Getting to Corinna
The road is part of the story.
Corinna sits at the southern edge of takayna/the Tarkine, on the banks of the Pieman River, and reaching it takes a bit more than punching an address into the GPS and switching on the cruise control. However you come, the last stretch is unsealed, the country gets wilder the closer you get, and at some point you'll cross the Pieman on the Fatman Barge, the only cable-driven vehicular barge left in Tasmania. None of that is a detour from the Corinna experience. It's the beginning of it.
This page covers the drive from Hobart, Launceston and Devonport, the road conditions and vehicle suitability you should plan around, where to fill the tank before the gravel starts, and what to expect crossing the river. For the shorter version, see our FAQ page; for the full detail on barge hours and pricing, see Barge Access.
WARATAH, TARKINE EASTERN BOUNDARY ENTRY
From Hobart (approximately 5 hours 20 minutes)
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The route: Head west from Hobart on the A10 through Hamilton and Ouse, continuing across the central highlands past Bronte Park to Queenstown. From Queenstown, continue on A10 then take the B27 north toward Zeehan and Rosebery, then follow the signs west through Zeehan C249, and Savage River onto the Corinna Developmental Road.
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Road condition: Sealed the whole way from Hobart to beyond Zeehan. The final stretch into Corinna, from around Savage River, is unsealed, an all-weather gravel surface rather than a formed highway.
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Last fuel stop before the gravel starts: Rosebery is the last reliable servo before Corinna on this route. Zeehan also has fuel if you'd rather top up earlier. There are no public fuel stops or service stations in Savage River.
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Vehicle suitability: A standard 2WD car manages this route comfortably at a sensible pace in reasonable weather. Slow down through Queenstown's steeper, more winding sections and again once the bitumen ends.
MYCENA INTERRUPTA (AKA PIXIES PARASOL), LOCATED IN THE TARKINE
From Launceston (approximately 3 hours 30 minutes)
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The route: From Launceston, head west on the B12 toward Deloraine, then south on the B14 to join the Murchison Highway (A10). Follow the A10 south through Waratah and Rosebery, then continue on toward Zeehan and Savage River to join the Corinna Developmental Road.
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Road condition: Sealed as far as beyond Zeehan, with the same unsealed final stretch from around Savage River into Corinna.
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Last fuel stop before the gravel starts: Rosebery again, with Zeehan as a fallback.
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Vehicle suitability: Comfortable in a 2WD car. This is the quickest route of the three and the one most Tasmanian visitors will use.
THE RARE SLENDER TREE FERN, LOCATED ON THE SOUTHERN BANK OF THE PIEMAN
From Devonport (approximately 2 hours 25 minutes)
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The route: From Devonport, take the B17 south toward Sheffield, continuing via Railton and Waratah to join the Murchison Highway (A10), then follow the A10 south and west toward Corinna. This is the most direct route for anyone arriving on the Spirit of Tasmania or flying into Devonport.
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Road condition: Sealed until the final unsealed stretch, same as the other two routes.
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Last fuel stop before the gravel starts: Rosebery is still the safest bet, since it sits on this route too before the road turns toward Corinna.
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Vehicle suitability: Comfortable in a 2WD car. Shortest drive of the three, which makes it the easiest to do in a day if you're arriving by ferry and want to be at Corinna before dark
The final stretch: road conditions and what to expect
Whichever direction you're coming from, the last section into Corinna is unsealed: a well-formed, all-weather road surfaced with silica (crushed tailings from the nearby mine) rather than bitumen. It's narrow and winding in places, with the rainforest pressing in close, and there are a handful of short sealed sections on the steeper pinches, but it's gravel for most of the way.
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That's not a reason to worry. The road is actively maintained and driven daily by sedans, campervans and tour buses. Treat it the way you'd treat any good gravel road: ease off the accelerator, take it slower around blind corners and after rain, and give yourself more time than a sealed road of the same length would take. Building in a buffer matters more here than on most Tasmanian drives, since the Fatman Barge has a last crossing time and you don't want to be racing the clock on gravel in the dark.
Bringing a caravan or camper trailer
Towing into Corinna is common and manageable, with three campground sites set aside specifically for vans and motorhomes. The barge itself can carry a combined vehicle and trailer up to 9.0 metres wheelbase and 2.50 metres wide, with a minimum 0.2 metre underbody clearance for caravans. The bigger consideration is the road rather than the barge: narrow, winding and unsealed on the final stretch, so take corners slowly and add extra time to whichever drive time above applies to you
Do I need a 4WD?
For the southern approach described above, from Hobart, Launceston or Devonport, a standard 2WD vehicle is fine, driven at a sensible pace in reasonable conditions. It's the Western Explorer Road from the north (see below) where a 4WD becomes the safer choice, particularly after heavy rain. Whichever way you're travelling, it's worth checking current road conditions before you leave if the west coast has had recent wet weather.
The Western Explorer Road: the wilder way in
There's a second way into Corinna, from the north, via Smithton, Marrawah and Arthur River to the Western Explorer Road through the Arthur Pieman Conservation Area. It's unsealed for a longer stretch than the southern approach, rougher, more remote, and genuinely part of the wilderness experience rather than just a way to get somewhere. Road conditions here vary a lot by season and can become impassable after sustained wet weather, so a 4WD is recommended rather than optional, and it's worth checking current conditions and carrying enough fuel before you set out. If you're coming from Burnie, the more direct route is via Waratah onto the southern approach above, rather than this one.
"The gravel road that leads to Corinna is as much a part of the adventure as the destination itself. As the bitumen gives way to the silica surface and the rainforest closes in overhead, you already know you've left the ordinary behind."
THE WESTERN EXPLORER (C249) HIGHLIGHTS THE EXTENSIVE REGION
Crossing the Pieman: the Fatman Barge
However you arrive, the last step is the Fatman Barge, the only cable-driven vehicular barge left in Tasmania. The crossing itself takes just 3 to 5 minutes, over a river 130 metres wide and 20 metres deep at that point. It runs seven days a week, year-round, with no booking required, you simply drive up and cross.
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Hours: 9am to 7pm during daylight saving, 9am to 5pm outside it.
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Fares: $15 for a motorcycle, pedestrian or bicycle; $30 for a standard car, ute or 4WD; $35 for an extended vehicle, caravan or trailer.
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Vehicle limits: maximum 2.50 metres wide, 9.0 metres combined wheelbase, 6.0 tonnes total.
Time your arrival with the barge's operating hours in mind, especially in winter when the last crossing is earlier.
Fuel and last-minute supplies
There's no fuel available at Corinna itself, so fill up before the final stretch, not after. Rosebery is the most reliable last fuel stop on the southern approach for all three routes above, with Zeehan as a second option. There are no public fuel stops or service stations in Savage River.
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If you're coming via the Western Explorer Road from the north, fuel up in Smithton or Marrawah before you start; there's nothing reliable once you're on that road.
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Corinna's own general store carries only limited provisions and gifts, so it's not the place to plan on doing a grocery shop. Stock up in Zeehan, Waratah or Rosebery on the way in, depending on your route.
Charging an electric vehicle
Corinna's off-grid power supply doesn't stretch to EV charging, so this is one more thing worth building into your route plan alongside the fuel stops above. Leave your last charging point with a full battery, and plan on doing the same again once you head back out. For more on what to expect once you're off-grid, see our FAQ page.
Plan your visit
Still working out the details? Our FAQ page covers the questions people ask most, and the team is always happy to talk through your route directly.
Phone: (03) 6446 1170
Email: reservations@corinna.com.au
There's a cabin with your name on it, once the last stretch of gravel is behind you.
