camping tips
Tasmania has some of the best camping in Australia. It also has rules, fire restrictions and weather that catch a lot of visitors out. This covers everything before you go.
Why It Is Different Here
The wilderness is more accessible here than almost anywhere else in Australia. You can drive to free campsites right on the beach, next to rivers, or inside national parks, many with nobody else around even in summer.
But it comes with specific rules. Fire restrictions are strict and enforced. The weather is genuinely unpredictable (four seasons in a day is real, not a cliche).
Many free sites have no running water. And the wildlife will find your food if you do not store it properly.
Get it right and a Tassie camping trip is hard to beat. This page covers what you need to know before you arrive.
📋 Before You Leave Hobart
Fire Rules
This is the thing that catches visitors out most often. Campfires feel like a fundamental part of camping, but in Tasmania the rules are specific and enforced.
Gear
This is not a generic camping checklist. This is what the Tassie conditions specifically require, written from five years of kitting out customers who have come from every background.
A proper 3 to 4 season tent
A cheap summer tent will not cut it. Tassie wind and rain require a tent with good poles, a full flysheet that reaches the ground, and a bathtub floor. If you are camping on the coast or at altitude, a 4-season is worth it.
A sleeping bag rated colder than you think you need
Even in January, overnight temperatures at Cradle Mountain or on the west coast can hit 5 degrees. A bag rated to 0 degrees is the minimum for spring and autumn. For winter camping, -5 degrees or colder.
Layers, not just a jacket
Base layer (synthetic or merino, never cotton), warm mid layer (fleece or down), waterproof outer shell. All three, every trip. The outer shell needs to be genuinely waterproof.
A camp stove — not optional
Fires are not reliable as a cooking method in Tasmania. A gas canister stove is light, fast, and legal year-round. We include a stove, fuel, pot, pan, and full utensil set in every Explora gear pack.
Water storage and filtration
Most free campsites have no running water. Carry 2 to 4 litres per person per day minimum, plus a filter or purification tablets for creek water.
Waterproof hiking boots
Trails get wet. Grass can be soaked from dew by early morning. Sneakers or trail runners fail fast in Tassie conditions.
Headlamp with spare batteries
Dark comes earlier in autumn and winter and campsites have no lighting. A headlamp keeps your hands free for cooking, setting up camp and navigating to the toilet block at 2am.
Sealed food storage
Tasmania wildlife is relaxed around humans and will find your food. Possums, pademelons and wombats are determined and fearless at night. Store all food in a sealed box — never inside your tent.
The Explora Option
We built Explora around exactly this problem. Flying into Hobart, renting a car and carrying camping gear for two weeks is a logistical headache. We solve both: car and gear, picked up together in Hobart, dropped off at the end.
Camping gear packs
Tent, sleeping bags, mats, pillows, cooking kit, headlamps, sealed food box. Built for Tassie conditions, cleaned and checked before every rental.
Camping cars
Our fleet are all wheel drive capable vehicles with roof racks and plenty of storage. Pick up in Hobart with your gear already loaded, return at the end.
Wildlife
Tasmania wildlife is one of the best things about camping here. The animals have no predators and a lot of human contact, so they are remarkably relaxed. That is great for photography. It also means they will investigate your camp if you give them a reason to.
Leave No Trace
Tassie free campgrounds stay free and open because people look after them. The more campers leave rubbish or damage sites, the more likely sites are to be closed or have fees introduced.
When to Go
Every season has something going for it. For a full seasonal breakdown including what to wear, see our weather and packing guide.
Long days, warmest nights, east coast at its best. Fire restrictions at their strictest. Book national park campgrounds ahead.
Crowds drop after Easter. Golden light and foliage. Cold overnight from April. Campfires permitted again at most sites.
Quiet, cold, and beautiful. Sites are yours. Some roads and tracks close. Need proper cold-weather gear throughout.
Wildflowers, drying tracks, low crowds. September still feels like winter at altitude. November can be genuinely warm.
Ready to go?
Pick up in Hobart with everything packed and ready. Drop off at the end of your trip. No logistics, no hassle.
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