TASMANIA: Paradise Down South

Get ready to go on an epic adventure down south – Australia.

As mentioned in previous articles, Australia is a go to place for relaxation and fun. But unlike previous mentioned Australian cities, the next place we would tour is an island just south of the mainland – TASMANIA.

Tasmania highlighted in red (1)

TASMANIA

Cradle Mountain as seen from the north across Dove Lake (2)

How do you feel after seeing the above photo? For me, I feel relaxed and relived. And that is just what Tasmania offers its tourists: a uniquely relaxing and breathtaking place. But there is much more that the island has to offer. Tourists would definitely be dazzled and fall in love for the unique charm the island has to offer.

GEOGRAPHY

Tasmania is one of the states in Australia, and the only one not on the mainland. It is situated 240 kilometers southeast of Australia’s mainland being separated by the Bass Strait. Surrounding the island are the Indian and Pacific Oceans. The state includes 334 smaller islands plus the main island which occupies a total of 68,401 square kilometers making it the 26th largest island in the world. The northernmost islet of the state is Boundary Islet, a nature reserve. And the southernmost island of the state and country are Bishop and Clerk Islets.

The island state has many jagged peaks and mountains. The highest peak is Mount Ossa with a height of 1,617 meters. As a matter of fact, it is the most mountainous state in the country. Within the island one could get to admire the forests and rivers.

CLIMATE

There are four distinct seasons in Tasmania: summer, autumn, winter, and spring. Summer occurs from December to February with temperatures reaching 24 degrees Celsius. Autumn is from March and May. Winter occurs from June to August which is the coldest months in the state. And lastly, spring which happens from September to November; these months are the windiest in the whole year.

TRANSPORTATION

The best way to enter the state is via air. There are a number of airports within Tasmania namely Hobart International Airport, Launceston Airport, Burnie, King Island, and Devonport. The following airlines have daily flights to and out of the city: Jetstar Airways, Virgin Australia, Qantas QantasLink, and Regional Express Airlines.

Hobart Airport (3)

Another mode of entry is via sea ports. There are several cruise ships that sail to the port of Hobart. Other sea ports on the island include Burnie and Devonport. Passenger vehicles are also being serviced to and from Australia’s mainland via the Bass Strait.

Spirit of Tasmania at Port Melbourne on route to Tasmania (4)

Once within on the island the main mode of transportation is via road. Rail road transport is also available.

WHAT TO SEE AND DO

Almost half of the state, 45 percent, is considered reserves, national parks, and World Heritage Sites. Here we have listed a few tourist places that visitors should not miss. So sit back, relax, and let us take you to a paradise down south.

HOBART

Hobart (5)

Travelling to Tasmania, one could not miss Hobart, the capital of the state. Hobart is the second oldest city in Australia. Aside from being a financial and administrative city of Tasmania, Hobart is a tourist destination.

The city itself has a lot of activities that tourists could enjoy. These include a trip to the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens, a hike to Mount Wellington, and see the famous Tasman Bridge.

• Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens

The botanical garden is the second oldest in the country. It is the home a wide variety of plants.

Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens

• Mount WellingtonA prominent feature and the backdrop of the city is Mount Wellington. It has a height of 1,271 meters. This mountain range has attracted a number of mountaineers all across the globe.

Mount Wellington (6)

Organ Pipes in Mount Wellington (7)

• Tasman Bridge
Aside from being an important landmark and attraction, Tasman Bridge links the two shores of Hobart, crossing over Derwent River. The bridge spans a total of 1,395 meters.

Tasman Bridge (8)

CRADLE MOUNTAIN-LAKE ST CLAIR NATIONAL PARK

125 kilometers northwest of Hobart one could find Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park. The place is well-known for the walking trails and hikes. The said national park is famous for the Cradle Mountain, Barn Bluff, Mount Pelion East, Mount Pelion West, Mount Oakleigh, Mount Ossa, and at the center is Lake St Clair.

Of course there are a number of different plant and animal species living in the area. Due to the uniqueness the park was declared a Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area.

The Pelion Range from Mount Oakleigh, Cradle Mountain, Lake St Clair National Park (9)

SOUTHWEST NATIONAL PARK

Another national park in Tasmania is Southwest National Park. As the name implies the national park is at the southwest of the main island.

