Today we’re off to the other side of the world, namely to Australia, to discover the most beautiful sights in Tasmania. Off the mainland lies the independent Australian state of Tasmania. This state also includes numerous smaller islands, some of which are uninhabited. Jennifer spent four months in Tasmania as part of her Work & Travel year and discovered and experienced many great highlights and sights. In today’s Reisereporter report, “Jenny” takes us to the island and reports on her time in Tasmania.
Why Tasmania?
When I set off for a year of Work & Travel in Australia in 2016, I knew one thing: I definitely wanted to go to Tasmania. Nevertheless, it took over seven months before I finally set off on my journey to the south of Australia. And all this in the Australian winter, no less. While all the other backpackers—who were all traveling north at the time, where it’s warmer in winter—called me crazy, something magically drew me in. I’d heard from friends back home about the breathtaking, colorful nature and the incredibly friendly people there. And I can only confirm this.
For four months, I was able to live with a family on the island, which is roughly the size of Bavaria but has a total population of only around 500,000, and get to know their world. After a period of adjustment and getting to know each other, I was drawn out into nature on every free day, checking out one spot on the map after another, making friends, and hiking for hours on my own. It’s hard to choose highlights. However, I want to share my top 5 reasons why it’s absolutely worth spending more time in Tasmania, as well as my highlights there, with you today.
The People of Tasmania
As already mentioned, the people of Tasmania are incredibly friendly. A little positively crazy, as Australians are, but absolutely welcoming. No matter who I spoke to, and no matter what we talked about, I was immediately given recommendations, helped to find a solution, or referred to someone who could definitely help me or tell me more. It was almost as if the people were happy to see new faces on the island.
More than once, I was offered jobs in all sorts of fields—but I already had one job in my family. At all the parties I was invited to with my host family, I was treated like an old friend. People invited me into their homes or to dinner (or for a beer at the bar), and I felt accepted.
With just over 500,000 inhabitants in 68,400 km², you can imagine how quiet it is everywhere. If you want, you can have an entire stretch of beach to yourself—at least in the Australian autumn, winter, and spring. There are countless campsites, many of them even located on the beach or with other unparalleled views.
If you drive a little inland, you’ll probably have the whole road to yourself. If you don’t want to meet anyone, you can usually manage. And if you do want company, just go to the nearest pub and mingle with the friendly locals.
The Wildlife
Tasmania was part of the Australian continent many years ago, which is why its wildlife is largely similar to that of the Australian mainland. However, the island still has a few protected Tasmanian devils that no longer exist in the wild on the mainland.
The dangerous dingo, which can be found in Australia, does not exist in Tasmania. Due to the lack of natural predators (excluding humans), the animals in Tasmania are, on average, somewhat smaller than on the mainland.
In addition to kangaroos and wallabies, the wombat is widespread. On Bruny Island, I even saw an extremely rare albino wallaby. The platypus can also be found in the wild in Tasmania. On the coasts, you can observe dolphins, whales, and other marine life. Bird lovers should also get their money’s worth.
Because Tasmania is so far south and thus close to Antarctica, you can also watch penguins in some places as they waddle ashore in the evening. And they are so cute! In the town of “Penguin” and also in Bicheno, for example, there is an observation point for little penguins, which only grow up to 40 cm long.
History and Culture
In Tasmania, you will find many traces of history. In the 19th century, the island was initially used solely as a prison colony, which is why the first Europeans were the convicts and their guards. The prisoners were settled in Port Arthur, near Hobart, the first real city in Tasmania. The Aborigines, who were only distantly related to the Aborigines of mainland Australia, were completely exterminated by the Europeans.
Nevertheless, I was able to find references to the traditions and meeting places of the Australian Aborigines on many hiking trails. In general, interesting information about the history or flora and fauna of the area can be found at many locations. Tasmania thrives on its natural resources, which is why there is a lot of logging and mining, particularly in the west – clearly the dark side of this paradise on earth. It remains to be hoped that awareness of nature will grow in the future.
Tasmania Sights – My Top 5
In my opinion, Tasmania consists only of highlights, and due to the size of the island, these are conveniently located very close to one another. If you love nature and enjoy hiking, Tasmania is THE destination for you. Around 35% of the island consists of national parks, providing a large, protected area where nature can thrive. In addition to snow-white beaches, you will also find green rainforests and snow-capped mountains. In general, Tasmania is very reminiscent of New Zealand in miniature.
Cradle National Park
Cradle National Park in the northwest consists of countless hikes, including the “Overland Track,” which runs for at least 65 very strenuous kilometers from the north of the national park to Lake St. Clair in the south. But there are also day hikes where you can climb Cradle Mountain or at least see it up close.
Bay of Fires
The Bay of Fires in northeastern Tasmania is and remains the most beautiful beach I’ve ever been to. Named after the fires that sailors saw on this coast, one might also assume that the red-coated stones on the shore are responsible for this name. The crystal-clear blue sea, the red stones, the snow-white beach, and the lush green forests beyond were an explosion of color that I could have admired for hours.
Freycinet Peninsula
The Freycinet Peninsula in the east is another national park. Wineglass Bay is located here, so named because of its round shape. You can take a short climb to the lookout, hike down to Wineglass Bay, climb Mount Amos for even better views of Tasmania, or even take a multi-day hike to the south of the peninsula, where you can’t reach by car.
Maria Island
Maria Island – located about an hour south of Freycinet National Park – is an island off the coast of Tasmania. There are no people living there, nor are there any motorized vehicles. However, you can rent a bike or do one or more of the hikes there. Here, too, there’s the option of exploring the south of the island on a multi-day hike. The wildlife on Maria Island is simply fantastic – I spent hours wandering among kangaroos and wombats, taking countless photos of them.
Bruny Island
My last highlight in Tasmania was Bruny Island, which I saved for last. Bruny Island is located in the very south of Tasmania and consists of the North and South Islands, connected by a narrow strip of land known as “The Neck.” You can also go on many hikes on Bruny Island and take in the beautiful natural scenery.
And if you love waterfalls, you’ll definitely get your money’s worth in Tasmania. From small waterfalls to over 100 meters of free-falling water, you’ll find a waterfall every few kilometers. These are particularly full in winter. Many are just a stone’s throw from the parking lot.
Plan time for Tasmania!
I’ve already explained why you should definitely put Tasmania on your Australia bucket list. And now I claim that you should definitely plan more time than you might mentally do right now. Many people I met while traveling only gave Tasmania 7-10 days beforehand, which is about the same amount of time they gave themselves for cities like Sydney or Melbourne. In retrospect, everyone agreed with me – they should have planned more time. The places I’ve already described (and many others there) are so beautiful that you just want to linger there and not rush from one place to the next. The silence there and the fact that everything generally moves a little slower contributes to this.
There are countless hikes to explore, beaches and national parks to visit, and mountains to climb. Tasmania is so diverse and offers so many places to marvel at that a week simply won’t be enough. If you’re a nature lover like me, then plan more time. 2-3 weeks, or even longer. Just by talking to the locals there—and I really recommend you do this, get to know the people—they’ll tell you even more things you hadn’t even considered before. I didn’t manage to see everything I wanted to in four months, and I’ll definitely go back.
