Tasmania

 

TASMANIA

There is no state with a sweeter nature than Tasmania. It is blessed with air deemed by scientists to be the cleanest in the world, and a beach in wineglass bay that regularly tops lists as the best in Australia.

Tasmania is a heart shaped island of lush green valleys, uncrowded towns and villages, and still undeveloped coastlines.

It is one of the world’s most mountainous islands and while Tassie peaks do not tower to great heights, they are unique in their serrated profile due largely to ancient dolerite rocks, which dominate the landscape. But the nature is just the tip of the island, so to speak. Tasmania also offers you the chance to savour hand crafted wine, beer and fresh produce, and to meet the makers, chefs and growers. Many restaurants offer a range of local cool climate wines to complement your meal. You can eat among the vines in the wine regions – some serve tasting platters with their wines, others elegant a la carte, and each location tells a story.

Tasmania’s climate is mild; there are four distinct but moderate seasons. The Roaring Forty winds that comb the island create weather patterns that change dramatically. On the west coast the average rainfall is around three metres a year, while on the east coast it’s less than 20 centimetres.

Regional Tasmania

Cradle Mountain

In 1922, the area from Cradle Mountain to Lake St Clair was proclaimed a scenic reserve. You can see why. The Cradle Mountain Lake St Clair National Park is still pristine, and draws visitors who want to experience nature in its purest form. Spectacular scenery is not in short supply here; the park is blessed with glacial lakes, ice carved crags and cliffs, waterfalls, alpine shrubbery and tall forests.

Devonport

Devonport itself has all the hallmarks of a great Tasmanian tourist town; fine dining, are and craft, and historic attractions. Poke through the various craft shops, have a wander along the waterfront area, and check out the city’s green spaces and heritage buildings.

Flinders Island

Flinders Island is a rugged place with elements of triumph and tragedy in its history. For diving, climbing, bushwalking and fishing, you will enjoy rolling into this isle. Once ashore, Whitemark makes a good base of operations of exploring the Strzelecki National Park. The park has plenty of options for the energetic, including bushwalking and rock climbing, and stunning scenery to boot.

Hobart

It may have started life as the colonial capital of Van Diemen’s Land, but Hobart is anything but devilish. As it’s developed into Tasmania’s state capital, the city has kept one eye on the future and the other on its past. As a result, Hobart is an attractive city with a historical heart. It is not a big place, but that’s part of what makes the city so charming. With a population the size of a regional city on the mainland, Hobart still reaps the benefit of a lively cultural scene. The arts are a happening concern and dining is cosmopolitan.

King Island

What makes up a king’s ransom on King Island? It wouldn’t be gold or jewels – it’d be the local food. Because King Island is famous throughout the Australian mainland for its gourmet goodies, including premium crayfish, beef and handmade cheeses. They are often imitated, but seldom surpassed.

Launceston

If you think the famous Sydney – Melbourne rivalry is something, think again. It is got nothing on the age old rivalry between southern Hobart and northern Launceston. And you can see why. The state capital has plenty to offer, but Launceston is also full of charm, with its gracious colonial buildings and natural beauty.

Port Arthur

Was there ever an Australian location more affected by tragedy than Port Arthur? The historic penal settlement has had more than its share of human calamity, in both the distant and recent past, but it’s hard to fully understand Tasmanian history without visiting it. As a collection of historic buildings imbued with deep significance, Port Arthur has no equal in the island state.

Richmond

Tasmania’s Richmond is something special, having long been a quiet, isolated village little affected by the passage of time. No wonder then it’s called the ‘village time forgot’.

Sorell

Located 26km east of Hobart on the Arthur Highway, Sorell is both a service town for the surrounding farming communities and a convenient tourist hub in the heart of an area, which was once the grain capital of Van Diemen’s Land and which now specialises in sheep, mixed farming and dairy produce.

Stanley

A small fishing village, Stanley is a pleasant echo of its 19th century past. It is still and active fishing port and much of the delicious daily catch can be bought fresh from the wharf. History beckons along the town’s main street, which is well supplied with quaint shops and heritage houses, and at historic Highfield, former residence of the Van Diemen’s Land Company manager.

Strahan

Strahan is the gateway to the vibrant natural attractions of northern Tasmania. This area has a rugged, untamed nature, contrasting with the pleasant harbour side town of Strahan.