With an area of 6,182.67 square kilometers, it is the largest national park. It is also declared as one of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. The park is best known for its wilderness and remoteness.

Southwest National Park (10)

TARKINE

On the northwestern part of the island, one could see Tarkine. Tarkine is the largest temperate rainforest in the country occupying 3,800 square kilometers. The park is being taken care of by environmental non-government organizations. According to the Australian Heritage Council, it is “one of the world’s great archeological regions” due to extensive Aboriginal sites.

Tarkine (11)

FREYCINET NATIONAL PARK

Another national park worth mentioning is Freycinet National Park. The said park is on the eastern coast. Included in this national park are Coles Bay and Wineglass Bay. As a matter of fact, Wineglass Bay is known to be one of the world’s best ten beaches. It is also well-known for the “Hazards” – red and pink granite formations and a series of jagged granite peaks.

Wineglass Bay (12)

FRANKLIN-GORDON WILD RIVERS

Tasmania is filled with national parks. To the west of Hobart is Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers. This national park is known due to the two bounding rivers: Franklin and Gordon River.

Nelson Falls in Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers (13)

TAMAR VALLEY

Since you are visiting Tasmania, do not forget about Tamar Valley. The valley is located on both sides of Tamar River. The most famous attraction is Tamar Valley Wineroute wherein visitors have a rare opportunity to tour the vineyards. Tamar Ridge Wines is the most distinguished vineyard in the area.

Tamar River (14)

HASTINGS CAVES STATE RESERVE

Aside from mountains, rivers, bays, and forests, Tasmania also has caves. The most prominent set of caves are Hastings Caves State Reserve situated 125 kilometers south of Hobart. This is actually a complex of caves with a number of hot springs. The largest dolomite cave that is accessible to the public is Newdegate Cave. The said cave is 5 kilometers away from Lune River (a fossil and gem center).

Hastings Caves (15)

Newdegate Cave (16)

http://laurenceourac.com/tasmania-paradise-down-south/

REFERENCES:
http://www.discovertasmania.com.au/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tasmania
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/australia/tasmania

IMAGES:
1. TUBS. Tasmania in Australia. October 2011. Commons.wikimedia.org. Photograph. March 8, 2015.
2. Bjorn Christian Torrissen. Cradle Mountain as seen from the north across Dove Lake. December 2008. Commons.wikimedia.org. Photograph. March 8, 2015.
3. YSSYguy. Hobart Airport. November 2008. Commons.wikimedia.org. Photograph. March 8, 2015.
4. JJ Harrison. The Spirit of Tasmania at Port Melbourne on route to Tasmania. N.d. Commons.wikimedia.org. Photograph. March 8, 2015.
5. Ian. Hobart. March 2014. Commons.wikimedia.org. Photograph. March 8, 2015.
6. Aaroncrick. Mount Wellington. July 2008. Commons.wikimedia.org. Photograph. March 8, 2015.
7. Graeme Bartlett. Organ Pipes in Mount Wellington. August 2008. Commons.wikimedia.org. Photograph. March 8, 2015.
8. Ian. Tasman Bridge. April 2011. Commons.wikimedia.org. Photograph. March 8, 2015.
9. JJ Harrison. The Pelion Range from Mount Oakleigh, Cradle Mountain, Lake St Clair National Park. N.d. Commons.wikimedia.org. Photograph. March 8, 2015.
10. JJ Harrison. Southwest National Park. December 2009. Commons.wikimedia.org. Photograph. March 8, 2015.
11. Seeboundy. Tarkine. May 2007. Commons.wikimedia.org. Photograph. March 8, 2015.
12. JJ Harrison. Wineglass Bay. December 2009. Commons.wikimedia.org. Photograph. March 8, 2015.
13. JJ Harrison. Nelson Falls. January 2010. Commons.wikimedia.org. Photograph. March 8, 2015.
14. ScottDavis. Tamar River. September 2006. Commons.wikimedia.org. Photograph. March 8, 2015.
15. Magnus Manske. Hastings Caves. January 2012. Commons.wikimedia.org. Photograph. March 8, 2015.
16. Poco a poco. Newdegate Cave. December 2010. Commons.wikimedia.org. Photograph. March 8, 2015.