Tasmania isn’t just for hardy explorers; in fact, it’s a walker’s paradise. The island’s diverse and ancient landscapes offer accessible wilderness experiences that are unsurpassed and world renowned. Visitors can choose from a large variety of overnight, independent, fully-guided or short day walking options for all fitness levels – whether travelling with a group or independently. There are also walks to suit specific interests including heritage walks, city and food walks. The island’s ancient World Heritage wilderness, its deserted white sand beaches, and its prolific wildlife can be experienced hand in hand with gourmet food and drink offerings. Walking Tasmania-style can include architect designed standing camps and eco-friendly luxury lodges. The simple process of putting one foot in front of the other can lead visitors on unforgettable journeys through rainforests, past glacial lakes, along deserted beaches and to the top of breathtaking peaks.

60 Great Short Walks
Tasmania offers walking experiences for all levels of fitness and challenge. The 60 Great Short Walks offers diverse walking opportunities that take you into a range of environments including rainforests, along ancient sea cliffs, beside turquoise seas and over jagged mountain peaks. You can walk the coastal beaches of the Bay of Fires or head deep into the southwest wilderness and feel like the only soul on earth. The walks are located throughout Tasmania and can generally be accessed from major roads.

Great Walks of Tasmania
Tasmania’s overnight guided walks – the Great Walks of Tasmania – offer 300 of the most beautiful kilometres of walking in Australia. The Maria Island Walk, The Freycinet Experience Walk, Cradle Huts Walk, Bay of Fires Lodge Walk, The Tarkine Rainforest Track and the Walls of Jerusalem Experience offer walks through World Heritage Areas or national parks savouring fresh local produce and drink along the way. Guests spend restful nights in architect-designed standing camps or luxury eco-friendly lodges. Those seeking a more challenging ‘authentic’ bushwalking experience take on the South Coast Track.

Cradle Huts Walk
Cradle Mountain Huts’ six-day 60 kilometre (40 mile) walk follows the iconic Overland Track through the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. This fully guided walk mixes Tasmanian wilderness with local food, drink and private, purpose-built cabins. The only walk of its type in the Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park, this journey offers a rare privilege to the average hiker – a walk through ancient and richly varied landscape normally only suitable for the hardy. For at the end of the day there are hot showers and hikers sleep in private cabins. Designed to complement their unique surroundings, each cabin contains twin-share accommodation, toilets, heating, full kitchen facilities and a living/dining area. The guides on this unhurried journey share their knowledge of the landscape, the fl ora and the fauna, to ensure a rich and informative journey. Food, drink and good company can feature as much as the mountains, rainforests and indigenous wildlife.

Maria Island Walk
The multi award-winning Maria Island Walk is a four-day guided journey through stunning coastal and mountain landscapes on an island national park. Secluded beaches, marine life, forests, and at the northern tip of the island, a 19th-century convict settlement. The fi nal night is spent in the restored Bernacchi House at the UNESCO World Heritage Listed Darlington Probation Station. There is candlelight dining each evening and fi ne Tasmanian food and drink is served in elegant wilderness camps. Each walk is limited to just ten guests accompanied by two local, knowledgeable and friendly guides. Walking is the usual form of transport on Maria as there is no access for private vehicles (No doubt this is good news for the kangaroos, wallabies, wombats, endemic birds and the two park rangers who also enjoy the island sanctuary).

Bay of Fires Lodge Walk
The Bay of Fires, on the north-east coast of Tasmania,takes in some 30 kilometres (20 miles) of coastline. The four-day walk features some of Tasmania’s best attributes – fi ne local foods, cool-climate wines and undeveloped landscapes. Guides have regular cooking lessons from one of the best chefs in Tasmania. In addition to the eating, drinking and walking, there is also time for guests to swim and snorkel in the Tasman Sea. There are never more than 10 guests and two guides on each tour. Your stay is in standing camps – the sleeping ‘tents’ have canvas roofs and timber floors. Two nights are spent at the Bay of Fires Lodge. The sea-side lodge has become something of an exemplar for stylish and sustainable accommodation. Rainwater is collected and stored for use in the bathrooms and kitchens. Solar panels provide power for all lighting. Though its likely visitors will remember the lapping waters of the Tasman Sea and encounters with wildlife before the highlights of the sustainable lodge.

Bay of Fires Lodge Day Spa
The Bay of Fires Lodge has opened a new boutique eco day spa for exclusive use by walkers on the four day, three night Bay of Fires Lodge Walk. Located in an idyllic setting adjacent to the iconic Bay of Fires Lodge, the spa offers breathtaking views from an outdoor deck. Inside are lounging spaces, and an extensive wellness and wilderness library. The spa treatment range includes massages, facials and body treatments with a focus on rejuvenation. Reflecting the company’s commitment to the environment, the spa uses Li’tya products – a unique range of skin, hair and body products based on Indigenous Australian plants and the principles of modern and Indigenous herbalism, aromatherapy and touch therapy. The bathing pavilion offers therapeutic bath treatments.

