EV road trip: Sydney to Hobart

We set out in our Hyundai Kona EV for the tiny hamlet of Jugiong. It’s a well-known foodie destination just off the Hume Highway, some 337km from our starting point and comfortably within the Kona’s 450km-plus range.

There are no other users in sight and 30km of range remaining in the Kona when we pull into a bay at the recently-installed NRMA fast charger. We’re also in need of replenishment and enjoy an excellent lunch alongside a warming log fire at the historic Sir George Hotel.

The Kona sits on charge for over an hour and has a displayed range of 457km on our return, easily enough to get us to our overnight accommodation in Albury. Once checked in, we take advantage of the 12-volt power outlet provided in the carpark to charge overnight. That adds 120km and it turns out to be a prudent decision, as next morning we head to the NRMA’s Albury fast charger and find there’s a queue to use it.

Although one of our apps shows several alternatives nearby, after an hour of searching, none are compatible with our Kona.

We push on for Barnawartha and the RACV’s fast charger. There, the ultra-rapid charger only pumps in 361km of range before shutting off, well below the Kona’s maximum range. The drive between Albury and Port Melbourne (where we are to board the Spirit of Tasmania) is 300km, which doesn’t leave much wiggle room.

It becomes clear our range is tightening nearing the outskirts of Melbourne, so we detour to Coburg just to be safe. It’s the site of the infamous Pentridge Prison and, more importantly for us, a 22kWh charger. A 50-minute charge adds another 164km of range and we arrive at Port Melbourne with just a few hours to spare.

The lights on Spirit of Tasmania are a welcome sight and we join the conga line of vehicles entering the ship’s bowels. It’s a well-oiled operation and, following a meal from the bistro and a walk on deck, we head to our cabin for the overnight passage to Devonport.

Once docked, we aim to head straight to Cradle Mountain, but the Kona requires a charge and we need breakfast. It’s a 3km drive into Devonport’s CBD and its 50kWh fast charger. I spot an RACT office at the nearby mall and go in to grab a map. Call me old school, but they provide a better perspective of distance than any sat-nav screen.

It’s a comfortable 1.5-hour drive to the carpark and visitor centre at Cradle Mountain, where the attentive staff provide a quick overview of the various walks. We pull on our puffy jackets before grabbing lunch at the centre’s kiosk, then board the shuttle bus that takes us the final 6km into the national park.

We choose two moderate 15-minute walks, which take us either side of Lake Dove. Normally home to kayakers and canoeists in the warmer months, today the outside temperature is under 10°C, and the lake is just for fish. The boardwalk crosses crystal clear streams, where dinner plate-sized trout laze in the slower moving sections, while the boathouse track is an easy walk to the water’s edge. With the sun fading over the fantastic vista, we take the last shuttle back for the short drive to Cradle Mountain Hotel.

It’s even better than the photos in the hotel's brochure, with log fires glowing in the various reading rooms and cosy lounges providing a perfect ambience. Our room for the night overlooks the valley. If you’re not into long walks, the boardwalk that runs behind the resort captures the essence of the surrounding alpine terrain. Across from the resort is the Cradle Mountain Wilderness Gallery featuring works from regional artists and designers.

Along with the NRMA’s other newly acquired Tasmanian resorts, Cradle Mountain has a Tesla destination charger and, despite the ‘Tesla only’ sign, they have been reconfigured so that any vehicle with a CCS charge port can use them.

 With 345km of range after an overnight charge, we head off on the 147km drive to Strahan via the Murchison Highway.

Along the way we stop at Mackintosh Dam, where you can drive along the dam wall and view the spectacular landscape. Nearby is the small township of Tullah, replete with its own small gauge railway that serviced the neighbouring mine until the 1960s.

We arrive at Strahan just on dusk and pass the cruise boats docked in the shimmering waters of the bay on the way to our accommodation at Strahan Village.

A warming log fire crackles away in reception, and we’re handed keys to an apartment across from the foreshore. True to its name, the resort feels like a village, with accommodation dotted around the harbour. We relax at the lounge and take in the view before heading to dinner at Hamer’s Bar & Bistro.

The following morning, it’s a 42km drive to Queenstown for a rail trip on the West Coast Wilderness Railway.

The road snakes through the region’s valleys and ridgelines and is used for stages of the Targa Tasmania Rally. We arrive early, but sadly the 128-year-old steam locomotive has a hissy fit and fails to fire up, so we’re offered an abbreviated journey to Lynchford, a rail siding along the line that showcases the area’s early mining heritage.

