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Occupying a sizable part of the Freycinet Peninsula on Tasmania's east coast, Freycinet National Park is the island state's oldest park. A standout natural feature is idyllic Wineglass Bay (pictured).
Around 12 km (7.5 mi) north of Hobart is MONA (Museum of Old and New). It's home to an extraordinary mix of ancient antiquities and daring and provocative contemporary art. Pictured is the "Cloaca Professional" installation, a controversial machine that simulates the gastro-intestinal process. You've been warned!
Located in the central highlands within the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park is a hiker's dream. Dozens of trails crisscross the terrain, including the popular Overland Track, which runs from Cradle Mountain to Lake St Clair.
Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park lies at the heart of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. Delve deep into this semi-wilderness to discover Nelson Falls, a scenic cascade waterfall. (Photo: Flickr/CC BY 2.0)
The former convict settlement located at Port Arthur forms part of the Australian Convict Sites, a World Heritage property consisting of 11 remnant penal sites originally built within the British Empire during the 18th and 19th centuries. From 1833 until 1853, Port Arthur was the destination for those deemed the most hardened of convicted British criminals.
Its historical significance has made Port Arthur a well-known visitor attraction. The evocative ruins serve as a permanent reminder of a dark chapter in the history of British colonization in Australia. Pictured is the shell of the convict-built church.
Tasman National Park embroiders the eastern edge of Tasmania and is situated on part of both the Forestier and Tasman peninsulas. Amble along the coast to reach Tasman Arch, one of the region's most iconic natural wonders.
Make your way to Eaglehawk Neck and peer over the remarkable Tessellated Pavement, an area of flat rock that looks to be man-made but is in fact formed by erosion. Eaglehawk Neck itself is a famed local vacation destination known for its excellent surfing beaches. (Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY-SA 2.5)
Pictured: the broad panorama of Hobart from near the summit of Mount Wellington. The view serves as a wonderful introduction to Tasmania's capital city, which should be explored at leisure.
Mount Wellington, officially Kunanyi/Mount Wellington, rears up over Hobart to summit at 1,271 m (4,170 ft). An enclosed lookout near the summit has jaw-dropping views of the city below and the wider region. (Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY 2.0)
Launceston, a city in the north of Tasmania, boasts the outstanding Cataract Gorge, one of the region's premier tourist attractions. Sited on the lower section of the South Esk River, the gorge features a swimming pool, chairlift, a funicular railway, several cafés, and the Alexandra Suspension Bridge.
Make time to stroll through Battery Point. This pleasant Hobart suburb is a maze of narrow lanes and 19th-century cottages and town houses. It's named for the gun battery that once stood in Princes Park, built for but never used to repel nautical invasion.
The site of the Cascades Female Factory is also a sobering reminder of how convicts were treated once they arrived in Australia. Located in South Hobart, this former workhouse for female prisoners operated between 1828 and 1856. Today part of a museum complex, the ruined facility is also one of UNESCO's Australian Convict Sites. (Photo: Flickr/CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
Stanley, a town on the north-west coast of Tasmania, sits under the distinctive landmark known as Munatrik, but commonly called The Nut. This ancient and extinct volcano rises to 143 m (469 ft), and its flat top can be reached by hiking a steep track or via chair lift.
Feeling thirsty? Head over to South Hobart and quench your thirst at the Cascade Brewery. Built in 1824, this is Australia's oldest brewery, according to the beer experts at Brewers. Why not join a guided tour, or pop into the adjoining Brewhouse and order a brew?
Hobart's historic performing arts venue dates back to 1837. Noël Coward and Lawrence Olivier are just two of the renowned thespians associated with this venerable theater, which presents an annual program of stage productions, contemporary music, dance, and entertainment.
Contained within the park is uninhabited Tasman Island. Uninhabited, that is, except for an estimated 300,000-700,000 breeding pairs of fairy prions, small, dainty seabirds identified by a dark "M" on their upperparts that extends to their wingtips. (Photo: Flickr/CC BY-NC 2.0)
Once also known as Beaumaris Zoo and now only existing in name, Hobart Zoo was an old-fashioned zoological gardens that housed the last known living Tasmanian tiger or thylacine. Movie footage was taken of the doomed animal in 1936, the year it died, after which the species was declared extinct. Pictured at the zoo prior to 1921 is a pair of thylacines, a male and a female. The gates to the zoo still stand, as do the foundation of some of the enclosures.
