Home / Discover Australia

Tasmania


Australia’s only island state and separated from the “North Island” by the Bass Srait, Tasmania is a beautiful and wild place full of natural wonders, but also marked indelibly by history. Travellers to Tasmania can enjoy a real sense of history at Port Arthur or Hobart while for outdoor adventurers, Tasmania offers some of the last temperate wildernesses in the world. Tasmania boasts the greatest percentage of total land mass given over to national park or scenic reserve of all the Australian states, and three of the largest national parks are on the UNESCO World Heritage list.   The state capital, Hobart, combines history, culture, and spectacular scenery. It is Australia’s second oldest city, and the rich colonial heritage is evident through the architecture of the city. Hobart also boasts a busy harbour and vibrant café culture making it the ideal base for a stay in Tasmania. Touring around Tasmania is a must though, in order to visit some of the most scenic places in Australia – from picturesque Wineglass Bay in the East to Strahan in the West, as well as historic Port Arthur and Richmond, and cultural Launceston..


Cities
Fast Facts
State Capital: Hobart

Population: 489,600 (41% in Hobart)

Area: 68,332 sq km (26,383 sq miles)

Geography: Australia’s only island state, Tasmania is located 125 miles across the Bass Strait, south of the south east corner of the mainland.  Despite the relatively small size of Tasmania, it has a varied geography – from the rich, fertile rolling hills of the north and south east to the lakes and mountains of the central highlands, and the wild and virtually untouched coastlines of the west and south west. Inland from the west coast lie the forests and mountains, almost all of which are protected by World Heritage status.

Climate: Tasmania has a temperate climate, though is subject to great variations, thanks to it position in the pathway of the “roaring forties” wind.  Average maximum temperatures in summer (December to February) are around 21 degrees Celsius, and in winter (June to August) around 12 degrees Celsius. Temperatures are generally much cooler inland. The Central Plateau of Tasmania is snow covered in winter. The number of rainy days in Tasmania is greater than on any part of mainland Australia, with most falling in July and August
 
Time: GMT+10 hours
Getting To Tasmania
You can either fly or sail to Tasmania from the Australian mainland. There are no direct international flights into Hobart, but there are plenty of flights arriving into Hobart each day. Direct flights to Hobart are available from Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Brisbane; and flights from Sydney and Melbourne to Launceston as well as from Melbourne to Devonport, Burnie and King Island. Flights from Darwin, Perth, Cairns and Canberra will travel via one of the other centres offering direct flights.   Airlines operating flights to Tasmania include Qantas, Virgin Blue, Rex Regional Airlines and Jetstar. 
 
The main port in Tasmania is Devonport on the North Coast, and there are two superfast ships, the Spirit of Tasmania I and II that make the crossing across the Bass Strait from Station Pier in Port Melbourne. There are overnight (8pm – 7am) services in both directions every day of the week all year round, and in peak travel periods, additional daytime crossings are laid on. You can take your hire car on board the ferry, and for foot passengers, there is a shuttle coach service that meets each overnight sailing.
Getting Around Tasmania
By Road: Self Drive is perhaps the best way of exploring Tasmania. The island is compact and distances between major places of interest are easily manageable, and roads are generally of a very high quality, although can be hilly and winding in many parts of the island.   Roads on the west coast can be severely affected by weather conditions, so you should check before departure that your route is going to be possible.  As a guide, the journey from Hobart to Launceston can be done in about 2½  hours. You can either bring your car with you on the ferry, or if you are arriving by air, there are car hire companies in Hobart, Launceston, and Devonport.. It is also possible to hire a campervan in the same locations. Some car hire companies may have restrictions as to which roads you may travel on. 
 
By Bus: Tassielink Regional Coaches, Redline Coaches and Mersey Link Bus Service all offer a scheduled bus service in Tasmania, linking all major centres and the towns between. 
 
By Train: Tasmania does not have a rail network as such, but there is the West Coast Wilderness Railway, a tourist route which runs between Strahan and Queenstown through the rainforested King River gorge. The train is a reconstruction of the original Abt railway that was used to carry ore from the mines to the coast. The route is 22 miles long and traverses some spectacular scenery, using a unique rack rail system to climb the steep slopes of the rainforest. The Don River Railway, in Tasmania’s North West, also offers regular tourist excursions.
           
