Family-Friendly Accommodation in Tasmania
Planning a trip to Tasmania with the family? We’ve got you covered for where to stay with our family-friendly guide. Whether you’re heading straight to Launceston or Hobart, or embarking on a road trip from coast to coast, we’ve rounded up the best family-friendly stays around the Apple Isle. From self-contained city apartments to rustic log cabins and beachside retreats, there’s a place for every family.
Family-Friendly Accommodation in Launceston and the North
This is Holm Oak heartland, and because we know what life is like with two young boys, we’ve often recommended some of these fabulous accommodation vendors to our guests. If you’re planning to visit us at our cellar door, why not stay in the area for a few days to explore Launceston and the spectacular Tamar Valley?
BIG4 Launceston Holiday Park has various well-appointed units and powered sites for camping and caravans in a central location for families exploring northern Tasmania. Whether you’re exploring Launceston and Cataract Gorge – both within walking distance – or venturing out of town into the Tamar Valley, this 6.5-hectare holiday park boasts stunning views. Play spaces and farm animals keep the kids busy, and barbecue and laundry facilities offer the comfort of home while you’re on the road.
Country Club Tasmania’s resort accommodation and villas are set on a sprawling 100 hectares of bushland, a short drive from Cataract Gorge. The family-friendly rooms come with large bathrooms and kitchens; plus, a spa and pool are onsite, along with plenty of green space for the kids to run free. Nearby, you’ll find a supermarket for self-catering essentials. Otherwise, there’s plenty of family-friendly fare at the club’s eateries to refuel after a day of horseriding, golf, wildlife spotting, tennis, cycling and hiking.
Another fantastic way to soak up northern Tasmania’s wilderness is to arrange a family-friendly farmstay. Lesley and John Gallagher offer eco-friendly farmstays on their stunning property, Cherry Top, which is home to diverse crops, including hazelnuts, stone fruits, apples, berries and pumpkins. They offer a range of accommodation options, from camping and rustic cabins to the Farm Cottage and Eco Villa, both of which sleep four, making them great options for families. During your stay, you can roll up your sleeves and help farmer John harvest fruit and vegetables, handfeed the free-range chickens, process honey and crack hazelnuts the old-fashioned way using machinery from the 1800s. The Gallaghers offer all sorts of farm tours so you can learn how they look after their land. Just don’t forget to pack your boots! Plus, the surrounding area around Lilydale is peaceful and beautiful, with lots of interesting walks and adventures for families to explore.
Even with young children in tow, it’s possible to visit Tasmania’s iconic Cradle Mountain National Park. The region is home to plenty of wildlife, and it’s not uncommon to spot wombats and echidnas ambling through the bush while wallabies bounce by. Although the park is known for its intermediate and advanced hikes, the Dove Lake Circuit Walk is great for families. It’s a 6-kilometre flat, boarded loop around beautiful Dove Lake, with opportunities to rest and play along the way. Within the park, Cradle Mountain Highlanders Cottages offer rustic alpine cottage accommodation that’s well-suited for families. The self-contained log cabins are charming and cosy, with log fires and private decks offering 360-degree views of the surrounding wilderness. The cabins at Cradle Mountain Lodge are also ideal for families, especially if you don’t want to self-cater. The lodge offers a couple of dining options, with the Highland Restaurant and the Tavern Bar & Bistro onsite. There are also some fantastic short walks around the lodge grounds, which are suitable for all ages.
Family-Friendly Accommodation in Hobart
Mövenpick Hotel Hobart is the Swiss hotel brand’s first Australian property, and it couldn’t put you in a better position to explore Hobart’s attractions and iconic waterfront with your family. Located in the CBD, it’s within walking distance of the city’s parks, cafes, restaurants and sights. When it’s time to rest and recharge, there are deluxe and interconnecting rooms for families, and kids will love the daily ‘Chocolate Hour’ at the hotel restaurant, Tesoro. It’s a nod to the brand’s Swiss origins and offers a daily tasting experience for guests to sample an assortment of chocolate treats, including éclairs, brownies, truffles and more.
For a self-contained stay with all the bells and whistles of a boutique hotel, head to Salamanca Wharf Hotel. Located in one of the oldest precincts in Australia, this stylish hotel offers interconnecting rooms for families, complimentary parking, cots and infant beds. Premium apartments have well-appointed kitchenettes, spa baths and laundry facilities to cater to families.
Just beyond the centre of town, Graham Apartments is a favourite for travelling families. The property sits in a peaceful residential setting, with the mid-range one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments surrounded by beautifully maintained gardens where the kids can play. The clean, comfortable apartments offer fully equipped kitchens for self-catering, and there’s a barbecue area onsite to take advantage of warm evenings. There’s free off-street parking, and the property can provide cots, highchairs, baby baths and toddler toys – just be sure to call ahead to let the team know your needs.
