Point to Pinnacle 2026 Buses and Parking: Spectator Bus $25 From Wrest Point at 7:40am, Return Buses by 11:40am, No Driving Up the Mountain (Hobart, TAS)

If you want to watch the finish of the 2026 Point to Pinnacle, you cannot drive up kunanyi/Mount Wellington. The organisers sell a spectator bus ticket for $25 per person that leaves Wrest Point in Sandy Bay at 7:40am on Sunday 15 November, and only about 150 seats exist in total.

This guide covers the spectator buses, how competitors get back from the Pinnacle and the Fern Tree Tavern, where to park at the start, and the times that matter for friends and family. It is based on the Point to Pinnacle website and the 2026 Event Booklet, both read on Monday 26 October 2026. A separate guide covers the rules and cut-off times for competitors, and the road closure notice has not been published yet.

Can I drive up to the Pinnacle to watch?

No. The organisers’ FAQ says traffic is not allowed on the mountain while the race is in progress and there is no parking at the Pinnacle, because 65 buses are parked there. The booklet says the courses are under the control of Tasmania Police and Altus Traffic Management, and that no personal support vehicles are allowed on the course while road closures are in effect.

How do spectators get to the Pinnacle?

By one of two spectator buses. The booklet says three spectator buses run in total, two to the Pinnacle and one to the Fern Tree Tavern for the Point to Pub. Key details:

Item	What the booklet says
Where it leaves	Wrest Point (Casino Drive)
When	7:40am (the booklet’s race day timetable lists spectator buses at 7:45am)
Cost	$25 per person
Seats	Approximately 150 in total: 100 to the Pinnacle and 50 to Fern Tree Tavern
Return	Buses leave the Pinnacle and Fern Tree Tavern for Wrest Point no later than 11:40am

The two times for the spectator bus come from two places in the same booklet: the bus section says 7:40am and the race day timetable lists spectator buses departing at 7:45am. Arrive at Wrest Point before 7:40am to be safe. The organisers’ website says the buses go to the Pinnacle (100 seats) and the Fern Tree Tavern (50 seats).

How do I buy a spectator ticket?

All spectator bus tickets are sold through the online registration portal. If you are entering the race, buy one as part of your entry. If you are only spectating, click the “Store” tab in the portal and choose the “bus ticket only” option. The booklet says to keep your confirmation email, because it is your bus ticket and you must show it on race day to board the bus.

How do competitors get back?

Everyone in the Elders Point to Pinnacle catches a bus at the Pinnacle after finishing, and it takes them back to Wrest Point. The bus is part of the race entry. Anyone who has not finished by 11:40am will be told by Tasmania Police to board the final bus leaving the Pinnacle at 11:40am as it comes down the mountain, so that Pillinger Drive can reopen to regular traffic.

Point to Pub finishers have a shuttle from the Fern Tree Tavern, running from 9:40am until 12:10pm. It returns finishers and spectators to Wrest Point, and the booklet says all Point to Pub spectators will be returned to Wrest Point by the shuttle. The last Point to Pub shuttle leaves the Fern Tree Tavern at 12:10pm, which suits people who stay for a meal or drink. Event presentations start at 12:30pm in the Tasman Room at Wrest Point.

Can I meet someone at the Fern Tree Tavern by car?

Yes, for the Point to Pub. The organisers’ FAQ says spectators can drive to the Fern Tree Tavern to pick up runners and walkers in the Point to Pub from 10:00am. The booklet says Huon Road reopens at 10:00am to allow family or friends to join you at the Fern Tree Tavern if you plan on staying on and making your own arrangements to get home.

Where do I park at Wrest Point?

The booklet says event day parking is available at the Wrest Point car park, Marieville Esplanade and all the adjoining streets in the immediate area, as well as south towards Lower Sandy Bay. The pages do not give parking fees or the number of spaces. The organisers’ FAQ says Wrest Point is also the place to stay the night before, because it is at the start line and is where buses bring people back from the Pinnacle and the Pub; it mentions special Point to Pinnacle room rates through a booking link on the website.

What time is everything on the day?

Time	What happens
6:00am	Event bag pick-up opens
6:45am	Walkers’ gear buses leave Wrest Point
7:00am	Walkers start, Point to Pinnacle and Point to Pub
7:40am or 7:45am	Spectator buses leave Wrest Point
7:45am	Runners’ gear buses leave Wrest Point
8:00am	Runners start, Point to Pinnacle and Point to Pub
9:40am	Point to Pub shuttle from Fern Tree Tavern begins
10:00am	Point to Pub finish cut-off; Huon Road reopens
11:40am	Point to Pinnacle finish cut-off; final bus leaves the Pinnacle; spectator buses return no later than this time
12:10pm	Final Point to Pub shuttle leaves Fern Tree Tavern
12:30pm	Presentations, Tasman Room, Wrest Point

What should I pack as a spectator?

The booklet’s weather advice is written for competitors, and it makes one point that applies to anyone going up: the weather at Wrest Point can be completely different from the weather near the Pinnacle. The booklet and website do not list shelter or food for spectators at the summit; the only facility they list at the Pinnacle (21.1km) is toilets. Plan your own warm layers and food.

What if the weather stops the race reaching the Pinnacle?

The booklet says the race director will announce on the day if the Pinnacle cannot be reached because of the weather. An alternate course would finish at the Longley Pub instead, and buses would take all finishers back to Wrest Point following the normal event schedule. The booklet does not say what that would mean for the spectator buses, so check the organisers’ announcements on race morning.

Quick plan for family and friends

• Buy a $25 spectator bus ticket through the registration portal (“Store”, “bus ticket only”) and keep the confirmation email.
• Be at Wrest Point (Casino Drive) before 7:40am; park at the car park, Marieville Esplanade or nearby streets.
• The Pinnacle buses return no later than 11:40am.
• Watching the Point to Pub? Drive to the Fern Tree Tavern from 10:00am, or take the spectator bus from Wrest Point.
• Last Point to Pub shuttle back: 12:10pm. Presentations: 12:30pm.

Sources

• Elders Point to Pinnacle — official website, FAQ (checked 26 October 2026)
• 2026 Elders Point to Pinnacle Event Booklet (pages 15, 17, 25, 46 and 47; checked 26 October 2026)
• MultiSport Australia — Point to Pinnacle (2026) (race date, 15 November 2026)

Featured image: the view over Hobart from the lookout on kunanyi/Mount Wellington, photographed in December 2016 (photo: Matthew.crompton / CC BY-SA 4.0) (text added)

OZ Local Updates is an independent local guide and is not affiliated with the Elders Point to Pinnacle, Brooks Point to Pub, Tasmania Police or Wrest Point. Times and rules can change; check the official website and booklet before race day.