They say good things come in small parcels. and if proof was ever need then look at Tasmania.
Australia’s Apple Isle which lies 300km from the mainland on the southern side of Bass Strait. It is roughly the same size as Ireland or Switzerland but has more legendary locations and hidden gems.
From untouched wilderness and weather-battered corners of coastline. To quaint villages and diverse cities, there’s something for everyone from art lovers and foodies to those that love an outdoor adventurer.
Before you head across the Tasman Sea, check out AAT King’s list of the top 10 things to do in Tasmania.
1. CRADLE MOUNTAIN-LAKE ST CLAIR NATIONAL PARK
Picture-perfect Cradle Mountain is in the state’s north-west corner and sits in the heart of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. It boasts outstanding natural beauty that reaches from the shaded stretches of wild alpine pastures. To the jagged summits of the razor-sharp skeletal mountains.
Cradle Mountain is one of Tasmania’s most popular places. Thanks to strict sustainable tourism practices, is still impeccable. Witness icy lakes carved by pre-historic glaciers, ancient rainforests hidden beneath eras of moss, and rivers that wind through deep valleys.
During Winter its usually snowy white. In Spring it will be covered in a carpet of colourful wildflowers. And scorched brown by the brutal southern sun during summer. Tasmania is home to a well-maintained network of walking tracks with world-class hikes taking from a few hours to a few days.
Wildlife is plentiful here with visitors likely to stumble upon quolls, platypus, echidna, wombats, black currawong, a mother wallaby carrying a curious joey, and even the elusive Tasmanian devil should the time be right.
And, as the Tasmanian Parks & Wildlife Service website says, the “magic of Cradle Mountain is bound to fascinate”.
INTERESTED IN TRAVEL? Contact GrownUps Holidays on 0800 842 685 or email grownups@ttc.com.
2. MUSEUM OF OLD & NEW ART (MONA)
Hobart’s most famed address for art made headlines around the world when it first opened in January 2011. With annual events like Dark MOFO, a list of concerts, and a schedule of elaborate avant-garde showcases only legitimising the legend.
The building itself sits on the banks of the Derwent River. It is a contemporary architectural treasure that deserves to be seen from land and water. While the works on display across the three levels of underground galleries that make up Australia’s largest private museum will hypnotise, charm and challenge.
David Walsh created MONA to hold his own private collection. It’s been described as his “playground to experiment”. MONA is also home to two wineries and a brewery. And a collection of spots to eat and drink including The Source Restaurant well-known as “a shrine to seasonal Tasmanian dining”, luxury accommodation, and of course a library.
3. TAMAR RIVER WINE REGION
Australia is home to a wealth of wonderful wine regions with the Tamar Valley – close to Tasmania’s north coast, a stone’s throw from pleasant Launceston – a bona fide hidden gem that quarters more than 30 vineyards producing quality cool-climate varieties.
Josef Chromy Wines is probably the most well-known, “it is just one vineyard in the valley that winds around 60km to the Bass Strait beaches with other wineries that offer everything from state-of-the-art sophisticated to rustic rural creating sweet-smelling whites including signature chardonnays and pinot noirs.
The drive to the Tamar Valley is also a pleasure stopping at many lookouts along the way, bypass the towns downside roads to take in the rural beauty of the region, and pause at any of the homesteads where locals greet guests with warm hospitality.
INTERESTED IN TRAVEL? Contact GrownUps Holidays on 0800 842 685 or email grownups@ttc.com.
4. TASMAN PENINSULA
There is more to the Tasman Peninsula than the Port Arthur Historic Site. With the southern side of Eaglehawk Neck home to spectacular stretches of storm-battered shoreline. Offering an intriguing foodie scene, and pioneering agriculture industry.
The former penal settlement should be on every itinerary. With a self-guided wander or hosted tour around this now serene precinct – including across the straight to the Isle of The Dead, which was the colony’s cemetery island. Providing a compelling picture of the earliest days of European discovery.
But you shouldn’t stop there. Venture into the Tasman National Park to the spot where the ferocious Southern Ocean waves crash into Australia’s highest sea cliffs. And the hardy coastal heath reaches right to the edge of the roaring waves.
The national park is home to tracks that take walkers to the dolerite spires rising to 300m from the Tasman Sea. With the tracks to Cape Hauy and Cape Raoul perfect for shorter hikes. And the Three Capes Track a multi-day tramp uncovered in 2015 that’s already earning international praise.
Walk along the natural Tessellated Pavement at Eaglehawk Neck. Visit Port Arthur Lavender Farm to see how a local family transformed its land when another devastating drought hit, and stop at Bangor Vineyard Shed to sample some of the finest local flavours.
5. FRANKLIN-GORDON RIVERS NATIONAL PARK
Today the Gordon River is the jewel of the state’s west with the murky tannin-stained water, which snakes silently through the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, sitting so still it becomes a perfect mirror reflecting towering trees that stand like guards on the banks.
The Franklin-Gordon Rivers National Park is home to Tasmania’s famed Huon pines, the fragrant soft-wood trees once used for furniture making and boat building, with Gordon River cruises resting so travellers can walk in the shadows of giants that only grow in this part of the world.
INTERESTED IN TRAVEL? Contact GrownUps Holidays on 0800 842 685 or email grownups@ttc.com.
6. BAY OF FIRES
It’s Mother Nature’s colour palette that made the Bay of Fires world famous with the vibrant white sand, water that takes on the colour of blue and green jewels, and orange lichen-coated boulders turning every location into a picture-perfect place.
Wake up before dawn to appreciate the tranquil beauty of a Bay of Fires sunrise, take a sightseeing cruise to see the local dolphins and seals, stroll from Policeman’s Point to The Gardens and pack a picnic to enjoy at the Binalong Bay viewing platform.
7. CATARACT GORGE
While The Gorge – as locals know it – is far from a secret gem, it can still be considered a city-centre secret with locals and visitors alike following paths first built in the 1890s into a valley carved by the South Esk River as it runs towards the Tamar Valley.
The northern side of the basin is home to the Cliff Grounds. This is where peacocks wander landscaped Victorian style gardens, while the southern stretch is wild with native bush bordering the pool which for swimming between November and March.
Take a ride on the world’s longest single-span chairlift. Follow the steep Zig Zag Track to one of the lookouts. Follow the route to Duck Reach where Australia’s first municipal hydroelectric power station still stands.
Article in partnership with AAT Kings. For more information and to book a AAT Kings guided tour please contact GrownUps Holidays on 0800 842 685 or email grownups@ttc.com.
Have you visited Tasmania? What was your highlight? Let us know in the comments below….