Well, just had the bubble burst.

Thought we might take a few weeks in Tassie in February 2010.  Did the usual web searches and found that to take the tug and tow on the boat from Melbourne would cost 6 times the cost of a single car yet it would only occupy the space of two and half standard cars.

No wonder Tassie is missing out on the caravaning boom.  With costs like that it puts a trip to the little place down the bottom out of reach of most of us. 

Not to mention that you have to first get to Melbourne to catch the boat.

I might add that those prices quoted were for "off peak".  Hate to think how much it would be in peak season.

Ma

We agree.
every time we get a quote to take car and van to Tassie is seems to be out of our reach as we travel on our pension.
Well keep saving.
Cheers Yacco

You're so right! When we were in Tassie we met people who found it cheaper to leave their van on the mainland and travel around the island with a tent. Another 2 couples told us they'd worked it out that it was cheaper to hire a motor-home while in Tassie! I wasnt sure whether they meant cheaper than bringing their caravan by ferry, or cheaper than staying in motels.?

We'll definitely be going there again, but need to work out some sort of affordable compromise.

welcome to you Yacco, yep I agree with all that is said, we take our camper across which saves a bundle compared to a van car combo but once we are there we free camp which more than recoups the cost of going over we actually found that a fly, drive, accomodation was the way top go as far as price goes, there are heaps of motels and units dotted all around the apple isle I have booked a fishing, accomodation package way up in the boondocks with a little cabin in the woods which I will be taking shortly, I already know the flys work, one got me this morning took me an hour to dig it out, well two minutes to get it out and 58 minutes to get the guts up to pull it out we will continue to go back but I agree it is costly compared to travelling on the mainland

Hee! I am a Tasmanian, I left in my Bedford in 1997 and have never had enough cash to get back. We were all told it was going to be a part of the National Highway system. When I want to visit family I fly down from Townsville cheaper than the cost of the motorhome on the ferry
Colin

Wasn't it made part of the National Highway system in the Lberal era? It seems that it is cheap for everyone to take their vehicles except us caravanners. I harbour the feeling that they don't want us caravanning over there but to just take the car and spend money on motels accomodation or B&B and eating out. I could be wrong but there is no incentive to take the van over. I haven't even researched caravan parks as I don't think I will ever go there. My thoughts on the subject for what they're worth! Oh yes, welcome Yacco, enjoy the forum some very helpful people on here.

Terry.

-- Edited by Terro on Friday 16th of October 2009 02:49:12 PM

It is only economic to take van if you are going for a lengthy period, as in months! We went for 6 months - October to April - which at that time, gave us shoulder season fares.

Not very bright, are they, cutting off the feed to their bread and butter.

When, Oh when, will the bean counters seriously get around to researching the market instead of making all those loony assumptions that lead to a total misunderstanding of where their money is really coming from.

Rolly wrote:

---

Not very bright, are they, cutting off the feed to their bread and butter.

When, Oh when, will the bean counters seriously get around to researching the market instead of making all those loony assumptions that lead to a total misunderstanding of where their money is really coming from.

---

G'day Rolly,

Surely you jest, they are probably worried they will have to give us seniors a discount.
John

 

The following appears on the Spirit Website. "The prices listed include the deduction of the Bass Strait Passenger Vehicle Equalisation Scheme rebate of $183 for a standard car and trailer and $366 for a standard car towing a caravan or a motorhome/campervan."

The following appears on the Spirit Website. http://www.spiritoftasmania.com.au/fares.html

"The prices listed include the deduction of the Bass Strait Passenger Vehicle Equalisation Scheme rebate of $183 for a standard car and trailer and $366 for a standard car towing a caravan or a motorhome/campervan."

These subsidies are Commonwealth Government ones, not Tasmanian Government ones.

My,how things have changed, 4/5 years back I looked the prices &  it was cheaper to take a 4x4 plus a camper trailer on the ferry with a cabin  than to hire a m/home.

Even for two couples to fly.share a 4/6 berth m/home the ferry was cheaper.

At the time the rental system was based on 3 - 5 or 7 day hire, any longer than that the price went through the roof.

We havent been yet & seems it's getting harder. 

