With so much to do and see in Tasmania, extend your stay, take a moment for yourself and explore the island state
In Tasmania, a detour is an adventure. Self-drive journeys on this compact island offer the freedom to find the things you need – natural wonders, inspiration, calm, great fish and chips – and much you never expected. See various itineraries for inspiration, and start making detours.
The 13 Best Short Walks offer the best of Tasmania's day walking opportunities. Whether you want a gentle stroll or a physical challenge; a seaside ramble or a mountain vista; a long day's outing or a short wander, Great Short Walks has plenty for you. The walks are located throughout Tasmania and can generally be accessed from major roads and include a range of environments.
Cradle Mountain–Lake St Clair National Park, with its ancient rainforests and alpine heaths, is home to the world-famous Overland Track and iconic Cradle Mountain. Part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, the park is one of the state's most special places, where ancient pines fringe glacial lakes and icy streams cascade down rugged mountains. Find everything you need to stay to walk, stay and explore.
Tasmania's north is a feast of historic streetscapes and heritage estates, rich farmland, premier cool-climate wines, fresh produce and a haven for designers and craft makers eager to talk about their work.
The largest city in the region - and second largest in the state - is Launceston, a vibrant hub for food and wine and culture. There's also a touch of wilderness with Cataract Gorge just a few minutes walk from the city centre.
The city is located on the banks of the Tamar River and is the gateway to the Tamar Valley, a region where English conservatism sits happily alongside the unconventional and off beat.
Freycinet National Park, with its stunning pink granite peaks is located on Tasmania's east coast. The park is famous for Wineglass Bay, rated by Outside magazine as one of the ten best beaches in the world.
Richmond is a picture-perfect town in the heart of the Coal River Valley wine region that tells the story of an early Australian colonial village. This is the perfect place to learn about Tasmania's past and can be as easy as a stroll down the pretty nineteenth century streets.
You don't have to travel far to find amazing arts and cultural experiences in Tasmania. There's everything from small artist-run spaces to world class museums, cutting edge contemporary art galleries and festivals for almost every possible interest. This wealth of creativity comes from an active community of artists, designers and performers who are inspired by Tasmania's natural environment. View this list of Museums, Galleries and Artists.
David Walsh built the Museum of Old and New Art (Mona) to house his collection of ancient, modern and contemporary art. Located on the banks of the Derwent a short ferry trip from Hobart, Mona is Australia’s largest private museum with three levels of underground galleries, which visitors explore with custom-built, handheld technology, called the O, that tells them about the artworks on display. Mona is David’s playground and experiment: we need art, he says, but for what?
Mona is also home to two wineries and a brewery, several bars and restaurants, luxury accommodation pavilions, a library, cemetery and tennis court.
Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery (TMAG) is Tasmania's leading natural and cultural heritage organisation. It is a combined museum, art gallery and herbarium which safeguards the physical evidence of Tasmania's natural and cultural heritage, and the cultural identity of Tasmanians. TMAG is Australia's second-oldest museum and has its origins in the collections of Australia's oldest scientific society, the Royal Society of Tasmania, established in 1843.
In Tasmania you'll find everything from award-winning colonial mansions and coastal retreats to the contemporary elegance of a city waterfront hotel.
Tasmania has a range of hotels for all tastes and budgets, from major chains to stylish, small, locally-run accommodation in Tasmania's holiday hot spots.
Plot a course between cellar doors on the island’s four well-established cool-climate wine trails: the Tamar Valley Wine Trail, the Cradle Coast WineTrail, the East Coast Wine Trail, and the Southern Wine Trail.
Tasmania's cool climate, mild summers and long autumn days are perfect for cool-climate wine making. In fact, Tasmania has been winning awards since the 1840s.
Tasmania enjoys an international reputation as a leading producer of some of Australia's premium wines.
Tasmanian wines are found in bars, eateries and local grocers all over the state so there's a fine drop to sample no matter where you are on the island.
Tasmania has a long history of brewing and distilling that combines traditional craft with state of the art technology and a commitment to sustainability. The major beer breweries - Boags in Launceston and Cascade in Hobart - inspire local pride and friendly rivalry. And both boast impressive heritage buildings and great visitor centres with places to eat, drink, shop and relax.
But it's not all about the big brewers. Tasmania has a long and growing list of craft breweries where you can meet a local brewer, learn a thing or two about the craft of boutique beer making and sample local brews that you may not find anywhere else. For those exploring the regions, there is also a beer trail, whisky trail and cider trail. Tasmania's pure water is also perfect for distilling whisky, vodka and gin with several award-winning distilleries producing some of the world's greatest spirits.
The tastes of Tasmania are as varied as they are fine – and often the providores are both grower and producer.
You can feast on 'home grown' foods, pick up freshly harvested vegetables at a village market, or savour the sweet crunch of apples from a roadside stall. There are also berry farms where you can pick your own berries or visit a marine farm for superb, fresh seafood.
