Tasmania - Australia's best kept secret
I am a big fan of going to places which I know little about, and Tasmania is no different. In 2022, I found myself in Melbourne, Australia, a bustling city located in the south-east of the Australian mainland. Further south still, across the Bass Strait, is the island of Tasmania. It is named after the Dutch explorer, Abel Tasman. It is one of one of Australia’s six states and is approximately the same size as the Republic of Ireland and is just larger than Sri Lanka. It’s an island which is blessed with a bit of everything and I still don’t fully understand why more people don’t visit!
I understand that for tourists, when someone says Australia you will think of beautiful beaches, the barrier reef, the Sydney Opera House or the Aussie outback. Potentially for this reason, and because Tasmania is that bit further away than mainland Australia, it is often overlooked. I found lots of international tourists exploring the east coast of Australia, but relatively few in Tasmania.
So, what is there to do there? EVERYTHING! The capital, Hobart, is located on the east coast. It was Australia’s second colony after Sydney however, unlike Sydney, which has grown into a modern city, Hobart has remained small with a beautiful harbour and charming stone buildings. It has the feel of a beautiful English coastal town rather than a bustling state capital. Located behind Hobart is Mount Wellington, a 1,271m (4,170 feet) peak which rises upwards behind the settlement, making for a great hike (or drive if you don’t fancy the walk) with stunning views.
The beautiful view from the top of Mount Wellington towards Hobart
Hobart
The east coast of Tasmania boasts stunning coastlines and beaches. It is also famous for its wildlife, including whales, dolphins and Sea Eagles. Bruny Island and Freycinet are also located on the east of the island and are definitely worth seeing. It’s not just sealife, however, you also get loads of wildlife on land, such as wombats and Tasmanian Devils – the latter being really bizarre, although unfortunately, the chances are that you’ll only be able to spot them in a zoo. You can also see Fairy Penguins (if you time your trip well) on the north coast of the island. My favourites though, were the wombats. I saw loads of wombats near Cradle Mountain, which is located in the north-west and which is where I worked for a winter. I loved my daily commute of walking to work, having a wombat trotting along in front of me. They are so cute, even their poo is cute (it’s a cube in case you’re wondering – also I’m not joking, Google it if you don’t believe me! which is located in the north-west of the island.
The west of Tasmania is an adventurer’s paradise, with the Overland Track, a famous multi-day trek for experienced and prepared hikers through the Tasmanian highlands. Lake St Claire, The Walls and Jerusalem and Cradle Mountain are some of my favourite mountainous areas. The Three Capes Track is also a popular one with hikes.
Be aware that the highlands of Tasmania do get snow (see my photos below), this can happen at any time of year, but is obviously more likely in winter, so dress properly, check the weather and don’t get caught out. It’s definitely worth considering a visit to Tasmania, the people are lovely and the nature is some of the best you will ever see! To find out more about Tasmania, be sure to check out my Australia Destination Guide, which I have linked below.
If my writing about Tasmania hasn’t inspired you to visit, I hear that a picture paints a thousand words, so take a gander at the ones below and that’ll do the talking for me!
Freycinet
This is a beautiful national park. I did an amazing circular hike here, which I highly recommend. I started form Honeymoon Bay (photo 1) and walked to Wineglass Bay (photo 2), stopping by the Wineglass Bay lookout on the way. You may be able to skip this lookout if you plan on doing Mt. Amos however, as the view is from a similar angle, but more on that later. I saw some dolphins working their way along the shallows off Winglass Bay beach when I was there too and it was great to see so keep your eyes peeled. From Winelgass Bay I headed to Hazard Beach before then circling back to Honeymoon Bay. I then climbed Mt. Amos (photo 3 from the top looking over Winelgass Bay) but it’s a fair scramble and suited to those with confidence and experience. When returning to my car, which was parked near Honeymoon Bay, I also got approached by some friendly locals, wallabies! What a day!
East Coast
Whales are common along the east coast of Tasmania. Unfortunately, I didn’t see any when I went on a whale watching tour, but I was lucky enough to see some dolphins and seals.
Bruny Island
I stayed on Bruny Island for around a week and undertook a workaway here, which gave me free accommodation and a free rowboat which I could take out into the bay.
South-western Tasmania
A stunning part of the world with incredible dams, waterfalls, lakes and mountains.
Cradle Mountain
I was lucky enough to live and work in this beautiful part of the world and enjoyed the great outdoors in this part of the world. The huts along the overland track had also been recently rebuilt to a high standard and were free in the winter when I was there (hence all the snow). You can see one of these huts in my final two photos. Be sure to come prepared, though if you plan to go in winter, as it’s not the done thing and the weather can change quickly and be deadly.
The snowman was also made by my friends, who were very excited to have enough to play with, as obviously, for them, they are not as used to it as in other parts of the world!
Some of the more dramatic snowy pictures are of my ascent of Barn Bluff. Barn Bluff is my favourite mountain in the area given its iconic shape with steep sides and a flat top when viewed from afar. You can see it in my 8th and 9th photos in this section. These photos were taken from the top of Cradle Mountain and show Barn Bluff in the background rising out of the mist.
As you can tell from the photos, we didn’t get much of a view during our climb up Barn Bluff, but we made a snowman on the way and the mist didn’t half make it dramatic!
Wombats and Wallabies
When I lived and worked at a remote hotel at Cradle Mountain in the north-west of Tasmania, I was lucky enough to have a short commute to work. By short, I mean just a couple of minutes’ walk from my staff accommodation to the hotel restaurant where I worked. Even better than my short commute was being accompanied by wombats waddling alongside me as I ventured into work. I loved it and it never got old! Wallabies were everywhere and are very sweet too.
A few more from around the island...
I hope that you have enjoyed this blog. I hope if you ever pan a trip to Australia to coonsider a trip to Tasmania: Australia’s best kept secret!
Happy travels!
Andy Argo
For more information on Tasmania and Australia, be sure to check out my Australia Destination Guide. Here you can find an overview of Australia and a description of each state. I have also included specific recommendations for my favourite things to do here.
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Title image: Me looking out from Cradle Mountain in north-western Tasmania towards Barn Bluff. I was lucky enough to live and work in the area for some time and I loved my adventures in the area. It is also the northern end of the Overland Track, which is a stunning multi-day hike and one of Australia’s most famous.