Around 18% of travellers to Tasmania arrive on the Melbourne to Tasmania ferry, which docks in Devonport. For these travellers, the Devonport to Launceston route is a red carpet welcome, a promise of their holiday adventures to come. And it can be an epic drive, done just as fun in reverse (as a day trip from Launceston). That is, if you know just where to go and where to stop along the way. Here’s exactly how to make this 70 minute drive along the Bass Highway a rollicking great road trip adventure.
Devonport to Launceston scenic drive
The straight drive from Devonport to Launceston along the Bass Highway becomes picturesque once you hit Elizabeth Town, 20 minutes out of Devonport. The countryside folds out like a giant green patchwork quilt of paddocks and rolling hills, dotted with dairy cows and docile sheep. Glimpses of rural Tasmania at it’s charming best reveal themselves.
But if you want to really capitalise on the stunning scenery adjacent to the Bass Highway, take this Devonport to Launceston scenic drive instead. 👇🏽
It picks up all of the travel-worthy stops on our top 10 list below, and wends its way through truly beautiful parts of bucolic Tasmania’s north west. The prettiest legs of the route are:
- Elizabeth Town
- Deloraine to King Solomon Caves
- Deloraine to Westbury
Devonport to Launceston things to do
1. Anvers Tasmania
Perfect for: a decadent waffle & hot chocolate breakfast
Anvers Tasmania is the kind of place you want to stop in each time you drive past. Which for us, is often.
It takes a special kind of will power to resist their famous Belgian waffles and hot chocolate. A menu staple any time of day.
If you’re setting out to Launceston in the morning this is your first stop. Perfect for a warming breakfast – either sweet or savoury – and a cosy cuppa to wash it down.
Other than the waffles, you must try their home made croissants or the Tasmanian platter to die for.
2. Ashgrove Dairy Door
Perfect for: authentic cheese-maker experience and cheese to go
Located near Elizabeth Town just 20 minutes south of Devonport, Ashgrove is one of Tasmania’s most prominent and prosperous dairies. It’s also the second stop on your Devonport to Launceston road trip. And a stop to remember, if you’re a cheese lover.
A few years ago, with support from the Tasmanian Government Ashgrove dairy underwent a major expansion of it’s milk and cheese production operations to include a ‘dairy door’. Visitors to Tasmania can now see the Ashgrove cheeses in different stages of production behind glass, and find about the Ashgrove family history.
The upgrade is first class and it’s now a major stop en-route between Devonport and Launceston, or vice versa. You’ll find a great selection of cheeses to buy and take away. Or grab a picnic table and settle in alfresco for a cheese platter and glass of wine gazing out at the paddocks of happy cows and the stunning countryside of Tasmania’s underrated north west.
My recommendation? Try the Ashgrove Walls of Jerusalem Wild Wasabi Cheese. Thank me later.
3. Van Diemens Land Creamery
Perfect for: dreamy, creamy Tassie ice creamy
Dessert lovers should not go past this stop off the Bass Highway just a few minutes south of Ashgrove Dairy for what is often rated Tasmania’s best ice cream – made by the Van Diemens Land Creamery.
To say we’re regulars here is understating it.
Every friend or family member we pick up from Launceston Airport gets to stop off at Van Diemens Land Creamery on the way home. We also love to drop in on the drive home from sojourns to the mainland.
It’s. Just. That. Good.
Our favourite mouthwatering distinctly Tasmanian flavours that you must try and simply won’t find elsewhere are:
- Caramelized Fig and Pear
- Lavender and Chocolate
- Whiskey
- Pepperberry and Leatherwood.
Add it to your Devonport to Launceston road trip. Enough said.
4. Christmas Hill Raspberry Farm Cafe
Perfect for: scenic lunch vibes & something raspberry sweet
On the same road as Van Diemens Land Creamery you’ll find Christmas Hill Raspberry Farm and Cafe. A Tasmanian raspberry fresh picked off the cane is the quintessential taste of summer down here, and that’s the best time to visit Christmas Hill Farm.
Their cafe sells raspberry dishes to die for; I can never get past the pancakes or the raspberry affogato personally. There’s also a big selection of raspberry-made products to take home with you – jams, syrups, & sweets like chocolate covered raspberries that make the perfect Tasmanian gift or trip souvenir.
The cafe overlooks a picturesque countryside more reminiscent of England than rural Australia. If you’re heading here for lunch on the weekend or in the holidays, book ahead.
4. Eastford Creek Vineyard
Perfect for: one of the tastiest platters we’ve had in a long time, overlooking the vines
Eastford Creek Vineyard is the new kid on the block of wineries in Tasmania’s north west. And it’s fast gaining a reputation as a must visit destination on the route from Devonport from Launceston for its cool climate pinot, rose, and sparkling wines.
