So you’re eyeing Tasmania’s East Coast, wondering how to get from Launceston to St Helens without a dull inland dash. Good news: we’ve got a drive with top notch stops to keep you entertained en-route. This Launceston to St Helens road trip is a lot of fun. It’s packed with enough character, cheese, and craft beer to keep things interesting. It connects farmland with forest, mountain bike towns with sleepy dairies. You’ll wind through Weldborough Pass, get sweaty in a floating sauna, and end up buying a round for a pig. This isn’t a day trip and back affair. It’s a getting-there-is-half-the-fun drive — best done as part of a broader Tasmania itinerary.
The Launceston to St Helens Drive: Know Before You Go
The distance from Launceston to St Helens Tasmania depends on the route you take. You’ve got three routes to choose from and we’ve done them all. That’s why I know only one is actually worth your time if you’re here to travel and not just “transfer.” Here’s the low down on routes.
Route 1: A3 via Scottsdale + Derby – Our Pick
This is the scenic route, and yes, it’s longer — but it’s also where all the good stuff lives. Think: lavender fields, donut stops, rainforest walks, green rolling hills, and beer brewed in old timber towns. It’s a proper Tassie drive. About 165 km, and 2 hours 40 minutes if you don’t stop (but come on — you will).
Expect our A3 itinerary to take you a good 5 hours – but it’ll be more fun than you planned for. Because it’s always the unexpected journeys that you remember the most…
Route 2: A4 via Fingal – Quicker but Blander
Launceston to St Helens via Fingal saves you 20 minutes and cuts through the middle of Tassie. You’ll miss the rainforest, skip Derby, and blink past small farming towns. It’s fine if you’re in a hurry or driving in bad weather, but that’s about it. There’s a heritage trail along this route if history is more your jam. There’s still a winding section of road to navigate, with a sharp drop in some spots. It could be a bit hairy to drive it, if you’re not confident behind the wheel on Tasmania’s roads.
We drove this route once, and that was probably enough.
Route 3: C401 via Upper Esk – Not Recommended
A back road for confident drivers only. Narrow, remote, and patchy in places. You’d only take this if you know exactly what you’re doing. Not worth the time for most travellers.
Best Stops on the Launceston to St Helens Drive (via the A3)
Take the A3 Tasman Highway from Launceston to St Helens and you’ll find just enough weird, wonderful and delicious distractions to turn a fairly standard inland drive into a Tassie highlight reel. Here are the stops that make it worth stretching out your day — or at least giving in to a few detours.
Bridestowe Lavender Estate — Lavender Ice Cream and a Purplepalooza
Distance from Launceston: 50 min
Time to spend: 20–30 min
Best in: December and January
If you’re doing the Launceston to St Helens drive in summer, Bridestowe’s lavender fields are pretty hard to ignore — especially when the paddocks are peaking in colour and the air smells like a fancy soap bar. This photo 👆🏼 is from early December. It was beautiful, but January is when the peak blooms hit.
You’re not stopping here for the gift shop (unless you really need a lavender teddy bear). You’re stopping for the lavender ice cream, the wander through the rows, and the snap that says I’ve been to Tassie too.
Outside peak bloom, it’s quieter but the views over the eastern hills still make it worth a quick stop.
Scottsdale — fuel & a quick brewery dash
Distance from Launceston to Scottsdale: 1 hr
Time to spend: 15–30 min
Scottsdale is surrounded by some of the most lush countryside you’ll see in the north east of Tasmania. It’s not much of a tourist town, but the surroundings make for a beautiful drive it. It’s your fuel stop, your toilet break, and the place you go to stretch your legs. The food options? Honestly, not much to write home about. But there is a reason to stop.
Head to Little Rivers Brewing Co. on King Street and grab a taster paddle or a six-pack for later. It’s a proper local setup — unpretentious, no fluff, just good beer and chilled vibes. It’s only open a few days a week, so check the hours if you’re keen. I recommend the Pale Ale and the Summer Ale. Or a dark lager for something different in winter.
Pro tip: Grab your beers here and save the serious eating for Derby.
Derby — bike trails, donuts & a floating sauna cold plunge
Distance from Launceston to Derby: 1 hr 20 min
Time to spend: 1–2 hrs
Best in: All year, but the lake’s a lot kinder when you plunge in January
Derby is a mountain bike town that’s grown into its own little subculture. If you’ve got time and like the adrenalin, you can hire a bike in town and hit the trails for an hour or two. They literally start right in town. 👆🏼 You don’t need to ride to enjoy it, though. The food’s better in Derby, the scenery’s sharper, and the vibes are high. It’s a great little stop.