If you want to learn more about sustainable farming practices, try one of the farm stays where you can meet the growers and experience life on a working farm – first hand. You can even stay the night.
From modern cuisine in the hottest city restaurants to hearty comfort food in country dining rooms, the hungry visitor is spoiled for choice when dining out in Tasmania.
Tasmania grows some of the best food in the world, including super fresh seafood, gourmet meats and flavoursome fruit and vegetables. It's also home to many small, sustainable farms that grow heirloom produce for a genuinely authentic local paddock to plate experience.
Award-winning restaurants showcase seasonal Tasmanian produce from local growers, fishermen and farmers and change their menus regularly to reflect seasonality.
Remember that wherever you dine, delicious regional produce is always the star attraction.
Wherever you are in Tasmania, there's sure to be a pub nearby.
Tasmania's early history, with its tough whalers and sailors, guaranteed a pub on every corner of Tasmania's many seaports.
Some of Australia's oldest pubs can be found here, full of history, stories and
old-world charm.
Today you'll find everything from cosy Georgian taverns and grand Victorian hotels to sophisticated city bars and rustic country pubs.
Enjoy a local drop - from the famous big city brews to a long list of craft beers, ciders, wines and whiskeys from all over the state. Match these with some comfort food or haute cuisine and taste the best of Tasmania in one easy sitting.
Tasmania's reputation for real freshness and 'true source' growing - not just production - makes Tasmania an ideal place to find small scale food artisans producing top quality produce.
You'll find cooking schools where all the produce is grown and reared on site. For these culinary experts it's all about keeping it local and bringing the market to their own front door.
Tasmania is a treasure trove of natural wonders with stunning landscapes, unique animals and plants, and a rich diversity of sea life.
Being a compact island, it's easy to access its many different environments - from alpine ranges, wetlands and grasslands to coastal heaths and vast temperate rainforests.
The island's landscapes were shaped by previous ice ages and many of Tasmania's plants and wildlife are living evidence of the breakup of the super-continent of Gondwana, millions of years ago.
This natural wonderland supports a population of mammals, birds, frogs and reptiles, many of which are found only in Tasmania.
Tasmania's plant species are also as varied as its many environments. They include a huge range of eucalypts, ancient conifers such as the Huon pine, and Australia's only native deciduous plant, the Fagus.
For the nature lover, there's plenty to discover in Tasmania.
If adventure is your thing, then you know it's not just what you do, but where you do it that counts.
Tasmania's diverse and ancient landscape offers fantastic outdoor experiences just a short distance from major cities and towns.
There are experiences to suit all levels of fitness and challenge - on land, in the water and in the air. Over one third of the state is national park, reserve or world heritage protected wilderness so just being outdoors can be adventure enough.
There are so many different ways to experience Tasmania that sometimes the best way is to let a local guide you. Tasmania's tour operators offer half, full and multi-day tours, from city walks and sea journeys to wilderness treks and sky-high adventure flights.
Step back in time and discover stories from the past or explore World Heritage wilderness and Tassie's most beautiful places on foot, horse, or kayak.
Tasmania really has it all, with nature, culture, history and charm, plus plenty of passionate tour guides with local knowledge and great stories to share.
Tasmania's history tells a tale of a brutal convict past, maritime adventure, mining and early industrial development. Unlike most places, this rich cultural and built heritage is still well preserved today. It's easy to find fine examples of Tasmania's early architecture in our cities and towns around the island with many restored as accommodation, restaurants or attractions.
In Hobart there are some of the finest sandstone buildings remaining in Australia, like the stately Town Hall on Macquarie Street and the historic waterfront warehouses that line Salamanca Place. Behind Salamanca are the workers' cottages and grand homes of Battery Point, making it the best-preserved colonial-era suburb in Australia.
And in the north you'll find charming colonial villages and large country estates that paint a picture of early life in Tasmania.For more about the island's fascinating beginnings and dark stories of the past visit any of our five UNESCO World Heritage-listed convict sites.
In a world that replaces the old for the new, the past is always present in Tasmania and stories can be found just about everywhere, if you take the time to look.
Take a scenic flight in Tasmania and experience some of the most amazing landscapes and waterways in Australia. A flight over Tasmania's ancient rainforest, rugged mountains and stunning coastline is nothing short of breathtaking.
You can take your pick of sea plane, helicopter, fixed-wing charters or high-speed military fast jets.
Tasmania's beautiful environment along with health providers who only use the purest local ingredients, guarantee you a unique therapeutic escape. Far from everyday pressures and pollution, make time for yourself in Tasmania.
Tasmania's shops and markets are a celebration of the island's unique culture, creative artisans and its many local producers. There are great places to browse and buy, from friendly farmers' markets and antiques stores to designer boutiques and galleries. With an abundance of creative talent in Tasmania, there's no shortage of places to find local art, craft, clothing and design and even meet a maker or two. Try exploring Hobart's laneways and smaller side streets for the more quirky shopping options; Hobart's CBD is safe and easy to walk around.