17 - 26 May 2017

You don't have to choose between Melbourne and Tasmania — visiting both in one trip reveals how perfectly they complement rather than compete with each other. Melbourne offers urban culture, laneways, and world-class coffee, while Tasmania delivers wild coastlines, hiking, and profound silence. The contrast between wet city energy and wild natural landscapes makes the pairing more powerful than either destination alone, and the short flight between them (under 90 minutes) makes the combination logistically simple.

We booked cheap flights. Low season and raining season.

Most people who travel to Melbourne use it as a base to reach somewhere else. Sydney is an hour away by flight. Tasmania is also an hour away. Nearly everyone chooses Sydney. We chose Tasmania, because we wanted to experience wilderness, and Sydney wasn't going to give us that.

What we got from this decision was something we hadn't fully anticipated: two completely different worlds within the same ten days. Melbourne is metropolitan, cultured, and walkable. Tasmania is raw, quiet, and vast in a way that rewires your sense of scale. Doing both back to back makes each one more vivid by contrast. We have no regrets about doing either.

Why Choose Both Melbourne and Tasmania?

The practical answer is geography. Melbourne sits at the corner of mainland Australia, making it the natural gateway to Tasmania — a short flight drops you into a landscape that feels like a different country entirely. Most international visitors who arrive in Melbourne don't realise how accessible Tasmania is, or how different it is from anything else on the Australian mainland.

The honest answer is that we wanted two different experiences and we found a way to have both.

Tasmania offered something we couldn't get anywhere else on this trip: genuine wilderness. National parks, untouched coastlines, wildlife that approaches you rather than fleeing, and a pace of life that has nothing to prove to anyone. Melbourne offered the opposite — cafes on every street, free trams, architecture, culture, and the kind of city energy that makes you want to walk further than you planned.

Together, they formed a trip with real shape: arrival energy, then stillness, then home.

Melbourne to Tasmania is approximately one hour by flight — JetStar and other budget carriers run the route regularly between Melbourne and Hobart. If you're planning both, build your itinerary as Melbourne first (to recover from the long-haul flight) then Tasmania, finishing in Hobart and flying back to Melbourne for your onward connection.

What Is the Great Ocean Road Actually Like on a Day Tour?

This was our first full day out of Melbourne, and it set the tone for everything.

The Great Ocean Road is one of Australia's most iconic drives — a coastal route carved into limestone cliffs above the Southern Ocean, punctuated by rock formations that have been shaped by millennia of waves. The most famous of these are the Twelve Apostles: a series of limestone stacks rising from the sea that are, in person, significantly more dramatic than any photograph suggests.

We booked a day tour, which covered the full route (8 hours trip). The most important thing I'd tell anyone planning this: choose a small group operator. We deliberately looked for one that capped group sizes, and the difference it made to the experience — how much time you spend at each stop, how personal the guiding feels, how quickly you move — was significant. The same operator also offered a six-day Tasmania tour, and when we booked both together they gave us a discount. Always ask — the worst they can say is no.

The tour picks up at your hotel, which sounds like a small thing but matters enormously on a long day. Wait outside the lobby ten minutes before your scheduled pickup time.

Great Ocean Road day tours from Melbourne run year-round and cover the key stops: the Memorial Arch, the Twelve Apostles, Loch Ard Gorge, and London Bridge. Full-day tours (8 hours) give the best coverage. Compare operators on group size before price — a small group tour costs slightly more but gives you significantly more time at each stop and a more personal experience.

What Else Did Melbourne Surprise Us With?

Melbourne's best moments came unexpectedly, which is exactly how the best travel moments tend to arrive.

Puffing Billy — the train that lets you sit outside. This preserved steam railway runs through the Dandenong Ranges National Park, and what makes it genuinely special is the carriages: open-sided, with passengers sitting on the edges, feet dangling, wind in their faces, watching lush rainforest pass at close range. This is not a thing modern trains let you do. If you're sitting on the right-hand side of the carriage, you'll be perfectly positioned to photograph the train curving across its famous wooden bridge — a shot worth planning for.

The captain of the train is usually happy to take photos with passengers if you spot him. Find him before you board.

The Parliament of Victoria — stumbled upon, completely free. We walked past the Parliament building on our last day in Melbourne with a gap in the schedule and, on a whim, went in. Entry is free. There are guided tours on specific days and at specific times, and the interior — the ceiling details, the chambers, the architectural grandeur — is extraordinary in a way that no amount of looking at the outside prepares you for. No bags are allowed inside; there are lockers available at the entrance.

