An epic road trip from Launceston to Hobart by coach

The renaissance of train travel has been well documented, but is coach travel about to have its moment in the sun?

I’m in my thirties. I haven’t been on a coach tour since I was 19 years old and exploring Europe for the first time. I’m sure you can guess which company transported me around the continent. My main reason for travelling via coach was safety and the desire to eliminate travel-related stress – this was in the time before smartphones when all you had to rely on was your pre-trip research, a fold-out map and the kindness of strangers.

I’ve since bookmarked coach travel for the later chapters of my life. Instead desiring the spontaneity of a well-researched trip full of plans loosely held for this season. But when the opportunity to travel East Coast Tasmania with AAT Kings for five days landed in my inbox, I jumped at the chance. Maybe coach travel is about to have its moment in the sun – just like the renaissance of train travel, or the unrelenting survival of cruising – I wanted to find out if this type of road trip has something to offer travellers my age. Let me give you a taste of what I found.

Launceston to Bicheno: Day 1-2

Lunch at the Tasmanian Gourmet Sauce Company

The couple’s Evandale property is the base for Tasmania’s Gourmet Food Co. (Image: Tourism Tasmania & Kathryn Leahy)

Pork sausages and chicken marinated overnight in Julie Barbour’s world-renowned sauces are sizzling away on the barbecue when our coach arrives at the charming Evandale property she shares with her husband Tim. It’s also where their business, Tasmanian Gourmet Sauce Company, was born. The idea came to Julie on a sunny afternoon with friends while trying to enjoy ice cream paired with a very bad store-bought raspberry sauce. Tim recalls that the sauce was so terrible it caused his wife to question why you can’t buy real raspberry sauce in Tasmania. “She said, ‘I’m going to make it’. And she did. And that was 30 years ago,” he adds.

Today the business includes a range of onsite experiences for groups to book in advance. It’s the first stop on the itinerary and we’re here to enjoy the Gourmet BBQ Lunch, a 1.5-hour seating that includes salads, cheese platters and an assortment of the couple’s all-natural mustards, chutneys and condiments to try. I leave with a bag full of treats – including the famous raspberry sauce that started it all.

Ride the Cataract Gorge Scenic Chairlift

There are many ways to take in the sights but none beat the Cataract Gorge Scenic Chairlift. (Image: Katie Carlin)

With full bellies, the next stop on the road is Cataract Gorge. It’s a balmy day in Launceston when I board the Cataract Gorge Scenic Chairlift. Swimmers are taking full advantage of the pool, others hiking the perimeter of the basin or getting in an afternoon run.

Owner Jo Larter was just a child when her parents launched the chairlift in 1972. It was a new way to take in the natural beauty of the reserve and modifications in 2012 made it accessible for visitors of all abilities. She says its proximity to the city is one of the most amazing things about the reserve.

“If you want to climb a mountain you can. If you just want to ride the chairlift and enjoy the beautiful views, you can. If you just want to go for a stroll and park yourself under a big old tree, you can do that too,” says Jo.

At a total span of 457 metres, it’s the longest single span of any chairlift in the world and the 10-minute ride over the gorge rewards with expansive views of the South Esk River, majestic dolerite cliffs and the historic suspension bridge. And the finale? Drifting through thousands of pink and white azaleas in full bloom.

Order lavender ice cream at Bridestowe Lavender Estate

Sampling lavender ice cream at Bridestowe Lavender Estate. (Image: Katie Carlin)

It’s day two of the tour and the curved rows are still green at the world’s largest lavender farm, we’re a few weeks shy of the Festival of Flowers (approximately mid-December to mid-January).

The history of Bridestowe Lavender Estate stretches back to 1921 when CK Denny, a London perfumer, migrated to Tasmania with a packet of lavender seeds sourced from the southern French Alps.

“Today, people travel from all over the world to come here and get that photo in the [rows of] lavender,” says Bridestowe tourism manager Kim Weston. “It’s a pure spectacle.”

