8-day Tasmania motorhome holiday and Apollo Euro Deluxe review

Tasmania is one of those destinations that gets under your skin. Having explored its east coast four years ago, Lisa Wagstaff is back to explore in an Apollo Euro Deluxe Motorhome. A fun and affordable way to travel also means you can enjoy every moment immersed in the outdoors. This Tasmania motorhome holiday itinerary will help you make the most of your time here. 

Picture this: a camping holiday where it is possible to wake up in a stunning location, have breakfast, then head to a new destination in under 20 minutes. No packing away a tent or hitching a caravan. That’s exactly what you’re in for when you road-trip around Tasmania in a motorhome. 

Travelling in a motorhome means we don’t have to pull out pegs or deflate a mattress to go exploring. And the kids don’t lose teddies under hotel beds. Instead, we’re free to focus on the good stuff. Exploring bucket-list destinations, swimming, picking blackberries and enjoying simple lunches in our home on wheels.

This eight-day Tasmania itinerary will take you to mountains, lakes and wildlife spotting by bike, foot and motorhome.

After flying into Hobart, we spend a day exploring the incredible MONA.  Australia’s largest private museum has three levels of quirky and cultured underground galleries. We start early the next morning to pick up our campervan from Apollo Motorhome Holidays – Hobart. The depot is just 5 minutes from Hobart airport or 15 minutes from Hobart.

The six-berth Apollo Euro Deluxe

This is my first motorhome holiday and I feared my days would be spent searching for dump points and figuring out how to work the electronics, but I am thrilled to discover it’s anything but. I arrive at Apollo Motorhome Holidays – Hobart and for an hour, my three travel companions and I are shown the ins and outs of our six-berth Apollo Euro Deluxe.

The motorhome sleeps six – perfect for large families– and has a kitchen as well as a bathroom with a toilet and shower.

Kitchen

I’m surprised by the storage space in the kitchen. We unpack three days worth of food and there is still room in the pantry. The fridge/freezer is only 148 litres but we manage to fit everything in, Tetris style. The fridge runs off the car battery while we are driving and gas when the motorhome is not plugged in. Our bag of ice stayed frozen for the whole trip even with a few periods of the fridge being off. Cooking facilities in the kitchen include a cooktop with two gas burners, hot plate, gas oven, microwave and toaster. The kitchen also has tea towels, cutlery, sharp knives, mugs, glasses, plates, bowls, scissors, a spatula, can opener, tongs and serving spoons. The powerpoints, toaster, air conditioning and microwave only work when connected to power but the oven, fridge and cooktop operate off-grid.

Bathroom

The bathroom has a shower and vent, a small sink, two towel hooks and a Thetford toilet with a lever to open into the dump tank.

Driving and bedding down

The front cab of the motorhome has two seats with the kids sitting at the dining table which has four seatbelts. We were pleasantly surprised by how little we needed to do to prepare the van each night. The only essential things are setting up beds, turning on the gas and plugging into power every second night. The motorhome has two dining tables which convert into double beds plus a double above the cab.

There is also more storage outside the motorhome where we stowed the camping chairs and table that we also hired from Apollo Hobart.

Hobart to Cradle Mountain

While google maps said it is only four hours from Hobart to Cradle Mountain we found that driving there in the motorhome took almost a whole day. We left Hobart at 9:30am and arrived at Cradle Mountain at 5:30pm. Admittedly, we had lots of stops along the way, but it is best to set aside plenty of time to get there and enjoy some of the lovely towns as you drive.

Along the way, we fill baskets at a pick-your-own cherry farm, and stop at the historical town of Ross for one of its famous Tasmanian scallop pies and to scour the antique shops. Then it’s off to the rural town of Sheffield to admire the murals around the town. With over 140 artworks, this outdoor gallery is worthy of an afternoon.

Cradle Mountain Accommodation

After a day on the road, we’re happy to check in to Discovery Parks – Cradle Mountain, where we park in a powered site and get lost in the enchantment of the location. Trees and shrubs surround our motorhome, and wombats and wallabies wander freely around the park. Cabins and campsites are surrounded by untouched wilderness, and you’d hardly know someone was parked a few metres from you. This is nature at its greenest; the trees are even dripping with viridescent moss. 

The camp kitchen is styled like stone cottages and has a great set-up that’s perfect for families. There are pizza ovens, cooktops, barbecues and an open fireplace – bring the marshmallows! The reception area also has a small general store with basic groceries, ice creams and alcohol.

