# Road Spotlight: The Lyell Highway as Tasmania Moves Into Its Driving Season

The snow risk on Tasmania's Central Highlands has passed and Targa week is close. How to plan a late spring run from Hobart to the 99 Bends.

Source: https://lotustrails.com/blog/2026-11-07-lyell-highway-tasmanian-spring/

While the northern passes shut for the winter, Tasmania is coming into the months that suit the [Lyell Highway](/trails/lyell-highway-tasmania/) best. The road runs about 250 km from the outskirts of Hobart across the Central Highlands to Queenstown, then on to Strahan on the west coast, and the season for driving it is roughly October to April.

## Why late spring

The weak point of the Lyell in winter is the high plateau between Derwent Bridge and Mount King William. Ice and snow close that section in most winters, sometimes for several days, and the forested stretch west of Ouse is known for black ice. By November that risk has largely gone, and the days are long.

What has not gone is the rain. The west coast is one of the wettest parts of Australia in any month, so plan on damp tarmac under the trees past Derwent Bridge whatever the forecast in Hobart says. Tyres in good condition matter more here than on most roads in this guide.

## The drive

The first half, up the Derwent Valley through New Norfolk, Hamilton and Ouse, is open and quick. At Derwent Bridge the highway passes between Lake St Clair and Lake King William, then drops into the Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park, where the corners tighten and the traffic thins out.

The finish is the reason to go. The descent into Queenstown known as the 99 Bends runs down a hillside left bare by a century of copper smelting, one linked corner after another. It has long been a Targa Tasmania stage, and at touring pace it shows why light cars do so well on the island: an [Exige](/models/exige-s2/) or Elise is barely working, and the steering is busy all the way down. Carry on 40 km to Strahan if you have time; that road is bends from end to end.

## Targa week

Targa Tasmania 2026 runs from 18 to 22 November, starting in Launceston and finishing in Hobart, with an overnight stop in Burnie. The organisers say 35 sections of road will be closed to the public for the competitive stages. The 2026 stage list was not published in full when we checked, so if your trip overlaps that week, look at the road closure notices on the [Targa site](https://targa.com.au/) before setting a route. Our [events page](/events/) lists the other tarmac rallies.

## Before you go

- Fuel is sparse between the Derwent Valley and Queenstown. Fill up before you leave the valley.
- Wildlife is out in numbers at dawn, dusk and after dark. Plan to arrive in Queenstown in daylight.
- Log trucks use the highway, and they need the whole road on the tighter bends.
- Rockfall is possible on the cuttings, so watch the line on blind corners.

Our [road trip preparation guide](/guides/road-trip-preparation/) covers the checks worth doing before a long run in an older car. Drive the stages at road pace and leave the competition to the closed roads in Targa week.