you are going so that they can provide you with the correct vehicle (4WD), proper maps, and driving instructions. While in northern Tasmania, see things to do from our previous blogs over on our sister site: Budget.com.au:

Great Walks of Australia: The Cradle Mountain Huts Walk

The Great Walks of Tasmania: The Walls of Jerusalem Experience

The Overland Track

Mole Creek Karst National Park

Tasmania Touring Route Launceston to Bridport

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