The Freycinet Experience Walk
The four-day Freycinet Experience is a fully-catered walk along the length of the Freycinet Peninsula on Tasmania’s east coast. The walk allows guests to venture deep into the heart of the dramatic Freycinet National Park and return at night to elegant accommodation and fi ne food and wine at the secluded Friendly Beaches Lodge. The lodge is not connected to town water or the electricity grid and is a winner of awards from the Royal Australian Institute of Architecture for its sustainable design. The walk covers some 36 kilometres (25 miles) and takes you along deserted beaches, up pink granite monoliths, through the heart of the rich native heath lands of the Freycinet National Park and to spectacular Wineglass Bay.

The South Coast Track
Operated by Tasmanian Expeditions, this nine-day walk is the most challenging of the Great Walks of Tasmania. It is a bushwalking expedition into the heart of the magnificent and rugged South West National Park, often compared to the Kokoda Track in Papua New Guinea. Wild unspoilt wilderness, remote untouched beaches, rugged mountain ranges, pristine rivers, and towering rainforests await you on this spectacular adventure. Originally an escape route for shipwrecked sailors, the South Coast Track now doubles as an escape route from modern life. The trip begins with a spectacular flight to the remote airstrip at Melaleuca in the heart of the wilderness. From here hikers trek east for nine days along the 80 km track following the coast and fi nishing at Cockle Creek. The generous time frame allows for side trips and a complete rest day for swimming and relaxing on an empty beach. Amidst this truly wild area hikers will discover a land with a history of early pioneers and indigenous Australians that is occupied by an abundance of wildlife including wombats, pademelons, quolls and the rare Orange-bellied parrot.

The Tarkine Rainforest Track
The Tarkine Rainforest Track transports people into a foreign world, with its vast tapestry of rich greens. This forms your backdrop for the six-day walk. Towering rainforests, horizontal trees, giant fresh water lobsters and every color of fungi imaginable all reside within this green wonderland. With no other visitors to the region, journey in small groups through the largest cool temperate rainforest in the southern hemisphere on a custom built walking track. As you walk, ancient wilderness fosters a profound and memorable experience. The rainforests of the Tarkine wilderness, some 177 000 hectares, include the largest unbroken stand of rainforest in Australia. Recognised globally for its ecological significance, this forest is a direct link to the ancient continent of Gondwana.

The Walls of Jerusalem Experience
Operated by Tasmanian Expeditions, this introductory bushwalk explores Tasmania’s only true alpine National Park, the Walls of Jerusalem. Carrying only the day’s necessities visitors spend four days exploring soaring dolerite peaks, alpine lakes, ancient pencil pine forests and wildflowers – all from the comfort of the remote base camp. Only accessible by foot, the walk will provide an authentic experience within Tasmania’s World Heritage Wilderness Area. This trip is an ideal opportunity to introduce you to wilderness camping without carrying full backpacks over long distances. Evenings are yours to relax and enjoy as the guides charm you with their skill in preparing Tasmanian gourmet delights.

Three Capes Walk
Tasman National Park
The Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service’s largest and most ambitious track project, the Three Capes Track, is now open. The vision is for the 65 kilometre Three Capes Track to be Australia’s premier multi-night coastal walk, taking in the stunning dolerite sea cliffs and ocean views of the Tasman Peninsula, including Cape Raoul, Cape Pillar and Cape Hauy. The walk features comfortable accommodation in huts along the track and a water experience. There will be two levels of experience offered: one for independent walkers and the other a fully guided experience provided by a commercial operator.

Ask someone what comes to mind when they think of Tasmania and there is a good chance the first thing they’ll mention is the wilderness. This is not surprising when almost half of the state is ancient World Heritage Wilderness, national parks or forest and marine reserves. Some people might also mention Tassie’s rich colonial and convict heritage. What is less well known is that there’s been a quiet cultural revolution going on in Tasmania.

Tasmania offers a thriving, vibrant arts and culture scene – home to one of the most controversial art collections in the world, numerous galleries, playhouses, markets, museums, writers, designers, artists and performers.

Tasmania is an island of inspiration for local artisans. From King Island to Bruny Island people have found Tasmania the perfect place to practice their talents. Across the state artisans are baking traditional bread, crafting handmade cheese, harvesting oysters, writing best-selling novels or designing coastal getaways that tread lightly on the landscape.

MONA
Museum of Old and New Art
MONA Museum of Old and New Art is located on the banks of the River Derwent just north of Hobart. Owned by millionaire gambler David Walsh, it houses a diverse collection ranging from ancient Egyptian mummies to some of the world’s most thought-provoking contemporary art. Its subterranean design and the owner’s unconventional and challenging curatorial approach make it a must-see for any visitor to Australia.

The museum has three levels cut into the Triassic sandstone of the river bank and includes 5,700 square metres (61,354 square feet) of gallery space, of which 1300 square metres (14,000 square feet) are touring galleries built to international museum standards. MONA is the only Australian experience that offers visitors a vineyard setting within a 15-minute drive or ferry ride from an Australian capital city, on-site accommodation, world-class fi ne dining, cellar door tastings, micro-brewery tours, heated pool, sauna and gymnasium, an all-year events program and an internationally significant museum with a café and museum shop. It also offers travelers a new reason to visit Tasmania. MONA has eight accommodation pavilions featuring ancient and contemporary art. All furnished by leading local and international designers. Each has its own distinct character and is named after an artist or architect that had an impact on its design.