We went for lunch and enjoyed a wine tasting accompanied by an expertly curated Tasmania platter – bursting with the kind of produce you only get in Tasmania’s north west.
Sip and sample overlooking perfect green vineyards and take home a bottle or two from their cellar door. If you love wines, wineries and top notch Tassie produce, you’ll love this.
5. Trowunna Wildlife Sanctuary & Melita Honey
Perfect for: Tasmanian Devil watching with the kids
Trowunna is not a zoo. That’s the first thing to love about it. It’s an animal rescue and rehabilitation sanctuary. They have an active and successful release program for the temporary resident local wildlife.
The other thing to love about it is the ‘over 55s resort’ for aging Tasmanian Devils. I’m not kidding. There’s a spot where all the old devils hang out and live out the rest of their lives in peace.
And that makes my heart melt!
Apart from Tasmanian Devils, they have wombats, quolls, wallabies, a bunch of birds and generally whatever wildlife has been recently rescued.
After you’ve met the locals, drive on back down the road towards Deloraine and you’ll find Melita Honey. You simply have to call in for their creamy honey ice cream. And there’s free-bee honey tastings too (excuse the pun!). 😃
There’s also a shelves and shelves lined with every type of honey you could dream of, locally made. The creamed Leatherwood Honey is our favourite – a delicious local specialty honey and uniquely Tasmanian gift – if you can bare to share it.
6. Mole Creek Caves
Perfect for: Spelunking, of course
Caves are cool and wondrous places and these are some of the best in Tasmania. Mole Creek Caves are just a short drive west of Deloraine and a fun spot to visit on your way through to Launceston.
There are two cave systems 11 km apart; Marakoopa Caves and King Solomon Caves.. Both are worth visiting if you’re keen on spelunking. We had a great day exploring King Solomon Caves with their knowledgable guide and the caves are creatively lit, which adds to the ‘Indiana Jones’ explorer-vibes while you’re down there. At Marakoopa Caves you can see an underground river and glow worms.
The caves can only be accessed by guided tour. It’s essential to book beforehand.
There’s no online ticketing, just a number to call for all bookings: (03) 6363 5182
7. The Truffle Farm Tasmania
Perfect for: splurging on little black turd-looking delicacies
Truffles excite people. They are delicious and rare and french after all. The Truffle Farm Tasmania is a chance to join Doug the dog for a truffle hunt followed by truffle pizza (yum!) around the fire with a nice brewski or glass of wine to wash it down. Who is going to say no to that!
If you don’t have the time, you can just call in to their truffle-door for a tasting and to take away some tasty, tasty truffle oil, mustard or ice cream!
Yes. You read that right. Truffle ice cream.
You’ve just got to go, to say you’ve had it.
8. Bush Inn Brewhouse, Deloraine
Perfect for: at tasting paddle of top North West Tasmanian beers
We highly recommend this excellent new brewhouse in Deloraine, which is quickly establishing itself as a hub for great beer in the north west. It’s a classy industrial style establishment inside with a dining area and fireplace to gather round and share a drink or two with friends. On a sunny day, head out the back to bask in the beer garden with a local brew.
There’s an extensive menu if you call in for lunch. We love the Korean pizza – a little spice and a home-made fluffy and chewy pizza base from their own dough starter. Yum.
9. Love Lucy Boots & Westbury Village Green
Perfect for: A coffee stop-over or sneaky aperitivo
You just know from the name that Love Lucy Boots is going to be a fun little place to grab a coffee or a glass of wine and that’s exactly the case. This Westbury hole-in-the wall has grown massively popular since first opening in 2022.
Grab an expresso and saunter over to the Westbury Village Green to enjoy the serenity of this gorgeous park. Then wander a little around the old town Westbury (east of the Westbury Town Common) and soak up its olde English charm.
Check the open hours for Love Lucy Boots before you go as it’s a small business and sets it’s own hours.
10. The Clarendon Arms, Evendale
Perfect for: a lazy beer garden glass of crisp cool climate wine or whatever tasty local ale is on tap.
A fabulous old hotel / pub in a beautiful historic building. The Clarendon Arms is the perfect spot to sit out in the beer garden in the afternoon sun and enjoy a drink or a meal after wondering the heritage town of Evandale to admire the old buildings, colonial street vibe and bougie boutiques.
Becomes a lively lunchtime favourite if you’re here on market day when the town buzzes with day trippers from Launceston.
How to get from Devonport to Launceston
You really need a car to travel Tasmania.
