Spirit of Tasmania
Submitted: Wednesday, Nov 28, 2018 at 14:14
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Member - Donnyj
Early in January I am taking my van to Tassie on the Spirit. I would really appreciate knowing what roads other members have used to get their van safely to the Port. I am sort of familiar with that part of Melb. having used CityLink many times, coming into Melb. from Albury, on the Hume but always exiting into King Street or Kingsway, and then to where I want to go. But NOT with a van behind!!!!! I will be entering Melb on the Hume Motorway.
Thanks in anticipation
Reply By: Member - Boobook - Wednesday, Nov 28, 2018 at 14:42
Wednesday, Nov 28, 2018 at 14:42
https://goo.gl/maps/uTDZhbEpKap
AnswerID:
622314
Follow Up By: Nomadic Navara - Wednesday, Nov 28, 2018 at 14:48
Wednesday, Nov 28, 2018 at 14:48
Does not that take you down Montague Street? Are you wanting him to shave the top off his van?
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Follow Up By: Member - Boobook - Wednesday, Nov 28, 2018 at 17:01
Wednesday, Nov 28, 2018 at 17:01
Yes, thanks Peter, don't go that way if the van is over 3m High.
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Follow Up By: Michael ( Moss Vale NSW) - Saturday, Dec 08, 2018 at 16:56
Saturday, Dec 08, 2018 at 16:56
Its hard to believe that bridge is so stupidly low, Whats stopping, whoever is in charge of the road, digging the road down 2 metres lower for 100 metres either side of the bridge and resurface it? Instead they put rubber things hanging down to let you know that you are about to hit the bridge and you'd better duck!!! Michael
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Reply By: Nomadic Navara - Wednesday, Nov 28, 2018 at 14:43
Reply By: RMD - Wednesday, Nov 28, 2018 at 15:58
Wednesday, Nov 28, 2018 at 15:58
Nomadic N is right on the money, using the ring road to go the west route and taking the W5 and
Cook and Todd is quick and easy.
After driving coaches through
Melbourne and negotiating and or trying to avoid low bridge areas isn't a good idea. Especially with a van. A 12metre coach CAN do a 3 point turn if need be, a vehicle and van makes it a bit harder.
PS, The Montague St bridge is only notorious because of the people who try to drive high things through/under it. Saw a driver of a $600,000 new coach take 7 metres of the 12 metre roof off. Looked like a London open top bus then.
AnswerID:
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Reply By: Member - Racey - Wednesday, Nov 28, 2018 at 16:21
Wednesday, Nov 28, 2018 at 16:21
Much easier to go straight down the freeway over the Bolte Bridge. Keep in the RH lane. Once over the bridge take the
Geelong Rd and turn off at Todd Rd.then wind your way to the pier much easier than heading way out west.
Cheers
Jon
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Nomadic Navara - Wednesday, Nov 28, 2018 at 23:26
Wednesday, Nov 28, 2018 at 23:26
Which freeway are you talking about? What is your route?
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Follow Up By: Member - Racey - Thursday, Nov 29, 2018 at 06:55
Thursday, Nov 29, 2018 at 06:55
Follow this route Copy the lot to your browser'
https://www.google.com.au/maps/dir/Kilmore,+Victoria+3764/Spirit+of+Tasmania,+Station+Pier,+Waterfront+Pl,+Port+
Melbourne+VIC+3207/@-37.7484796,144.8887429,13.5z/data=!4m13!4m12!1m5!1m1!1s0x6ad7bcd5ee6b0fb1:0x40579a430a07e00!2m2!1d144.9497232!2d-37.3016566!1m5!1m1!1s0x6ad667bc6c0302c9:0x1d04567609f5b320!2m2!1d144.9317951!2d-37.8426357
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Follow Up By: Member - Donnyj - Thursday, Nov 29, 2018 at 07:22
Thursday, Nov 29, 2018 at 07:22
Thank you Racey. That looks pretty easy. And just to make sure, I'll do a dry run sometime in Dec, without the van.
FollowupID:
895161
Follow Up By: Member - McLaren3030 - Thursday, Nov 29, 2018 at 17:01
Thursday, Nov 29, 2018 at 17:01
Racey & Donnyj, the only issue with this route is that it has Toll Points down the Tulla Freeway & Bolte Bridge. So long as you are prepared to pay the Toll Fees, it is OK.
Macca.