Itinerary options include a MONA fast catamaran service from the Hobart waterfront or MONA-ROMA mini-bus transport with lunch and curator-led tours; overnight packages with indulgence, wine and food experiences and tailored museum and architectural tours.

Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery
The Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery (TMAG) collects, preserves, researches, interprets, displays and safeguards the natural and cultural heritage of Tasmania. The Museum is one of the few in the world to combine a history and science museum, art gallery and herbarium and provide free entry to more than 350,000 people a year. Highlights for visitors include the award-winning Tasmanian Aboriginal exhibition Ningennah Tunapry, and the Islands to Ice: Antarctica and the Southern Ocean exhibition.

As well as strong Aboriginal and Antarctic exhibitions, TMAG boasts galleries housing outstanding collections of colonial artists such as John Glover, Medals and Money (numismatics gallery) and Tasmanian fauna, including the mysterious Thylacine (Tasmanian Tiger).

TMAG has a world-class Learning and Discovery program allowing opportunities for education professionals and tourism operators to provide an enhanced visitor experience. The Museum has also embarked on an ambitious redevelopment of the site to allow it to build on its strength as Tasmania’s preeminent cultural and scientific institution.

The collections are housed in a precinct boasting the most significant group of historic buildings in Australia and is of continued importance for Aboriginal Tasmanians.

Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery
The Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery (QVMAG) in Launceston is Australia’s largest regional gallery. The QVMAG enjoys a national profile for its collections of Australian colonial art, decorative arts and design, Tasmanian history, and natural sciences. It is located on two sites - Royal Park and Inveresk. The Royal Park site was purpose-built in 1891 and is one of Australia’s oldest museum buildings. The Inveresk site, opened in 2001, was once the Launceston Railway Workshops. The original structure has been incorporated into a striking contemporary architectural design that features world-class galleries and exhibition spaces. Inveresk also features the Phenomena Factory, Australia’s newest and most exciting free-entry interactive science centre, providing hands-on, minds-on, curiosity-on science education for kids of all ages. Inveresk also now has the upgraded Launceston Planetarium and Space Gallery, relocated from its original Royal Park site. This and other exciting projects will reshape the future identity of the QVMAG, define its sites and introduce new programs.

Wood Design
Tasmania has a variety and quality of indigenous timbers unequalled in Australia and the world. Huon pine, King Billy pine, celery top pine, sassafras and myrtle are just a few of the iconic timber special species native to the island and unavailable elsewhere.

As a consequence, Tasmania has become a magnet for designers interested in working with wood. The concentration of craft and design practitioners (as opposed to artists practicing in other media) is higher in Tasmania than elsewhere in Australia.

The Design Centre in Launceston is a not-for-profit organization aiming to support local artists and showcase Tasmania’s specialty species timbers to the world. It features installations, one off pieces and commissions, all of which are for sale.

Salamanca Arts Centre, Hobart
Salamanca Arts Centre is Tasmania’s multi-arts creative hub and is an engine room for art-making and presentation. It is home more than 70 arts organizations, arts retailers and artists in studios and offers an extensive exhibition and performing arts program year round. Housed in iconic Georgian sandstone warehouses built in the 1830’s, these mellow north-facing buildings once stored grain, wool, whale oil, apples and imported goods from around the world. Nowadays, visitors can wander under the heavy stone arches to find craft and design shops, jewelers, cafes, restaurants, galleries, subterranean bookshops and fashion boutiques. Up Kelly’s Steps and visitors will find themselves in historic Battery Point.

Performing Arts
Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra
Founded in 1948, the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra (TSO) is Tasmania’s flagship performing arts organization. A leader in music of the Classical and early Romantic periods, the TSO enjoys a high profile nationally and internationally through its world-wide broadcasts and award-winning recordings. Resident in Hobart’s purpose-built Federation Concert Hall, the TSO has a full complement of 47 musicians. Slovenianborn Marko Letonja is the orchestra’s Chief Conductor and Artistic Director. Declared a Tasmanian Icon in 1998, the TSO enjoys a high level of support in the Tasmanian community. Concert seasons are presented in Hobart and Launceston, and regular tours are made of Tasmanian regional centres.

Tasdance
The Launceston-based ensemble presents its work to audiences throughout Tasmania, in regional centres and capital cities interstate and, more recently, at international festivals. Tasdance has commissioned work from many distinguished Australian choreographers including Nanette Hassall, Leigh Warren, Natalie Weir, Sue Healey and Paul Mercurio and has nurtured the development of choreographers such as Neil Adams, Sandra Parker and Anna Smith. Each year, Tasdance creates a major the broad spectrum of choreographic approaches and styles of contemporary dance.

