You need a car. Public transport outside Hobart is thin, and the best of the southeast is spread across four distinct corridors, all radiating from the city.
The Midlands Highway (A1) heads north from Hobart to Bridgewater, crosses the Derwent, and continues toward Launceston. The route passes a string of historic towns — Pontville and Kempton are the closest.
The East Coast Highway (A3) crosses the Derwent, passes the airport and Sorell, then skirts the Tasman Peninsula on its way to the East Coast at Orford. A turn west before the airport takes you into the Richmond-Campania district.
The Huon Highway (A6) runs south from Kingston through Huonville, Franklin, Geeveston, and Dover, with access to the Hartz Mountains and the Southwest National Park. Alternatively, take the B68 along the Channel through Margate and Kettering, where the ferry departs for Bruny Island.
The Lyell Highway (A10) heads northwest from Hobart past New Norfolk into the Derwent Valley. Turn west on the B62 for Mt Field National Park and Maydena. The highway continues to the Central Highlands and eventually the West Coast.