Unofficial guide · verify with Parks Tasmania

Tasman National ParkUnofficial operator’s manual

Cape Raoul & Stormlea

Guide updated · verify Parks Tasmania alerts and track notes for this precinct

Grade 4 cape day from Stormlea Road. Shipstern Bluff context on this western access. Different trailhead from Fortescue.

  • Best for: Experienced walkers with a full day and no Cape Hauy stacked on top
  • Time: 5 hours walking plus drives — a full day from Hobart
  • Arthur Highway near Nubeena → Highcroft Road → Stormlea Road.

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Cape Raoul from the lookout, Tasman National Park, Tasmania
Cape Raoul from the lookoutPhoto: JJ Harrison · CC BY-SA 3.0

Pick one cape

If you have one cape day, Cape Hauy is the usual first walk (Grade 3, campground, toilets). Raoul is the longer, rougher second cape. Official page: 14 km, 5 hours, Grade 4, hazardous cliffs.

Stormlea is not Fortescue

Leave the Arthur Highway near Nubeena via Highcroft Road, which becomes Stormlea Road. Parks Pass required. No public transport. Last shop/fuel in Nubeena — not at the trailhead.

Shipstern Bluff is coastal context on this side of the peninsula. It is not an automatic add-on to a 14 km Grade 4 return.

The cliff-edge surprise is a valid turnaround

Official notes: the refurbished track climbs through open forest to a cliff edge that can take walkers by surprise, then stays near those cliffs. Reverse at will. Finishing empty-legged into a dusk drive is the failure mode, not “missing the last viewpoint.”

Highlights at a glance

  • Cape Raoul Track 14 km / 5 h / Grade 4
  • Shipstern Bluff coastal context
  • Columnar dolerite cliffs

Practical tips

  • Last shop/fuel Nubeena.
  • Start early from Hobart or stay on the peninsula.

Facilities & services

  • Trailhead parking (verify)
  • Toilets — confirm on official page

Confirm toilets, parking and open facilities on the day via official sources and on-site signage.

Walks & lookouts nearby

Grades, times and open/closed status change — open each guide and verify on Parks Tasmania before you go.

Cape Raoul

hard

From Stormlea Road through forest then coastal heath to Cape Raoul’s columnar cliffs. Parks Tasmania: 14 km, about 5 hours, Grade 4 — long, rough and very steep in places, limited directional signage. Different trailhead from Cape Hauy. Not walked for this guide.

Grade
Grade 4 — bushwalking experience recommended
Time
5 hours return (typical published time)
Distance
14 km return

View guide →

All trails

Itineraries that use this area

Full calendar day from Hobart

Full day: peninsula circuit (one cape or geology — not both hard walks)

Pick one hard product: Cape Hauy from Fortescue, or Cape Raoul from Stormlea, or a geology-plus-Remarkable Cave circuit. Pair the chosen walk with at most one short lookout cluster. Port Arthur Historic Site is a separate ticket and usually a separate day.

Map

Orientation only — confirm trailheads and road status before you drive.

Interactive map — pin may be approximate. Confirm trailheads and road status before you drive.

Open in Google MapsGet directions

FAQ — Cape Raoul

Tap a question to expand the answer.

Can I do Raoul and Hauy in one day?

Not as a first-visit plan. Different roads, 9.4 km Grade 3 plus 14 km Grade 4, plus wildlife dusk risk.

Is Cape Raoul part of the Three Capes booking?

No. Three Capes is a one-way hut walk from Port Arthur to Fortescue. Cape Raoul is a separate day walk from Stormlea.

Stays & tours near Cape Raoul

Optional next steps after you plan this area. Kit searches live on the gear hub. 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

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Guided tours

Optional — useful when you do not want to drive the Arthur Highway

A tour does not replace checking Parks Tasmania alerts, weather, or cliff safety yourself.

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

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