6 Off-The-Grid Tasmania Towns To Visit

Off-grid Tasmania is its own kind of trip. A wood-fired sauna floats on Lake Derby. A volcanic plug rises behind a 19th-century weatherboard village. Cars cross a river on a cable-guided punt. Kayaks circle islands named Hope, Faith, and Charity. The six towns ahead all sit in genuinely remote pockets of the island.

Derby

A former tin-mining town, Derby has reinvented itself as Australia's mountain biking capital. The Blue Derby mountain-bike network has grown to 125 kilometers (78 miles) of groomed single-track through thick forests, and hosts major competitions like the Tas Gravity Enduro Series, drawing hundreds of riders to the Ringarooma Valley.

In mid-June 2026, gravel cyclists head to town for the Devils Cardigan, a UCI Gravel World Series qualifier that has competitors climb the Weldborough Pass and Mt Albert Road before finishing beside Briseis Hole (aka, Lake Derby). A little less physical but no less fun, the Ringarooma River is the scene of the town's annual Derby Duck Race, a rubber-duck fund-raiser that always draws a crowd.

For an entirely unique off-the-grid experience, the wood-fired Floating Sauna moored on Lake Derby offers relaxing 90-minute sessions alternating between 38°C heat and cooling dips in the lake. Be sure to take a stroll along the 600-meter (1,968 ft) Derby Tunnel, an old 19th-century drainage bore that's now fitted with motion-activated LEDs that light your way through its quartzite walls.

Corinna

Sitting on the Pieman River at the southern edge of the Tarkine, one of the largest tracts of cool-temperate rainforest in the Southern Hemisphere, and just an hour's drive to the coast, Corinna Wilderness Village is a once-busy mining town that's now dedicated to outdoor adventures along the river and through the surrounding dense rainforests. Getting to this off-the-grid place is itself a unique experience that includes gravel roads and crossing a river on the Fatman barge. The state's only cable-guided vehicular punt, it hauls just two cars at a time across the river. Once there, you'll find an entirely solar-powered hamlet where mobile reception is non-existent, and satellite Wi-Fi is patchy at best.

The highlight of a visit is a river cruise aboard the century-old Arcadia II, a six-hour return trip to Pieman Heads where the river meets the Southern Ocean. Along the way, you'll learn about the area's gold-rush lore, enjoy an onboard lunch, and soak up the surrounding scenery. Other fun things to do in Corinna include kayaking upstream along the Savage River and enjoying rainforest walks from your cottage doorstep. One such walk, the Huon Pine loop, is wheelchair-friendly and glows with bioluminescent fungi after dusk on damp nights.

The Tarkine Hotel is another accommodation option and takes being off-the-grid very seriously, with electricity generation, rainwater harvesting, and waste treatment all handled on-site.

Stanley

Dubbed "The Nut" by locals, Stanley's volcanic plug rises 143 meters (469 ft) behind Marine Esplanade, dwarfing the town's 19th-century weatherboard cottages. While a steep trail will get you to the top, the handy Nut Chairlift can take you up to see those Bass Strait views without having to break into a sweat. Other curiosities include the nearby Highfield Historic Site, which details the Van Diemen's Land Company's 1830s headquarters through displays and rotating art shows. It is essential context for understanding northwest Tasmania's colonial past.

Food fans will definitely enjoy a visit to Stanley. Restaurants like Hursey Seafoods serve fresh lobster landed by its own boats, and May 2026 sees the return of the Stanley & Tarkine Forage Festival. This fun four-day event includes foraging walks and a long-table street feast on Church Street. Book a stay at the Ship Inn, a maritime-themed guesthouse within strolling distance of the best things to do in Stanley.

Dover

Just an hour south of Hobart, the capital of Tasmania, Dover faces a large bay called Port Esperance, with the Hartz Mountains rising as the inland backdrop. The main tourist town in the Huon Valley, it's easy to get even farther off the grid here. Join Esperance Adventures for a morning kayak around the islands of Hope, Faith, and Charity, breaking for tea and treats on a driftwood beach before returning to Dover.

You can also enjoy a remote experience with a guided tour of the nearby Hastings Caves. These 40-meter (131 ft) dolomite chambers can be toured, with admission packages also allowing access to the site's 28°C thermal pool. If you're in the area around mid-May, check out Huon Aquaculture salmon farm's open days for the chance to see its workboats and feed barges up close (this popular event sells out fast).

Whitemark

An even more remote destination, Flinders Island sits off the northeast corner of Tasmania and is where you'll find the small community of Whitemark. Accessible by ferry from Bridport or by plane from Melbourne or Launceston, Whitemark is popular for its location at the base of the Strzelecki Peaks. Here you can park and make the five kilometer (three mile) return climb to the top for superb sunsets over Bass Strait.

Whitemark also provides access to some of Tasmania's best beaches. One of the most popular, Whitemark Beach stretches for miles either side of the Whitemark Ferry Terminal, while Trousers Point, 20 minutes to the south, features camping and BBQ shelters for those wanting to get even more off grid. For a quiet stay in an already quiet destination, check the availability at Sawyers Bay Shacks, two cool timber houses overlooking a secluded private cove.

Strahan

Located on the rim of Macquarie Harbour and a scenic 45-minute drive from Queenstown, Strahan is small but full of history. A mix of old weatherboard boathouses and salmon pens, it's from here each morning that the Spirit of the Wild departs for a six-hour Gordon River loop tour through Hells Gates, Sarah Island, and dense rainforest that was once logged for its Huon pine.

The West Coast Wilderness Railway is another must-do and operates steam train rides between Teepookana and Lynchford throughout 2026. Strahan is especially popular among sailing enthusiasts, drawn here for the winds that blast across Macquarie Harbour. For a unique stay, check out the Risby Cove Hotel, a boutique-style property with a popular over-water restaurant and its Waterfront rooms.

The Final Word

For those seeking a truly off-the-beaten-trail destination, Tasmania delivers. These six communities live up to that promise in different ways. Solar-powered cottages reached by barge, a mountain-bike capital of Australia, and food festivals built around the wilds all sit within a single short flight or ferry crossing. 2026 is a good year to visit any (or all) of these six off-the-grid towns in Tasmania.