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895165
Reply By: Member - johnat - Wednesday, Nov 28, 2018 at 20:09
Wednesday, Nov 28, 2018 at 20:09
Also be aware that there is no benefit to being the "first in the line" when the gates open. So long as you are through the inspection process before the deadline, you'll be OK.
Next trip I do, I'll plan to be at the gates about halfway through the load time, so as to be sure to get on, and not have to wait about for hours!
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Penski - Thursday, Nov 29, 2018 at 18:22
Thursday, Nov 29, 2018 at 18:22
Excellent info as I was going to post a question about this. For our trip boarding starts at 7:00am and finishes at 8:45am so I was planning to arrive between 7:45 and 8:00 assuming it's a consistent process and about half those waiting will have cleared by then. Also, if there was a delay in the process provided you're in the queue you should be fine.
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Follow Up By: Frank P (NSW) - Friday, Nov 30, 2018 at 18:21
Friday, Nov 30, 2018 at 18:21
Earlier is better than later.
If, when boarding approaches closure, you are not being attended to by the loaders because you are at the back of the queue out on the street behind unbooked hopefuls you may miss out because you're considered a no show. The hopefuls ahead of you may get your spot.
Get there early. If you find yourself running late, get yourself onto Beach St west of the roundabout at Princes St, or get onto Princes St. You can then use the roundabout rules to break into the queue that forms along Waterfront Pl and Beach St east of the roundabout. See the map below.
It's two years since I used the Spirit. In that period the local council may have placed restrictions on Beach St west and Princes St, or there may be better traffic arrangements. Try a dry run if you can, or make some enquiries.
Cheers

Approaching Tas Ferry Terminal
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Follow Up By: Member - Penski - Friday, Nov 30, 2018 at 18:39
Friday, Nov 30, 2018 at 18:39
Thanks for the info. I can’t believe there is a possibility of unbooked hopefuls getting a reserved spot! Surely there is a way to prevent this by contacting them and advising your stuck behind the unbooked? I might give them a call for advice about boarding. It really sounds like the
infrastructure to support the SOT isn’t adequate.
No problem getting there early if that’s what’s necessary.
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Reply By: Member - Donnyj - Thursday, Nov 29, 2018 at 07:28
Thursday, Nov 29, 2018 at 07:28
Thanks for your help!
This is one of the things I like about Exploroz; being able to ask for help on stuff that one is unsure about.
Now, all I have to worry about is getting sea sick. But I have booked a cabin so I will have a quiet spot to just groan my way to Tasmania.
Thanks again!
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Follow Up By: Member - shane r1 - Thursday, Nov 29, 2018 at 07:53
Thursday, Nov 29, 2018 at 07:53
I hope you don’t get too crook!
I was told to take quell’s or some sort of sea sick tablets, and start the day before, has worked for me.
Cheers
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Follow Up By: Ron N - Friday, Nov 30, 2018 at 00:19
Friday, Nov 30, 2018 at 00:19
Donny, get hold of some Ginger tablets, they are the ducks gonads for seasickness.
Cheers, Ron.
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Follow Up By: duck - Friday, Nov 30, 2018 at 07:48
Friday, Nov 30, 2018 at 07:48
There's 3 types of sea sick
1) feeling sick
2) being sick
3) wanting to die
If you are a person who suffers from sea sickness try the quells or what ever brand a few weeks before you go, just to see if they effect you, They can make some people worse, Don't eat dairy before trip, Make sure your ears are clear a blocked Estuation tube can set off the most seasoned sailor off. A lot of people who sit & read get crook but when they don't read are fine, fresh air helps & the centre (midships) of the ship & as low as possible is the best spot on board
Remember Rule No1 don't spew into the wind & lets hope its a mill pond crossing for you
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Follow Up By: ExplorOz Team - Michelle - Friday, Nov 30, 2018 at 16:09
Friday, Nov 30, 2018 at 16:09
Sea-sickness is a very real thing on the Spirit at that time of year. It takes a fair bit to get me sea sick but once I'm feeling sick I quickly progress to stage 3 want to die stage. Once you feel sick nothing really works. Many medications/herbal treatments actually make you feel worse. I swear by wearing sea-bands and recently put them to the
test on a cruise ship with the kids. Of the 4 of us one would not wear them until they felt sick and the rest of us did. Guess who started to feel sick first. As soon as they started wearing the sea band they felt better and kept it on all trip no matter what the conditions. We were on board for 12 days and the final 3 were horrendously rough. Go to the chemist and look for sea bands. They are 2 stretchy bands of ribbing you put around your wrist - each band has a small plastic dot that you line up under your wrist to press lightly on the area where you feel for a pulse. Honestly they work. There are often a few different brands of the same thing and it doesn't matter, all the same. Best of all you can keep re-using them. Cost about $10 a pair and come in a little hard plastic case. I even swam with them on when I did the Rottnest Channel swim.