Family-Friendly Accommodation on Tasmania’s East Coast
The East Coast of Tasmania is extremely picturesque, with kilometres of uncrowded beaches and rocky coastline to explore. Highlights include Douglas Apsley National Park, home to the Apsley River Waterhole and Gorge Walk; Bay of Fires, where bright-red lichen covers the rocky foreshore; and the turquoise expanse of Freycinet Peninsula, home to iconic Wineglass Bay. The sleepy beach town of Bicheno is an ideal base from which to explore the East Coast. It’s roughly two hours from Hobart in the south and Launceston in the north.
In town, Bicheno East Coast Holiday Park has basic, affordable cabins within walking distance of the waterfront. Alternatively, Apartments on Fraser Bicheno offers modern, upscale self-contained apartments with barbecue decks for alfresco dining. There are many things to do in this magical part of Tasmania, including penguin spotting with Bicheno Penguin Tours; taking glass-bottom-boat rides; getting up close to native wildlife (including the elusive Tasmanian devil) at East Coast Natureworld; and exploring the rock pools, Bicheno blowhole and lookouts along the foreshore.
Another picturesque coastal village on the East Coast is St Helens, near Binalong Bay at the southern end of the beautiful Bay of Fires. The town and its surrounds offer all kinds of outdoor activities, from scenic coastal walks and beachside fun to some of the world’s best game fishing. A host of stunning, modern beach houses are available to rent – one of our favourites is Belle Vue Beach House. It’s directly opposite Binalong Bay’s main swimming beach, with awesome views of the Bay of Fires from the huge deImage Credit: ck. This renovated modern beach house sleeps six and comes with a woodfired pizza oven for fun family cook-ins. Shops and restaurants are just 150 metres away, but this is a home away from home we don’t think you’ll want to leave.
The NRMA St Helens Waterfront Holiday Park is another great family-friendly option. Plus, it’s just a short ride from there to the mountain bike trails. Bonus!
From St Helens, it’s a 1.25-hour drive to Derby, where more mountain-biking trails abound for those families interested in exercising extra pedal power.
Family-Friendly Accommodation on Tasmania’s West Coast
A road trip of the West Coast unearths tales of convict escapades, boom-and-bust mining fortunes and ghost towns. Plus, you can delve into World Heritage-listed wilderness. Start in Queenstown and take the easy 20-minute-return walk to pretty Nelson Falls through mossy forest of sassafras, myrtle and ferns. Queenstown is home to many of the West Coast’s quirkiest attractions, including the legendary gravel sports oval, and historic places to stay. Penghana Bed & Breakfast, for example, is a heritage National Trust property that dates to 1898. The self-contained apartment here is ideal for families, with plenty of space to relax after a day exploring the great outdoors.
From Queenstown, board the 35-kilometre West Coast Wilderness Railway steam train, which snakes through the west’s rugged wilderness to the coast at Strahan. If you stay and play in Strahan, World Heritage Cruises and Gordon River Cruises are wonderful ways to enjoy the majestic coastal and rainforest scenery of this stunning chunk of Tasmania in style.
Strahan Village offers a variety of accommodation options, and Castaway Holiday Apartments are basic, clean and very reasonably priced; near the supermarket; and just a short walk to the main street. For a kid-favourite activity, hire some sleds (where the cruises dock) and visit the Strahan dunes.
You can also combine your steam-rail journey with thrilling whitewater rafting and peaceful river drifting with qualified guides at King River Rafting. Then, after a day exploring the rivers, mountains and rainforests of the West Coast, check in to Wheelhouse Luxury Apartments, which perch on the cliff edge overlooking Macquarie Harbour. Travelling families will find all the facilities they need for a truly comfortable stay in these modern apartments that feature floor-to-ceiling windows to accentuate the stunning views.
To really soak up the country hospitality, book in to Farm Stay at Lowana, a hobby farm 10 minutes from the centre of Strahan. The farmhouse is cosy and comfortable, with four bedrooms and a kitchen stocked with breakfast essentials, such as cereal, fresh eggs and jams. Kids can pet the resident herd, which includes sheep, alpacas, chickens and a goat.
From Strahan, you can drive to the historical mining town of Zeehan. Nicknamed ‘Silver City’, it was once Tasmania’s third largest town. Walk the Spray Tunnel, a 100-metre-long abandoned train tunnel that once led to the Spray Silver Mine. Here, you can also spend a few hours exploring the West Coast Heritage Centre for fascinating insights into the area’s industrial and social history. This seven-hectare site also features the restored Gaiety Theatre Grand Hotel, once considered one of Australia’s best theatres.
Come Visit Our Family-Friendly Cellar Door
Make sure to add Holm Oak cellar door to your itinerary while you’re here. We’re family- friendly, too, with a sensory garden and more to explore. Plus, the kids will love feeding an apple to our resident General Manager, Pinot d’Pig.
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