Theatre Royal, Hobart
Described by Noel Coward as “a dream of a theatre”, the Theatre Royal is Australia’s oldest working theatre which has seen the likes of Sir Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh, Derek Jacobi, Steven Berkoff, Michael Palin, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa and Prunella Scales tread its boards. Today, the Theatre Royal is a living centre for the performing arts with guided tours available during the day while at night the stage comes alive with theatre, contemporary music, dance and entertainment from Tasmania’s, as well as some of Australia’s, best known companies. At the rear of the Theatre Royal is the Backspace Theatre, an intimate performance space that supports a range of independent works.

Regional Arts
Burnie Makers Workshop
Part contemporary museum, part arts centre, the Burnie Makers Workshop is a place that honours Burnie’s history, makers, innovators and artists. Visitors can try their hand at making paper and look for makers working on site available to talk about their craft, shop for interesting locally made gifts, browse the latest Tasmanian exhibition in the gallery and visitor information centre.

The Wilderness Gallery
The Wilderness Gallery is a unique purpose-built showcase for environmental photography. Beautiful and dramatic images from photographers based in Australia and around the world are showcased. Located at Cradle Mountain, adjacent to the Cradle Mountain Hotel.

EVENTS

December/January: Taste of Tasmania
For those whose taste buds have led them to Tasmania, the seven event-filled days and nights of The Taste of Tasmania offer the ultimate tour. Marking the beginning of the culinary calendar in Tasmania, the event is held annually in late December through to the early days of the New Year on Hobart’s waterfront and is the state’s largest annual celebration featuring the best of Tasmania’s boutique, artisan and established brewers, distillers, winemakers and producer.


February: Australian Wooden Boat Festival
Held across Hobart’s vibrant and bustling waterfront, the four-day festival brings together the largest and most beautiful collection of wooden boats in the southern hemisphere. From its humble beginnings in 1994, it has grown to become the most significant event of its kind in the southern hemisphere. The amazing scene of colour and activity provides the perfect setting for an extensive program of dockside entertainment, music, demonstrations, and displays.

March: 10 Days on the Island
Ten Days on the Island is the festival that inspired them all – Australia’s only state-wide, international arts festival and Tasmania’s premier cultural event. Ten Days on the Island offers an extraordinary program exploring the cultural uniqueness of islands, featuring international artists and events from island locations alongside Australia’s finest talent.

June: Dark Mofo
Dark Mofo is the Museum of Old and New Art’s winter festival, the dark sister to MONA’s summer MOFO event, celebrating the dark through large-scale public art, food, music, light and noise in Hobart. The Winter Feast is a festival highlight offering three nights of Bacchanalian banquet of feasting and fire, drinking and celebrations, music and performances.

October/November: Tasmanian Craft Fair
Australia’s largest showcase of hand-produced arts and crafts held annually in the picturesque township of Deloraine in northern Tasmania. Thousands of visitors watch, wander and even taste their way through more than 220 stalls, as artisans and producers demonstrate their handiwork.

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 our major cities and towns.

There are outdoor and adventure 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.

Tasmania is a walker's paradise with world famous iconic walks like the Overland Track, Wineglass Bay and the South Coast Track.

Our pure and remote waterways also make Tasmania one of the world's last great fisheries with a range of easily accessible fresh and saltwater fishing experiences found across the state.

And if a quiet game of golf is more your style, Tasmania has two of the top 100 golf courses in the world and two of the best public courses in Australia, as well as the oldest golf course in the country.

Go mountain biking, drive off the beaten track, enter the dark and fascinating world of caves or head for the water for a great kayaking or rafting adventure. 

The island state's long and beautiful coastline offers even more outdoor journeys and adventures, from sailing on the high seas and surfing some of the biggest breaks in the world, to discovering what lies beneath the surface on an unforgettable coastal dive in kelp forests.

So head outside and experience the natural wonders of Tasmania, and take a trip on the wild - or mild - side.

FOOD

Tasmania's strong tradition of small-scale production, organic farming and sustainability, along with rich soil, pure air and clean water inspire dedicated growers to produce a truly authentic food and drink experience.

Tasmania is a great place to learn about and try fresh produce. You can find Tasmania's fine produce at farmers markets and in local eateries, from cheap and cheerful pubs to high-end bars and restaurants. You can even stop and buy from roadside stalls – in Tasmania you'll still find honesty boxes all around the state.

Tasmania is also home to some of Australia's leading cool climate wines with our pinot noir and sparkling wines attracting the interest of wine makers from around the world. Our clean and green environment is also ideal for producing cider, whisky and gin and our boutique breweries and distilleries showcase their wares at cellar doors where you can sample the produce and talk to the maker.

Foodies can learn how to prepare amazing plates at cooking schools, pick fresh produce straight from the source and sample a wide range of excellent dishes and products at food festivals and master classes.

Tasmania's quality food and wine attract foodies from all over the world, so why not join them for a delicious taste of the island state?

Wild Beauty of Tasmania
Tasmania has a spellbinding landscape that is easily accessible. Within hours of arriving in Tasmania visitors can experience the world’s last temperate wilderness, ancient rainforests, glacial tarns, waterfalls, beaches and sea cliffs. More than a third of Tasmania is protected in national parks, world heritage areas and reserves.