If you haven’t heard about the iconic Floating Sauna on Lake Derby you’re about to. We’ve done it. You should too. Honestly, you come out feeling 10 years younger.
Think wood-fired sauna, floor-to-ceiling views of the lake, and the option (read: dare) to jump straight into icy water. Best in summer unless you like pain.
You book as part of a small group, unless you want to book the thing out yourself. There were 4 people in our group, including us. Book ahead.
Wander about town and then do the Suspension Bridge Walk. It’s a quick stroll in nature, lovely views, and it’s on the way to the sauna. Good for pre- or post-donut guilt. Watch out for the tiger snakes in summer. They’re deadly, and we saw one on this path. They’re more scared of you, so just give them a wide berth and you’ll be fine.
Derby makes a good coffee, has decent public loos, and rewards those who linger.
My favourite swing by in town is the Derby Pitstop. It’s not flash inside but who can resist fresh donuts, right? These guys make them while you wait. Slightly crispy, warm, and dangerous if you’re driving solo or have a partner with no sweet tooth (like me), because you will eat the whole bag.
Weldborough Pass — a short rainforest walk (but wear proper shoes!)
Distance from Launceston: 1 hr 40 min
Time to spend: 15–20 min
Best in: Damp, misty weather (which, conveniently, is most of the year)
This is one of the most underrated stops on the drive — a 10-minute rainforest loop through towering myrtle and tree ferns, right on the saddle of the pass. If you haven’t seen a rainforest in Tassie yet or don’t have one on the itinerary, do this walk!
Keep your eyes peeled after you pass Weldborough – it’s sign posted with a small area off the highway to pull up. A ‘blink and you’ll miss it’ kind of stop
Here’s your warning: wear covered shoes. Last time, I was bitten by jack jumpers and ended up with second-degree blisters and three days of itchy hell. It’s beautiful… but nature here bites.
Still worth it for that deep green hush that only comes with old-growth rainforest. We didn’t take photos because we get to a lot of rainforest, but stretch your legs here if you haven’t.
Pyengana — cheese, cows & a pub with a pig problem
Distance from Launceston: 2 hrs 10 min
Time to spend: 1–1.5 hrs
Best in: Lunchtime with clear skies and an empty stomach
You’ve earned a proper break by now, and Pyengana delivers.
Start at Pyengana Dairy, where you can sit on the grass with a cheese platter and a view straight out of a butter commercial. Their aged cloth-bound cheddar is famous, but we’re equally partial to the milkshakes and whatever ice cream is on offer that day.
Next, wander up the road to the Pub in the Paddock, home of beer-loving pigs and the kind of menu that delivers mashed potato in generous scoops. It’s tacky in the best possible way. And the pub grub is actually decent. I had the pork chop last time. Zero regrets.
Little Blue Lake — a side quest with a twist
If you’ve got the time and feel like chasing a splash of surreal colour, the Little Blue Lake is a popular detour just past Derby. It’s not much more than a flooded old mining pit, but the water is this milky electric blue that feels wildly out of place in a Tasmanian forest. It’s the kind of stop you pull into, walk around once, take a photo you’ll swear looks filtered, and then head back on your way.
There’s no café, no toilets, no walking trails — just a big, weird, beautiful blue lake in the bush.
| 👀 Expert tip: After you’ve soaked up the view, turn around and head back to the A3. Do not be tempted to keep driving east from the lake. That way leads to two hours of bumpy gravel roads, barely a view in sight, and a long, dusty slog through the back of nowhere before you pop out at Anson’s Bay. It’s not worth it. |
Launceston to St Helens Road Trip Tips
I recommend taking your time along this route – there’s a lot to see and do. Just plan ahead with bookings for the Sauna. The rest of the stops you can just rock up and enjoy. Here’s how to prepare for the most unexpectedly fun drive you’ll do in Tasmania:
- Leave with a full tank in Launceston. There’s fuel in Scottsdale and St Helens, but you’ll thank yourself later for not needing to top up mid-route.
- Time your stops. We like Bridestowe around mid-morning, Derby for lunch and sauna, and Pyengana for a lazy cheese-laced afternoon.
- Reception is patchy. Between Derby and Pyengana, expect black spots. Download your maps or at least save your stops.
- Book ahead for the sauna — especially in summer. It’s a cult thing now.