By Air: Scenic flights give 360 degree panoramas over Tasmania’s unspoilt wilderness, and there is a wide range of operators offering scenic plane and helicopter flights.
 
By Bike: Cycling is a great way to experience the scenery of Tasmania, and there are a number of operators offering guided cycling holidays catering for all abilities, ranging from gentle pedalling combined with a spot of winetasting to adrenaline-pumping mountain biking.
Top Ten Things to Do and See in Tasmania
  1. Hobart: The capital, Hobart, is the second oldest city in Australia (after Sydney), and offers a fascinating combination of history, culture and spectacular scenery. There are some first class museums to visit, as well as the wonderful Botanical Gardens. Alternatively, just people watch at Saturday’s Salamanca Market.
 
  1. Convict History: The transportation of convicts to Tasmania may have ended over 150 years ago, but the Tasman Peninsula is still full of reminders of the daily lifestyle of the 12,000 convicts, guards and settlers who made their home here. The most comprehensive insight into the convict era is to be found at the Port Arthur Historic Site.
 
  1. Sleep in the Wilderness: After a long day in the great outdoors, what could be better than relaxing in a homely lodge in a truly beautiful spot within a National Park? Tasmania boasts some iconic wilderness lodge accommodation, including Freycinet Lodge, Lake St Clair Wilderness Lodge, Bay of Fires Lodge and Cradle Mountain Lodge, all offering activity programmes, excellent accommodation, breathtaking locations, and a warm Tasmanian welcome.
 
  1. National Park Walks: A vast proportion of Tasmania is designated as National Park or World Heritage areas, and so the island provides some of the best walking territory in all Australia. Choose from a wide range of guided walking trips, taking in areas such as the Freycinet, Cradle Mountain and Lake St Clair National Parks amongst others.
 
  1. Cruising: Getting about by boat of any size is a great way of exploring Tasmania’s coastline and waterways. Both Hobart and Launceston are port cities and can be explored by cruise. There are also short river cruises up the Tamar from Launceston. On the west coast, there are cruises from Strahan up the UNESCO World Heritage listed south west Tasmanian coast.
 
  1. Wildlife: Tasmania’s 20 National Parks are home to massive diversity of animal life, many of which are unique to the island. Those you are likely to spot are wombats, possums, wallabies, platypus, penguins, and numerous birds. Not seen as often but most likely seen at night is the famous Tasmanian Devil, a carnivorous marsupial with a reputation for being bad-tempered. Keep your eyes peeled for the Tasmanian Tiger (actually a marsupial wold), officially extinct since 1936, but there are still some unsubstantiated sightings, so watch out!
 
  1. Tahune Air Walk: Just a 90 minute drive from Hobart is the Tahune Airwalk, a 121foot high suspended running above the forest canopies

  2. Wineglass Bay: Visit one of Tasmania’s most photographed bays, Wineglass Bay in the Freycinet National Park on the East Coast. 

  3. Adventure: There are plenty of options for the adventurous visitor to Tasmania – try kayaking, canoeing, fishing, white water rafting, hiking and much more! You can even ski on the slopes of Ben Lomond in winter.

  4. Food and Wine: Perhaps not as well known as some of its mainland neighbours for its wine production, Tasmania nevertheless boasts some excellent vineyards and produce, to go alongside its renowned seafood, cheeses and meats. Tasmania’s Riesling and pinot noir are particularly good!


Cities and regions within Australia
New South Wales Northern Territory Queensland
South Australia Tasmania Victoria Western Australia
 


Visa Bureau
Advertiser login
Advertise on site
 
Home ) Flights ) Accommodation ) Attractions ) Car Hire ) Cruise ) Rail ) Tour Operators ) Suggested Itineraries ) Holidays






        

© 2005-2008 Australia Travel Market             Terms & Conditions  l  Contact Us  l  About Us  l  Site map