Coming to Tassie

art8dave · Joined: 01 May 2006 Posts: 1333 Location: Sydney

Hi guys,
I'm planning on heading to Tassie for a few months real soon.
I want to spend time in the cities and the country (coast particularly)
I'll be travelling on my own, so, any tips on how to get the most out of my time there.
I really don't know whether to bring my car loaded with paints and canvas or pick one up and buy gear down there.
Any info appreciated, thanks, Dave.

The Pook · Joined: 01 Feb 2007 Posts: 2904 Location: Tasmania

Dave - there are pros and cons to bringing your own car vs. 'picking one up' down here (by which I presume you mean buying a cheap one and selling it later, or did you mean hiring/leasing?). If you travel light and buy stuff here, your expenses in getting here will be less, as you can get cheap airfares into Hobart or Launceston with Jetstar, Tiger or Virgin Blue, which is much less than petrol and running costs from Sydney plus ferry fare. You would also get here quicker and not have to drive through Melbourne to catch the ferry. But on the other hand your expenses once here will be greater - hiring/buying a vehicle, public transport, buying painting gear, etc. And all that will also take time organising - do you really want to spend your time taking public transport to look in car yards and finding art supply stores, or would you prefer to be painting and sightseeing? As far as art supplies go, you can count on the fingers of one hand the number of decent ones in Tasmania, and you may find you can't get things you want, so that may be another reason to BYO. There are at least two or three places that stretch canvas, including linen, but it's probably dearer than Sydney. There is no problem getting reasonable quality canvasboards and factory stretched frames.

On average I reckon it's better to bring your own car, for the sheer convenience of it. The trip on the Spirit of Tasmania is worth doing for the experience, and not too expensive once it's past peak season. It also gives you the option of doing things in Victoria on the way down and back.

If you come to the northeast, we can't promise to put you up, since we don't really have room, but I'm about 99% sure I know a friend who could. He is a well known Tasmanian artist whose family are now mostly away at College and Uni, and they often have overseas visitors stay. And I'd be happy to show you around, including to the most beautiful deserted beaches in the world, rainforest streams, windswept sand dunes, and other great scenery to inspire art. I could also introduce you to some local artists.

art8dave · Joined: 01 May 2006 Posts: 1333 Location: Sydney

Thanks for your interest and kind offer Pook. Yes I was thinking of hiring a car for the time I'm down there, but I know their insurance won't cover you off sealed roads...and there are many interesting places to see that are unsealed....although I'm sure things have changed since 1985 when I was there last as a youngster. Embarassed

Taking my own car is the other option, but since the Spirit doesn't run from Sydney anymore driving to Melb just to catch a ferry is a bit of a drag.
I was thinking of sending gear down in advance, maybe to a hotel or something in Hobart, and picking up turps and some canvases in Hobart...don't really know yet, just guessing here.
Spend a week near Hobart, check out the place and then work my way around to the north, a few days here a few days there type thing, particularly along the East coast.
I just want a complete change of scenery and people to blow away the cobwebs... if you get my drift.
Cheers, Dave

AvG · Joined: 17 Sep 2005 Posts: 1912

6 of one half a dozen of the other. Probably depends on how nice your current car is to drive. If it's not brilliant then hire a car, but if your car is good and easy then I would still recommend going via Melbourne in order to catch the ferry and take your own car.
Sydney to Melbourne via the Hume is 12 hours, night sailing leaves (I think) about 7pm so you could leave Sydney early and drive straight onto the ferry.

Benefits....you can pack your car full of anything you need/want, insurance won't be a problem, it'll (probably) be a lot cheaper than hiring a car and sending your materials across.

If you go via ferry you can drive down the East Coast to Hobart and then head back up via the West Coast (or vice versa). And there is plenty to see on both sides.

If you want, I'll get Vito to give you a bit of a lowdown on places to go (he was born and raised in Tassie).

When are you going?

art8dave · Joined: 01 May 2006 Posts: 1333 Location: Sydney

Chrissy D · Joined: 12 Jan 2006 Posts: 1053 Location: Queensland

Hi Dave, how was your Tassie trip? What time of year did you go?

Hubby and I are thinking about going June/July...the coldest time of year, and being from Cairns the cold is going to kill me as winter just doesn't exist here. Confused

So what places do you recommend to see? other than the usual. I too am looking for spots to take inspirational photos for later paintings.

We too are thinking about a 10day self-drive trip. From Hobart than doing across west than up than east than back down to Hobart to fly home.

What are some galleries I must stop in at?

Hi any Tassie Art Forum Australia (AFA'ers) want to try and catch up please PM me or reply to the thread, I would love to meet you. As Dave and I did when he visited Cairns a few years back.