God your not a pedal biter are you Granny?! I won't hold it against you I guess. 
Graeme, as a Devonport boy I'd be quite happy to show around the NW coast. Would be very keen to hook up with you for a ride or two.
8 days hey? You'll be a very busy boy to see all of Tassie! Tassie is one of those places where some tourists come down and think they've seen it all in 3 days, while others return home after a month and still complain they haven't seen it all!!
As your coming over on the Spirit, Devonport would obviously be your first stop to have a look around.
Devonport - (http://www.walkabout.com.au/locations/TASPenguin.shtml) Check out the Don River Railway, the bluff area and the lighthouse. Give me a ring and come and say hello!!
Latrobe - (http://www.walkabout.com.au/locations/TASLatrobe.shtml) Take the ten-minute drive out to Latrobe from Devonport and have a look around. Don't go home without visiting Igor at the House Of Anvers. This man can make some serious chocolate!
Cradle Mountain - (http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/natparks/cradle) would be high on the list, make sure you do the Dove Lake walk with your camera.
Penguin is 30 mins from Devonport, and is worth a look, although I guess thee isn't too much to see. At least drive though the old coast road to get to Burnie and beyond from Devonport. (http://www.walkabout.com.au/locations/TASPenguin.shtml) Also a great spot for riding / walking / photos in the Dial Range which is directly behind penguin.
Stanley - (http://www.walkabout.com.au/locations/TASStanley.shtml) A trip up the "Nut" would be worthwhile, although there isn't too much to se once you get o the top. Nice views. Some nice old cottages and shops in town too.
Rosebery - (http://www.walkabout.com.au/locations/TASRosebery.shtml) Old mining town. You must see the Montazuma falls no matter what!! It's a fantastic ride or walk down to the waterfall.
Ignore the comments made in the link as trails are magic from the Rosebery side. If crossing the river after the falls and continuing to the end of the trail, then it does get rougher. There is no real need to go any further then the falls unless you're after a good ride!!
Strahan - (http://www.walkabout.com.au/locations/TASStrahan.shtml) The site doesn't do the place justice, Strahan is a must see. A Gordon River cruise is very highly recommended.
Hobart is pretty well known. (http://www.walkabout.com.au/locations/TASHobart.shtml) The Salamanca markets are worth a visit, as are the trails / scenery around Mount Wellington. Many old houses if you're into the whole architecture thing. Plenty of little shops, cafes and bit's and pieces to poke around in. You might as well check out the Bike Park in Glenorchy while your there!!
Eaglehawk Neck / Port Arthur - Go back in time to an age of convicts and the first settlers. (http://walkabout.com.au/locations/TASEaglehawkNeck.shtml) and (http://walkabout.com.au/locations/TASPortArthur.shtml) make sure you visit.
Coles Bay - Just magic. Bring heaps of film!! (http://walkabout.com.au/locations/TASColesBay.shtml) Or venture further into the Freycinet National Park and visit Wineglass bay.
St Helens - (http://walkabout.com.au/locations/TASStHelens.shtml) Nice little seaside town.
Bicheno - Very similar to St Helens (http://walkabout.com.au/locations/TASBicheno.shtml) Worth a look on the way through.
Derby is a little mining town, which is worth a look about too. (http://www.walkabout.com.au/locations/TASDerby.shtml)
Scottsdale - (http://www.walkabout.com.au/locations/TASScottsdale.shtml) There isn't too much to see here, but it's worth a look. Forestry Tasmania has an interesting visitor centre that's worth checking out.
Launceston - So much to do. (http://www.walkabout.com.au/locations/TASLaunceston.shtml) It depends what you're into I guess. A walk up the Gorge is recommended, as is a trip to the Inveresk Rail yards and Museum.
Beaconsfield - (http://www.walkabout.com.au/locations/TASBeaconsfield.shtml) is another mining town with a working museum on display.
Deloraine - (http://walkabout.com.au/locations/TASDeloraine.shtml) worth driving through on the way home.
Westbury - (http://walkabout.com.au/locations/TASWestbury.shtml) worth wandering through too.
By no means comprehensive, (you'd need months to see all of Tassie) but a few highlights from my point of view. Not sure if you'd be able to squeeze all of that into 8 days or not. You would definitely go close. Your mileage could differ though!!
