DOUGLAS APSLEY NATIONAL PARK

Douglas-Apsley National Park is halfway up Tasmania’s east coast near Bicheno. The national park is a 90-kilometre drive north-east of Hobart, and a 170-kilometre drive south-east of Launceston.

Calows Coaches offers public transport from Bicheno to Hobart via Swansea and other east coast towns. Tassielink offers a bus service from Hobart to Bicheno seven days a week, however there is no public transport available between Bicheno and Douglas Apsley National Park. Visit transport.tas.gov.au for bus timetables and more travel information.

Trained dog guides assisting people who are blind or have low vision are permitted in national parks. However, you will need to obtain a permit for them and carry identification with you. To obtain this permit or for enquiries relating to other assistance animals, please phone the Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service or email parkfees@parks.tas.gov.au ahead of your visit.

There are some steps on the walking track, and visitors should note that the full Apsley River Waterhole and Gorge loop requires traversing a river and hopping along rocks and uneven surfaces. Returning to Apsley Waterhole the way you came (along the dirt track) is easier to navigate and therefore may prove more accessible.

There are basic campsites near Apsley Waterhole and along the Leeaberra Track – a multi-day hiking trail for experienced walkers that traverses the park from north to south. Other varied accommodation options are available in Bicheno, 12 kilometres from the Apsley Waterhole car park. The park’s only visitor facilities are an information booth and toilets at the Apsley Waterhole car park.