The island is one of the world’s best walking destinations. With world-class walking tracks, thousands of highland lakes, secluded beaches, underground caverns, large and small islands and rugged mountain peaks. Its wildlife is abundant and varied. The state is the last home of several mammals that once roamed the Australian continent. It is the only place to see in the wild a Tasmanian devil, an Eastern quoll (or native cat), the Spotted-tailed quoll (tiger cat) and the Tasmanian bettong. The Tasmanian devil is a marsupial the size of a small dog with a bite as strong as a crocodile. It’s much quieter than its fierce reputation – unless it is feeding time.

The striped Thylacine or Tasmanian tiger, was Australia’s largest carnivorous marsupial and is a modern-day mystery. The last documented tiger died in captivity in 1936 and though the animal is considered extinct, there have since been many unsubstantiated sightings. Tasmania has a delicate underwater environment with thousands of kilometres of coastline and hundreds of offshore reefs and islands. It offers a wide range of temperate diving experiences and a rich variety of marine habitats. These include giant kelp forests off the Tasman Peninsula and at Bicheno’s Governor Island Marine Park.

Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area
Tasmania’s Wilderness World Heritage Area (TWWHA) stretches over 1.37 million hectares (3.4 million acres), from Cradle Mountain in the north to South West Cape and the islands beyond. The TWWHA includes mountains, valleys and lakes formed during the last great Ice Age and forests with trees thousands of years old. The original area was placed on the World Heritage List in 1982 and was extended in 1989. It now covers over 20 per cent of Tasmania.

National Parks
Tasmania has 19 national parks. The jagged profi le of Cradle Mountain is the island’s best-known landmark. Located within the Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park, the mountain is the northern gateway to one of the world’s top walks, the Overland Track. Also in the north, Mole Creek Karst National Park, the only underground national park in Tasmania, protects a deep network of limestone caves, cathedral caverns and glow worm displays.

Located on the north coast, Narawntapu National Park is a haven for wildlife which abounds on its grassy plains, marshes and heathlands. Wombats, Forester kangaroos and Bennetts wallabies are relatively comfortable around people and will often allow visitors to approach them on the north east coast.

On the east coast, Freycinet National Park has granite mountain ranges and secluded bays and beaches along an ever-changing coastline. Mount William National Park is the color of an impressionist’s palette. The stunning Bay of Fires has received numerous international accolades in recent years. Douglas Apsley National Park has a number of walks featuring gorges, rocky forested hills, waterfalls, and a heath plateau and swimming hole.

In the south, the Tasman National Park features spectacular coastal land formations like the Tasman Blowhole and the Devils Kitchen. Mt Field National Park has some of the world’s tallest eucalypt forests, plus a myriad of lakes and tarns. Hartz Mountains National Park has subalpine woodlands and alpine crags, moorlands and lakes.

In the west, the Southwest National Park and the Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park contain ancient rainforest, rare birds and valleys carved by glaciers long gone.

Offshore, the Maria Island National Park on the east coast combines convict heritage with beach and mountain walks and further south. Bruny Island has the South Bruny National Park, with wild seascapes and sweeping surf beaches.

State Forests and Reserves
A network of forests and reserves around Tasmania are part of the touring experience. In the north-east, Evercreech Forest Reserve has the world’s tallest white gums, more than 90 metres (295 feet) high. Many reserves, like the one at Liffey, have huge waterfalls and picnic and barbecue facilities.

In the north west, the exciting eco-tourism development, Tarkine Forest Adventures at Dismal Swamp, is set in the evocative surrounds of a giant blackwood sinkhole and features a thrilling 110-metre (360.8 feet) slide down to the swamp floor.

In the north, Tamar Island is an important wetland habitat for water birds and features bird viewing hides and a marshland boardwalk all within minutes from the centre of the city of Launceston.

In the south, the spectacular Tahune AirWalk meanders for half a kilometre (0.3 miles) through the treetops, providing a birds-eye view of mighty rivers, forests and mountains. Wellington Park provides walking, climbing, abseiling, cycling and sightseeing opportunities right on Hobart’s doorstep.

Hobart
Hobart, Tasmania's capital city, is located on the Derwent River in Tasmania's south and is within a 90-minute drive of some of Tasmania's most visited attractions, making it the perfect base for exploring southern Tasmania. Famous for its Georgian buildings and crisp air, this small waterfront capital is steeped in history. Browse bustling Salamanca Market, do a ghost tour in Battery Point and dine on fresh seafood from one of Hobart’s waterside restaurants.

Tasman Peninsula and Port Arthur Historic Site
Set on the tip of the Tasman Peninsula, Port Arthur is a great base to explore the historic site and the area's natural attractions including dramatic coastal rock formations and towering cliffs. Full of powerful stories of hardship and loss, a visit to Port Arthur Historic Site is one of Tasmania's iconic travel experiences.

East Coast & Freycinet National Park.
Home to Wineglass Bay and picture-postcard coastal villages. Enjoy walking, kayaking, diving, sea cruises and superb fresh seafood. Stay overnight in spectacular Saffire-Freycinet, one of the Luxury Lodges of Australia, this US$26 million coastal sanctuary compares with the finest and most exotic five-star experiences found anywhere in the world.

