Australia’s only island state — Tasmania is heart-shaped and roughly the size of West Virginia. Located a short plane or ferry ride south of Melbourne, rugged natural beauty and rich agricultural soils make it the perfect destination for both outdoor and epicurean adventures.
National parks and World Heritage-listed wilderness make up over one third of Tasmania. Lush forests, chiselled cliffs, pristine rivers and soaring mountains are home to rare plants and animals, including the Tasmanian devil, a black marsupial the size of a small dog.
White water rafting, jet boating, rock climbing and abseiling — heart-racing activities are within easy reach of Hobart, the state capital, and Launceston, the island’s second largest city. One of the best temperate-water dive sites in the world, Tasmania boasts kelp forests, shipwrecks and delicate leafy sea dragons.
Outdoor lovers with more gentle tastes watch seals, penguins, dolphins and whales from the comfort of a cruise vessel or stroll along some 2,000 kilometres (1,240 miles) of walking trails — including bush tracks, parklands such as Hobart’s Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens in Hobart and Launceston’s Cataract Gorge, and heritage architecture at Port Arthur and Hobart’s Battery Point.
Foodies adore Tasmania’s cool climate wines and gourmet delights. Visit the Tasmanian Honey Company, Boag’s Centre for Beer Lovers, Ashgrove Farm Cheese and numerous wineries — including Clover Hill, Dalrymple, Jansz and Moores Hill Estate — in the Tamar Valley near Launceston. Enjoy fine dining at Daniel Alps At Strathlynn and Hallam’s Waterfront Seafood Restaurant.
Try Hood Wines, Stefano Lubiana Wines, Moorilla Estate and Barilla Bay Oysters in the Coal River, Derwent and Huon valleys near Hobart. Additional taste sensations in the capital include Lark Distillery, Cascade (Australia’s oldest operational brewery), duck neck sausage and smoked rainbow trout from Wursthaus Kitchen, and a tour of Cadbury’s chocolate factory. Restaurant Gondwana and Pier One Restaurant and Bar offer fine dining, while award-winning cheap eats are found at Sugo, and Embers Bar and Grill.
Backpacker, self-contained, historic or luxury — accommodation in Hobart includes Central City Backpackers, Rydges Hobart and the Old Woolstore Apartment Hotel. Accommodation in Launceston includes Andy’s Backpackers and the Colonial on Elizabeth.
