2 weeks in Tasmania in October

Impossible to answer. We spent 3 months there and did not see it all. Depends what your likes are. There are a lot of free camps.

You will only be able to pick a few things. What will interest you and your children? Rainforests and huge trees? Waterfalls? Walks? History? Mountains? Lakes? Coasts?

Only then can I make suggestions that may suit you.

Our daughter who had worked in Tasmania took her family on a ten day fly in tour the year before we went, and I can share this with you by email if you like.

Motherhen

G'day, the weather will still be quite cool when the sun goes in or down, snow possible above 300 metres. Be prepared clothes and bedding wise. A lot of places off the black top will be sodden wet and boggy.
If 2 weeks is all you have some ideas are Strahan and the Gordon river heritage area, at that time of year the rain forests will be wet and ALL the waterfalls will be working pretty well (of note would be Liffey, Russell and Montezuma if the track is drivable or a bit of a hike by foot but worth it.) Cradle Mountain is a given. Freycinet and Wineglass bay on the East coast. When you are around Hobart and you can see the top of Mount Wellington drive up there quick for the view.
There are many quaint little towns around the place, some of which don't need to be written here as you are going to drive through them as you travel around, some you might miss would be Sheffield and Cygnet.
The Tahune airwalk and suspension bridges is a good day out in the South.
Watch out for ice on the roads if you are driving early in the day or if the road is still in the shade (even 10 AM!).
There is plenty of tourist information around the place make sure to stop in and you will find where the things that you and your kids want to see. If you are prepared for cooler temps you will have a great trip. Some of the posted speed limits around the place are very optimistic and unless you are in a Targa car you will not achieve them, if driving at dusk and a night be prepared for wildlife appearing from nowhere. Hope this helps. Cheers, Kanga.

The comments of others about time and temperature are correct, but there are still some great highlights you can pick for a short trip. And in the colder months, places like Cradle Mountain and Mt Wellington (the backdrop to Hobart) can be fantastic in the snow.
I've got a Word document I've put together for various mainland friends travelling to Tas, so if you like to message me privately I can send that to you as a bit of a guide.
But believe me, if you have the time Tassie is worth months, not weeks - and the best months are February/March.
Cheers

Hi, we were there last month and I would have to reccomend the Lady Nelson cruise, replica sail boat, $30 each for adults, unsure how much for kids, for 90 minutes, even get to do a bit of hands on with the ropes and bell. Also ghost tour of the Penitentiary Chapel was great. Kids can also be taken on a tour of the Cascade Brewery. The Mona museum also good for a look, and the Hobart Museum.

Make sure you download the wikicamps app for smart phones. Heaps of free camping in Tassie and virtually all absolutely stunning locations. Tassie is setup well for tourists, as they have little other industry now.

Hobart has the shows grounds, but was around $17 per night....pretty ordinary given the noise, facilities, but reasonably secure.

Two weeks will be a quick trip, but will give you a taste.

Strahan is stunning. And North east coast also fantastic.

Port Arthur for history. Bruny island if your wife likes quaint cheese places. Some nice camping around adventure bay on Bruny island.

You really can't go wrong with Tassie.

Tip....getting to the front of the queue to get on the ship, does not necessarily mean you get on first....and certainly not get off first ether.

Brett....

If Hobart is a given day 10 of your trip, I'd say just do the East coast.
Trying to get any further in will just be too rushed.

Try a drive from up around the NE corner, right down to Cockle Creek, checking out the north coast as much as you can, Bay of Fires, St Helens, Bicheno, Coles Bay / Freycinet, and Port Arthur.

From Hobart, Bruny Is is a must do.
Mt Wellington is a great walk if you are all reasonably fit, otherwise drive up (and rug up !).

The drive down from there is magical . . . Geeveston is a beaut little town, with incredible wood carvings, inland form there for the Tahune Airwalk, then Dover, Lune River, and the South Cape Rd to Cockle Ck.

A day walk along the end (or start) of the South Coast Track will take you to South Cape Bay, with views to South Cape.
Pretty easy track, but only do it if weather is good, and be prepared.

Coming back up, you could detour a lot of little inland roads / tracks, even do Tahune Airwalk this leg.
Going back to Devenport, if time permits, the Great Lakes / Central Plateau area is a nice drive.

On a 3 week tour a few years back, we managed St Helens down, did Lake St Clair (and overnight walk), Queenstown, Strahan, Cradle Mtn, and back to the ferry via Mt Roland area.

Great place, Tassie.