Launceston and the Tamar Valley
Launceston, in Tasmania's North, is Tasmania's second largest city and a vibrant hub for food and wine, culture and nature. It's also the gateway to the Tamar Valley, a picturesque patchwork landscape of forested hills, orchards, pastures and vineyards - a wine and food lover’s wonderland with 30 cellar doors to explore.

Cradle Mountain National Park
This spectacular area consists of button grass plains, alpine forests and dozens of lakes. View wallabies, wombats and other wildlife in their natural habitat and take a stroll around Dove Lake, formed by glaciation in this region over 10,000 years ago.

Strahan and the Western Wilderness
On Tasmania's West Coast you'll find world famous wilderness rich in convict heritage, stunning national parks and historic mining towns. From the harbor-side fishing village of Strahan, you can cruise, sail or fly through World Heritage Wilderness areas or raft the mighty Franklin River.

Golfing

About 20 per cent of Tasmania is World Heritage Area. But not all of the green found in the state belongs to ancient forests. Travelers are also packing woods and irons for their adventures to Australia’s island state. Sweeping seaside links bordered by surf beaches; emerald fairways and velvet greens of championship 18-hole courses. Spectacular cliff-top holes with wide ocean views – these are just some of the experiences that bring keen golfers from around the world to follow their passion in Tasmania. Australia’s first round of golf was played near Hobart in the 1820s. Tasmanians now are spoiled for fairways and claim more courses per capita than anywhere else in the country. Today, the island has more than 80 golf courses, most run by clubs and a sprinkling of public courses too. No matter which fairway you tee off from, there will be a warm Tasmanian welcome waiting.

Excellent 18-hole courses include the championship courses of Royal Hobart, Tasmania Golf Club, Kingston Beach and Claremont in the south, and Launceston Country Club, Devonport and Ulverstone in the north. Tasmania also offers some of the most spectacular golfing backdrops. The magnificent Barnbougle Dunes and Barnbougle Lost Farm, are both true seaside links courses in the authentic Scottish style and are widely acclaimed as two of the nation’s finest golfing experiences.

Find layouts with scenic seaside greens on King Island and the Tasman Peninsula – get it wrong from the spectacular cliff top tee at the Tasman Club’s par-3 eighth at Storm Bay, near the Port Arthur convict settlement, and bid adieu to your ball as it disappears into a rock gorge then in to the ocean far below. At the Tasmania Club in Hobart, tee-off on the challenging third hole, modeled on the famous 18th at Pebble Beach. The Claremont Golf Course, on a scenic peninsula jutting into the River Derwent, has views of the river and Mt. Wellington from all nine holes!

Barnbougle Dunes
#2 in Australia – Australia Golf Magazine
#33 in the World – US Golf Digest
Barnbougle Dunes is a links course unlike anything ever seen in Australia. Meandering over, across and between towering coastal dunes; breathtaking views and thrilling golf come together in a dramatic setting on Tasmania’s North East Coast. Strong enough to test gifted golfers, yet fair enough to be enjoyed by the average player, the 18 holes championship layout rivals the great courses of Britain and Ireland. Designed by American Golf Architect Tom Doak and Australian Mike Clayton, Barnbougle Dunes facility includes: Clubhouse facility include restaurant and Bar; “the Deck” at Barnbougle.
Designer: Tom Doak & Michael Clayton (2004)
Length: 6148/ Par 71

Barnbougle Dunes Lost Farm
#4 in Australia – Australia Golf Magazine
#40 in the World – US Golf Digest
Barnbougle Lost Farm, is on the opposite bank of the Forester River. It has been described by Bill Coore “as good, if not better” than the site of the first course. This second course is also open for public access. There is course-side accommodation – a lodge-style retreat of approximately 60 rooms, as well as an on-site health spa. Both links were developed by Barnbougle Dunes and The Lost Farm owner Richard Sattler with strong support from close friend and business associate Mike Keiser. Keiser is a Chicago businessman and owner of Bandon Dunes Golf Resort in Oregon. Lost Farm features 20 holes all of which are playable during any given round, whilst the layout of holes at Lost Farm also offer a more diverse routing, with fairways that roll both along the coast and inland.
Par: 78 (20 holes)
Par: 72 (18 holes)
Length: 6503m / 6263m

Cape Wickham Links
#3 in Australia – Australia Golf Magazine
#24 in the World – US Golf Digest
The site is unique in Australia and rare in world golf given that:
• 8 holes are adjacent (parallel) to Bass Strait (ocean)
• 2 other holes have greens on the coastline
• 3 other holes have tees beside the ocean
• All 18 holes enjoy views of Bass Strait
• The 18th bends around the beach at Victoria Cove, which is in play.

At almost 50 metres, the Cape Wickham lighthouse is Australia’s tallest and located right on our north eastern boundary, a short distance from the 15th green. It is the only substantial building within 10 kms of the course. The lighthouse can be seen from most holes and dominates the vista whenever golfers look north.

Cape Wickham offers a rare and dramatic mix of coastal holes, with some leaning gently toward the ocean, others set atop a rocky headland, the 11th almost ‘in’ the sea and the 18th built directly above the beautiful beach at Victoria Cove. Few courses interface with the ocean quite like Cape Wickham. Pebble Beach has a similarly irregular coastline but far less drama away from the water.

