Launceston & North tours.

The Bay of Fires, Bridestowe Lavender Farm, Cradle Mountain and Hollybank Forest are the four most popular day trips from Launceston on Aussie Loop. Each is genuinely different from the others — dramatic orange granite coastline, Australia's largest lavender estate in full bloom, Tasmania's most iconic alpine landscape, and a canopy adventure park 20 minutes from the city. The Bay of Fires Day Tour Tasmania covers the northeast coast in a single guided day. The Bridestowe Lavender Farm Shuttle Launceston runs direct from Launceston hotels. For those who want Cradle Mountain, the Cradle Mountain Dove Lake Day Tour from Launceston is the most focused single-day option. For a broader read before planning, the 7 days in Tasmania guide on Aussie Loop maps out how to structure a week across both the north and south of the island.

Bridestowe Lavender Estate is the largest lavender farm in Australia, located around 45 minutes northeast of Launceston near the town of Nabowla. The 260-acre property produces commercial lavender oil and is home to Bobbie Bear, the farm's beloved bear mascot whose limited-edition releases have built a cult following particularly among visitors from Asia. The lavender is in full flower from mid-December to the third week of January — this is the window when the farm turns purple and the photographs you have seen online become real. Visiting outside this window still gives you access to the gift shop, cafe and some year-round lavender varieties near the entrance. The Bridestowe Lavender Farm Shuttle Launceston on Aussie Loop departs from Launceston hotels and handles all transport — useful given the farm's location off the main highway.

The Bay of Fires is a 30km stretch of coastline in northeast Tasmania known for its white silica beaches, turquoise water and distinctive orange and red granite boulders. The colour comes from Caloplaca lichen that thrives on exposed coastal rock in the clean Southern Ocean air — it is not paint, not staining, just a slow-growing organism that intensifies in colour with age and moisture. The name comes from the fires that Aboriginal Tasmanians lit along this coast, visible to Dutch explorer Tobias Furneaux from his ship in 1773. The best beaches include Binalong Bay, Harbour Point and Swimcart Beach. The Bay of Fires Day Tour Tasmania on Aussie Loop covers the most scenic sections of the coast with a guide who knows the light and the tides. Before you go, the Bay of Fires guide on Aussie Loop covers six things worth knowing before you visit.

Hollybank Treetops Adventure, 20 minutes northeast of Launceston near Lilydale, is the main adventure hub in northern Tasmania. It offers a zipline course through blue gum forest, an off-road Segway tour through the trees and canopy walks. The Zipline Adventure at Hollybank Forest on Aussie Loop is the most consistently booked experience there. The Off Road Segway Tour Hollybank suits those who want something more unusual. Both run year round in most weather conditions. The Cataract Gorge, a 15-minute walk from Launceston city centre, has a chairlift, swimming pool in summer and walking tracks through a dramatic river gorge — no tour required, entry is free. The Derby Mountain Bike Park, around 90 minutes east, has become one of the most respected trail networks in Australia.

Yes. Low Head, at the mouth of the Tamar River around 45 minutes north of Launceston, has one of the most accessible little penguin colonies in Tasmania. The penguins return from the sea to their burrows at dusk every night of the year and can be observed at very close range with a guide and red-filtered torches — the red light does not disturb the birds. The colony is well-established and sightings are essentially guaranteed on any given evening. The Low Head Penguin Tour on Aussie Loop departs nightly from Low Head and is suitable for all ages and fitness levels. The nearby Low Head Pilot Station is Australia's oldest operating pilot station, dating from 1805, and worth a stop on the way. Combine it with a Tamar Valley wine stop in the afternoon for an excellent self-guided day from Launceston.

The Tamar Valley runs 60km north from Launceston to Bass Strait and is one of Tasmania's most established wine regions. It is known for cool-climate varieties including pinot noir, chardonnay, riesling and sparkling wine. Josef Chromy, Pipers Brook, Bay of Fires Wines and Holm Oak are among the most visited producers. The valley also produces fresh strawberries, stone fruits, walnuts and some excellent salmon from the river. The river itself is genuinely beautiful — the tidal estuary widens as you drive north and the vineyards on the hillsides above it produce grapes in a landscape that looks nothing like the Australian wine regions most visitors know. Self-driving the Tamar Valley wine trail is one of the better self-guided half days from Launceston. For those who prefer not to drive, a guided wine tour handles the logistics and keeps you honest at the cellar doors. The slow travel Tasmania guide on Aussie Loop covers how to approach the Tamar Valley at the right pace.

