Pocket-sized capital Hobart is packed with exquisitely preserved heritage buildings whilst the Freycinet Peninsula is the crown jewel of Tasmania’s wild east coast.
With its humble origins as a penal colony, Hobart was once haunted by its past. These days however, the beautifully preserved Georgian, Edwardian and Victorian buildings instill a strong sense of local pride. Linked by ferry from Sullivan’s Cove, MONA’s (Museum of Old and New Art) confronting displays are guaranteed to incite a reaction.
Visitors flock to photogenic Battery Point and evocative Port Arthur, the island’s greatest attraction 90 minutes drive from Hobart. The second most popular site in Tasmania is luckily well within city limits. This section of coastline is home to some sensational scenic viewpoints, well worth a visit, including Ship Stern Bluff and the Remarkable Cave.
To the east, Freycinet Peninsula brims with white sand beaches, dramatic granite peaks and iridescent waters. One of the state’s most stunning natural wonders is hidden here – Wineglass Bay, whose flawless contours are flanked by the dusky pink Hazards Mountains. The region is also home to native wildlife including the iconic Tasmanian devil.
Hobart and Freycinet Peninsula can easily be incorporated into a tailor-made Australian holiday.
- Visit eclectic Salamanca Market, open on Saturdays, a maze of art, craft and food stalls.
- Explore Hobart’s many galleries and museums including the fascinating Mawson’s Huts Replica Museum
- Freycinet Peninsula – home to wallabies, possums, potoroos, waterfowl, raptors and much more.
- Get close to native wildlife on bushwalks, or swim, fish and snorkel.
- Learn about early indigenous tribes who settled the region while on a guided walk – you may even see ancient Aboriginal shell middens.
- Cruise to Schouten Island, where seals, whales and dolphins are regularly seen frolicking in surrounding waters.
- Port Arthur, Australia’s best preserved penal settlement
- Photogenic Battery Point
- Colourful Salamanca precinct with its eclectic Saturday market
- Thought-provoking MONA, the Museum of Old and New Art
- Freycinet Peninsula’s breathtaking Wineglass Bay
- Stupendous sunsets over the dusky pink Hazards Mountains
- Throngs of native wildlife including wallabies and wombats
- Seal-strewn Schouten Island
- Moulting Lagoon, a thriving wetland sanctuary
- Ancient Aboriginal middens and fascinating tales of early explorers
Hobart is serviced by daily flights from Melbourne and Sydney. If you wish to bring your car, board the Spirit of Tasmania ferry which sails from Melbourne to Devonport daily. Hobart is around 3 hours south of Devonport by road. Largely occupied by a national park, the Freycinet Peninsula is just over 2 hours’ drive from Hobart along sealed roads. Drive cautiously as you’ll be sharing the road with throngs of resident wildlife.
Across the Bass Strait lies Melbourne, whose leafy parks, theatres, shopping and restaurants make it one of the most popular cities in the world to live. The state of Victoria is also home to the spa town of Daylesford, a number of picturesque wine-growing regions, the famous Great Ocean Road and the pristine wilderness of the Grampians.
Tasmania Itineraries
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Accommodation in Tasmania
The Old Woolstore Apartment Hotel
Originally used for wool treatment during the 19th and 20th century, The Old Woolstore Apartment Hotel boasts modern, self-contained accommodation in Hobart’s historic heart.
Freycinet Lodge
The environmentally sensitive Freycinet Lodge provides a close-up experience of Freycinet National Park while leaving little more than footprints on the virtually untouched
