Introducing Tasmania
Forever the butt of mainland jokes, Tasmania has shrugged off the stigma of its isolation – the whole world seems to be discovering the physically dazzling, unique and accessible island. Suitably impressed, and a tad sheepish, the rest of Australia has finally stopped laughing and started visiting. ‘Tassie’ (as it’s affectionately known) has it all: vast, uninhabited slabs of wilderness, swimming at Seven Mile Beach, bountiful wildlife in Narawntapu National Park, gourmet food and wine in the Tamar Valley, a thriving arts scene and new-found urban cool.
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Out and about, the island’s natural treasures live up to the hype – bushwalking, cycling, rafting and kayaking opportunities abound. Don’t miss curvaceous Wineglass Bay, craggy Cradle Mountain and the heaven-sent Huon Valley. Wild places like these are the essence of Tasmania, and their silent, forgiving presence is slowly liberating the island from the binds of history.
This legacy takes the form of gracious guesthouses, intriguing archaeological sites and an independent ‘islander’ sensibility. City-slickers will find urban virtues (plush hotels, gastronomic temples, rockin’ music rooms) delivered with less attitude and more charm than most mainland cities. Foodies will weep over the wine, cheer for the cheese and sing about the seafood.
Ready to go?
These tours & activities make it easy:
- See the best of Tasmania on a 6-day tour
- Get the adrenaline flowing on a downhill mountain biking trip to Mount Wellington
- Trek the iconic Overland Track in 6 days
- Discover Tasmania's history on a day trip to Port Arthur from Hobart
Last updated: Feb 8, 2013
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Tasmania
Things to do
- All things to do (453)
- Activities (120)
- Entertainment (36)
- Restaurants (118)
- Shopping (24)
- Sights (119)
- Tours (36)
Make it happen
Our Top Picks For Tasmania
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1 Bay of Fires
Wander white-blond beaches of hourglass-fine sand and sapphire-blue seas
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2 Launceston
Savour the best millefeuille this side of the Equator at one of the city's Parisian patisseries
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3 King Island Dairy
Sample some Bass Strait Blue, Seal Bay Triple Cream and Stokes Point Smoked Cheddar from the excellent King Island Dairy – a genuinely local gourmet experience
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4 Tarkine Wilderness
Absorb yourself in the Tarkine rainforest, a mysterious – and vulnerable – domain of gnarled myrtles, glow worms, manferns and giant blue freshwater crayfish
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5 Heritage Highway
Discover sandstone villages, historic bridges and old-time bakeries along the Hobart-to-Launceston highway