The following tour information has been compiled by the management of Groups Tasmania for your benefit but should be used as a guide only.

Flights

Please check your individual flight itineraries for airlines instructions regarding check in. However Groups Tasmania recommends arriving at the airport no less than an hour prior to your departure. For groups we recommend a minimum of 1.5 hours.

Please note that the below instructions are for our standard tours only. Passengers who have pre & post accommodation should check their individual booking confirmations.

Arrival & Departure Destinations

Hobart Domestic Airport, Launceston Domestic Airport, Devonport Domestic Airport & Burnie/ Wynyard Domestic Airport

Spirit of Tasmania

If you are arriving or departing Tasmania by the Spirit of Tasmania you should check your Spirit of Tasmania documentation for any special instructions you may need. Check in closes 45 minutes prior to your departure in either Melbourne or Devonport.

Information & Queries

Should you have any queries about your holiday before you leave, please contact Groups Tasmania on 03 6344 9909 (in Australia) or your travel agent. If you require urgent assistance whilst in Tasmania you will be provided with one of our consultants after hours contact number with your documentation.

Special Requirements

If you have any special requirements they will be passed onto all suppliers. Special requirements refer to airline seating, special dietary and medical needs. These requirements are on a request basis only and cannot be guaranteed by Groups Tasmania.

Seat Rotation

To ensure all passengers have the opportunity to enjoy front and window seats, a daily seat rotation system is employed on all our coaches. It works on a scatter system where you are rotated around the coach by numbers which allows you to get to know other members of the group you may not have already met.

Baggage & Porterage

The luggage allowance whilst on tour is one suitcase with a maximum weight of 20 kilograms. You may also carry a small backpack or overnight bag on board the coach for the duration of the tour. Please clearly mark your luggage for ease of recognition by coach captain or porters etc.

Quarantine Regulations

Tasmania has a disease-free status and as such has quarantine inspections at all entry points. To maintain this status, you must not bring in any fresh fruit or vegetables, fish or fish products, plant or plant parts, cut flowers or anything carrying soil. Even a single item such as an apple could introduce a pest or disease and as such, trained sniffer dogs are used to detect any undeclared items. For further information on quarantine regulations in Tasmania please refer to Quarantine Tasmania.

Weather & Climate

Tasmania weather is unpredictable. Though summer temperatures average a comfortable 20º Celsius it can unexpectedly snow in December. In winter and autumn average temperatures are 12º Celsius. Spring is warm, but bring extra clothing for the evenings. Tasmania’s summer days are wonderfully long – at midsummer, daylight lasts more than 15 hours. Rainfall varies dramatically between east and west coasts. Hobart is the nation’s second driest capital city with an annual rainfall of approx 626mm (24″) while the west coast has an annual rainfall of approx 2400mm (95″).

What to Wear

Due to changeable weather conditions, packing for your Tasmanian tour requires a certain amount of flexibility. It may be warmer or cooler than normal and you may be travelling through different climates so dressing in layers is highly recommended for versatility. However is is also recommended to travel light and it is not necessary to bring every jumper in your wardrobe! Recent research has shown that only 30% of holiday travellers wear everything they pack. The best advice for packing is ‘if in doubt – leave it out”.

Time Zones

Tasmania operates on Australian Eastern Standard Time. For daylight savings, clocks are advanced one hour between October and March.

Hotel Check In

If your flight arrives before noon (usually 2pm is check-in time) at the city where your tour starts, the hotel may not have your room available until mid afternoon. We do our best to prevent this from happening. Some people use this time to explore the neighbourhood, shop or relax in the hotel public areas.

Money & Bank Information

Credit Cards: Major credit cards are widely accepted. ATMs: You will find numerous automatic teller machines (ATM) available in most towns and cities on tour. Eftpos is quite widely available. Banking Facilities: Most banks are open between 9.00am and 4.30pm on weekdays. Please note due to the isolation of some areas we travel to, it may not be possible to get to a bank each day during business hours, please ensure you carry enough cash for drinks and snacks etc.

Motion Sickness

Motion Sickness can be a problem for some people when cruising, flying or travelling on coaches and trains and it is a good idea to take precautionary measures. Drugs for treating motion sickness can be purchased at most pharmacies; however a side effect can be drowsiness. Alternatives such as ginger tablets and acupressure wrist bands are also available and work well for some people.

Laundry Facilities

Most accommodation places we stay at have coin-operated washing machines and dryers. Most machines take $1 and $2 coins. Laundry powder is available from most receptions.