The free tram zone. Melbourne's tram network operates a free zone within the inner city. If your feet are tired and your destination is central, the tram costs nothing. Keep an eye on the zone map and you can cover significant ground for free.

Churchill Island and Phillip Island are accessible on the same day as a combined tour from Melbourne — they add koalas at the Conservation Centre (most are sleeping, which is to say sleeping 20 hours a day, which means you'll need some patience and some luck to catch one awake) and the Penguin Parade at dusk. Photography of the penguins is not permitted — it disturbs them and can deter them from returning to their colony. The experience of watching them waddle ashore without a camera in your hands turns out to be quietly wonderful.

What Is Tasmania Actually Like — And Is It Worth the Trip?

Yes. Emphatically, simply: yes.

We joined a six-day Tasmania tour with Lost in Australia — a tour that describes itself clearly as being for young and free-spirited travellers, which is a polite way of saying it is budget accommodation, shared rooms, and communal bathrooms. Some of those bathrooms were outside, a short walk from the sleeping area. The beds were shared with two to five other people depending on room availability. Breakfast was bread and cereal at the hostel.

None of this diminished the experience. It was, if anything, part of it — the easy company of strangers thrown together by a shared itinerary, the lightness of not having a private room to retreat to, the way budget travel strips a trip down to what actually matters: where you go and what you see.

If the shared rooms are a sticking point, the tour allows accommodation upgrades for an additional fee. Pack light regardless — some rooms are upstairs and you carry your own bags.

Lost in Australia's six-day Tasmania tour covers the island comprehensively, beginning and ending in Hobart. The tour is designed as a group experience rather than a private hire — you'll be travelling with other guests throughout. Budget accommodation is standard; upgrades available. Book the final night in Hobart independently as the last tour day does not include accommodation.

What Are the Places in Tasmania That Stay With You?

Port Arthur Historic Site. One of Australia's most significant and sombre heritage sites — a former convict settlement now preserved as a World Heritage listed landmark. The entry includes a guided walking tour and a harbour cruise, which together give you a complete picture of the site's history and geography. The ruins are extensive; budget at least half a day. Lunch is not included but the on-site cafeteria covers it.

Mt Field National Park and Russell Falls. Tasmania's oldest national park. We walked through tall eucalyptus forest to reach Russell Falls — tiered, wide, and somehow more graceful than the dramatic cascades you might expect from a waterfall that appears on every Tasmania highlights list. The walk is accessible and the park also has wildlife and longer tracks for those who want more.

Cradle Mountain — seen through fog. It was a raining day when we arrived at Cradle Mountain. The summit was entirely obscured. What we got instead was the mountain appearing and disappearing through cloud — a more dramatic and atmospheric experience than a clear-day panorama would have given us. Sometimes bad weather is better weather.

Bay of Fires and Wineglass Bay .Both belong to the category of Tasmanian landscapes that make you understand why people travel specifically for this island. The Bay of Fires is named for the orange lichen-covered boulders on its coastline — vivid, unexpected, and completely unlike anywhere else. Wineglass Bay, seen from the lookout above, is a curve of white sand and turquoise water enclosed by forested hills that frames itself so perfectly it almost looks composed.

Henty Dunes. Sand dunes extending for kilometres, far inland from the coast. Out of place in a way that feels almost cinematic — a desert dropped inside a wilderness.

Cataract Gorge Reserve, Launceston. We walked from the King Bridge entrance early in the morning, which turned out to be exactly the right time — quiet, cool, the light coming through the gorge at an angle that made everything look deliberate.

**Port Arthur Historic Site:**

Port Arthur Historic Site is one of the World Heritage Listed building. There is guided walk tour and inclusive of harbour cruise (lunch is not included but you can get your lunch at the cafeteria at Port Arthur). Port Arthur has preserved ruins, restored prison and the surrounding area are beautiful which these will take half day to explore.

**Mt Field National Park & Russel Falls**

Mt Field National Park is Tasmania’s first national park which has great walks tracks, tall trees, wildlife and with its most popular Russell Falls.

**Henty Dunes**

It is a giant dune forms a vast expanse of sand that reaches a few kilometres of desert.

**Dove Lake & Cradle Mountain**

It was a raining day which it was too foggy to see Cradle Mountain Clearly.

**Cataract Gorge Reserve**

We started from King Bridge Entrance. It was a nice walk early in the morning.