Keep in touch, Dave.
Graeme, as a Devonport boy I'd be quite happy to show around the NW coast. Would be very keen to hook up with you for a ride or two.
8 days hey? You'll be a very busy boy to see all of Tassie! Tassie is one of those places where some tourists come down and think they've seen it all in 3 days, while others return home after a month and still complain they haven't seen it all!!
As your coming over on the Spirit, Devonport would obviously be your first stop to have a look around.
Devonport - (http://www.walkabout.com.au/locations/TASPenguin.shtml) Check out the Don River Railway, the bluff area and the lighthouse. Give me a ring and come and say hello!!
Latrobe - (http://www.walkabout.com.au/locations/TASLatrobe.shtml) Take the ten-minute drive out to Latrobe from Devonport and have a look around. Don't go home without visiting Igor at the House Of Anvers. This man can make some serious chocolate!
Cradle Mountain - (http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/natparks/cradle) would be high on the list, make sure you do the Dove Lake walk with your camera.
Penguin is 30 mins from Devonport, and is worth a look, although I guess thee isn't too much to see. At least drive though the old coast road to get to Burnie and beyond from Devonport. (http://www.walkabout.com.au/locations/TASPenguin.shtml) Also a great spot for riding / walking / photos in the Dial Range which is directly behind penguin.
Stanley - (http://www.walkabout.com.au/locations/TASStanley.shtml) A trip up the "Nut" would be worthwhile, although there isn't too much to se once you get o the top. Nice views. Some nice old cottages and shops in town too.
Rosebery - (http://www.walkabout.com.au/locations/TASRosebery.shtml) Old mining town. You must see the Montazuma falls no matter what!! It's a fantastic ride or walk down to the waterfall.
Ignore the comments made in the link as trails are magic from the Rosebery side. If crossing the river after the falls and continuing to the end of the trail, then it does get rougher. There is no real need to go any further then the falls unless you're after a good ride!!
Strahan - (http://www.walkabout.com.au/locations/TASStrahan.shtml) The site doesn't do the place justice, Strahan is a must see. A Gordon River cruise is very highly recommended.
Hobart is pretty well known. (http://www.walkabout.com.au/locations/TASHobart.shtml) The Salamanca markets are worth a visit, as are the trails / scenery around Mount Wellington. Many old houses if you're into the whole architecture thing. Plenty of little shops, cafes and bit's and pieces to poke around in. You might as well check out the Bike Park in Glenorchy while your there!!
Eaglehawk Neck / Port Arthur - Go back in time to an age of convicts and the first settlers. (http://walkabout.com.au/locations/TASEaglehawkNeck.shtml) and (http://walkabout.com.au/locations/TASPortArthur.shtml) make sure you visit.
Coles Bay - Just magic. Bring heaps of film!! (http://walkabout.com.au/locations/TASColesBay.shtml) Or venture further into the Freycinet National Park and visit Wineglass bay.
St Helens - (http://walkabout.com.au/locations/TASStHelens.shtml) Nice little seaside town.
Bicheno - Very similar to St Helens (http://walkabout.com.au/locations/TASBicheno.shtml) Worth a look on the way through.
Derby is a little mining town, which is worth a look about too. (http://www.walkabout.com.au/locations/TASDerby.shtml)
Scottsdale - (http://www.walkabout.com.au/locations/TASScottsdale.shtml) There isn't too much to see here, but it's worth a look. Forestry Tasmania has an interesting visitor centre that's worth checking out.
Launceston - So much to do. (http://www.walkabout.com.au/locations/TASLaunceston.shtml) It depends what you're into I guess. A walk up the Gorge is recommended, as is a trip to the Inveresk Rail yards and Museum.
Beaconsfield - (http://www.walkabout.com.au/locations/TASBeaconsfield.shtml) is another mining town with a working museum on display.
Deloraine - (http://walkabout.com.au/locations/TASDeloraine.shtml) worth driving through on the way home.
Westbury - (http://walkabout.com.au/locations/TASWestbury.shtml) worth wandering through too.
By no means comprehensive, (you'd need months to see all of Tassie) but a few highlights from my point of view. Not sure if you'd be able to squeeze all of that into 8 days or not. You would definitely go close. Your mileage could differ though!!
Keep in touch, Dave.