The scenery at Cape Wickham is spectacular and architect Mike DeVries rightly insisted that we balance the routing so as to include a great variety of holes and a great variety of landforms and views. We were also careful to prevent golfers suffering from sensory overload by including a number of wonderful inland holes. The routing is unique in that the 13th hole, not the 9th, returns to the clubhouse. There are also constant directional shifts, par threes and par fives playing to all points on the compass and visits away from the ocean that are deliberately organised to give the golfer’s senses a rest.

Ocean Dunes
Ocean Dunes is a coastal links golf course located in Currie on the rugged west coast of King Island, on one of Australia’s idyllic golfing landforms. When the wind is blowing, experience one of the most wonderfully challenging courses in the country, demanding creativity and strategy to plot your way to the hole. The course is a composite 18 holes, with alternate tees (17) and greens (12) on ten fairways. Comprising of 3 x Par 3, 12 x Par 4 and 3 x Par 5's over a distance of 5476metres. The compact course can challenge the best of golfers when the wind decides to blow, which is frequently! The course hugs a spectacular coastline, the bump’n’run of undulating fairways, endless ocean vistas, a clever routing and greens in great condition, make this one of golf’s great venues.

Australia’s oldest golf course
The Ratho Golf Links at Bothwell on Tasmania’s central highlands were first enjoyed by the pioneering Reid family, who emigrated from Scotland in 1822. Ratho is Australia’s oldest golf course and the oldest outside of Scotland. Several quirky features on the original holes of note are: bunkers, ‘hazards’ such as hedges, vegetable gardens, rock walls, irrigation canals, and sheep yards will be put into play. Visitors can play a round with traditional hickory clubs and enjoy the timeless appeal of great short holes. The developer of Ratho was involved in the creation of Barnbougle Dunes and the aim is to deliver a similarly memorable and relevant experience – through the historical integrity, charm, and challenge of the course.

Luxury, gold and heritage at Quamby
Quamby near Launceston in the state’s north is one of Tasmania’s most prestigious and historically significant properties. Built between 1828 and 1838, Quamby was for several years the home of the Premier of Tasmania but now is a suitably grand luxury lodge. The groomed 9-hole course is lined with English ash, elms, hornbeams and oak trees, some more than 100 years old. The fairways have magnificent views to the Ben Lomond Ranges in the east and the Great Western Tiers to the south. Other considerable assets include the nine lakes, cascades, creeks and three challenging Scottishstyle bunkers. The beautifully groomed bunkers are from specially refined Scottsdale sands and are a major feature of the course. The 8th hole (576 meters/630 yards) is the longest par 5 in Tasmania. The original manager’s office and home, circa 1850, are now the club house. This Georgianstyle building is complemented by an adjoining bar for golfers and guests. Clubs and buggies are available for hire and caddies available on request. Five rooms are available for guests but Tasmanian heritage architect David Denman and interior designers Pike Withers recently restored of the homestead wings and out buildings. There are now 17 rooms at this luxury lodge. Standard and deluxe accommodation packages are available.
Par: 76 (9 holes)
Length: 6847m

Country Club Tasmania
Country Club Tasmania near Launceston has an 18-hole golf course, designed in 1982 by renowned golf course architect Mike Wolveridge and British Open champion Peter Thomson. Challenging fairways, water hazards and fast greens feature on this meticulously maintained course. Coaching is available from a resident pro. There is a fully-stocked pro-shop with equipment and motorized carts available for hire and purchase. The course is open seven days a week. There is a selection of first-class course-side accommodation; from beautifully appointed manor suites, deluxe rooms to self- contained 1, 2 and 3 bedroom villas. Country Club Tasmania’s Terrace Restaurant is one of the finest in the state.
Designers: Mike Wolveridge and
British Open champion Peter Thomson
Par: 72 (18 holes)
Length: 6065m

Royal Hobart
The Royal Hobart Golf Course is a country 18-hole course near Hobart in southern Tasmania. Located at Seven Mile Beach, the course is 20 minutes south east of Hobart (18 kilometres). The Royal Hobart Golf Course is very tight driving course demanding care from tees and accurate approaches to well bunkered greens. Heavily timbered, the layout is championship quality with dips, hollows and bunkers surrounding many of the immaculately manicured greens. There are excellent practice facilities here, club, trolley and buggy hire, and a driving range. You can also consult the expertise of the course’s golf professional and relax in the clubhouse. The Royal Hobart Golf Course hosted the 1971 Australian Open won by Jack Nicklaus.
Holes: 18, Par: 72
Length: 6,131 metres,
Australian Course Rating: 72

Fishing

Renowned as a haven for trout fishing, Tasmania provides anglers from around the world with the best fishing options from September to May, when the pristine waterways are flowing and the fish are biting.

With over 3,000 lakes and numerous rivers and streams, Tasmania offers a wealth of world quality fly (and lure) fishing opportunities. The diversity of trout fishing options has distinguished Tasmania especially with those who enjoy dry fly. The spectacular wilderness and variable microclimates create a challenging and rewarding experience for anglers of all levels.