How much does it cost for a passport to go there

Don't laugh too quick, it will probably come to that sooner or later

Welcome Yacco - Tony. Tassie has been on my places to go map for a long time but now ... who knows. I keep hearing it's worth the trip, but I may just take the tug and store the van, stay in cabins and shorten the plan. Or, I'll just go back to KI and check out Seal Bay and the penguins in the south coast. Tassie's loss, but unfortunately it's probably ours too. Cheers

We agree with WendyV that you have to amortise the high travel costs with a lengthy stay. We arrived in Tassie this morning. Our return fares were just under $1800 for a 13 metre total length. We really enjoyed the voyage and plan to stay until March 2010. Our first night in Tassie is at Beauty Point Caravan Park which was advertised at from $20 a night. We were charged $29 as there is two of us. We have an unmowed grassed site, no slab, no water views. Our excuse at staying here is that we are tired after the stress of driving in Melbourne. Tomorrow night will definitely be freestyle. Cheers The Keddies PS Any other Kedron caravans in Tassie at the moment, we'd love to hear from you.

Welcome to the forum Keddies!

Sorry you dont like the beauty point Cv/P, we thoroughly enjoyed it 2 years ago. Maybe we had a better site.  You can look accross the Tamar from there and see the Wood-chip mill, soon to be joined be the controversial Pulp mill.

Enjoy Tassie!!!

After reading all these posts I was starting to think that our proposed trip in Feb was gonna be a non starter.
Just got off the phone and was quoted;
12 Feb, day trip Melb-Devenport with a sea view seat
10 Apr , day trip Devenport - Melb, flexi fare, sea view seat
Combined length just under 13 M
Total cost $1518. or if I had wanted a night trip and cabin $1740.
$800 of the above figures is for the van only, that = $12.90 pd (62 nights) to have the van over there, free camp most of the time and it becomes affordable.
So off to Tassie we go.



-- Edited by Gary and Kerry on Sunday 18th of October 2009 05:18:43 PM

Keddies, we found plenty to do to occupy the months we were there. In fact, may go back one day and do some things we missed - and repeat some of the great bits. There are some good quality caravan parks, and others that are perhaps somewhat under standard of the better mainland parks, but worth a stay for special reasons. We found the parks at Stanley, White Beach (Nubeena), Dover, Wynyard to be very good. We used White Beach as base to really explore the Port Arthur peninsula - there is so much more there than just Port Arthur itself, especially if you like walking. Similarly, used Dover as base for exploring the southern parts, Hartz Mts NP, etc. We loved the Bridport CP, though it was rather basic, for the great sea views we had. Preferred the Queenstown CP, gravel sites and all, as base to explore those parts, rather than being in Strahan. The CP in Deloraine, on banks of Meander River, was very pleasant. Gary and Kerry, I know the price difference between day seat and night cabin seems significant, but I once did the Bass Strait crossing, in seat section - it was rough and many people were sick. After that experience, I happily pay the extra for cabin!

if you go for a day then it's astronomical, go for a reasonable period, say 6 or eight months, twelve if you can and that makes it worthwhile, dont take the cruise seats (ask Dave, LOL!!!) the pains not worth it, grab an inside twin cabin, then divide the cost over a few months, we just came back (angry as hell, Daves over there now, fishing of all things and we missed him) we wouldnt miss Tassie for the world

yes we are going there mid january untill end of february. did the sums and found it cheaper to frequent flyer to hobart & hire a motor home for the 6 weeks. plus we now are going to spend the 6 weeks in tasmania instead of a week towing from rockhampton to melbourne and a week going home.

brian & kerry
505 coromal & 2007 dual fuel falcon

the spirit of tasmania has half price specials running between 23 january to the 21 march on day sailings this means $47.50 for adults one way sale ends Friday 20th november. I think this is for online booking only

one other thing if you are a member of the cmca then a discount of around $75 is available as well, ask about it at the time of booking!

Hi all, Firstly, let me say that I am not knocking Tasmania. We have been here for over 3 months with 2 months to go and have had a great time. BUT, consider what is virtually a Tasmanian "Entry Fee" of almost $100. This is for a National Parks annual pass. National Parks down here are ruthless when it comes to extorting money from tourists. Consider this - a couple standing next to us at Mt. Fields NP. They wanted to do the 15 minute walk to the Russell Falls. $24.00 thankyou very much! The NP sales person tried to sell them an annual pass but they were flying out the next day. We even saw a picnic area that was signed with a $24.00 "day use" fee! The National Parks are hard to avoid (unless you have a gun or a dog) and definately well worth visiting so get your annual pass at your first NP stop. If you try to enter without a pass, there are plenty of intimidating signs. On another subject, many towns in Tasmania are "free camp" friendly which is just as well as their caravan parks are expensive. Cheers - The Keddies