Hobart to Strahan on Tasmania’s west coast
Hobart to Strahan is 300 km and about four and a half hours. The Lyell Highway runs from Hobart to Queenstown, 255 km away, and passes the Lake St Clair turn-off at Derwent Bridge. A visit to Cradle Mountain uses a separate northern approach; there is no road through the national park joining its two ends.
Updated
Key facts
- Hobart to Strahan
- 300 km, about 4 hours 30 minutes
- Hobart to Queenstown
- 255 km, about 3 hours 45 minutes via Lyell Highway
- Devonport to Strahan
- 226 km, about 3 hours
- Launceston to Strahan
- 270 km, about 3 hours 30 minutes via Cradle Mountain
- Cradle Mountain link
- No direct road joins the two ends of the national park
- West coast weather
- Fog, snow and ice can occur in some Tasmanian areas
- Lake St Clair turnoff
- 5.5 km from Derwent Bridge to the Cynthia Bay visitor centre
- Winter snow
- Lyell Highway and Lake St Clair access road may occasionally close
Hobart to Strahan
300 km · about 4 hours 30 minutes
Lake St Clair turnoff at Derwent Bridge
The visitor centre is a 5.5 km side trip from the Lyell Highway.
Queenstown
About 255 km and 3 hours 45 minutes from Hobart via the Lyell Highway.
Strahan
The Hobart to Strahan journey totals about 300 km before side trips.
What is the Hobart to Strahan route?
Allow about four hours 30 minutes for the 300 km drive from Hobart to Strahan before stops. The Lyell Highway is the westbound crossing, with Queenstown at 255 km and around three hours 45 minutes from Hobart. Strahan is the overnight destination rather than a quick detour from Hobart after a full day of sightseeing.
Lake St Clair is a worthwhile deliberate stop, not a road through to Cradle Mountain. Lake St Clair is about 2.5 hours west of Hobart via the Lyell Highway; turn at Derwent Bridge and follow Lake St Clair Road for 5.5 km to the visitor centre at Cynthia Bay. Add that side trip and walking time to the through-drive estimate.
Which stops change the day?
Choose Lake St Clair if you want a short national-park break on the highland crossing. The park has a visitor centre and walks, but a parks pass is required. Queenstown is another west-coast stop, 255 km from Hobart, before Strahan.
If your plan also includes Cradle Mountain, keep it as a separate northern leg. There is no direct road joining Cradle Mountain and Lake St Clair through the park, so a map-based shortcut would produce the wrong itinerary.
Can you drive from Cradle Mountain to Strahan?
Yes by the outside road network, but not through the national park. Launceston to Strahan via Cradle Mountain is about 270 km and three hours 30 minutes before extended park stops. Devonport to Strahan is 226 km and about three hours.
Pick one west-coast approach for the day. A Cradle Mountain shuttle visit can absorb several hours; trying to combine it with a full westward transfer needs more daylight than the bare distance table suggests.
Where should you collect and return a hire car?
Hobart Airport suits the southern Lyell Highway crossing. Devonport or Launceston pickups suit a northern approach; the Strahan distances differ materially (300 km from Hobart, 270 km from Launceston via Cradle Mountain and 226 km from Devonport), so choose the branch that matches your first overnight stop.
A west-coast circuit may end at another airport, but one-way acceptance and charges depend on the selected supplier and dates. Quote the actual pickup and drop-off pair, and check whether the vehicle is permitted on any unsealed side road you plan to use.
What road conditions can interrupt the drive?
Fog, snow and ice can be experienced in some areas. The Lyell Highway and Lake St Clair access road can occasionally close in winter snow. Check current alerts before a highland crossing and keep enough time to return or wait safely if a road closes.
Finish the remote section in daylight where possible. Where possible, avoid driving in reserves at night because of native wildlife; the drive times do not include poor-weather delays or a Lake St Clair stop.
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Prices are shown in Australian dollars. Check the pickup point and what the agreement allows on the roads in this guide before you book.
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Questions people ask
How long is Hobart to Strahan?
Allow about four hours 30 minutes for 300 km before stops.
Is Lake St Clair on the way?
It is a side trip from the Lyell Highway. At Derwent Bridge, the visitor centre is 5.5 km along Lake St Clair Road.
Can I drive through Cradle Mountain to Strahan?
No road crosses the national park between its northern and southern ends. Use the outside road network.
How far is Queenstown from Hobart?
About 255 km and three hours 45 minutes by the Lyell Highway.
Can snow close the Lyell Highway?
Yes. The highway and Lake St Clair access can occasionally close in winter snow; check alerts before leaving.