Australia's Wild Island
Things to Do
in Tasmania
"The world's most naturally beautiful island."
Nearly half of Tasmania is protected wilderness. Ancient temperate rainforest, dolerite mountain ranges, pristine coastlines, and a cultural scene punching far above the island's weight — this is Australia at its most extraordinary.
The Island That Changes You
Tasmania is the anomaly — the state that doesn't quite belong to the idea of sun-drenched, laid-back Australia. It belongs to a different, older story. Ancient myrtle forests where it rains for 300 days a year. Mountain ranges of fractured black dolerite, millions of years in the making. A coastline of almost painful beauty — rocks painted flame-orange by lichen, water so clear it reads as impossible.
And then, improbably, there's MONA — a private art museum built into the sandstone of a Hobart peninsula that has no business being this extraordinary, yet consistently ranks among the great museums of the world. Tasmania does this constantly: reveals something magnificent just when you think the landscape alone was the whole point.
It rewards slow travel, a rental car, and the willingness to be genuinely cold — and genuinely astonished.
National Parks & Hiking
Wilderness & Wild Walks
Tasmania's national parks are some of the most dramatic on earth. Whether you're day-walking or multi-day hiking, the island's 65,000 km² of wild country is the headline act.
Cradle Mountain–Lake St Clair
The iconic silhouette of Cradle Mountain — dolerite peaks reflected in the mirror of Dove Lake — is the defining image of wild Tasmania. The national park is a UNESCO World Heritage wilderness and home to the celebrated Overland Track (65 km, 6–8 days), one of the world's great long-distance hikes. Day walkers can tackle the Dove Lake Circuit (6 km) or the Cradle Mountain Summit track for more serious scrambling. Wildlife is extraordinary: wombats graze the carpark at dusk, Bennett's wallabies are everywhere, and the elusive Tasmanian devil roams the forest at night.
The Tarkine
The Southern Hemisphere's largest temperate rainforest — ancient myrtle, celery-top pine and Huon pine older than the Roman Empire. Drive the Arthur River road, walk the Tarkine Drive, or take a boat up the Arthur River into the wilderness interior.
The Overland Track
One of the world's great long-distance walks — 65 km through the heart of Cradle Mountain–Lake St Clair NP. Requires a permit and advance booking (October–May). Huts provided; serious gear essential.
Tasmanian Devil Encounters
The world's largest carnivorous marsupial is found only in Tasmania. Spot them in the wild in Narawntapu National Park at dusk, or visit the Tasmanian Devil Unzoo on the Tasman Peninsula for a guaranteed encounter.
Aurora Australis & Dark Skies
Tasmania is one of the world's best places to see the Southern Lights. The dark skies above Cradle Mountain, Bruny Island, and South Arm regularly produce spectacular aurora australis displays, particularly June–August.
Bruny Island
Take the ferry south of Hobart for little penguins, white wallabies, sea eagles, and legendary cheese and oysters. The dramatic Labillardière State Reserve offers big coastal walks with near-zero crowds.
Art, History & Museums
Arts & Culture
Sex. Death. Art.
Hobart · Must-Visit
MONA — Museum of Old and New Art
Built into the sandstone cliffs of a peninsula north of Hobart, David Walsh's MONA is the largest privately funded museum in the Southern Hemisphere and one of the most extraordinary in the world. The collection — ancient antiquities beside confronting contemporary installations — is deliberately provocative, intellectually demanding, and consistently unforgettable. The ferry from Hobart is half the experience; arrive by the MONA Roma on the Derwent, cocktail in hand.
Salamanca Market
Every Saturday since 1972, Salamanca Place in Hobart transforms into one of Australia's great open-air markets — 300+ stalls of local produce, craft, art, antiques, and street food, backed by the Georgian sandstone warehouses of the old waterfront.
Hobart's Battery Point
Australia's best-preserved Georgian village — a labyrinth of cobbled lanes, colonial cottages, and whaler's pubs unchanged since the 1830s. Walk from Salamanca through Arthur's Circus and down Kelly's Steps to the waterfront.
Mount Wellington (kunanyi)
Drive or hike to the 1,271-metre summit of kunanyi/Mount Wellington for a panorama stretching from the Derwent to the Southern Ocean. Snow is possible year-round. Trailheads start from the suburb of Fern Tree, 20 minutes from the CBD.