The Cradle Mountain Visitor Centre is just across the road, giving us easy access to the shuttle into the national park.

Cradle Mountain – Lake St Clair National Park

The national park is accessed by shuttle only so we park our motorhome in the massive carpark and take the shuttle to Dove Lake. With low-lying vegetation and spectacular scenery, there’s jaw dropping views in every direction. We opt for one of the steeper walks up to Marion’s Lookout, suitable for older kids and active families. We are rewarded with panoramic views for most of the stunning trail.

Dove Lake is particularly gorgeous, with a perfectly still surface reflecting Cradle Mountain. But the real highlight is spotting a mother and baby wombat waddling along the boardwalk to Ronny Creek, the most popular location for wildlife spotting. We also saw two echidnas along the trails.

Kids will also love meeting Tasmanian Devils at the After Dark Feeding Tour at Devils@Cradle. Here, you can watch the nocturnal carnivores at their most active as they play-fight and hunt for food. You can also meet the sanctuary’s spotted-tail and eastern quolls.

Keep reading:

• Camp cooking recipes the kids can do
• Tasmania’s Best Holiday Parks

Launceston

It takes 2.5 hours to drive from Cradle Mountain to Launceston. We stop in at Cataract Gorge, a two-minute drive from central Launceston. It’s a great spot for a picnic lunch with a side of breathtaking views. Entry to the urban reserve is free and once inside, families are spoiled with options. Take in the views on a scenic chairlift ride, run on the human-sized hamster wheel in the playground or swim in the 50-metre pool; little ones will love spotting the peacocks and wallabies that roam here. There are also some great pram-friendly walking paths.

Launceston accommodation

BIG4 Launceston has a small playground and jumping pillow, a basic camp kitchen with cooking utensils and a nice and clean amenities block.

Derby

Derby is a tiny town with a huge mountain biking scene, an ancient pub and my favourite free campground of all time.

After a great night’s sleep in our comfy motorhome beds, we rise bright and early for a mountain biking lesson with Lync Nietvelt from Shredly’s Adventures. Perfect for families, Derby is famous for its extensive trails that cater to beginners right up to serious pros, on tracks that weave through an ancient rainforest of giant tree ferns and eucalypts.

Make sure you book the Floating Sauna Lake Derby. It’s situated on a pontoon you can dive off into Lake Derby. You will also want to try a woodfire pizza and Nutella calzone from The Hub restaurant. If you have a bit more time, check out the schoolhouse museum.

Read: A beginner’s guide to mountain biking in Derby, Tasmania

Derby Accommodation

We stay at the free Derby Big Rig Camping Site, by the entrance to the trails at the end of the main street. You can’t book the campground and it is first in, first served but dogs and campfires are permitted. Behind the campground is the Ringarooma River with a sandy beach perfect for little ones and picnic areas.

Toilets and coin-operated showers are a five-minute walk away, so now it’s the Apollo Motorhome’s time to shine with everything we need right inside. For dinner we make burgers in the motorhome kitchen and relax by the river.

I’m becoming more and more of a fan of the convenience of having our home and all the facilities we could need on hand, with the added bonus of not needing to unpack at each destination.

Bay of Fires

After the adrenaline rush of mountain biking, a relaxing beach day is on the cards. Binalong Bay in the Bay of Fires is just over an hour’s drive from Derby.

The white sand beaches are lined with red lichen rocks, a dramatic contrast to the lush greens of Derby. At the end of the long beach there are many rock pools and little coves to explore.

We spend our time jumping into the ocean from the rocks and picking blackberries from beside the road.  To finish our day, we enjoy more of Tassie’s famous curried scallop pies from St Helens Bakery and a Van Diemens Land Creamery lemon curd ice cream from The Tasmania Shop in St Helens, the closest town to Binalong Bay. Oyster lovers can buy fresh from the suppliers between Binalong Bay and St Helens.

If your little ones like their critters scaly and squirmy, the Serpentarium Wildlife Park is a must. Home to a green anaconda, pythons, lizards and an Indian star tortoise, it teaches visitors about conservation, preservation and appreciation of nature in Tasmania.

