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About the project

This project will improve the driver experience, overall safety, and travel time reliability along sections of the popular Great Eastern Drive.

The Great Eastern Drive one of Tasmania’s five self-drive touring journeys, and these improvements aim to encourage both visitors and Tasmanians to explore the regional parts of our beautiful State.

1. Current projects

Apsley, Triabunna, and Lisdillon upgrades

As part of the Great Eastern Drive program, we are working on three packages of upgrades on the Tasman Highway, near Apsley, Triabunna, and Lisdillon.

The Apsley Package includes upgrades of the section of Tasman Highway from Bicheno to Coles Bay Road turn-off, and a corner improvement north of Glen Gala Road.

The upgrades include widening the road, adding the east coast’s first Hobart-bound overtaking lane, and realigning corners that have high crash statistics.

Construction will start in February 2025.

Triabunna

The Triabunna Package includes upgrades road widening and realignment of 1.3 km of road just to the north of Triabunna.

Design will be complete in May 2025, with the construction tender to be advertised in mid-2025. Construction will start in the 2025/2026 construction season.

Apsley package of work

The Apsley upgrades cover the section of Tasman Highway from Bicheno to Coles Bay Road turn-off, and a corner improvement north of Glen Gala Road. The upgrades include widening the road, adding the east coast’s first Hobart-bound overtaking lane, and realigning corners that have high crash rates.

Apsley timing

Construction on the Apsley package is due to start in February 2025 between Coles Bay turnoff and Bicheno.

Lisdillon

The Lisdillon upgrades will look at straightening and widening the road on a 13 km section of road on the Tasman Highway between Ponty Pool and Rocky Hills, north of Little Swanport.

This package of work may need environmental approval under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act). This is related to bird foraging and nesting habitat sites. We are working through the environmental items for further advice about the steps to be taken.

2. Completed works

Progress on this project has included a number of treatments over recent years. These include the following:

Dianas Basin to St Helens - completed in July 2022

We have made improvements to the Tasman Highway between Dianas Basin and St Helens.

The works include road widening, improvements to the condition and alignment of the road, and two new dedicated overtaking facilities (one in each direction).

These upgrades will improve safety for all road users, improve travel time reliability and enhance the driver and visitor experience.

The design plans for the section between Dianas Basin and St Helens were on display to the public in August 2020. You can read a summary of the consultation here: Public Consultation Summary Report - Great Eastern Drive, Basin Creek to St Helens

You can also view the plans here:  Roll Plan - Tasman Highway, Basin Creek to St Helens Upgrade

South of Bicheno - completed in July 2022

We made junction improvement works on the Tasman Highway, just South of Bicheno, near the waste transfer station.

These safety upgrades included widening the road and adding right turn facilities.

Junction upgrades - completed in 2020-21

The following turn treatment and junction upgrades were among those completed in 2020-2021:

  • Rosedale Road turn treatment
  • Freycinet Vineyard turn treatment
  • Spring Vale Vineyard turn treatment
  • East Coast Nature World turn treatment
  • Louisville Road junction
  • Pontypool Road junction
  • Saltworks Road turn treatment
  • Cressy Beach turn treatment
  • Pondering Frog turn treatment
  • Swan River Road turn treatment
  • Raspins Beach junction
  • Piermont turn treatment.

Work completed in 2019-20

Over three stages, works completed in 2019-20 included:

  • improvements to the Coles Bay Road Left Turn Junction
  • dedicated right turn lanes at Basin Creek and Flagstaff Road.
  • installation of a northbound overtaking lane at Cranbrook (north of Glen Gala Road)
  • four junction upgrades in the Beaumaris Beach area to:
    • Beaumaris Beach
    • Dark Hollow Creek
    • Freshwater Street
    • Skyline Drive.
  • Improvements to the pull over area at Four Mile Creek.
  • Road widening and safety treatments, at junctions and entries to popular tourism experiences including at:
    • Mariposa Beach
    • Hughes Point Lookout
    • Burgess Street in Bicheno
    • Kelvedon Beach
    • Rocky Hills Road Junction
    • Rocky Hills Turn Out
    • Avalon Junction
    • Ironhouse Brewery access.

Work completed in 2018-19

The first stage of works started in late 2018 and were completed in May 2019.

Works included:

  • installation of a northbound overtaking lane at Cranbrook (north of Glen Gala Road)
  • four junction upgrades in the Beaumaris Beach area to:
    Beaumaris Beach
    Dark Hollow Creek
    Freshwater Street
    Skyline Drive
  • Improvements to the pull over area at Four Mile Creek.

3. Community consultation

We have asked the community a number of times to identify areas for improvement, highlight any safety concerns and make suggestions about how and where changes could be made.

This information will inform a planning study that will provide the basis for future projects, subject to funding.

Tasman Highway – road widening and alignment south of Bicheno

Project plans on the proposed road widening and alignment project South of Bicheno were on display to the public in September 2021.

Basin Creek to St Helens Point Road

Design plans for the section between Dianas Basin and St Helens were on display to the public in August 2020.

You can read a summary of the consultation process here: Public Consultation Summary Report - Great Eastern Drive, Basin Creek to St Helens Point Road

Accessibility

If you would like to find out more information and you have accessibility requirements, please contact the project engagement consultant on the details below.

You can find out more about Transport Services' commitment to accessibility on our website here: https://www.transport.tas.gov.au/accessibility

Contact

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