Beaches & Peninsulas
Coastline & Ocean
Tasmania's coastline is some of the most dramatic and pristine on earth — flame-coloured rocks, water of impossible clarity, and beaches where you might be the only person for kilometres.
Bay of Fires
Consistently rated among the world's most beautiful coastlines — white silica sand and vivid orange-lichened granite boulders lining the north-east coast above St Helens. Named not for the colour but for the Aboriginal fires seen by Captain Tobias Furneaux in 1773. Walk the multi-day Bay of Fires Lodge Walk for the complete experience, or access the beaches independently via Binalong Bay for a supreme day visit. The water is cold, clear, and almost Caribbean in colour.
Freycinet & Wineglass Bay
The classic 3-hour Wineglass Bay Lookout track delivers one of Australia's most photographed views — the perfect arc of a coral-pink beach cradled by granite peaks. Extend to the full Wineglass Bay Circuit (11 km) or the multi-day Freycinet Peninsula Circuit.
Whale Watching
Humpback and southern right whales pass Tasmania's coast on their annual migration. The Tasman Peninsula, Bruny Island, and the South Coast offer excellent viewing June–October. Guided boat tours operate from Hobart and Port Arthur.
Convict Heritage & First Nations
History & Heritage
Tasmania carries some of Australia's most complex and important history — from the oldest continuous human civilisation on earth to the depths of the convict system. Both stories are told with honesty and depth.
Port Arthur Historic Site
The most intact convict settlement in the world — a haunting UNESCO World Heritage site on the Tasman Peninsula. Tour the ruins of the Penitentiary, Model Prison, church, and hospital; walk the grounds where 12,500 convicts were imprisoned; take the ghost tour after dark. The site requires a full day and carries considerable emotional weight — approach it with the attention it deserves.
Aboriginal Tasmania — palawa kani
Tasmania's Aboriginal people — the palawa — maintained continuous connection to this land for at least 40,000 years through an ice age and the flooding of Bass Strait. The Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery (TMAG) in Hobart holds significant collections; the Three Capes Track and other remote walks cross Country with deep cultural meaning.
Produce, Wine & Whisky
Food & Drink
Tasmania produces some of Australia's finest food — Atlantic salmon, Pacific oysters, Wagyu beef, truffles, cold-climate wines, and a whisky industry that has, quietly, become world-class.
Tasmanian Oysters
Pacific oysters grown in the cold, pristine waters of the Huon Valley and east coast are among the finest in the world. Eat them freshly shucked at Bruny Island Cheese Co. or any Hobart waterfront restaurant.
Tasmanian Whisky Trail
Tasmania now has over 50 distilleries producing single malt whisky of world-class quality. Sullivans Cove, Lark, and Hellyers Road have won global awards. The Coal River Valley and Hobart surrounds host the densest cluster.
Coal River & Huon Valley Wine
Tasmania's cool climate produces outstanding Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The Coal River Valley (30 min from Hobart) clusters boutique cellar doors. Domaine A, Frogmore Creek, and Josef Chromy are unmissable.
Bruny Island Cheese Co.
Aged cloth-wrapped cheddars, washed-rind soft cheeses, and beer-washed varieties — eaten alongside fresh oysters and salumi on a picnic rug overlooking Adventure Bay. One of Australia's finest food experiences.
Where to Base Yourself
Tasmania's Regions
Tasmania is small enough to drive across in a day, but rich enough to spend a month exploring. Here's how the island divides.
Hobart & South
Tasmania's capital — Australia's second-oldest city, wedged between kunanyi/Mount Wellington and the Derwent River. The base for MONA, Salamanca Market, Battery Point, and Port Arthur day trips.
Launceston & North
Tasmania's second city — charming, walkable, with the spectacular Cataract Gorge a 10-minute walk from the centre. Gateway to the Tamar Valley wine region and Cradle Mountain.
East Coast
The warmest, driest part of Tasmania — Freycinet Peninsula, Bay of Fires, Bicheno, and St Helens. The seafood coast, the coastal walking coast, the forget-the-rest-of-the-world coast.
