Tasmania
Travel Guide
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Tasmania Travel Guide 2026
This is part of my Australia travel guide. Given Australia’s massive size and immense diversity, I’ve made specific guides and recommendations for the best places to visit in each state. You can see my main Australia Travel Guide by following this link; this also has links to my guides for each of Australia’s states and territories. I have lived, worked and travelled in Australia and visited every state and territory, so here goes!
Tasmania
I would say that Tasmania and the Northern Territory (NT) are Australia’s most underrated states. Many tourists (and Australians) stick to the east coast of Australia, with most venturing no further north than Cairns in the north of Queensland, much past Melbourne, Victoria. Those people miss out on the green gem in the Tasman Sea, which is Tasmania. On a map, you may be fooled into thinking that the island is small, as it lies close to the massive Australian mainland; however, it is similar in size to Sri Lanka and the Republic of Ireland, although it is home to a population of just 570,000 people (around 8.5 people/km2). The island was named after the Dutch explorer Abel Tasman. You will find many things named after him, including the Tasman Sea, which separates Australia from New Zealand and the beautiful Abel Tasman National Park, which is located in the north-west of New Zealand’s South Island. Abel Tasman was the first European to sight Tasmania and named it after his expedition’s sponsor, with the island originally being named Van Diemen’s Land. Like NSW, Tasmania started out as a penal colony with convicts from the British Isles being sent to populate the island. Tasmanians requested that the island have its name changed to Van Diemen’s Land because ‘Diemen’ sounds similar to ‘demon’ and because of the poor reputation of the island. Around 75,000 convicts (40% of all convicts sent to Australia) were sent to Tasmania.
So now with the history lesson over, a quick overview. I love Tasmania! I have travelled, lived, worked and volunteered in Tasmania (AKA ‘Tassie’). The state capital Hobart is a charming ‘city’, although in truth, to most travellers it is more of a town with a population of just 56,000. Many old historic stone buildings are present in the Harbour and the city has strong nautical routes and links to this day. The river Derwent flows through the city and Mount Wellington is located behind, offering incredible views of the city and surrounding lands. Make no mistake, Hobart feels the opposite of the hustle and bustle of Melbourne and Sydney, but that’s what I love about it. Given its lack of growth over the years, it still has a nice historic feel and charm to it. There are dolphins and whales around the island too.
I would say don’t listen to them, it is colder than the mainland as it’s further south, and it did snow on several occasions, which I worked at Cradle Mountain in the north-west of the island; however, by the standards of many Europeans and North Americans, it’s not cold, it’s just cold for Aussies. Take a jacket, hat, gloves, etc. if you go in the winter, but don’t be put off, also there are no snakes around in the winter, so that’s a win! Please note that the weather can change quickly, so it’s worth popping into one of the many visitor centres out there for local knowledge whenever you can. Also, like New Zealand, the ozone layer above Tasmania is lacking, so make sure that you wear plenty of sunscreen or you’ll cook! The infrastructure in Tasmania is amazing and popular hiking trails are well defined.
I would say don’t listen to them, it is colder than the mainland as it’s further south, and it did snow on several occasions, which I worked at Cradle Mountain in the north-west of the island; however, by the standards of many Europeans and North Americans, it’s not cold, it’s just cold for Aussies. Take a jacket, hat, gloves, etc. if you go in the winter, but don’t be put off, also there are no snakes around in the winter, so that’s a win! Please note that the weather can change quickly, so it’s worth popping into one of the many visitor centres out there for local knowledge whenever you can. Also, like New Zealand, the ozone layer above Tasmania is lacking, so make sure that you wear plenty of sunscreen or you’ll cook! The infrastructure in Tasmania is amazing and popular hiking trails are well defined.
I loved Cradle Mountain and the Walls of Jerusalem National Park; they are stunning, remote and a hiker’s paradise. Some of Australia’s best multi-day hikes are also in Tasmania, including the Overland Track and the Three Capes Track.
