Getting to Tasmania

You can fly from mainland capitals to Hobart, Launceston, Devonport and Burnie.

Tasmania is a little over an hour’s flight from Melbourne, the nearest mainland capital city, and under two hours from Sydney. A number of airlines fly scheduled services to Tasmania.

Virgin Australia offers low-cost services to Launceston and Hobart from Melbourne and Sydney.

Qantas’s budget subsidiary, Jetstar, operates low-cost services from Melbourne and Sydney to Hobart and Launceston.

Qantas flies daily into Hobart from Melbourne and Sydney, and daily into Launceston from Melbourne. Qantas subsidiary Qantaslink flies into Devonport.

Regional Express (REX) operates daily services from Melbourne to Burnie and King Island.

More than anywhere else in Australia, Tasmania enjoys four seasons, each with its own unique pleasures and appeal.

Summer (December, January, and February) is festival time – Festivale in Launceston, Taste of Tasmania, in Hobart, and small local fairs.

Autumn (March, April, and May) is a mellow season with calm, sunny days, and the best time to sample some of the best, fresh Tasmanian produce at events like the Taste of the Huon and Agfest, or join in the excitement of Targa Tasmania or the biennial cultural celebration 10 Days on the Island.

Winter (June, July, and August) is the time to relax indoors by a log fire, or head out for an invigorating walk and then sit down to a delicious Tasmanian meal. You can join with the locals at the Longest Night Film Festival and Antarctica Mid-Winter Festival in June and be warmed by serenading voices at Hobart’s Festival of the Voices, or indulge at the Chocolate Winterfest, in Latrobe, in July.

Spring (September, October, and November) is the season of cool, fresh and green countryside, the sweet scent of gardens in bloom and the bite of fish on a lure. Blooming Tasmania begins with tulip festivals in the north and south and continues through until May.

Like the rest of Australia they have an informal and relaxed style of dressing. Smart, casual street wear is acceptable for most restaurants and evening events.

English is the official language spoken in Tasmania.

Tipping is not expected or required in Tasmania. However,if you feel that the service was exceptional,feel free to tip as much as you like.

Getting to Tasmania:
As Australia's only island state, access to Tasmania is by air and sea only. Regular flights depart from Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane and fly direct to Hobart and Launceston. Direct flights are also available from Melbourne to Wynyard (Burnie), Devonport, King and Flinders Island. Alternatively many visitors travel to Tasmania from Melbourne by sea on the Spirit of Tasmania.

Getting Around:
With good roads, few freeway or motorways and scenic views wherever you go, getting around Tasmania is part of the fun.

Although Tasmania is a small state by Australian standards, it's actually the same size as Ireland, so don't underestimate the time it takes to get around. Even driving around the state will take several days, especially if you take the time to look around.

There are no train services in Tasmania so travelers rely on bus and coach and of course car-hire to get to and from our cities and regional centers.

Coach tours offer a comfortable and relaxing way of seeing the state with many national coach touring companies offering traditional coach touring around Tasmania. They provide extensive year round multi-day itineraries for budget, deluxe and luxury travelers.

Specialized small escorted group touring is also available to cater for particular interests and the youth touring market.

Tasmania  welcomes visitors and to facilitate easy entry, everything has been done to make the process as pleasant as possible. A valid passport for at least six (6) months beyond the intended period of stay and a ticket for return or onward travel to another country, which he/she is authorized to enter, is required.

The maritime climate means every season of the year is a whole new Tasmanian holiday.

Tasmania has four distinct seasons. The warmest months are December, January, February and March. Autumn has still sunny days and riotous colors as 200 year-old oaks, elms, birches and our own native beech, turn from gold to red in preparation for winter. Winter runs from May through August. However, because we sit in the Southern Ocean, the world's weather engine, the climate can vary greatly - on any given day.

The average maximum daily summer temperatures sit between 17 and 23 degrees Celsius (62 and 73 degrees Fahrenheit) and winter daily between 3 and 11 degrees Celsius (37 and 51 degrees Fahrenheit). Their location below the 40th parallel means summer evenings have long languid twilights.

Rainfall varies dramatically across the Island. Hobart, with an average of 626 millimeters (24 inches) is Australia's second-driest capital city (after Adelaide). While on the west coast an annual average of 2,400 mm (95 inches) ensures the rainforest thrives.

The minimal artificial light in Tasmania's night sky means it is an exceptional location for viewing one of the wonders of the cosmos, the magnificent Aurora Australis.