North-West & Tarkine
The wild, rain-drenched north-west — Devonport (Spirit of Tasmania ferry terminal), Cradle Mountain, the Tarkine rainforest, and the west coast wilderness around Strahan and Queenstown.
Self-Drive Itineraries
Tasmania Road Trips
A rental car — or better, a campervan — is the key to unlocking Tasmania. These itineraries range from a long weekend to a proper fortnight.
Hobart → MONA → Salamanca Market → kunanyi/Mt Wellington → Coal River Valley wineries → Bruny Island day trip.
Hobart → Port Arthur → Freycinet (Wineglass Bay) → Bicheno → Bay of Fires → St Helens → Launceston loop.
Full loop: Hobart → MONA → Freycinet → Bay of Fires → Launceston → Cradle Mountain → Strahan → Queenstown → Huon Valley → Hobart.
Everything above plus the Tarkine, South-West wilderness, Bruny Island, Tasman Peninsula, and time to actually be still somewhere extraordinary.
Seasonal Guide
When to Visit Tasmania
Tasmania's weather is more temperate and unpredictable than mainland Australia. Pack layers in every season — and always have a waterproof jacket.
Peak season — long days (up to 16 hours), best hiking weather, busy beaches. Book accommodation well ahead.
Stunning European-style foliage in the beech forests. Fewer crowds, warm days, cool nights. Ideal for food and wine touring.
Cold, dramatic and magical. Snow on the peaks, fires in the pubs, almost no other tourists, and the best chance of aurora australis.
Wildflowers, newborn wallabies, and warming temperatures. The Overland Track permit system opens in October. Still quiet, still glorious.
Need to Know
Getting There & Around
Getting to Tasmania
- Flights: Hobart and Launceston airports; 1 hr from Melbourne, 3 hr from Sydney
- Spirit of Tasmania ferry: overnight crossing from Melbourne to Devonport — ideal for bringing your own vehicle
- Book flights in advance — Tasmania's popularity has outpaced airline capacity
- Devonport is the only ferry terminal; rent a car here or drive on with Spirit of Tasmania
Getting Around Tasmania
- Hire car is essential — public transport outside Hobart is minimal
- Campervan hire gives complete freedom and reduces accommodation costs
- Roads are generally good; some remote areas require 4WD (e.g. Tarkine interior)
- Wildlife is active at dawn and dusk — drive slowly on rural roads
National Parks & Permits
- Tasmania Parks Pass required for all national parks — buy online or at visitor centres
- Day pass: ~$30/vehicle; Annual pass: ~$80 — worth it for multi-day visits
- Overland Track: booking + permit required (Oct–May); strictly limited places
- Three Capes Track: self-guided hut-to-hut walk — book Parks Tasmania well ahead
Common Questions
Tasmania FAQs
Most visitors need at least 7–10 days to experience Tasmania's highlights without rushing. A week covers Hobart, MONA, Freycinet Peninsula, and either Cradle Mountain or the Bay of Fires. Two weeks lets you add Launceston, the Tarkine, Port Arthur, the Huon Valley, and Bruny Island. Tasmania rewards slow travel — the more time you give it, the more it gives back.
Summer (December–February) is peak season — best for hiking and coastal exploration with long daylight hours. Autumn (March–May) brings spectacular deciduous beech foliage and quieter trails. Winter (June–August) is cold but magical — Dark Mofo festival in Hobart, aurora australis viewing, snow on Cradle Mountain, and almost no other tourists. Spring (September–November) sees wildflowers, newborn wildlife, and the reopening of the Overland Track.
Yes — a rental car is strongly recommended. Public transport outside Hobart and Launceston is minimal. Most of Tasmania's highlights (Cradle Mountain, Bay of Fires, Freycinet, Tarkine, Port Arthur) require a vehicle. Roads are generally excellent but can be narrow in remote areas. Consider a campervan for complete freedom — campgrounds are excellent and plentiful across the national park network.
The Overland Track is widely considered one of the world's great multi-day hikes — a 65 km trail through the heart of Cradle Mountain–Lake St Clair National Park taking 6–8 days. It requires a permit and booking in advance (October–May season; maximum 34 people per day starting from Cradle Valley). Hut accommodation is provided but bring your own bedding and food. For those without multi-day hiking experience, the day walks from Cradle Valley are outstanding alternatives.