2014 marks the 150th Anniversary of the introduction of wild trout into Tasmania. After many expensive and unsuccessful attempts, it was a few inventive Tasmanians that developed the technology (if you could call it that back in the mid 19th century) that enabled trout and salmon eggs to be transported live over a journey of many months and across the equator to the Southern Hemisphere. Today Tasmania has what is regarded by many as the purest strain of brown trout in the world.

What’s special about fishing in Tasmania?

Tasmanian hosts a range of easily accessible fishing experiences across a compact island. It offers the freedom to fish just about anywhere at any time, with solitude guaranteed by countless remote waters. The pure air, clean skies and unique fauna and flora are all very much part of the experience. Experienced guides are available to teach the art of fly fishing on internationally acclaimed lakes. The Australian Fly Fishing Museum, situated on the grounds of Clarendon Estate, is the only one of its kind in Australia. The museum houses displays of angling equipment, artefacts and educational programs, all celebrating the history and traditions of fly fishing in Australia.

Fishing licenses are required on all inland waterways and best way to navigate the island’s range of fishing opportunities is with a certified guide.

Tasmania’s premier fly fishing locations:
South Esk River
South Esk System – This catchment area has great trout fly fishing along its length, and was one of the rivers chosen for the 2012 Commonwealth championships.

Penstock Lagoon
This fly only lagoon has long been a popular water and on the must visit list of many interstate anglers. The fish here grow fast and strong and provide great sport for dry and wet fly fishing. The fish are stocked as fry from wild strain stocks and are triploided to produce fast growing and fit specimens.

Little Pine Lagoon
A small dam on the Little Pine River has created arguably Australia’s best known fly fishing water. From wily tailing fish to voracious dun feeders this water offers something for the fly fisher all season, whether from a boat or the shore.

Great Lake
The sheer size of Great Lake means that there are always a variety of possibilities for the fly fisher. The lake has a huge population of brown and rainbow trout and offers year round fishing. The shores of the lake offer good wet fly fishing and beetle falls provide dry fly fishing particularly in open water. The open water polaroiding of trout cruising wind lanes is as good as you will find anywhere.

Arthurs Lake
This lake offers nearly everything a fly fisher could want. Whilst the trout don’t tend to be large, every season Arthurs offer up a trophy brown trout of ten pound or more. The catch rate at Arthurs can be outstanding and when it is fi ring it is not unusual to catch twenty or more for the day. Dry fly fishing the hatches, nymphing wind lanes or wet fly fishing the galaxias feeders, the action at Arthurs can be red hot.

Brumbys Creek
Brumby’s Creek is a tailrace trout fishery that is fed by cool clear mountain water through the summer months. This water delivers mayfly action on the lowlands throughout spring, summer and autumn.

Western Lakes
This is Tasmania’s true wilderness fishery with literally thousands of lakes, lagoons and tarns covering the central plateau west of the Nineteen Lagoons area. This area can only be accessed by foot or the couple of four wheel drive tracks that are still open. Tailing and cruising brown trout are what anglers come to this area for and depending on the water it could be a trophy sized fish that you cast your fly to.

Huon River System
The Huon River Catchment- further south than the Derwent, can be a challenging area to access but well worth the effort. The Huon River Catchment holds the record for the largest brown trout caught in Tasmania. The summer and autumn months provide good clear water fishing, with some good dry fly areas.

Macquarie River
Widely known through the writing of David Scholes (well known fly angler and writer during the mid to late 1900’s) and an iconic lowland river, the Macquarie is most famous for its prolific hatches of the red spinner mayfly. This slow moving river offers the best drift boat fishing in Tasmania. Wild brown trout are the feature but rainbow trout from a nearby commercial hatchery also liven up the fishing at times.

Nineteen Lagoons
The collection of waters West of Great Lake accessed by the road into Lake Augusta are a truly wilderness experience without the need for hours of walking. Whilst not all these waters are regulated as fly fishing only, most are best for this method. Flooded lagoon and backwater fishing for tailing brown trout is an early season feature and in the height of summer polaroiding the shallow lagoons is an exciting and rewarding prospect.

Lake Burbury
This lake is open all year round and has both wild rainbow and brown trout populations. Early morning fishing, particularly during spring months, for midge feeders is the feature here. Rainbow trout can often be found cruising wind lanes and offer exciting fishing from a boat. There is also plenty of dead timber for targeting mudeye feeders.

Mersey River
The river has its head waters in the World Heritage Area of the Central Plateau and has a good mix of riffled reaches and slower runs through farming districts. In the upper sections it has a good population of rainbow trout, something of a rarity in Tasmanian rivers. With its clear waters trout can be polaroided but fish will often rise to a well-placed dry f y. In the lower reaches some solid brown trout can be found.

Bronte Lagoon
For a small water this lagoon has a variety of fly fishing options. Tailing fish are a feature during spring months with frog feeders providing some exciting fishing amongst the tussocks. Rising fish can be found on occasion and cruising fish near inflows provide very good dry fly fishing. Brown, brook and rainbow trout are all found here.