Both are worth it and they suit different parts of a Tasmania trip. Launceston is Tasmania's second city and a better base for the north and east of the island — the Bay of Fires, Bridestowe Lavender Farm, Cradle Mountain, the Tamar Valley wine region, Low Head penguins and the east coast road south toward Freycinet are all more accessible from Launceston than from Hobart. Hobart is better placed for Bruny Island, Port Arthur and the Huon Valley. The city itself has excellent heritage architecture, the Cataract Gorge right in the city centre, a strong cafe and restaurant scene and a more intimate feel than Hobart. If you have seven or more days in Tasmania, base yourself in both. The 7 days in Tasmania guide on Aussie Loop covers a realistic week that splits time between both cities and their surrounding regions.

Yes and it is one of the best ways to cover the east coast between the two cities without missing the highlights en route. The Launceston to Hobart via Wineglass Bay One Way Day Tour on Aussie Loop stops at Freycinet National Park, the Wineglass Bay lookout and east coast highlights before dropping you in Hobart by late afternoon. The The Big 3 Adventure Launceston to Hobart covers Cradle Mountain, Wineglass Bay and Hobart in a structured two to three day itinerary. Both avoid the common mistake of driving the Midland Highway between the two cities — a fast but scenically unremarkable road that misses everything worth seeing on the east coast.

The Bay of Fires is around 2 to 2.5 hours from Launceston by road depending on your route. The scenic route via Scottsdale, Pyengana and St Helens passes through mountain country, old growth forest on the Weldborough Pass and the dairy town of Pyengana where Pyengana Dairy makes genuine cloth-matured cheddar worth stopping for. The faster route via Avoca and Fingal runs through open farming country. Binalong Bay at the southern end of the Bay of Fires is the most accessible point and has road access, a beach, cafe and basic facilities. The most photogenic sections of orange granite and turquoise water further north require either walking in or joining a guided tour. The Bay of Fires Day Tour Tasmania handles all transport from Launceston and times the visit for the best light. Before heading out, the Bay of Fires guide on Aussie Loop covers practical information that makes the day better.

Cataract Gorge is a spectacular natural attraction 15 minutes walk from Launceston city centre where the South Esk River cuts through dramatic dolerite cliffs into a calm basin. It is one of the few places in Australia where a genuine wilderness landscape is accessible on foot from a city centre without any transport required. The first basin has a free outdoor swimming pool, a restaurant, peacocks wandering the lawns, a chairlift across the gorge and the start of several walking tracks. The Gorge Circuit walk takes around 45 minutes and follows both sides of the river through the bush. The Duck Reach Track extends further into the gorge past the old hydroelectric power station. Entry to the reserve is free. The chairlift has a small fee. It is a standard stop on every Launceston itinerary for good reason and requires no advance booking or guided tour. A good day can be built around the gorge in the morning and a Tamar Valley wine stop in the afternoon.

December to February for Bridestowe Lavender Farm — peak bloom is mid-December to the third week of January and visiting outside this window means missing the colour entirely. October to April gives the most comfortable conditions for the Bay of Fires beaches, Hollybank adventure activities and the Tamar Valley wine region. Autumn from March to May brings excellent pinot noir harvest season in the Tamar Valley and quieter roads across the northeast. Winter is cold but Low Head penguin tours run every night of the year, Cradle Mountain in snow is extraordinary, and the Derby Mountain Bike Park is open year round. Launceston itself is worth visiting in any season — the gorge, the architecture and the food scene do not have an off season. For those visiting across a longer period, the Tasmania without a car guide on Aussie Loop covers how to reach every northern destination by guided tour without a rental car.

Launceston is the better base for Cradle Mountain. The drive from Launceston is around 1.5 to 2 hours via the Bass Highway and Sheffield — straightforward and significantly shorter than the 3-hour drive from Hobart via the Lyell Highway. All Aussie Loop Cradle Mountain day tours depart from Launceston. If you are flying into Launceston Airport, Cradle Mountain is accessible as a day trip without needing to travel to Hobart first. The Cradle Mountain National Park Day Tour from Launceston handles all transport from the city. If you are doing Cradle Mountain as a day trip from Hobart specifically, the Hobart to Cradle Mountain day trip guide on Aussie Loop covers the logistics of that longer route in detail.