But…. there are intercity bus routes that you can take advantage of in Tasmania, to travel the island without a car. The good news is Devonport to Launceston is an intercity route Redline Buses offer. You can even visit a few of our top 10 stops by bus, if that’s for you.
Devonport to Launceston bus
If you’re looking to take the Devonport to Launceston bus there are just three services a day on week days. On weekends, its down to two services.
The good news is that all services stop in both Deloraine and in Westbury – two of the towns that play host to some of our top 10 things to do on your Devonport to Launceston road trip.
Hoping off in Deloraine, you can call in to the Bush Inn Brewhouse after a stroll through the pretty main street of town and across the pretty Meander River.
You can also hop off the Devonport to Launceston bus in Westbury for a coffee at Love Lucy Boots and don’t forget to take a stroll through the historic part of Westbury old town and over to the Westbury Village Green.
The Devonport to Launceston bus departs Devonport at the Devonport Interchange on Rooke St. It arrives in Launceston on Charles st at William st. in the CBD.
Best to book the Devonport to Launceston bus ahead of time, or if you’re stopping off at either Deloraine or Westbury, you can just book multiple legs of the journey at once.
Devonport to Launceston airport bus
There is no direct Devonport to Launceston airport bus service.
To get to Launceston Airport from Devonport by bus, take the Redline intercity bus from Devonport to Launceston. This will take you to the Launceston CBD.
The Launceston airport is 15km south of Launceston. There used to be a shuttle from the city to the airport, but this stopped operating in April 2024. The easiest and quickest way to get to the Launceston Airport from the CBD is to take an Uber/Taxi.
FAQs
How far is Devonport to Launceston?
Devonport is 102km from Launceston, or a 1 hour 10 minute drive from Launceston along the Bass Highway.
What towns are between Devonport and Launceston?
The three main towns between Devonport and Launceston along the Bass Highway are Latrobe, Deloraine and Westbury.
What to see from Devonport to Launceston
There’s a long list of great things to see from Devonport to Launceston:
– Anvers Chocolate Factory
– Ashgrove Dairy Door and their cheese maker’s window
– Christmas Hill Raspberry farm in summer
– Van Diemens Land Creamery
– Eastford Creek Vineyard
– the area of Mole Creek including Trowunna Wildlife Sanctuary, Melita’s Honey, the Mole Creek Caves, Lobster Falls, Montana Falls, Truffle Farm Tasmania, 41° South Salmon Farm
– the town of Deloraine, it’s beautiful park along around the Mersey River and great stops like The Bush Inn Brewhouse
– the town of Westbury, it’s heritage town centre and Westbury Village Green Park area
– the charming heritage town of Evandale and it’s gorgeous Claredon Arms pub
If you want to drive the most scenic route and need help deciding which of these awesome stops to visit, check out our article above 👆🏼
How far from Devonport is Launceston Airport?
Launceston Airport is a 1 hour 10 minute or 107 kilometre drive from Devonport, heading south along the Bass Highway.
How to get from Launceston Airport to Devonport
You can either hire a car at Launceston airport and drive the 107km to Devonport yourself, or catch the bus.
There is an intercity bus from Launceston bus interchange to the Devonport Bus interchange.
The best way to get the bus from the Launceston Airport is to first order a taxi into the Launceston Bus interchange in the Launceston CBD.
From there, catch the 705 bus to Devonport.
Bus is not the most convenient way to get from Launceston to Devonport however. The 705 only run 3 times a day around 9am, 2pm and 6pm. Make sure you check the route 705 timetable for exact times.
Is there a Devonport to Launceston train?
There is no Devonport to Launceston train for passengers.
Is there an intercity bus between Devonport & Launceston?
Yes there is.
Redline operates an intercity bus service throughout Tasmania that runs from Devonport to Launceston, among other routes. The bus from Devonport to Launceston is not direct. Buses stop in Latrobe, Deloraine and Westbury en-route.
For more information, check the timetable for the intercity bus from Devonport to Launceston.
How long does it take to drive from Launceston to Devonport?
The drive from Launceston to Devonport takes 1 hour and 10 minutes direct, along the Bass Highway. The drive is roughly 102km start to finish.
Devonport to Launceston to Hobart
The Devonport to Launceston to Hobart drive is 304km and takes 3.5 hours direct along the fastest route.
The fastest route from Devonport to Launceston to Hobart runs along the Bass Highway down the centre of Tasmania, passing by towns such as Campbell Town, Ross and Oatlands.
If you plan on making a road trip out the drive and stopping along the way, here’s a great Devonport to Hobart road trip itinerary.
