{"id":2043,"date":"2019-06-11T09:00:22","date_gmt":"2019-06-10T23:00:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.adventuretours.com.au\/australia-outback-yarns\/?p=2043"},"modified":"2019-06-11T14:16:42","modified_gmt":"2019-06-11T04:16:42","slug":"tasmania-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.adventuretours.com.au\/australia-outback-yarns\/tasmania-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"Don’t leave Australia without visiting Tasmania. Here’s why"},"content":{"rendered":"

This article was previously published on The Journal<\/a>. <\/em><\/p>\n

It\u2019s hard to pinpoint the exact moment I fell in love with Tasmania.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Maybe it was when I sunk my teeth into my first meal there, the insanely creamy goats cheese and golden yolky goodness of Bryher Cafe\u2019s<\/em> baked eggs doing happy things to my tastebuds. Or maybe it happened as I picked my way along the white sands and fiery red boulders of Swimcart Beach, not another soul in sight. It could have even been at Delamere\u2019s <\/em>rustic cellar door, glass of vintage bubbles in hand and the slow, old winery dog curled warmly at my feet.<\/p>\n

When it happened is beside the point really: the important thing is that I did fall head over heels for Tasmania<\/a>, despite the fact I\u2019d expected so little of it. In fact, along with 87.325% of Australians, I\u2019d written off our southernmost state as small and unexciting; a strange little outcrop at the arse end of the world, most famous for its ability to grow apples and the now-extinct thylacine.<\/p>\n

What a fool I was.<\/p>\n

If my descriptive intro and self-admonishment haven\u2019t already convinced you Tassie should be on your travel radar, allow me to use the following paragraphs to flesh out my case.<\/p>\n

\"Person

Tassie is filled with places to explore.<\/p><\/div>\n

Sitting 240 kilometres south of the mainland, Tasmania has a distinct otherworldly feel to it. This is most obvious in its breathtaking landscapes, which include everything from the aforementioned white sandy beaches to snow-capped mountains and wild, rugged coastal cliffs. Aspiring (but perhaps skilfully-challenged) photographers will be happy to know these landscapes are so photogenic it\u2019s almost impossible to take a bad picture.<\/p>\n

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER FOR TRAVEL INSPO, COMPETITIONS, GIVEAWAYS & MORE<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Best places to explore in Tasmania<\/h3>\n
\"People

Bay of Fires.<\/p><\/div>\n

The best destinations to soak in this astonishing natural beauty are Cradle Mountain in the state\u2019s west, and Bay of Fires, Freycinet National Park, the Tasman Peninsula and Mount Wellington in the east. If this seems like an impossibly long list to work your way through, remember that Tasmania is <\/em>in fact quite small (the only correct observation I\u2019d held about it pre-visit) and an easy two-hour drive is all you need to get between most places.<\/p>\n

If you have the opportunity to tackle the famous 65 kilometre overland track along the steep ridges and past the tumbling waterfalls of Cradle Mountain please do: if not, the two hour Dove Lake Circuit at the base of the mountain is almost as spectacular and will take you straight past the lake\u2019s boat-shed, one of Tassie\u2019s most frequently photographed landmarks.<\/p>\n

RELATED: WHY TASMANIA IS PERFECT FOR FAMILY TRAVEL\u00a0<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Over on the east coast, a trip to Freycinet National Park will put you smack bang in the middle of another of the state\u2019s iconic landmarks \u2013 Wineglass Bay. The perfect crescent of white sand is bordered by turquoise waters on one side and dense bushland on the other and is splendidly secluded, thanks to the fact it\u2019s only accessible via a two hour hike. Chances are you\u2019ll get this place all to yourself \u2013\u00a0at least for part of your visit \u2013 unless you count the local potoroos as company.<\/p>\n

The locals at nearby Bay of Fires claim their beaches are more impressive than Wineglass Bay, despite the fact they\u2019re lesser known: I agree. There\u2019s something so appealing about the vivid colours along here \u2013 the crystal blue waters, almost blindingly white sand and trademark red boulders. The abundance of marine life also sweetens the deal, with hundreds of fish easily found along the shoreline, some getting washed up with the giant tentacles of seaweed brought in by the tide. Catching dinner has never been so easy.<\/p>\n