Tasmania's national parks are home to the Tasmanian devil, a carnivorous marsupial that has long been the national symbol of the island state. Apart from a few pockets in New South Wales on the mainland where it's been reintroduced, this stocky, muscular creature, known for its extremely loud and disturbing screech, is unique to Tasmania.
One of the most difficult sailing competitions in the world, the annual Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race ends in Hobart after 630 nautical miles (1,170 km) through high winds and difficult seas. The city's Constitution Dock is the arrival point for the fleet after they have completed the race, where celebrations can go on for days.
See also: 50 amazing pictures of Australia's national parks.
Hobart's unmissable Salamanca Market operates every Saturday and lures eager shoppers to over 300 stalls. This is where to bag hand-crafted souvenirs and then tuck into tasty local delicacies. Tip: try the Tasmanian salmon with a pea, feta, and corn fritter, served with dill sour cream. Delicious! (Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY-SA 2.0)
Established in 1846, this is one of Hobart's premier cultural draws. Highlights include Aboriginal and colonial relics, and an excellent Antarctic and Southern Ocean display. The premises incorporate Tasmania's oldest building, the Commissariat Store, which dates back to 1808.
You'll no doubt cross the Tasman Bridge during your travels. It spans the River Derwent, linking its eastern and western shores. In 1975, a bulk ore carrier collided with the bridge, causing a large section of the bridge deck to collapse onto the ship and into the river below. Twelve people lost their lives, and Hobart was cut off from its eastern suburbs for three years.
Sullivans Cove lies on the River Derwent next to Hobart city center. It's significant because this was the site of initial European settlement in the area, in 1804, which eventually became known as Hobart Town or Hobarton, later shortened to Hobart.
You'll have more wildlife luck with this guy, Bennett's wallaby. Also known as the red-necked wallaby, it's one of the most commonly seen animals in the park. In fact, they are known to gather around people. (Photo: Flickr/CC BY 2.0)
A trek through the park sometimes affords visitors with a daylight glimpse of the Tasmanian pademelon. Extinct on the mainland, this rare mammal is shy and solitary, and for the most part nocturnal. Dusk is the best time to try and spot it. (Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY-SA 3.0)
Picturesque Dove Lake is a favorite visitor attraction and easy to reach, encircled as it is by well-maintained walking paths, which also lead up onto Cradle Mountain.
Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park is a significant destination of Tasmania's endemic wildlife species. The park has been identified as an Important Bird Area, a fact underlined by the Birdlife organization, because it provides habitat for 11 of Tasmania's endemic bird species. Pictured is the pink robin, a bird native to southeastern Australia. (Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY-SA 4.0)
Another notable Freycinet National Park landmark is the mountain range known as The Hazards. The range consists of five peaks: Mayson, Amos, Dove, Baudin, and Parson. (Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY-SA 3.0)
Cape Raoul is situated at the southernmost part of the Tasman Peninsula. The location is defined by the spectacular cluster of dolerite columns at the end of the plateau. The cape is accessed from Port Arthur. (Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY-SA 3.0)
Did you know that swashbuckling Hollywood heartthrob Errol Flynn (1909–1959) was born in Battery Point? His early life was spent in Hobart before he left for England in 1923 to continue his education. The rest, as they say, is history.
Moored 240 km (150 mi) to the south of the Australian mainland and separated by the Bass Strait, Tasmania is a compelling and captivating destination. An island state of Australia, this beguiling land of national parks and World Heritage Sites is a joy to discover. Besides vast tracts of starkly beautiful and pristine landscape to explore, there's vibrant and colorful Hobart to hang out in. You may still be in the land down under, but Tasmania is just that little bit different.
Want to find out more? Click through the following gallery for ideas of where to go and what to see.
A trek through Tasmania
Explore Australia's unique island state
TRAVEL Australia
Moored 240 km (150 mi) to the south of the Australian mainland and separated by the Bass Strait, Tasmania is a compelling and captivating destination. An island state of Australia, this beguiling land of national parks and World Heritage Sites is a joy to discover. Besides vast tracts of starkly beautiful and pristine landscape to explore, there's vibrant and colorful Hobart to hang out in. You may still be in the land down under, but Tasmania is just that little bit different.
Want to find out more? Click through the following gallery for ideas of where to go and what to see.