Camplify Uncovered: Tasmania adventure with Cody Eloise

Tasmania almost feels like it was built with the spontaneous, modern-day road trip in mind. Every single road leads somewhere spectacular and everything is so within reach that the necessary planning is minimal by default.

In a time for adventurers where you've gotta take your trips when you can, where you can there really is no place better, more accessible and more breath-taking than Tasmania. This was naturally the obvious choice of locations to send our friend Cody Bryce in 'The Roaming Cockatoo' - to take an adventure in a place that rewards spontaneity. For incredible images from Cradle Mountain, Lake Plimsoll, the back of The Roaming Cockatoo and more - read on.

Hey! My name is Cody and I am a photographer from Brisbane.

After not being able to travel due to Covid, touching down in Tasmania with my partner in crime Eloise for a 7-day trip was the greatest feeling. We knew we would be blown away by the place, and what better way to do it than touring around the state in a Van!

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The Roaming Cockatoo](https://www.camplify.com.au/rv/campervan-rental-launceston-tas-the-roaming-cockatoo/14238)

The Roaming Cockatoo is a brand new campervan conversion, available for hire from Launceston and is designed for adventurous couples willing to make their own journey across the beautiful Tasmanian Wilderness with style.

Choosing the Roaming Cockatoo for this trip was a no brainer for us. So much space for us both and it makes a great # Vanlife photo!

Being the smallest state in Australia, it sure does offer diverse landscapes and a variety of things to see in such a small area. Our 7-day trip was jam-packed but it was enough time to enjoy ourselves.

On the first day we landed, we picked up our Van from Gabriele from Hobart after he gave us a rundown on how to operate all the bells and whistles on the van, from the sink, cooker (warm meals on the road, yes!) lighting, charging ports and multiple storage areas. Being as keen as we are, we decided to head to Freycinet for a hike up Mount Amos the next morning for sunrise.

Then we hit the road!

To begin with, the weather was looking great, however, as soon as we woke up it started raining. As the jaunt up Mount Amos is a fair way and very steep with many slippery rocks (especially while raining) we decided to pass. If you do manage to catch great weather, Mount Amos looks like it would definitely be worth the walk up!

Tip: If you are in a van throughout your trip - download CamperMate from the app store or your phone, it can show you free/low-cost camping areas, showers, cafes, dump stations and much more. An absolute lifesaver.

Cradle mountain

As Freycinet was going to be raining the Majority of the time we would be around, we decided to head to Cradle Mountain. With mountains surrounding and multiple beaches you pass along the way, to say the drive is amazing is an understatement. There is a holiday park at Cradle Mountain but we decided to stay in Moina, a small town about 30 kilometres from Cradle Mountain. We stayed at a Lake Gairdner Free Camping Area for the night, there isn’t any phone reception there but it is a great quiet spot to stay at the Lake.

Tip: Pre-download using google maps on your phone, it can be very helpful when you don’t have access to data or wifi!

Cradle Mountain is definitely the main highlight of the trip. It is an ideal spot to immerse yourself in the pristine scenery this state has to offer. After grabbing our day passes we caught the shuttle bus from the main parking area. After a foggy morning Cradle started to peek through and revealed itself for the first time in the morning just after we arrived and we were left standing there in awe. We only did the 10-minute walk to Dove lake as it was forecasted to rain, but we were more than happy with the views we got. You could easily stay a few nights here with the amount of walks there are around the National Park. If you are driving around the area for sunrise/at dark, be aware there is a lot of wildlife around and the roads can be extremely icy.

Lake Plimsoll

170 Kilometers later we ended up in Lake Plimsoll, I have seen multiple photos online of this “Iceland” looking landscape. As you can tell, this place is mindblowing, the roads are steep and windy getting there but the views are mesmerizing.

After spending the day at Cradle Mountain and diving deep into the landscapes at Lake Plimsoll, we decided to camp at Queenstown, just over 30 kilometres from Lake Plimsoll. It is a small town of about 1900 people, with a few coffee and grocery shops to restock on all the supplies! It is known for its windy road just out of town, which makes a great aerial photo.

Back to Hobart

Heading back to Hobart, we stayed in a tiny town called Dunalley. There is a free campsite next to the local pub which has a peaceful spot to stay. If you get a clear night, make sure to check out the stars here! 6 days later we arrived back where we started! Being in Hobart on a Saturday, you would be silly to not visit the Salamanca markets, from some of the best coffee, bags, clothes, woodwork - you name it, it’s there. Give yourself about 2 hours to have a look at the entire market.

Eloise and I being plant-based eaters, we wanted to see if there were vegan/vego places around. And that’s when we stumbled across Lotus Cafe in Hobart. I won’t say much, let’s just say we went back for breakfast the next day! Hobart has a lot to offer in and around the city, I would recommend giving yourself a couple of days minimum to explore the area.

The drive out to Port Authur Historic site is worthwhile, there is an entry fee of $40 for adults and $18 for children, but it sure is worth it if you are interested to learn about the history of the area.

On the way out, make sure to drop in at The Pavement Cafe at Eaglehawk Neck, the staff there are awesome and so is the coffee! If you are blessed with a great morning, a drive up to Mount Wellington also looks nice. It was closed during our time there due to snowfall, but even if it is open be mindful of the icy and steep roads up.

After having the best 7 days around Tasmania, we decided to head to Lotus Cafe one last time for a coffee and talk about our favourite parts of the trip and talk about the next place we plan on doing another van life trip around? We don’t think we could ever go back to staying in hotels.

Thank you Camplify and Gabe! Where to next?

Cody is a passionate freelance photographer and videographer. For over four years he has been honing his skills for visual storytelling turning vision into reality. To see more of Cody's work, check out his Instagram at @codybrycecreative