Coles Bay

If you have ever seen a postcard from Tassie with a beach on it, chances are it is from the Coles Bay region. We’d bet you lunch it was probably Wineglass Bay. For a fresh and natural experience, try the Coles Bay region of Tasmania.

Classic Drive

Peninsula Trail, Tasmania

Start: Dunalley

Finish: Coal Mines Historic Site

Distance: 115km

Roads: Roads to Fortescue Bay and Coal Mines Historic Site are unsealed but route is suitable for 2WD.

The Forestier and Tasman Peninsulas form a long arch to the south east of Hobart. In the south, the ruins of Port Arthur convict settlement are the ultimate destination for many travellers, although the grand and rugged beauty of the surrounding coastline can be just as evocative and dramatic. This trip can be done in a day, but you may need more time to do justice to the diverse range of sights. Hotels, motels and B&Bs are plentiful, but book ahead.

On the Isthmus

Dunalley is a quiet fishing village situated on the narrow isthmus that marks the start of the Forestier Peninsula. In the early 20th century, bullock teams and a small locomotive engine were used to build a canal through the isthmus. This shortcut for fishing vessels travelling between Hobart and the Tasmanian east coast is still in use.

Fortress Cliffs

On a fine day Pirates Bay Lookout offers views across the bay, past Eaglehawk Neck, to the towering coastal cliffs of the Tasman Peninsula – they reach up to 300m in places and are one of the truly magnificent sights of the Tasmanian coastline. A short drive away is the Tessellated pavement, a mudstone platform on the edge of the sea made up of a series of square, tile like rocks.

Nature’s Security Gate

Eaglehawk Neck occupies the ribbon thin isthmus that leads to the Tasman Peninsula. During the convict era, fierce dogs were chained here to discourage convicts from escaping the confines of Port Arthur. At Eaglehawk Neck Historic Site, the Dog line, reached by a walking track from the old Officers’ Quarters, is marked by a bronze dog sculpture.

Doo Visit the Rocks

Drop in to Doo Town, where all the house names incorporate the word “Doo”. From here the road branches off to three dramatic rock features: Tasman Blowhole, Tasman Arch and Devils Kitchen all created by years of pounding wave action on the cliff line.

Birds and Devils

Tasmanian Devil Park at Taranna is a home for injured and orphaned native animals. Tasmanian devils are permanent residents; other guests may include quolls, rare golden possums, eagles and owls. Leading off from the park is the Tasman Bird Trail, which travels 1.5 km to the coast – here you might spot eagles, falcons, honeyeaters and a range of seabirds.

Wilderness Wanders

Fortescue Bay is part of Tasman national park, which protects eastern and southern tracts of the Tasman Peninsula. Reached by dirt road, the bay is the only location within the park offering camping. It is also the starting point for a series of walking trails that explore the mighty cliffs and forested interior of this wild stretch of coast.

Coastal Incarceration

Port Arthur is Australia’s most significant convict heritage site. Authorities sent 65 000 convicts to Tasmania in the first half of the 19th century, and about 12 000 had the misfortune to end up here, a prison seemingly at the end of the earth. Today the site encompasses 40 ha, including the prison with its cell blocks and chapel, the asylum, the Commandant’s House and the port area. In summer visitors can take a harbour cruise to the Isle of the Dead, where hundreds of convicts, civilians and military personnel are buried. The lamplight ghost tours of the historic site are an added bonus for those who decide to break their journey here.

A Remarkable Place

Remarkable Cave is another of the Tasman Peninsula’s extraordinary rock formations. From the car park there is a long, steep stair way to reach the viewing platform. The formation is located in a deep gully, the base of which is lined with perfectly tumbled rocks. Between the gully and the ocean is a cliff about 30 m thick, and an opening where water rushes in.

Shacks, Surf, Scenery

Heading west to Nubeena, the road passes through forest, farmland and a pretty valley. Nubeena itself, on the shores of Wedge Bay, is a haven for recreational anglers. Nearby lies the shack settlement of White Beach and the windswept dunes and legendary surf of roaring Beach Coastal Reserve.

Down the Mines

Tasmania’s first mine, now preserved in Coal Mines Historic Site, was established in 1833. By 1839 there were 150 convicts working at the side – they were often repeat offenders of the worst class and forced to work in conditions beyond appalling. The mine closed in 1848. A walking trail joins the various buildings that survive this gruesome period.