Family trip to Tassie?????
Submitted: Thursday, Feb 22, 2007 at 23:37
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Craigjackaroo
We are a family of five, Mum+Dad two teenagers and a preschooler, and we are contemplating a holiday to Tasmania from Gippsland Victoria for two to three weeks over the April school holidays. We have a Jackaroo and a 17ft van but looking at the transport costs to get both over to Tasmania are we better taking a different accomodation option?
Other options also include me - Dad boating over earlier with car/caravan and picking the rest of the family up from the airport. Or is it simply easier/cheaper to do away with the whole kit and take up some sort of package deal?
Family on boat -economy about $1200 return
Car and caravan about $820 return
(This is about where the budget runs out)
Caravan parks fees about $40-$60 pernight powered sites.
Would appreciate suggestions on options or comments from people who have been there done that.
Regards Craig
Reply By: Motherhen - Thursday, Feb 22, 2007 at 23:56
Thursday, Feb 22, 2007 at 23:56
Craig, if you like
free camping, Tasmania has a lot of designated free campsites, usually with a long drop
toilet or 2. More on the east coast, not many on the west. Camps Australia Wide is essential to find them. You can compare cost of cabins instead of taking caravan as it is only a short trip. You can get costings of all of these on the Internet. I can't see any gain from family flying over as
well - sure to work out dearer.
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Follow Up By: disco1942 - Friday, Feb 23, 2007 at 14:04
Friday, Feb 23, 2007 at 14:04
You should be able to get cheaper plane fares than boat fares. The problem is the costs of getting to the airport - particularly. If you have friends/family who can put the mob up for the night and deliver them to the airport then you are laughing. You will then have to have them picked up whilst you are waiting to do the trip back.
For a couple I think 3-4 weeks is the break even time when when comparing
park cabins to
camp sites for every night.
Free camping can reduce that break even time. Don't know the comparisons for a tribe.
PeterD
FollowupID:
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Reply By: jdpatrol - Friday, Feb 23, 2007 at 00:39
Friday, Feb 23, 2007 at 00:39
Craig
We went to Tassie in january with our 4wd / 17' van. Have 2 teens and 5 y.o. - similar situation.
Agree with everything Motherhen says. Found Camps Australia very helpful and there are numerous good
camp sites. In addition, found old CP at Bronte Pk $14/night - fished around there. Longford beaut - $34/night. We paid $40-45 mainly for powered sites, but really should have made more use of unpowered - in the end we did.
That $85 special for the boat they are running saved us a heap. Go over during day to avoid exy cabin. Cheaper than air for us this way.
Found we absolutely needed 3 weeks (would have liked more) -with 5 of us touring seems pretty slow, so that's a cost factor. Reckon if you cant find that time then expense of getting over not worth it.
Hope it goes
well. JD
AnswerID:
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Reply By: live4theweekends - Friday, Feb 23, 2007 at 13:15
Friday, Feb 23, 2007 at 13:15
Hi Craig,
We are travelling with 2 kids, car and caravan from Tas to Vic later in the year. My husband is taking the car and van on the Spirit ($330 each way - day sail) and the two children are flying with me. Flight on Jetstar or Virgin are about $59 each way (cheaper if you can get one of their specials). We are timing it so that when hubby gets off the boat he picks us up at the airport.
As for costs here in Tas, there are heaps of free camps particularly down the East Coast, which I guess depends whether you are requiring powered sites or not. There are some cheaper parks around. The Lions Club Caravn
Park at
Port Sorell (seaside town near
Devonport) powered sites are only $18 or $19 per night for family. Rocky Cape have powered sites for $13.00 per night per site. Myrtle
Park (near
Launceston) is just $3.00 per night per site. Great spot, loads of space and flushing
toilets - no power or showers though.
Definately bring you van, its a great way to see Tassie.
Cheers :-)
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: greydemon - Friday, Feb 23, 2007 at 17:42
Friday, Feb 23, 2007 at 17:42
Maybe you two should synchronise your timing and do a car and Van swap saving each of you the ferry costs!
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Follow Up By: live4theweekends - Friday, Feb 23, 2007 at 21:43
Friday, Feb 23, 2007 at 21:43
Good thought greydemon, but being as they are planning on about three weeks and we are going for three and a half months they may want their car back before then!!! ;-)
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Reply By: Craigjackaroo - Wednesday, Feb 28, 2007 at 03:39
Wednesday, Feb 28, 2007 at 03:39
Thankyou to all who have replied.
Unfortunately I don't think the budget will see us going to Tassie this year so will have to keep our break a little more local. Will have to try and plan a little better for next year and ensure we can give it adequate funds and time to see as much as we can.
Regards Craig
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