Fortescue Bay camping, Tasman National Park: Banksia and Mill Creek

Fortescue Bay camping is in Tasman National Park on the Tasman Peninsula in south-eastern Tasmania. There are two campgrounds at the bay, Banksia and Mill Creek, run by the Parks and Wildlife Service Tasmania (PWS). Banksia has tent sites beneath stringybarks a few steps from the beach, and Mill Creek has larger sites suited to boats, campervans and motorhomes. This guide sets out what the official pages say about the road in, the two campgrounds, the facilities, the fire situation as of 3 November 2026 and how booking works. It is written for any camper, whatever you arrive in.

Where is Fortescue Bay?

Fortescue Bay is in Tasman National Park, on the Tasman Peninsula. PWS gives the drive from Hobart as about 90 minutes, via Sorell, the A3 and then the A9. From Eaglehawk Neck, follow the A9 toward Port Arthur to the junction with the C344, then follow the C344 to Fortescue Bay.

The nearest grocery shop is at Nubeena, which PWS puts at about 45 minutes away, so do your main shopping before you reach the peninsula. The site office sells basic supplies, ice and basic camping equipment.

What is the road in like?

The final stretch is 12 km of unsealed road. PWS says it is suitable for 2WD vehicles and mountain bikes. It also warns you to watch for towing vehicles, delivery trucks and tour buses, and to keep left, especially on blind corners. Native wildlife may be on the road, and PWS advises avoiding driving in reserves at night where possible. Drive slowly and plan to arrive in daylight.

What is the difference between Banksia and Mill Creek?

Banksia is the tent campground. PWS describes the sites as beneath stringybarks and a few steps from the beach. The booking page says Banksia is for tents only, with parking about 30 m from the site. Mill Creek allows vehicle access and has larger sites that suit boats, campervans and motorhomes. Generators are permitted at Mill Creek but must be switched off by 9pm.

Site plans for both campgrounds are on the PWS page. Each site takes a maximum of six people, or eight on some larger sites according to the booking page. Site numbers are assigned on arrival, and you can put any site preference in the comments when you book. If you set up on the wrong site, you must pack up and move.

What facilities are provided?

Both campgrounds have tank water, and PWS recommends boiling it for three minutes or sterilising it before you drink it. Toilets are listed as a feature. Hot showers are available at Banksia and need a token bought from the site office. The page does not list showers for Mill Creek.

Provided barbecues can be used, and gas barbecues are in the shelter at the day use area. Other listed features include a boat ramp, picnic facilities, parking, caravan access and access-friendly facilities, with fishing, kayaking, swimming, snorkelling and scuba diving nearby. The page does not give a number of sites, so check the Parks and Wildlife Service page if that matters to you.

Can you have a campfire?

When no restrictions apply, campfires are allowed only in the designated fireplaces at Banksia and Mill Creek. Collecting wood is not authorised in national parks. Firewood is sometimes sold at the site office, but availability depends on supplier deliveries, so PWS recommends bringing your own.

Right now restrictions do apply. PWS says seasonal campfire bans on reserved land started at 2:00 am on Monday 26 October 2026, covering Tasman and other listed areas, and the alert names Tasman National Park. Solid fuel fires are banned during fire restrictions, and PWS recommends a camping stove for cooking, especially during restrictions. Check the state campfire map and the campfires and fire restrictions page for the rules at each campground before you travel.

What about dogs and wildlife?

The Fortescue Bay camping page does not mention pets. It links to a separate dogs-in-parks page from the site menu, so check the Parks and Wildlife Service page before you bring a dog. On wildlife, the page’s advice is to drive slowly and watch for animals on the road. It does not set out other wildlife rules for the campgrounds.

How do you book?

The camping page says to book online through the Parks and Wildlife booking site, and that bookings open 180 days in advance. Same-day bookings are only valid if confirmed by PWS before 4:00 pm. School, educational and community groups, such as Scout groups, should contact the Fortescue Bay office by email or phone.

