Safety first

Tasmania has always been a safe haven, naturally bestowed with wide-open spaces, empty beaches and ocean borders.

And now, Tasmanians are embracing new ways of staying safe and are enthusiastically welcoming back travellers.

Here are some tips and tricks on how to safely travel to, and within, the island.

Everyone is welcome

There are currently no entry requirements in place for travellers to Tasmania.  

Keep up to date with the latest official health and travel advice on the Tasmanian Government’s COVID-19 website.

Emergency contacts

Just in case, here are some important emergency contacts and links to safety information.

• Emergency information is updated on the  TasALERT website. ABC local radio is also a good source of current community alerts and warnings.
• In an emergency, travellers should keep up to date on the areas that may be affected and avoid non-essential travel to those locations. 
• In an emergency, do not rely on navigation systems such as Google Maps to provide road-closure information. Road closure information is available on the Tasmania Police website.
• For national-park track or road closures, see the Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service's Facebook page or website. Before you visit a national park in Tasmania, make sure you read this essential information and brush up on these general safety guidelines
• Check the weather and fire conditions and stay up to date on bushfire alerts, especially before visiting a national park. Include refuge areas in your planning and seek shelter if you’re caught on foot. Find more bushfire safety information here. 
• Centres within the Tasmanian Visitor Information Network (TVIN) are located around the state and can also provide information and help for travellers. 
• For the latest COVID-19 information, see the Tasmanian Coronavirus website.

   

  Safe Travel

  There are currently no entry requirements in place for travellers to Tasmania.   

  On the journey to Tasmania, apply the basic principles of hygiene: wear a mask where required; wash your hands regularly; delay travel and get tested for coronavirus if you’re feeling sick; and practise social distancing wherever possible. 

  At the airport or ferry terminal, avoid crowding at the counter by checking in and printing or downloading your boarding pass in advance. Travel light: go with carry-on and sidestep the baggage carousel. Use a credit card instead of cash where possible and bring your own hand sanitiser in case the airport or terminal dispensers run dry. Short flight? Use the bathroom before getting on the plane.

  On Arrival

  Maintaining social distancing – it’s easy here, with only half a million locals. Think of it as natural elbow room.
  If you develop COVID-19 symptoms while in Tasmania, get tested, and if it’s an emergency, phone 000.  
  
  See the COVID-19 website for information.

   

  Out and about

  Across Tasmania’s cities and regions there are myriad chances to safely enjoy a holiday. Here are a few ideas.

  OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES

  Tasmania’s great outdoors are… well, great. An easy way to get to know the place is to head outside and get active. Tee-off on a world-class golf course, cast a fly across a slow-flowing river, take a hike or ride a bike – these are active ways to spend a day.

  • Bushwalking is what Tasmanians do. Follow our lead by booking a multi-day hike across the highlands or along the clifftops, or step out on a short walk to a waterfall, lookout or hidden bay.
  • Mountain biking is a big deal here, with an expanding network of epic trails and entire towns geared up for mountain-bike action (looking at you, Derby, St Helens, Maydena, Penguin, Queenstown…).
  • Golf in Tasmania dates back to the early 19th century, when Ratho Farm, the oldest surviving golf course outside of Scotland, was banged-out across a field in Bothwell. Today, Tasmania has fairways clinging to cliff edges, holes scattered through sand dunes, and greens surrounded by sheep paddocks. King Island and Bridport should be top of the list.
  • Fly fishing here is almost as old as golf, dating back to 1864 when a batch of brown trout eggs from England were hatched in the Plenty River, in southern Tasmania. These days, in places such as the Tyenna River, there can be 150 wild trout per 100m of waterway. “Plenty” pretty much sums it up.

   

ROAD TRIPS

The roads here might not be particularly wide, but they sure are open. Hire a car or a campervan, pick yourself a city, a town, a region or a national park and see where the road goes. Wherever you go, there’ll be plenty of breathing room along the way. To help with planning, have a look at our road trips suggestions for inspiration.

EATING OUT

Tasmania is known for its fresh seafood, artisanal produce and island-made wine, whisky, cider and beer. 

• Hospitality venues around the state are welcoming and safe, including cafes, restaurants and bars - even farmers’ markets. 
• Prefer not to sit inside? Book an outdoor table. Yes, it can get chilly here when the sun goes down, but do as the locals do: bring layers. Maybe a beanie, too.
• Keep an eye out for roadside stalls selling everything from cherries to cheese. There probably won’t be anyone around: just drop some cash in the honesty box and prepare for a picnic.
• Hungry kids? There’s always fresh fish and chips on the beach – and maybe a swim afterwards. What’s not to like?

FESTIVALS AND EVENTS

Around Tasmania, festival and event organisers are working to keep their spaces safe. For the latest events in Tasmania, check out the month-by-month  What's on listings. 

Heading home

Before you leave, check the border requirements of your destination in case things have changed while you’ve been switched off and immersed in a Tasmanian escape.