Can I take a hire campervan on the Spirit of Tasmania?

Yes, most major operators including Apollo, Britz, Maui, Jucy, Travellers Autobarn, Mighty and Cheapa Campa permit their vehicles on the Spirit of Tasmania. Always confirm this in writing when you book, and check whether the hire agreement includes a cross-strait surcharge or any additional insurance requirements for the crossing.

How far in advance should I book the Spirit of Tasmania for a campervan?

For peak season sailings in December, January and Easter, book three to six months ahead — vehicle spaces on the car deck fill faster than passenger berths. For shoulder season travel in autumn or spring, six to eight weeks is usually sufficient, though earlier is always safer. The vehicle space is the hard constraint, so secure that before finalising your hire dates.

Is it cheaper to hire a campervan in Devonport than to take one from Melbourne?

It often works out cheaper when you factor in the return vehicle ferry fare, which can add $500–$1,200 depending on vehicle size. Flying to Devonport and hiring locally eliminates that cost entirely. The trade-off is you can't bring bulky gear from home, and not all operators have depots right in Devonport — some require a transfer to Launceston.

How long does the Spirit of Tasmania crossing take?

The crossing from Port Melbourne to Devonport takes approximately nine to eleven hours depending on sea conditions and the specific sailing. Most departures are overnight, so you board in the evening and arrive in Devonport in the morning, which effectively saves you a night's accommodation cost if you book a cabin.

What size campervan fits in the cheapest vehicle category on the Spirit of Tasmania?

The lowest vehicle fare bracket is typically for vehicles up to five metres in length. Small campervans like the Jucy Condo or Mighty Highball often fall into this category, but measure carefully including any rear-mounted accessories. Exceeding the bracket length at check-in means paying the higher rate on the spot.

Do I need to book a cabin on the Spirit of Tasmania, or can I sleep in my campervan?

You cannot sleep in your campervan on the car deck — access to vehicles during the crossing is not permitted. For overnight sailings, you'll need either a cabin or a recliner seat. A cabin is strongly recommended for comfort on a nine-to-eleven hour crossing, particularly for families or anyone who needs decent sleep before a full day of driving.

What's the best time of year to do a Melbourne to Tasmania campervan trip?

Shoulder season — March to May and September to November — offers the best balance of good weather, manageable crowds and lower hire rates. Summer is peak season with the best weather but highest costs and earliest booking requirements. Winter is cold and some highland roads close, but the west coast and Hobart remain accessible and the ferry is much easier to book.

Melbourne to Tasmania Campervan Ferry Guide

The big decision: take your campervan across, or hire one in Tassie?

If you're planning a Melbourne to Tasmania campervan ferry trip, the first question isn't which route to drive — it's whether to take a vehicle across Bass Strait at all. The Spirit of Tasmania charges a separate vehicle fare on top of passenger tickets, and once you add that up both ways, hiring a campervan in Devonport after you arrive can look very attractive. This guide breaks down both options honestly so you can make the call that suits your budget and travel style.

For a broader look at the whole trip from planning to packing, the Melbourne to Tasmania: The Complete Campervan Guide is worth reading alongside this one.

How the Spirit of Tasmania works for campervans

The Spirit of Tasmania sails between Station Pier in Port Melbourne and the Devonport terminal on Tasmania's north coast. The crossing takes roughly nine to eleven hours depending on conditions and the sailing schedule — most departures are overnight, which means you wake up in Tassie ready to drive. There are also some daytime sailings, particularly in peak season (December to February), when a second vessel sometimes operates.

Vehicles are loaded into the car deck. Campervans and motorhomes are measured by length, and that's where costs climb quickly. The ferry operator categorises vehicles into length brackets — typically up to 5 metres, 5–6 metres, 6–7 metres, and so on. A small campervan like a Jucy Condo or a Mighty Highball sits around 5–5.5 metres. A larger Maui Beach or Apollo Euro Tourer can push 6–7 metres. A full-size motorhome from Star RV or Cheapa Campa might exceed 7 metres. Each extra bracket adds a meaningful chunk to the fare.