\"Freycinet

Freycinet.<\/p><\/div>\n

Further south, right near Port Arthur (which is also well worth a visit, both for its eerie beauty and fascinating history), you\u2019ll stumble upon the Tasman Peninsular. It\u2019s wild and rugged, with millions of years of high winds and ferocious seas forming all manner of geological wonders from a fully-functioning blowhole (another one of which can be found in the charming seaside town of Bicheno) to Tasman\u2019s Arch, Devil\u2019s Kitchen and the world\u2019s best example of tessellated pavement.<\/p>\n

Mount Wellington is the final item on Tassie\u2019s list of ridiculously beautiful landscapes, towering 1271 metres above the city of Hobart. There are stacks of hikes you can do up and around the mountain or \u2013 if you\u2019re feeling lazy \u2013 a nice sealed road you can take to the top.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re in the mood for a challenge, maybe you should consider the Point to Pinnacle half marathon that makes its way up the mountain every November. Your lungs may burst and your legs may give out but holy dooley, those views will be spectacular.<\/p>\n

FIND THE PERFECT TRIP TO TASMANIA RIGHT HERE<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Food in Tasmania<\/h3>\n

With so much hiking on the cards, you\u2019ll be pleased to know Tasmania is home to some of Australia\u2019s<\/a> best food. Don\u2019t believe me? Try the lamb ribs at Launceston\u2019s Geronimo<\/em>, a Bruny Island Oyster<\/em>, any of the forward-thinking fine dining dishes at Hobart\u2019s Franklin<\/em> or a spiced quince and walnut tart at Jackman and McRoss<\/em> and then get back to me.<\/p>\n

Tassie\u2019s beverage scene is similarly excellent, with vineyards like Wines for Joanie<\/em>, Delamere<\/em> and Spring Vale<\/em> producing highly slurpable delights. On the whisky front, Lark<\/em> is doing magical things with fermented rye and Bruny Island House of Whisky<\/em> knows how to pull off an exceptional tasting. As a bonus recommendation, try a bottle of Willie Smith\u2019s Organic Cider<\/em> wherever you stumble across it \u2013 its makers have managed to strike the perfect balance between sweet, bitter and bubbly.<\/p>\n

RELATED: HERE’S HOW TO SEE AUSTRALIA ON A BUDGET<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Art in Tasmania<\/h3>\n
\"Person

MONA.<\/p><\/div>\n

It would be impossible to write a piece on Tasmania without mentioning MONA<\/em>, arguably Australia\u2019s best known and most controversial art gallery. Here you\u2019ll find a wall boasting 150 moulded vaginas of all shapes, sizes and grooming practices; a machine that eats and defecates like clockwork (it also farts quite regularly, causing more sensitive observers to cover their noses and leave the room); and a couple of goldfish swimming around a carving knife in a tiny bowl. I should also mention the bulk of the gallery lives 17 metres underground, in a dark and cavernous space. Is it strange? Yes, but in the most delightful way. Unexciting? Never.<\/p>\n

I could quite literally go on and on about Tasmania<\/a> and all its glory but, for now, I rest my case. Maybe it\u2019s time you booked a trip and started your own love affair.<\/p>\n

Tempted? We have a plenty of small group adventures that explore beautiful Tasmania.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

All images by Damien Raggett. <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Tasmania’s breathtaking landscapes include everything from white sandy beaches to snow-capped mountains and wild, rugged coastal cliffs.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":62,"featured_media":2092,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[154],"tags":[10,354,368,87],"class_list":["post-2043","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-guides","tag-australia","tag-camping","tag-small-group-tours","tag-tasmania"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.adventuretours.com.au\/australia-outback-yarns\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2043","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.adventuretours.com.au\/australia-outback-yarns\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.adventuretours.com.au\/australia-outback-yarns\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.adventuretours.com.au\/australia-outback-yarns\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/62"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.adventuretours.com.au\/australia-outback-yarns\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2043"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/www.adventuretours.com.au\/australia-outback-yarns\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2043\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2074,"href":"https:\/\/www.adventuretours.com.au\/australia-outback-yarns\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2043\/revisions\/2074"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.adventuretours.com.au\/australia-outback-yarns\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2092"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.adventuretours.com.au\/australia-outback-yarns\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2043"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.adventuretours.com.au\/australia-outback-yarns\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2043"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.adventuretours.com.au\/australia-outback-yarns\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2043"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}