**Bay of Fires**

Beautiful Bay of Fires

What Is the Wildlife Experience in Tasmania Really Like?

Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary was the last stop on the tour, and I am able to get close with Australia wildlife animals.

The kangaroos running towards us as they know usually visitors will buy food to feed them.

The moment you enter the kangaroo area, the kangaroos come to you. They don't wait politely to be approached. They know visitors come with food bags and they organise themselves accordingly — surrounding you individually, pressing close, utterly unbothered by proximity to humans. They're large animals. They're also completely gentle. Feed them, touch them, let them push their noses into your hands looking for more.

The rest of the sanctuary offers up-close access to animals that are difficult or impossible to see in the wild: wombats (round, dense, surprisingly docile), koalas, and Tasmanian devils.

The devils deserve a specific mention. They are the opposite of the kangaroos in every way — small, loud, and dangerous to be get up close.. The guide's advice show them at the distant and advice us from the enclosure: do not bend over the fencing, these animals can jump higher than you expect and their bite is not something you want to find out about firsthand. We kept a respectful distance. The devils, seemingly aware of their reputation, performed accordingly.

The Penguin Parade on Phillip Island near Melbourne is a different wildlife experience worth knowing about: Little Penguins return from the ocean to their colony burrows at dusk, and you can watch from a viewing platform. Photography and flash are strictly prohibited — it disorients the penguins and can cause them to abandon their nests. Leave the camera in your bag. Watching without photographing turns out to be a more present and more memorable experience anyway.

What Should You Know Before Visiting Melbourne and Tasmania Together?

Pack for two climates. Tasmania is colder and wetter than Melbourne, particularly in the southern winter months. What feels like sufficient layering in Melbourne will be inadequate in the Tasmanian highlands. Bring a waterproof outer layer regardless of the season — rain is a regular feature of the Tasmanian landscape.

Embrace the low season. We travelled in May — technically autumn heading toward winter, and classified as low season for both destinations. The flights were cheaper, the tours were smaller, and the wet weather at Cradle Mountain gave us something better than a clear day. Low season travel requires a mindset shift rather than an apology.

Budget for wildlife experiences. Bonorong, the Penguin Parade, Churchill Island, and Phillip Island Nature Park all carry entry fees. Factor these into your budget separately from accommodation and transport.

The Tasmania tour does not include the last night. If you're booking the six-day Lost in Australia tour, you'll finish in Hobart with the final day's activities — but accommodation that night is your own responsibility. Book it before you go.

FAQs about Melbourne and Tasmania Trip

How many days do you need for Melbourne and Tasmania?

Ten days gives you a solid experience of both without rushing — approximately four days in Melbourne including the Great Ocean Road day tour, and six days in Tasmania on a guided tour. If you have more time, an extra day or two in Melbourne for the city itself and its surrounding day trips is well spent.

Is a guided tour the best way to see Tasmania?

For a first visit, yes. Tasmania's distances are significant and public transport is limited outside Hobart. A guided tour removes the logistical complexity of self-driving in an unfamiliar landscape, particularly in winter when some roads can be challenging. The shared experience of a group tour also tends to generate better conversations and more spontaneous moments than solo or private travel.

When is the best time to visit Tasmania?

Summer (December to February) offers the most reliable weather and the longest days, and is peak season. Autumn (March to May) and spring (September to November) offer a balance of reasonable weather and smaller crowds. Winter (June to August) is cold and wet but significantly cheaper and quieter — and some of the most dramatic scenery, including Cradle Mountain, is at its most atmospheric in poor weather.

Is Tasmania suitable for budget travellers?

Yes, if you choose the right operator. Budget tour options like Lost in Australia make Tasmania accessible at a lower price point through shared accommodation and hostel stays. The landscape itself costs nothing — the national parks require an entry pass, but most of the most beautiful places in Tasmania are simply there to be walked through.

What wildlife can you see in Tasmania?

Tasmania is home to animals found nowhere else on earth: Tasmanian devils, wombats. Kangaroos and wallabies are abundant. Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary offers close-access encounters with rescued native animals. In the wild, you're likely to see wallabies and pademelons even from the road.

Do you need a car to get around Tasmania?

For independent travel, yes — a car is almost essential outside Hobart. For guided tours, transport is included. If you're considering self-driving in winter, be aware that some highland roads carry ice and snow risk; a guided tour removes this concern entirely for a first visit.

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