Destination Guides > Australia > Tasmania > Devonport
Devonport
Devonport will be your first taste of Tasmania if you’re arriving from Melbourne on the Spirit of Tasmania.
This industrial city doesn’t really have a lot to offer and isn’t typical of the rest of the state but it has a developed infrastructure and it’s a good place to organise the rest of your trip. Its close proximity to Cradle Mountain and the Overland Track also means that you get plenty of handy tips from people who have just done the trek.
Practical Information
Devonport Visitor Information Centre
92 Formby Road, Devonport
Tel (03) 6424 4466
Website www.discovertasmania.com
Open 7.30am-5pm daily
INTERNET ACCESS
Devonport Online Access Centre
21 Oldaker Street, Devonport
Tel (03) 6424 9413
Open Mon-Tue 9.30am-5.30pm, Wed 9.30am-6.30pm, Thu-Fri 9.30am-5.30pm, Sat 9.30am-3.30pm
Coming & Going
AIR
Qantas flies between Devonport and Melbourne. Devonport’s small airport is only 10km outside town. A shuttle bus (tel 1300 659 878) runs to the airport from the tourist information centre on Formby Road. The fare is $10 per person but it is better value to catch a taxi ($20) if there are two or more of you.
BUS
Both Tassielink (tel 1300 300 520) and Redline (tel 1300 360 000) buses run between Devonport and most destinations in Tasmania. Buses stop at the corner of Best and Edward Streets.
FERRY
The Spirit of Tasmania (tel 1800 634 906) ferry arrives at the ferry terminal in East Devonport. Ferries depart Devonport at 9pm every day.
Local Transport
Merseylink (tel 1300 367 590) operates a local bus service with six routes running Mon-Sat. Many backpackers find they need to use the bus, especially if they’re staying at the Tasman House or MacWright House YHA hostels, which are a long way from the town centre.
The most useful bus service is route 40, which runs between Latrobe and the city centre via the Formby Road, Tasman House and MacWright House YHA hostels. Buses 20 and 25 also go to the Tasman House hostel.
Fares are $1.90-3.10 for a single journey or $3.80 for a Daytripper ticket.
Hostel Accommodation
Devonport has some of the cheapest hostel beds in Australia but unfortunately you get what you pay for.
Alexander Hotel
78 Formby Road, Devonport
Tel (03) 6424 1070
Formby Road Hostel
16 Formby Road, Devonport
Tel (03) 6423 6563
MacWright House YHA
115 Middle Road, Devonport
Tel (03) 6424 5696
Molly Malone’s Irish Pub
34 Best Street, Devonport
Tel (03) 6424 1898
Tasman Backpackers
114 Tasman Street, Devonport
Tel (03) 6423 2335
Eating & Drinking
There’s not a big choice of places to eat and drink in Devonport, although there are a few cafés along Rooke Street, some fast food places on Best Street and a few pubs on Formby Road.
One of the better options is Molly Malone’s (34 Best Street, Devonport), an Irish pub with filling pub meals and Guinness on tap. It is right in the centre of town and especially convenient if you’re staying in the hostel upstairs.
There are a few supermarkets near the town centre including Coles (corner Best & Gunn Streets, Devonport) and Woolworths (74 Best Street, Devonport).
Sights
Penguin Viewing
Every evening at sunset during the nesting season (Oct-Mar) you can watch little penguins return to their burrows from the specially constructed viewing platforms.
Lillico Beach, Devonport
Tiagarra Aboriginal Cultural Centre
Tiagarra is an interesting museum and cultural centre exploring Tasmania’s Aboriginal history. It is north of the centre at Devonport Bluff.
Off Bluff Road, Mersey Bluff
Tel (03) 6424 8250
Admission $4
Open 9am-5pm daily
