Touring Tasmania – Devonport

Mersey Bluff Lighthouse

Having spent a day exploring the caves of the Mole Creek Karst National Park we had several options for which direction to head in. We will be visiting the next national park on our list, Cradle Mountain-Lake St Claire, but decided that heading north back up to the coast and to the city of Devonport was best at this point.

Devonport is Tasmania’s third largest city though one of the busiest in terms of tourists because the Spirit of Tasmania ferries from Melbourne dock here, making this a popular place to start or finish a holiday in Tasmania.

Devonport started life as Port Frederick and then as Mersey River. The name of the Mersey River remained but the town again had a name change when it was split into two separate halves – Formby and Torquay, finally, when these two towns rejoined in 1890 the name Devonport was settled on.

Devonport has an array of places to stay, but being the popular travel gateway that it is places can get booked up in advance in the peak season. So if you’re planning on staying in a Devonport hotel you’d be advised to book this in advance rather than find everywhere is full. For a full list of great Devonport accommodation, visit Book it Now.

What to See and Do in Devonport
Devonport may be famous for the ferries, but there are also some interesting attractions in the city which visitors should stick around to see.

Scenery – Devonport is an attractive town with some appealing architecture but the area also has some pretty scenery – places like Mersey Bluff and the photogenic Mersey Bluff Lighthouse are good to visit. Don’t miss the penguin viewing area at the lighthouse. Mersey River Cruises is a company operating cruises up the Mersey River estuary, giving you further opportunity to see the city and the surrounds.

Museums and Cultural Centres – The Devonport Maritime Museum is an interesting place to spend an hour or two, as is the Tiagarra Aboriginal Cultural Centre. This is a museum dedicated to aboriginal history.

Don Village and Don River Tourist Railroad – The Don River Railway is a fun attraction for the whole family to enjoy. You can see steam and diesel engine locomotives and get to ride one of the vintage Tasmanian trains for a 30 minute return journey. In Don Village, just a short distance outside Devonport, you’ll find the Don Village market which is a country market and a good place to stock up on supplies.

Imaginarium Science Centre – Devonport’s Imaginarium Science Centre is a hands-on place where you can find out how things work by taking part in experiments on a variety of themes. Kids will certainly enjoy all the hands-on stuff here!

‘Touring Tasmania – Devonport’ by Claire Bolgil