For a detailed breakdown of vehicle categories, what to expect on board, and how to time your booking, see our dedicated guide on Spirit of Tasmania Campervan Ferry Cost, Booking & What to Expect.

What does the ferry actually cost?

Prices below are indicative ranges based on publicly available fare structures. Live pricing changes with season, demand and how far ahead you book — always check the Spirit of Tasmania website for current fares before committing.

Vehicle length	One-way vehicle fare (approx.)	Return vehicle fare (approx.)
Up to 5 m (small campervan)	$180 – $280	$360 – $560
5–6 m (mid-size campervan)	$250 – $380	$500 – $760
6–7 m (large campervan)	$320 – $480	$640 – $960
Over 7 m (motorhome)	$400 – $600+	$800 – $1,200+
Passenger fare (per adult)	$100 – $200	$200 – $400
Cabin (recommended overnight)	$80 – $200 per cabin	$160 – $400 per cabin

So for two adults in a mid-size campervan, a return crossing can realistically cost $900–$1,500 before you've bought a single meal on board. That's a significant line item, and it's the main reason many travellers seriously consider hiring locally instead.

Booking windows and when to lock it in

Peak season sailings — school holidays, Christmas, Easter and the Taste of Tasmania festival in late December — sell out months in advance. If you're travelling in January, bookings open roughly twelve months ahead and popular sailings go quickly. For shoulder season (March–May, September–November), you'll generally find availability six to eight weeks out, but vehicle spaces fill faster than passenger berths because the car deck has a hard capacity limit.

A few practical tips:

Book the vehicle space first. Passenger tickets are easier to add later; vehicle spots are the constraint.
Measure your campervan accurately. Operators like Apollo, Britz and Travellers Autobarn list vehicle dimensions on their websites. Underestimating your length and getting bumped to a higher bracket at check-in is an expensive surprise.
Overnight sailings are usually better value than day sailings in peak season because you save a night's accommodation cost — you sleep on the ferry.
Cancellation policies matter. The Spirit of Tasmania's refund terms tighten as departure approaches. Read them before you pay.

Is hiring a campervan in Devonport cheaper?

Often, yes — and sometimes significantly so. Here's the logic: if you fly Melbourne to Devonport (Jetstar and Rex both serve the route, with fares from around $80–$180 per person one-way when booked ahead), you skip the vehicle ferry fare entirely. You then hire a campervan from a Devonport depot and return it there at the end of your trip.

Operators with Devonport depots or easy Launceston pick-up options include Apollo, Britz, Maui, Jucy, Travellers Autobarn, Camperman, Mighty and Cheapa Campa. Not all of them have a physical depot right in Devonport — some require a short transfer to Launceston (about 100 kilometres south) — so check pick-up logistics carefully. Our Campervan Hire Devonport: Your Tasmania Gateway Guide 2026 covers exactly which operators are where and what the transfer arrangements look like.

The maths for a couple travelling two weeks in shoulder season might look like this:

Ferry option: $500–$760 vehicle fare return + $400–$800 passenger fares return + cabin costs = roughly $1,000–$1,600 in crossing costs alone
Fly option: $160–$360 in flights return for two people, zero vehicle ferry cost

The saving on crossing costs can be $700–$1,200, which buys a lot of campsite fees or a vehicle upgrade. The trade-off is that you can't bring your own gear in the van from Melbourne — you pack what you can carry on the plane, and you rely on the hire vehicle's kit.

If you do hire locally, comparing operators side by side saves time and often money. The CamperCompare campervan hire Melbourne page is useful if you're picking up from the mainland, but for Tassie-based hire, use the site's Tasmania search to filter by depot location, vehicle size and inclusions.