The wildlife in Tasmania is also incredible, wombats, dolphins, whales, spiders, wallabies and much more are everywhere. Also, I can pretty much guarantee that you won’t see a wild Tasmanian Devil but you can see them in zoos and they’re worth seeing. For small things, they sure are feisty and kick up a big and terrifying noise, which leads to their name. As for the Tasmanian Tiger, they are extinct; the last one sadly died in a zoo in Hobart in 1936. There are still stories of locals claiming to have seen one, but in truth, there is no evidence of any still being around – that being said its a large and sparsely populated island with much wilderness in the south-west of the island, so you never know!
Want to know more about Tasmania? Check out my blog article ‘Tasmania – Australia’s best kept secret’ by following the link below:
Best places to visit in Tasmania
I provide star ratings for each of my recommendations so that you can quickly narrow down what appeals to you. Explanations for what these mean can be found here.
I use Google Maps to plan all my trips and it’s a game-changer! I’ve added links to Google Maps for each of the locations below so you can easily add them to your own map. Be sure to copy this web link into the description of each location you save so that you can easily refer back to this guide later. Check out this blog for more tips on how to use Google Maps to enhance your travels!
Tasmania
Adventure
Andy Argo
Uniqueness
Category: City (small)
Recommended Duration: 2 days+
Andy visited?: Yes
Description
Hobart is an interesting place – the second colony in Australia after Sydney. However, unlike Sydney, Hobart hasn’t expanded much, which makes its architecture really beautiful and historic, with stone buildings around a small harbour giving it the feel of an English seaside town.
There are some good museums to explore, and I’d recommend the maritime museum as the place has a rich maritime history. I would recommend 2 days+, including visiting Mount Wellington, which I have written about under a separate heading, as it deserves its own mention! There is also the Mona art gallery, which loads of people love. I thought it was ok, but I’m not an art person. There is a cool boat ride on a catamaran down the river to take you there, which is nice. Artsy people will love this, if that’s not your vibe, though I would say don’t bother. I would also recommend doing whale watching here. Unfortunately, on my tour, I saw no whales, but I did get to follow a pod of dolphins for ages, which was phenomenal!
Adventure
Andy Argo
Uniqueness
Category: Mountain
Recommended Duration: 1 day
Andy visited?: Yes
Description
This mountain is incredible, an absolute beast! It overlooks Hobart, its harbour and the sea beyond. It stands at a whopping 1,271 meters (4,169 feet) high. I would highly recommend hiking up the mountain to truly appreciate its size and enjoy the hiking trails. It’s an amazing place to watch the sunset, and then I hiked and hitchhiked back to tow,n as it wasn’t the best walk after dark.
Adventure
Andy Argo
Uniqueness
Category: Island
Recommended Duration: 1 day+
Andy visited?: Yes
Description
Just south of Hobart is Bruny Island, which is accessible by ferry. It’s easy to navigate with one road running north-south across the island. There are some cool beaches and inlets there, and it’s worth checking out ‘The Neck,’ which is a skinny bit of land connecting the north and south of the island.
Definitely go here for sunrise or sunset if possible. I like the sunset as the light is on the calmer western waters of the neck, which are between Bruny Island and the mainland. You can easily explore the island and be spontaneous. I did a work away here (volunteering) with The Bruny Baker. At the time I was there, he and his partner were creating two Airbnbs on their land, which is in a beautiful bay, so I was lucky enough to take a boat out in the bay and have his amazing bread, which he would make fresh every morning. You can get this bread from an old fridge, which is along the highway on the island and which can be bought using an honest box policy. Just search ‘Bruny Baker Bread Fridge’ on Google Maps, and you’ll find the location.
Adventure
Andy Argo
Uniqueness
Category: Dam and scenic drive
Recommended Duration: 1 day+
Andy visited?: Yes
Description
There is a nice drive from Hobart towards Gordon Dam in the south-west of Tasmania. There are loads of hikes in this area with very few roads, save for the one to Gordon Dam. It’s a beautiful drive out and there are waterfalls and a visitor information centre that you can stop at on the way.
I didn’t do much hardcore off-grid hiking here, but it is very wild and sounds incredible, but it isn’t for the faint-hearted, as it can be very dangerous given how remote it is and how quickly the weather can change. I strongly recommend the drive up this road to see this beautiful part of the island and the stunning lakes.