The trip is less scenic, but the knowledgeable guide knows the area backwards and her commentary is wide-ranging. Like many mining communities, Queenstown sits within a harsh environment – the local AFL team plays on a gravel pitch as the pollution from the Mount Lyell copper mine makes it difficult to grow grass anywhere in town.

A six-hour adventure on a Gordon River Cruise awaits us the next morning. We sail off towards Devils Gates and the notoriously shallow entrance to the harbour, where a breakwater was built in the early 1900s to improve navigation.

Pods of dolphins follow us past the large salmon farms and, as the Spirit of the Wild vessel enters the estuary, it switches to electric motors for propulsion. Gliding soundlessly past gnarled specimens of ancient Huon pine is a majestic experience. We also get a reminder of Tasmania’s brutal past when we stop at Sarah Island and walk through the remains of this penal settlement, which predates Port Arthur on the east coast.

Back on dry land, we need to put our skates on in the fading light to reach our next destination – Curringa Farm, near Hamilton, 227km away. Driving at night in these remote regions should generally be avoided.

Much of the native wildlife is nocturnal, increasing the likelihood of collisions, and the near-zero temperatures make black ice a constant threat. Heading towards Derwent Bridge to charge up, the bitumen is littered with roadkill and our eyes are on stalks scanning ahead while keeping the Kona well under the speed limit.

Curringa Farm owner, Jane Parsons, greets our late arrival at her homestead and kindly offers to lead the way on the final 3km through the farm to our newly built cabin, aptly named ‘Echidna’. Jane provides a food basket for dinner, so we fire up the barbecue and gaze out at the stars, later tucking into a King Island scotch filet and salad, and apple crumble for dessert.

Jane and her husband, Tim, are sixth-generation farmers, running a diverse agriculture portfolio on the 750-acre property, including sheep, alpacas, onions for seed, and poppies for the pharmaceutical industry. All the cabins on the farm have been designed to capture the vista while retaining a sense of privacy, and the picturesque Lake Meadowbank is just a short walk away if you feel the need to venture further than your balcony.

Heading for Hobart, we detour to Mount Field and the spectacular Russell Falls only a short walk from the National Parks visitor centre. There’s a charger available in the carpark, but we struggle with the cables for 30 minutes to no avail.

We give up and decide to instead use the time to view the awe-inspiring giant ash and myrtle beech trees that tower above the dense canopy along the boardwalk to the falls.

We book into the RACV Hobart Hotel, located a short stroll from the harbour, and park the Kona for a few days. With so much to explore around the harbour and nearby Battery Point, time quickly disappears until we must eventually move on towards Coles Bay and Freycinet Lodge.

Our route takes us through the historic towns of Richmond and Oatlands, before joining the Midland Highway for Campbell Town and a fast charger. Here we meet a family who has just driven from Hobart in their new Kia Niro EV. They’re anxious to charge after underestimating the range needed for their journey (we know how they feel).

Freycinet Lodge nestles discreetly in native vegetation and, as you enter reception, the hotel opens to capture the magnificent coastline of Freycinet National Park and Coles Bay. Our room overlooks the water and, although it’s chilly outside, we spend a good deal of time on the deck to take in the view. The craft beer scene in Tasmania is excellent and the bar has an extensive range, while at the restaurant later in the evening we dine on fresh local produce.

We’re booked on a Wineglass Bay Cruise leaving from the resort’s wharf the following day. Depending on weather, the skipper either heads north to Wineglass Bay or south around the coastline of Schouten Island.

There’s a lumpy swell running as the catamaran rounds Bryan Beach, so we head for the calmer southern waters, but not before our skipper spots a pod of migrating whales and we spend some time tracking these remarkable creatures.

A large population of fur seals awaits us on Schouten Island, where they dive into the water seemingly on cue and perform alongside the vessel. Anchored in the serene waters of Promise Bay, the cruise is topped off with a lunch of the plumpest oysters of the entire trip.

We venture to the national park to walk the Wineglass Bay track and visit nearby Cape Tourville Lighthouse. The weather is kind to us and we enjoy a perfect day taking in the sights. It’s then back to the hotel to watch the sunset with a beer in hand on the deck.

After already postponing our return date once, the time comes to drive back to Devonport. We set off north to Bicheno for lunch and onto St Helens to use a fast charger, feeling somewhat sentimental that the trip is ending and it’s our last charge of renewable Tassie power before returning to the mainland.

NRMA’s tourism properties in Tasmania include the iconic Freycinet Lodge, Cradle Mountain Hotel, Strahan Village and Gordon River Cruises, Port Arthur Holiday Park and St Helens Waterfront Holiday Park. For special benefits and member offers, visit NRMA Parks and Resorts or call 1300 414 448.