Lavender in full bloom. (Image: Luke Tscharke)

But even without the purple-drenched rows, there’s still plenty to enjoy – from tours and classes to the cafe and store. Inside, bright purple ice cream is piled into cups, lavender tea is steeping on the bench and lavender-infused cakes line the cabinets. I try the ice cream and tea and ponder the perks of travelling as a group. You really do get access to the people behind the experience. And it’s these moments that enrich your time in unexpected ways, with or without the Instagram photo.

Feeding time at East Coast Natureworld

A Tassie Devil catches the scent of lunch in the air. (Image: Katie Carlin)

The final stop today brings me face-to-face with a Tasmanian devil. His little wet nose is twitching his two sets of whiskers; he smells something he likes. I start to wonder if it’s me. But a ranger has arrived behind me with lunch. I watch as seven devils devour a wallaby carcass in a game of tug of war.

The rare white wallaby makes an appearance. (Image: Tourism Australia)

The devils are the main attraction at East Coast Natureworld in Bicheno – especially the joeys, admittedly I’m viewing them in a new light after witnessing their parents eat lunch. But the 150 hectares are also home to free-roaming kangaroos, the rare white wallaby, the Tasmanian quoll, wombats, echidnas, snakes and an aviary full of birds. I’m surprised by how well they’ve baked in enough time for us to enjoy all the park has to offer. There’s even time for one of the travellers on tour to get a little too close to one of the birds in the aviary, to his chagrin. It was hard to tell if the squawks were from the bird or him.

Bicheno to Coles Bay to Sorell: Day 3

Hike to Wineglass Bay Lookout

Stunning views of Wineglass Bay from the trail lookout. (Image: Katie Carlin)

I rise early to the sunrise from my room by the sea at Beachfront Bicheno. This morning’s hike is on my mind as I board the coach. The crescent-shaped strip of white sand set against the turquoise blue waters cradled within Freycinet National Park is Tasmania’s most iconic view and it’s been roughly seven years since I last clapped eyes on it. The walk to Wineglass Bay Lookout is around 1.3 kilometres each way with short steep uphill sections. I pass the trail down to the beach. The itinerary doesn’t allow for the longer six-kilometre return walk down to Wineglass Bay (but if you have three hours to spare, one of Australia’s best beaches awaits).

The lookout trail is a grade three with some bushwalking experience recommended. Budget for 1-1.5 hours return, or two hours if you want to take your time at the viewing platform. The view doesn’t disappoint, and our early departure means we now have this place mostly to ourselves. Not everyone joined the hike, but they weren’t left without options. A small group got to try the brand-new Pennicott Cruise, Freycinet Aqua Express. Admittedly, we were all a little jealous when we greeted them at the dock.

The charming town of Richmond

Old Georgian buildings now host a mix of cafes, shops, and restaurants. (Image: Alastair Bett)

After working up an appetite on the hike, our sights are set on lunch, and the famous scallop pies our AAT Kings Travel Director Carolyn Tipper has been raving about all morning. The sandstone arches of the convict-built Richmond Bridge are the first thing I see of the colonial-era town. It’s the oldest surviving bridge in Australia. Richmond also lays claim to the oldest Catholic church and oldest intact gaol – with one former convict rumoured to be the inspiration behind the character of Fagin in Charles Dickens’s Oliver Twist. Then there’s Old Hobart Town, a model village of Hobart as it stood in the 1820s (you’ll need at least an hour to dedicate to the ticketed experience). But history isn’t the only reason to visit.

The vanilla slice at Richmond Bakery is the best the writer has tasted. (Image: Katie Carlin)

The streets are lined with restored Georgian buildings now housing restaurants, cafes, galleries and accommodation. And as the second stop of the day, Richmond Bakery, renowned for the (previously mentioned) scallop pie and vanilla slice, is a welcome sight. There’s also the Richmond Lolly Shop and Richmond Chocolate Shop (scoop up the hard-boiled raspberry lollies and a bag of clinkers-like chocolates). Throw in the art galleries and boutiques and I’d confidently crown it Tasmania’s most charming town. Admittedly, I would have liked another hour to explore but the excitement of arriving at our accommodation for the night is enough to get me on the coach in time for departure.