Adventure
Andy Argo
Uniqueness
Category: National Park
Recommended Duration: 1 day+
Andy visited?: Yes
Description
Tasmania is home to many famous hikes, including the 3 Capes Track. The 3 capes are Cape Hauy, Cape Pillar and Cape Raoul. I only did part of this famous track, which normally takes around 4 days, but it is stunning. Plenty of Wildlife and a dramatic bit of coastline, highly recommend it. Note: Image of Cape Huay taken during a boat trip.
Adventure
Andy Argo
Uniqueness
Category: National Park
Recommended Duration: 1 day+
Andy visited?: Yes
Adventure stars:
2-3, depending on whether you decide to summit Mt. Amos or not.
Description
Pronounced the French way (not saying the ‘t’ at the end), Freycinet National Park is incredible. Wildlife, coastline, scrambles and nature. Do not miss this if you are in Tasmania! I would recommend starting at Honeymoon Bay, as beautiful as this is, don’t linger too long, as it gets better! Hike from here up to the Wineglass Bay Lookout, which is breathtaking. From here, head down to Wineglass Bay – keep your eyes on the water, as I saw dolphins here in the shallows swimming up and down the beach; the beach is also one of the best I’ve ever seen!
From here, you can head through to Hazards beach past a ginormous lake (which has no name from what I can tell) with an incredible view of the lake with Mount Graham in the background to the south (you will cross to the north of the lake on the Isthmus Track. You can then go down the Hazards Beach Track to loop back to the car park at Honeymoon Bay. I also saw some friendly wallabies in the car park, which were cute. If you have the strength for it and if you have started early, you can then decide if you want to tackle Mount Amos. This was great fun, but please note that this is an easy (subjectively) scramble, not a hike. You will need to use your hands and scramble up and down. I would advise against doing this if it’s wet because it will be crazy slippery. I was up there for sunset, which gave an amazing view, but it made coming down dangerous, so I would recommend doing this for sunrise/sunset. You’re better off doing sunrise at the Wineglass Bay lookout if you’re desperate to see a sunrise here, but to be honest, I don’t think you need to bother with it here. Enjoy!
Adventure
Andy Argo
Uniqueness
Category: National Parks
Recommended Duration: 2 days+
Andy visited?: Yes (I lived at Cradle Mountain for a time)
Area: Cradle Mountain, Walls of Jerusalem, Lake St Clair, Overland Track
Description
I love this place and was lucky enough to live and work at a hotel at Cradle Mountain opposite the start of the super famous and incredible Overland Track. There are very few people in these national parks, and they offer stunning scenery. The trails are often good, with many being boardwalks to protect plant life. There are hikes, scrambles and climbing opportunities in these national parks. Please note that the weather can change quickly and they do get snow here in the winter and snakes in the summer. Oh yeah, they also have plenty of leeches too.
On the upside, though, they also have platypus (if you’re lucky enough to spot them) and lots of wombats. I cannot express how amazing wombats are. They don’t want you too close, but aren’t terrified of humans either, so you can see them in the wild. Not only are they cute to look at, but even their poo is cute coming out in little cubes, n’aww! The Walls of Jerusalem National Park has some dramatic cliff faces, hence the name. Cradle Mountain has crazy mountains and lakes. The Overland Track is famous and runs north-south from Cradle Mountain to Lake St Clair. It takes around 6 days to do the full thing but if you want, you can just go to the north and south sections for an excursion for a day each and see how you do.
They have recently renovated many of the huts in the national park. A tent is required in case you can’t make it to a hut and during the summer they’ll be full up to. I loved it in winter, though, as the huts are free in winter and have lots of space when I was there (although I can’t guarantee this). This place is a hiker’s Mecca! Head into the visitor centres and get local advice on weather conditions and animals – many locals wear gaiters in summer to combat some of the risk from snake attacks. Try singing to announce your presence to reduce the risk. On a final note, my favourite hike was a mountain called Barn Bluff, which is located just behind Cradle Mountain. I did it with friends in a day (a long day, though). It’s a lesser-known and lesser-climbed mountain, but it looks iconic and, for want of a better word, ‘stubby’. Its rocky cliffs on all sides rise up to a flat-ish top, and heading up there in the snow made it feel like I was climbing up towards an evil Disney villain’s castle at the top of it.
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Title image: Cradle Mountain, Tasmania