The separate booking page describes the process a little differently. It says you submit an online request form, that you are requesting a booking only, and that the team will contact you afterwards. It says bookings are open and recommended from 1 October to 30 April each year, that you can book up to six months ahead counted from the first day of the month, and that bookings are first in, first served. It does not say whether bookings are required outside those months. Because the two pages differ, check the Parks and Wildlife Service page for how it works when you book.

The booking page also gives these stay rules: the maximum stay is 28 days, check-in is from 11am and check-out is strictly by 11am. You can reserve only one site per form. Cancellations and changes go by email at least 48 hours before arrival, and no-show bookings are cancelled and reopened to the public the next day unless you tell the campground you will arrive late. This guide does not quote fees, because they change.

What is the parks pass situation?

A valid parks pass is required to enter Tasmania’s national parks. You can buy one online before you arrive, or use the card-only parks pass machine in the day use car park at Fortescue Bay. The booking page says the parks pass and camping fees are paid on arrival, at the site office during opening hours or at the pay-and-display machine outside, which is EFTPOS only. Outside office hours, use the pay-and-display machine, and compliance checks are done daily.

When is the site office open?

The Fortescue Bay office is open seven days. Hours are 10am to 4pm from October to April, and 11am to 4pm from May to September. You can phone the office on 03 6250 2433 or email Fortescue.Bay@parks.tas.gov.au. The campground is described as popular year-round, and the pages state no seasonal closure.

How do you choose between the two campgrounds?

Start with what you are camping in. If you are in a tent and want to be a few steps from the beach, Banksia is the match, with the trade-off that the car stays in the car park about 30 m from the site. If you want to keep a vehicle on site, are towing a boat, or are in a campervan or motorhome, Mill Creek has the larger sites and the vehicle access. PWS says Mill Creek permits generators, which must be off by 9pm, so expect to share the campground with generator users. The booking form asks you to choose a campground, so decide before you book.

The pages do not say which campground is quieter, closer to the boat ramp or better for any particular use beyond what is above, and this guide does not guess. For a specific question, phone the office on 03 6250 2433 during opening hours.

What do the official pages leave out?

A few things are not stated on the pages this guide draws on: the number of sites in each campground, whether showers are available at Mill Creek, whether pets are allowed, and whether bookings are required outside 1 October to 30 April. For each of those, check the Parks and Wildlife Service page or contact the office directly before you rely on an assumption.

Is anything else affecting travel soon?

PWS lists a statewide planned event, Targa Tasmania, from 18 to 22 November 2026. The alert says public roads across Tasmania will be closed to facilitate the road rally event, which may affect access to some national parks and reserves. If your trip falls in that window, check the Parks and Wildlife Service page and plan your route ahead. The alerts page lists no alert specific to Fortescue Bay, Mill Creek or Banksia beyond the seasonal campfire ban.

A practical checklist before you leave

• Book through the Parks and Wildlife Service booking page and keep your confirmation.
• Hold a valid Tasmanian parks pass, or plan to use the machine in the day use car park.
• Shop before you reach the peninsula; the nearest grocery shop is at Nubeena.
• Pack a camping stove, because campfires are banned at the moment.
• Boil tank water for three minutes or sterilise it.
• Buy a shower token from the site office if you want a hot shower at Banksia.
• Keep left on the unsealed road and watch for towing vehicles, trucks and buses.
• Check the dogs-in-parks page before bringing a dog.

Fortescue Bay is a straightforward place once you know which of the two campgrounds suits your set-up. Choose Banksia for a tent close to the beach, or Mill Creek if you are bringing a vehicle you want beside the site, confirm the booking process with PWS, and arrive in daylight with a stove and your own supplies.

More from the operator: parks.tas.gov.au/explore-our-parks/tasman-national-park/fortescue-bay-camping.

Plan it in the app

Save the camp on your route in MotoRidez and the planner shows road closures along the way, and where your tank runs out once you have entered the range of your vehicle. Save the route for offline use before you lose signal: it saves the corridor around your route, not a whole region.

Details come from the operator’s own records and pages, read on 20 October 2026, and change. We do not show prices or availability. Confirm fees, bookings, closures and fire rules with the operator before you go.