Fortescue Bay camping: two fee systems, C344 and fireplaces
How Fortescue Bay camping actually works — Parks Pass plus a separate camp fee, 2026 published prices to verify, book Oct–Apr / first-come May–Sep, fuel-stove rules, and why it is not Three Capes.
By Ian Piggott · Farming Domains · Unofficial guide · ~10 min read
Updated · re-check Parks Tasmania before travel
Best for: People choosing a vehicle camp near Cape Hauy
Unofficial guide — always verify track conditions, closures, fees and safety with Parks Tasmania. Place photos are Wikimedia Commons / CC where credited — not official Parks Tasmania imagery and not live conditions.
Some stay, tour and gear links may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Parks Pass fees, Fortescue Bay camping fees and official Three Capes / Parks Tasmania bookings are never affiliated.
Fortescue Bay is the vehicle-camping hub for Tasman National Park and the start for Cape Hauy. It is not a free “you have a Parks Pass” camp, and it is not a Three Capes hut. Treat the pass, the site fee and any hut booking as three different products.
Book only on Parks Tasmania. This site does not take camping money. Desk research 26 August 2026 — confirm live.
Published fees to verify
Planning amounts commonly published for Fortescue Bay camping: $13 per site per night for 2 people; extra adult $5; extra child $2.50; family $16. Mark [VERIFY] on the official camping page before you travel. Children under 5 are free on the Parks Pass side of the ledger — camping extras still follow the camping page.
Bookings: 1 October–30 April. First-come: 1 May–30 September. Phone 03 6250 2433. Tasman Field Centre Taranna (5803 Arthur Hwy, 03 6250 3980) publishes 7 days 10am–4pm — hours change.
C344 and camp manners
About 12 km unsealed 2WD in normal conditions off the Arthur Highway. Give way to buses and boat trailers. Day-use parking is not overflow camping.
Fuel-stove only across most of the park. Use only designated Fortescue fireplaces when fires are allowed — check bans. Do not invent a fire on the Cape Hauy track.
Commercial Plan B beds
If peak-season sites are gone, Port Arthur, Taranna and Eaglehawk Neck are the usual commercial bases (Booking.com links on the stay hub may be affiliate). Hobart remains the day-trip base — about 90 minutes. Nubeena suits Cape Raoul / Stormlea more than Hauy mornings.
FAQ
Tap a question to expand the answer.
Does a Parks Pass cover the campsite?
No. You still pay the Fortescue camping fee. Three Capes is a third system.
Can I book in winter?
Parks Tasmania publishes bookings for 1 October–30 April and first-come 1 May–30 September. Verify the current rule before you drive C344 with no Plan B bed.
More articles
- Cape Hauy operator’s guide: steps, C344 and the reverse clock
How to walk Cape Hauy as a day trip from Hobart — 9.4 km return, Grade 3, Fortescue Bay, Parks Pass, unsealed C344, and what not to stack on the same day. Desk research, not walked.
- Three Capes Track: book it, or walk Cape Hauy / Raoul instead
Unofficial decision tree for the Three Capes Track — 48 km, 4d/3n, Grade 3, max 48/day, 2026 prices to verify, what the fee includes, and when a Parks Pass day walk is the honest product.
- Dolerite cliffs: Tessellated Pavement, Tasmans Arch and the capes
How the Tasman Peninsula’s geology sites actually sit on a day plan — Pavement, Blowhole, Arch/Kitchen (2026 closure), Waterfall Bay Road, and why the capes are a different product.
- Wildlife on the Arthur Highway, cliff wind and what to pack
Peninsula weather is not a Hobart CBD tile. Pack for wind on dolerite, slick steps, and a dusk wildlife buffer on A9 and C344. Unofficial packing notes — verify BOM and Parks Tasmania.
- Plan B — Tasmans Arch and Devils Kitchen closed (2026 works)
Tasmans Arch and Devils Kitchen visitor site is closed 15 April–29 September 2026. What still works: Tessellated Pavement, Blowhole, Waterfall Bay via Waterfall Bay Road — not a gate-hop and not an automatic Cape Hauy.
- Plan B — left Hobart too late for Cape Hauy
You left Hobart after 10am and Cape Hauy’s 4-hour return no longer fits a dusk wildlife buffer. Named failure, named Plan B: Eaglehawk Neck geology, not a compressed cape death-march.
- Port Arthur Historic Site is not a Parks Pass
Three tills on one peninsula: Tasmania Parks Pass, Fortescue camping, Three Capes booking — and a fourth ticket at Port Arthur Historic Site. Mixing them is how days and budgets break.
Free day-trip checklist
Printable packing, order of stops and official Parks Tasmania links — free direct download, no email required.
- Before-you-leave packing ticks
- Half-day Eaglehawk Neck geology vs Cape Hauy clock
- What to skip when Arch/Kitchen is closed or you left Hobart late
- Official Parks Tasmania links to verify conditions
Free direct download — no email required. Also available anytime from Maps & resources · Itineraries · Privacy.
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Stays after you plan
Optional only — after the guide and official resources. Park fees and official Parks Tasmania bookings are never affiliated.
Nearby stays
Port Arthur · Eaglehawk Neck · Hobart
- Stays at Port ArthurClosest to Remarkable Cave, Three Capes check-in and the Historic Site
- Eaglehawk NeckNorthern geology sites and the isthmus — still a drive to Fortescue
- HobartDay-trip base — about 90 minutes each way via Sorell and the Arthur Highway
All Booking.com links open in a new tab and may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Official Fortescue camping, Parks Pass and Three Capes bookings are never affiliated.
Some stay, tour and gear links may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Parks Pass fees, Fortescue Bay camping fees and official Three Capes / Parks Tasmania bookings are never affiliated. Affiliate disclosure · Privacy