Bay of Fires accommodation

Tasman Holiday Parks – St Helens is 15 minutes from Bingalong Bay and as smart as holiday parks get. The sites are in neat, grassy rows, the amenities blocks are clean and modern, and ‘80s music is playing for fun shower dance parties with the little ones. There is also a jumping pillow, playground and recreation room, and the onsite Parkhouse Bar and Kitchen is an elegant affair. It has an extensive menu with generous pasta portions, seafood, Aussie classics and beers on tap. We enjoy oysters and local wine on the deck while watching the sun set. While the holiday park is just across the road from the water it is very tidal and not suitable for swimming at low tide as it is quite muddy.

My favourite thing about Tassie sunsets is how late they are; in the middle of summer it doesn’t get dark until 8:30pm, which means the kids have lots of time to play on the jumping pillow after a day of exploring. For a free sleep, the campsites at Swimcart Beach come with ocean views.

Binalong Bay to Freycinet pit-stops

We stop off for morning tea in Scamander which has a great playground by the ocean and trendy Swims East Coast Coffee shop which is built inside a shipping container. 

Lunch is in Bicheno at its famous Lobster Shack. The lobster roll with fries and seafood chowder are superb. The restaurant is right in front of the Governor Island Marine Reserve and we watch the playful Australian fur seals as we eat our meal and finish it off with another Van Diemens Land ice cream.

After lunch we take the walking track from the Lobster Shack to the Bicheno Blowhole which is going off today. The shooting water is sure to delight the kids.

Freycinet National Park

While it’s slower than travelling by car, the motorhome handles the curving coastal roads to Freycinet well, and we needn’t have worried about parking our 7.7-metre-long home as we find plenty of wide car spaces. The Euro Deluxe also has a reversing camera for tighter spots.

The final day of our Tasmania motorhome holiday is spent at Freycinet National Park. We embark on the five-hour Wineglass Bay circuit walk. It starts with a climb to the famous Wineglass Bay Lookout, then down to the bay for a swim before heading over to Hazards Beach, its dunes dotted with Aboriginal oyster shell middens, evidence of past occupation by First Nations Australians. Along with beautiful ocean views, we’re happy to spot a pair of green rosellas, a particularly handsome species endemic to Tasmania.

After all the walking, a massive brownie from Geographe Restaurant and Espresso Bar goes down a treat.

Freycinet motorhome accommodation

The free Swan River Camping (also known as River & Rocks Campground) at Coles Bay is down a dirt track but if you take it slow the motorhome travels it easily. The only facility is a long-drop toilet but, thankfully, our Apollo has a toilet and shower, so it’s luxury camping for us. 

BIG4 Iluka on Freycinet Holiday Park is down the road and has views of Coles Bay from most of the elevated park. It has a cool outdoor camp kitchen right by a playground.

We stop at Kate’s Berry Farm in Swansea to see if the homemade ice cream is as good as I remember. The verdict is a resounding yes. Everything in Tassie is as good if not better than last time I visited.  I’m excited to see what I discover on my next adventure here.

Richmond

For our last night, we stay at Richmond Caravan & Cabin Park. It is only 20 minutes from Hobart Airport so it’s convenient for dropping off the Apollo Euro Deluxe before a morning flight. The park is next to horse paddocks and great for kids with a playground and indoor pool. The town of Richmond has beautiful historic buildings dating back to the 1820s as well as beautiful gardens. Take the kids to the Pooseum to give the kids a giggle while learning about all things poo. Zoodoo Zoo is a hands-on safari and native animal park seven minutes from the caravan park.

After a week spent road-tripping around Tasmania, I realise I’d spent too much time worrying if a motorhome holiday would be ‘too hard’. Instead, it gave us so much more time to explore the state’s most famous stops than traditional camping would have. And we’ve had some unforgettable adventures.

Apollo Euro Deluxe Motorhome report card 

• The Apollo Euro Deluxe sleeps six in three double beds
• It has anchor points for two baby seats or booster seats
• Hire includes kitchen utensils, bedding and towels
• The motorhome should be charged every second night
• The WikiCamps app is great for finding campsites, dump points and other points of interest
• Find great rental deals at apollocamper.com

Extra items to pack for the Tasmania motorhome holiday itinerary

• USB-C cord to connect your phone to the motorhome
• Bottle opener
• Tea and coffee
• Dish liquid and cloths
• Stubby holders (or pick up a great one at the Lobster Shack)
• Pens
• Torch
• Bug spray
• Sun cream
• Games

Keep reading:

• 9 unmissable stops on a Tasmanian road trip
• Tasmania family-friendly travel guide
• Feeling lucky? Check out our latest competitions

Tasmania family accommodation