Tasmania - Island of Tranquillity

The small, heart shaped island of Tasmania, located off the south coast of Australia is a place close to my heart, as I’m married to a proud Tasmanian. For many people on their first visit to Australia, the core of their holiday tends to be based around either Sydney or Melbourne, the Barrier Reef coastline and the Red Centre. For those lucky enough to visit for a second or a third time, then I would recommend taking one more flight south, to explore this beautiful island.

Tasmania is very different from the mainland, the pace of life is slower, time has stood still a little, in a good way. Farming and fishing are popular with the rich, agricultural land and coastal waters teaming with life. Wine production is increasing, there are fields of poppies and lavender. Country markets are full of quality crafts, artworks, artisan products and gourmet, local produce. Tasmania is famous for Huon Pine, discovered by the early settlers as the best timber in the world for boat building due to its high oil content (methyl eugenol). Furniture makers also love other specialist hardwoods, for their strength and beauty, grown in the southwest, such as Sassafras, Blackwood and Myrtle.

The island is similar in size to Ireland, approx. 226 miles north to south and 190 miles east to west. But with a population at just over 522 thousand it is far less populated than Ireland’s 4 million people. There are no motorways in Tasmania and no traffic jams! It’s a very easy place to explore on a self-drive itinerary. The distance between the two main cities of Launceston in the North & Hobart in the South is 124 miles, approx. a two & a half hour leisurely, drive through the Midlands.

For a small state there is such diversity in its surroundings. The north and east coast have some beautiful beaches and the stunning Freycinet National Park with its white sand amd the perfectly shaped Wineglass Bay, overlooked by the granite peaks of the Hazards. Hobart is the vibrant capital, rich in history but also a modern, waterfront city and a great base from which to explore further south to the Tasman Peninsula and Port Arthur.

The Southwest National Park forms part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage area. Much of the park is remote and without roads. Access in the south is by boat, light aircraft or hiking trails. From Strahan, on the west coast, you can take a wilderness cruise on the Gordon River, through Hell’s Gates to Sarah Island penal colony, “cruise back to another time and another place”. In the northwest is the Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park, home to the famous Overland Track and iconic Cradle Mountain with its glacial lakes and rugged scenery. Launceston, one of Australia’s oldest cities, located on the banks of the Tamar River, has elegant Colonial & Victorian architecture and century old parks. Its star attraction, Cataract Gorge, is a little slice of wilderness within a short walk of the city centre.

So much to explore… and that’s just some highlights!