But just four hours later, as he walked on the beach with wife Mandy, the latest coronavirus case numbers came through showing a significant increase.

The summer trip was cut short.

"I said, 'look, I better get back in the car and I better get back to Hobart'. I then spent most of January in Hobart managing the pandemic," Mr Gutwein said.

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"My wife and kids have just been outstanding in their support, but that period through Christmas completely drained me."

From four days, down to just four hours - it had taken its toll. On Boxing Day he had left the North to spend five days in Hobart to manage the pandemic response, but this ended up being effectively four months.

The brief trip capped off an intense few years for the Premier who led Tasmania through the coronavirus pandemic, being the first state to close its borders, ban cruise ships and ultimately have the fewest cases.

And while he says he was thinking about resigning during the second half of March, that lost summer with the family could have been the point when he knew his time in the role was nearly up.

On Monday, he announced that he had made his decision.

Mr Gutwein has been a Liberal Member for Bass for 20 years - a time during which he and wife Mandy started their family with children Finn and Millie.

"Twenty years ago neither of us thought this journey would last as long as it has. You don't get into parliament thinking that you're going to get reelected time after time. That has happened," he said.

"She has set aside her own ambitions, she has raised our children largely in my absence and I thank her for that, and I want to spend some time and give some time back to them."

On Tuesday, his daughter will turn 18.

Mr Gutwein said he was looking forward to just being able to spend time with family, presumably without his phone going off repeatedly.

"In fact, what I'll be doing is doing some reading and some gardening and spending time with my family," he said.

"I cannot wait to get back and spend some time in Launceston, to be frank.

"The longest I've spent in my house here in Launceston in the last couple of years was the seven days I've had in isolation. That's the longest period that I've been under that roof continuously."

Since December 15 - when the government decided to severely reduce border restrictions with the presumption that COVID would re-enter - the political turmoil has greatly escalated.

First there was the more highly-transmissible Omicron variant which saw cases rise far quicker than Public Health previously expected with the Delta variant.

Then there was increasing questioning over education minister Sarah Courtney's decision to holiday in Europe while schools braced for COVID at the start of the school year. She resigned from Parliament upon her return.

And lastly was sport minister Jane Howlett's resignation which she put down to the loss of a close family member, but questioning over several weeks has focused on an alleged relationship with the chief executive officer of the Tasmania JackJumpers.

Mr Gutwein said he had come to expect these "ups and downs" while in politics, but these issues had not played into his decision.

"I am somebody that gets up and gives 100 per cent every day," he said.

"What I have found after the last two years especially, that I have nothing left in the tank to give. I have worked as hard as I possibly can every single day that I have been Premier.

"Unless you can give 110 per cent to the role of Premier, you shouldn't be doing this job and I can no longer give 110 per cent."

The partyroom will meet later this week to decide on Tasmania's 47th Premier.

"I've got a cabinet that I've had a really strong relationship with. They are good friends and colleagues, and I have worked with many of them for a long period of time," Mr Gutwein said.

"And so, it's obviously with some sadness that I leave them."