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Follow Up By: Member - Warren H - Friday, Nov 30, 2018 at 17:51
Friday, Nov 30, 2018 at 17:51
I've certainly been at stage three too many times for my liking. I think what works for sea sickness is quite individual. Travacalm (original) has worked for me for a day's bobbing around fishing off Bermagui. Ginger tablets; I have tried them, all I can say is they better work for you, because they're not much fun on the way back up! Did get myself a set of sea legs many years ago when doing some work on board a small research vessel (based on a ~50 ft trawler) in 30+ knot winds and waves the height of the wheel house, the process was big wad of plastic bags, a bed and a death like state for about 12 hours. A few years inland without going to sea and I was back to square one unfortunately. Hope you have a reasonable trip. I ended up being roped into a short cruise on the Queen Elisabeth, Melb-
Burnie-
Sydney in February, not sure I'm looking forward to it.
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Follow Up By: duck - Tuesday, Dec 04, 2018 at 08:42
Tuesday, Dec 04, 2018 at 08:42
Michelle
I did not want to tell him that it’s the sea sick time of year, normally a full boat, lots of people sick, the smell etc. I was trying to give him hope, lots of people swear by the bands, I’m glad it worked for your family there nothing worse than being on a holiday & feeling crook, luckily my kids & I don’t have any issues with monition sickness to the point that we can easily hand out the sick bags, hold the pony tails out of the way etc., the one good thing about the spirt crossing its only about 9hrs on the double crossings & about 11hrs on single crossing so those who were crook should recover quickly once on land
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Reply By: Mikee5 - Thursday, Nov 29, 2018 at 21:02
Thursday, Nov 29, 2018 at 21:02
Follow the really big green ferry signs. Can't miss them.
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Reply By: Member - Donnyj - Thursday, Nov 29, 2018 at 21:05
Thursday, Nov 29, 2018 at 21:05
Big green ferry signs! Now that is news to me. So where does one see the first one? That would make it pretty easy.
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Follow Up By: Member - shane r1 - Friday, Nov 30, 2018 at 00:00
Friday, Nov 30, 2018 at 00:00
Probably a bit like big airport signs, I guess.
I think I remember them, we went to tassie on the ferry back in January, but a bit easier, we were on motorcycle’s . Not towing.
Good luck and have a great time.
Well worth the trip.
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895185
Reply By: Mick O - Thursday, Nov 29, 2018 at 23:13
Thursday, Nov 29, 2018 at 23:13
1.Get on the ring road from the Hume and head to
Geelong.
2.Once you hit the Princes Fwy, turn left and head to
Melbourne on the Westgate freeway and the Westgate Bridge (The bloody big one that collapsed back on 72 or 73). On top of bridge, look right and toot horn...I live about 2 km away so will hear you and wave :-)
3. Get in the left hand lane (1E) on the Westgate and exit onto Todd exit (it's actually
cook street but the signs say "to Todd Road") road once across the bridge.
4. Veer left at
Cook Street and head down to Todd Road. At the 'T' intersection turn left onto Todd Rd.
5.Continue straight and follow it around. Pull up with all the other caravans along the foreshore at White Reserve, have a snooze and get ready for the morning.
6. Wake up and have cup of tea. Head straight on and at Beach Street, turn right.
7. Straight - go over tram lines and at roundabout look right - Big ship....white and red....drive on and enjoy Tassy Trip.
Cheers,
Mick
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AnswerID:
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Reply By: Member - Donnyj - Saturday, Dec 01, 2018 at 14:02
Saturday, Dec 01, 2018 at 14:02
Thank you, Mick O. Quite detailed directions and I'll still do a dry run without the van (sometime before the 3rd Jan). My sailing date. I'm looking forward to wandering around Tassie for a few weeks before a guided bush walk the last week in Feb.Thanks again to all who replied.
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