Wilkins Tourist Maps produce a map of this area. You can pick up a Tasman Peninsula map from accommodation houses, attractions, businesses and the information centres in towns in this area.

Select a touring route from below to automatically open it on this page.

AREA INFORMATION

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TASMAN PENINSULA TOURING MAP

Exploring themagnificent South East.

Take the Tasman Highway east across the Tasman Bridge and continue through the eastern suburbs and Cambridge, across the two causeways through Midway Point, and into Sorell. At the T junction at the end of the shopping centre, turn right on to the Arthur Highway.
Just east of Sorell you will see turn-offs to the south to Lewisham, Dodges Ferry and Primrose Sands. Once small seaside towns, they are now part of a residential boom with many living here and working in Hobart.
Continue on through Forcett to Copping where a mechanical warder waves you in to the fascinating Copping Convict Museum. Here you will find all the information you need to add to your experience at Port Arthur. You can sit and relax with a tea or coffee and learn what to see and do, and hear interesting bits about the convicts and their day to day lives.

From Copping, continue on to Dunalley, an attractive fishing town now divided by the Denison Canal, a man made waterway connecting the two bays to the east and west. Dunalley has an excellent bakery and a takeaway food shop and is a busy fishing port where you can buy fresh fish direct from the catchers.
Continue on through the forestry and fishing town of Murdunna to Eaglehawk Neck and see the view from the Tasman Lookout over the neck.

Eaglehawk Neck is surrounded by natural attractions. Just below the hotel is the Tesselated Pavement, an unusual rock foundation below water which appears as if it has been tiled by a tradesman. On the neck itself is a sculpture of a dog. Dogs were chained across the narrow isthmus to prevent any prisoners passing that way by land. The waters either side of the neck were claimed to be shark-infested so any prospective escapee had much to contemplate before their attempt.
Across the neck and left through Penzance and Doo Town are three of the natural wonders of the Peninsula. A car park is next to the Blowhole, the Tasman Arch, and the Devil's Kitchen. Unusual rock formations which typify the eastern coast of the Peninsula. On your way back to the highway see how many houses you can find in Doo Town with names beginning with 'Do".

Continue south along the highway towards Port Arthur to Taranna. On your left just through the town is Federation Chocolate. A yummie place with locally made chocolates and confectionery. Buy some for later and continue south to the Tasmanian Devil Park on the right. Tasmanian Devils are suffering at present with a face cancer which is killing them in large numbers in the wild. Call in and see the fauna at the park before proceeding to Port Arthur and the convict historic site. There is an art gallery in the small township just before the turn-off to the historic site.
Call in to the Information Centre and organise your tour if you have not done so in advance. There is also an evening interpretive display if you are staying overnight.
After exploring Port Arthur, take the Remarkable Cave Road and turn off to Palmers Lookout along the loose surface road for views over Port Arthur. Return to the main road and continue on to Remarkable Cave. You will usually see a number of surfers here who meet the challenge of the big waves which pound the shore from the Southern Ocean.
Return to the main road and turn west to Nubeena, a small but pretty town on the west coast of the peninsula. The pub here offers good food and there is accommodation at the resort and a caravan park at White Beach.
Continue through town to Premaydena and turn left (west) to the Coal Mines Historic Site. An interpretive walk will take you through the history and conditions under which prisoners worked the mines. Further west, the Lime Bay Nature Reserve is a pleasant place to visit offering views across the bay.
Return to Premaydena and continue through back to Taranna and the highway. Turn left through Eaglehawk Neck and retrace your path to Hobart.

>If you have time and the inclination, you can take the road left at the bridge across the canal at Dunalley and return through Primrose Sands and Lewisham to rejoin the road just east of Sorell, or at Copping you can take the Wielangta Forest Drive (loose surface) and drive through to Orford and Triabunna before heading back along the Tasman Highway through Sorell or Richmond.
Whichever way you choose to explore the Tasman Peninsula you will feel part of Australia's colourful and historic past. It is easy to visualise the harsh conditions endured by the prisoners, some as young as 12, as you wander among the remaining ruins of the Port Arthur Settlement. It is difficult to imagine these conditions existed until a little over 100 years ago. There are people alive today who were born only 30 years after transportation ceased in 1877