Iron Creek Bay Farm Stay

The accommodation at Iron Creek Bay Farm. (Image: Peter Whyte Photography)

Nestled in Sorell, on the route between Hobart and Port Arthur is Iron Bay Creek Farm Stay. Designed by architect Misho Vasiljevich of Misho + Associates, it features 22 budget rooms with communal areas for guests as well as 15 premium guest pavilions with three, four or five bedrooms, kitchenettes and sitting areas designed for families and groups travelling together.

The accommodation, new to the AAT Kings 2025 itinerary, is as much about the experience as it is the property, as General Manager Rodney Black tells me. I ask for his recommendations. “Picking the fruit through the season, our farm animal experience and dining at [onsite restaurant] Orana for the food and amazing views of Pitt Water across to kunanyi/Mount Wellington are the top three experiences to have during a stay.”

Dining at Orana is one of the must-do experiences. (Image: Peter Whyte Photography)

Fruit-picking is free for guests (cherries excluded) but there are also numerous trails around the 60-hectare property and a calendar full of farmgate experiences scheduled throughout the year. Our schedule allows time to feed the animals, pick perfectly sweet-tasting strawberries and enjoy dinner, so we’ve managed to tick off the main attractions in one short night’s stay.

Port Arthur to Hobart: Day 4-5

Port Arthur Historic Site and Tasmania’s best fish and chips

Terrible history meets natural beauty at Port Arthur Historic Site. (Image: Katie Carlin)

The morning of the second-last day has been spent exploring Port Arthur Historic Site. After three hours spent soaking up the stories of more than 30 historic buildings and ruins spread across 40 hectares, I am full on history and ready to sink into the seats back onboard the coach.

Tour Director Carolyn has been teasing a very special lunch stop all morning and she finally reveals the details as we drive into Doo Town past beachside shacks emblazoned with names such as ‘Make Doo’, ‘Doo Drop In’ and ‘Just Doo It’. It’s a tradition the residents of the quirky holiday village on the Tasman Peninsula have upheld since the 1930s. But a food truck parked near the blowhole at Eaglehawk Neck is the main attraction this afternoon.

Officially the best fish and chips the writer has ever tasted. (Image: Katie Carlin)

I’m told Michael Nowakowski and Kelly Whitton, owners of Doo-Lishus, serve up Tasmania’s best fish and chips. Today’s catch is deep sea trevalla – already a great sign. Two mouthfuls in and I’m convinced they deserve the title. Others try the fresh oysters, scallops, potato cakes and burgers, but rabbit and venison pies as well as freshly made berry-rippled ice creams are also on the menu. The seasonal business operates throughout the warmer months, check their Facebook page for updates.

Pennicott’s Iron Pot Cruise

Australia’s oldest lighthouse is the star attraction of the cruise. (Image: Katie Carlin)

Robb Pennicott is fresh off winning gold at the Tasmanian Tourism Awards for Major Tour and Transport Operator – an award he’s won five times in the past seven years – when he greets us at the wharf. He’s basically Tasmanian royalty at this point and his two-and-a-half-hour Iron Pot Cruise is the perfect finale for my last morning in Tasmania. As Robb expertly circumnavigates the oldest lighthouse in Australia, I think back to my mission to understand the appeal of coach travel at every age. The obvious reasons remain: ease, safety, and stress-free travel, but the real highlights of the trip have been the people I’ve met; passionate Tasmanians who have showered me with insights and pointed out wonders I would have otherwise missed. As I spy a seal sunning himself from the water, I realise there is still spontaneity to be found in coach travel. You just have to keep your eyes open and enjoy the ride.

Trip details

The AAT Kings coach is state of the art. (Image: Katie Carlin)

Tassie’s East Coast Highlights is a five-day AAT Kings guided holiday starting in Launceston and ending in Hobart. The tour runs annually from September to May (closed in the winter months) and prices start from $2515 adult twin share and $3335 single room at time of publishing. Four nights’ accommodation, coach transportation, four breakfasts and two dinners are included in the price.