- Bring covered shoes (yes, again). The rainforest is glorious but jack jumpers don’t mess around.
- Avoid dusk driving through the pass — unless you like braking for wallabies every 100 metres.
Want to make it even easier? Book a car in Launceston here — the best way to do this trip is behind the wheel.
Can You Travel from Launceston to St Helens Without a Car?
Technically, yes. Realistically, not recommended.
There’s a public bus from Launceston to St Helens and back. The route 740 bus runs from Launceston to St Helens twice a day, departing after lunch and mid afternoon. It doesn’t take a A3 route, but goes via Fingal on the A4 – the shorter route. The bus trip is 2.5 hours with stops to pick up passengers along the way.
The returning bus from St Helens to Launceston departs in the mornings, and takes the same route.
If you’re planning a car-free trip, you’ll miss 90% of the fun — and you’ll be at the mercy of a timetable that doesn’t really care what you see along the route. Also, if your ultimate destination is Bay of Fires, there are no buses from St Helens to Bay of Fires. But you can book a taxi to take you there and back.
All of this to say, it’s best to hire a car in Launceston and make your way across to the East Coast, having a heap of fun as you go. 👇🏽
Doing It in Reverse: St Helens to Launceston
The best route from St Helens to Launceston is the exact same. Our itinerary still holds – just flip the order. The rainforest looks different in reverse 😁 (and better in morning light), Weldborough Pass feels steeper on descent, and you’ll probably time your donut stop for afternoon tea instead of lunch.
In fact, I’d start late morning from St Helens to Launceston after you’ve checked out from the best Bay of Fires glamping experience – Bay of Fires Bush Retreat. Stop at Pyengana to sample the cheese, then the Pub in the Paddock for lunch.
Stick to this same itinerary if you’re driving from the Bay of Fires to Launceston. You’ll just have an extra 11km to reach St Helens before turning inland towards Pyengana and following this same fun route all the way to Launceston.
Book your floating sauna in Derby for mid afternoon. Follow it up with a steaming hot donut as reward for plunging into the freezing waters of Lake Derby, before heading off to grab a flying pint at Little Rivers Brewery in Scottsdale. End your day at Bridestowe with a relaxing stroll around the ground sniffing the Lavender.
Voila! What a top plan! Just give yourself time — there’s no rush, and this road rewards slow travel.
Final Word: One of Tassie’s Most Travelled Drives — With Good Reason
The drive from Launceston to St Helens isn’t epic in the way some of Tassie’s west coast roads are. But it doesn’t need to be. It’s a well-trodden, often under-appreciated journey that links inland Tasmania with its wild east coast — and if you take your time, it’s packed with charm.
This is a route for travellers who like a bit of luxury with their wilderness, a donut with their sauna, and a well-earned beer in a field full of cows.
Plan it right, and you’ll be sipping local cider by the beach in St Helens before the day’s out.
What’s next?
Still planning your Tasmania trip? Here’s what I suggest next!
- Read next: St Helens to Bay of Fires road trip itinerary.
- Plan your Launceston stay with our full guide.
- Book your St Helens Accommodation.
- Hire a Car in Launceston from the airport.
FAQs
Is St Helens worth visiting?
Most travellers stop in St Helens on the way to Bay of Fires – one of the worlds best beach locations. St Helens in itself is a cool town and great spot to base yourself for Bay of Fires or to hit the mountain bike trails in the area. There’s great fish and chips, relaxing seaside accommodation, excellent coffee shops and a chill vibe to be found. And make sure you drop into Easy Tiger Brewery and cinema while you’re there. Our favourite spot to spend a night in town…
How far is St Helens from Launceston?
The distance from Launceston to St Helens depends on the route you take — and how much scenery, cheese, or gravel road you’re willing to encounter along the way.
The direct answer:
Launceston to St Helens is approximately 165 km via the A3 Tasman Highway, which is the most popular and scenic route. That drive takes around 2 hours and 40 minutes without stops, though if you’re doing it right (and we think you should), you’ll want to allow extra time for a few detours and coffee breaks.
But there’s more than one way to make this journey. The A3 or the A4 highways are the most popular routes.
If you’re a visitor exploring Tasmania and want to enjoy the journey as much as the destination, take the A3 via Derby and Pyengana. Not only does it offer better food and scenery, but it also connects you with some of the quirkiest and most rewarding stops in the northeast. This is the route we recommend in our full Launceston to St Helens road trip guide.
It’s not the fastest, but it’s the one you’ll remember.