When taking the ferry with your campervan makes sense

Despite the cost, there are genuine reasons to take your hired (or owned) campervan across on the Spirit of Tasmania:

You have a lot of gear. Surfboards, bikes, kayaks, camping equipment — if you're travelling with bulky kit, flying with it is impractical and expensive.
You're doing a one-way trip. Some travellers fly into Melbourne, hire a campervan, drive the Great Ocean Road, then cross to Tassie and fly home from Hobart. That's a genuinely efficient loop. (For the mainland leg, see our guide on one-way campervan hire from Melbourne to Adelaide via the Great Ocean Road for context on how one-way fees work.)
You want the experience. The overnight crossing is part of the trip for many people — dinner in the restaurant, watching the Melbourne skyline fade, waking up to the Tamar estuary. It's not just logistics.
You're travelling in a group. With four adults splitting the vehicle fare, the per-person cost drops considerably and starts to compete with flights.

Driving in Tasmania: what to expect once you're there

Tasmania is compact but don't underestimate driving times. Roads outside the main highways are often narrow, winding and unsealed in places. The distance from Devonport to Hobart via the Midland Highway is about 280 kilometres — roughly three hours in a campervan. Devonport to Cradle Mountain is around 85 kilometres but takes 90 minutes because of the mountain road. Hobart to Port Arthur is about 100 kilometres and takes just under two hours.

Most hire campervans are 2WD, which is fine for the vast majority of Tasmanian roads. If you want to reach places like Walls of Jerusalem or the more remote southwest, you'll need a 4WD — operators like Britz and Apollo offer 4WD camper options, though availability in Tasmania is limited and they book out fast.

Fuel costs are worth factoring in. Tasmania's petrol prices are generally slightly higher than Melbourne's, and some remote areas (think Strahan or Cockle Creek) have limited options. Fill up when you can.

For a full route itinerary covering the highlights — Cradle Mountain, Freycinet, the Huon Valley, Port Arthur and more — the Tasmania Road Trip by Campervan: The Complete 2026 Guide maps it all out with realistic daily distances.

Seasonal considerations

Summer (December–February) is peak season: the weather is best, the ferry is busiest and hire rates are highest. Book everything at least three to four months ahead, ideally more for Christmas and New Year.

Shoulder season (March–May and September–November) is genuinely excellent for Tasmania. Autumn colours in the Huon Valley and around Lake St Clair are spectacular in April and May. Crowds thin out, campsite availability improves and hire rates drop. Ferry bookings are easier to secure.

Winter (June–August) is cold and some highland roads close, but the west coast and Hobart remain accessible. If you're considering a winter trip from Melbourne, our guide on Campervan Hire Melbourne in Winter: Is It Worth It? covers the mainland side of the equation, and many of the same considerations apply to Tassie.

Practical checklist before you book

Measure your campervan's exact length (including any rear bike racks or spare tyre carriers) before booking the ferry.
Check whether your hire operator allows the vehicle to be taken on the Spirit of Tasmania — most do, but confirm it in writing and check if there's an additional cross-strait fee in the hire agreement.
Book the vehicle space on the ferry before finalising your hire dates — don't hire the van and then discover your preferred sailing is full.
Arrange a cabin for overnight crossings. Recliner seats are cheaper but nine hours in a chair is a long night.
Check campsite bookings for peak-season nights at popular spots like Freycinet National Park, Cradle Mountain and Lake St Clair — these fill up well in advance.
Confirm your hire vehicle's roadside assistance covers Tasmania. Most major operators (Apollo, Maui, Britz, Travellers Autobarn) do, but verify.

If you're still deciding where to pick up your vehicle, the Campervan Hire Melbourne: Depots, Costs & What to Know First guide covers Melbourne depot locations, what's included in hire rates and the gotchas to watch for before you sign anything.

And once you've landed in Devonport and the ramp drops, the first drive of your Tasmanian trip is a good one — head straight for Cradle Mountain and you'll understand why people keep coming back. The Devonport to Cradle Mountain by Campervan: Ferry-to-Wilderness Guide has everything you need for that first leg.