Tasmania - A Hidden Jewel Down Under
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Tasmania may be off the beaten path, but it's got some awesome features ....
Hobart, the capital of Tasmania, is filled with quaint little boutiques and stores like this one, which is located in Salamanca Square
Hobart's claim to fame, besides boutiques and eateries, is the Museum of Old and New Art, or Mona.
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Tasmania has a great marine heritage, which leads to a whole load of very cute picture opportunities of sailboats on glassy waters. Just the kind of thing you want hanging in your bathroom.
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Tasmania is famous for its food and one of the most renowned eateries is the Bruny Island Smoke House. Here's you can get so-fresh-it's-practically-still-alive rainbow trout, as well as our particular favourite, smoked wallaby pate. Yummy!
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Going to Tasmania and not eating oysters is a crime. Tassie is known for its huge oyster industry. They have, among others, fresh oysters, Oysters Kilpatrick, oyster shooters and even an Oyster Stout! We kid you not. The oysters pictured here are from the Get Shucked oyster shack in Bruny Island. They're delicious!
The Get Shucked shack is a work of art, adorned with signatures and messages from the thousands of satisfied oyster maniacs who've lovingly penned down their notes of thanks. -
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Tasmania is famous for is cheese? Well, they are. This one is called Otto Cheese and it's basically a creamy chunk of cheese wrapped in bacon. In short, heaven on a plate
Tasmania is also a destination of stunning vistas and blue seas. This picture was taken at The Neck, in Bruny Island. On the left you see the tide coming in and on the right, you see it going out. Very cool
Tasmania is a paradise if you're the outdoorsy type. There's a lot of rambles and hiking to be had for those that like to enjoy the fresh air and lovely scenery
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As with the rest of Australia, farming and agriculture is a big part of the lives of Tasmanians. For the tourist, it means lovely scenes of fields dotted with sheep and bales of hay.
- Take a boat ride and you may be rewarded with a view of dolphin schools playing outrider to your boat. Sometimes they come out in the dozens - and even in the hundreds - which is quite a sight indeed!
We'll not even begin to talk about how fur seals smell.Nevertheless, the sight of them perched on rocks while the waves pound below is really quite breathtaking
About 60km from Tasmania is a little hamlet called Buckland. In Buckland is the beautiful little sandstone building which is the St. John the Baptist Anglican church. The 166-year-old church has fascinated history buffs as folk say some of its stained-glass windows date back to the 1400s and were brought to Australia all the way from England. Whatever, their age, they're beautiful works of art that are bound to fill you with awe and wonder
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Freycinet National Park is home to some of the most beautiful land and sea scapes you'd see anywhere in the world. This is one place that has to be seen to be believed.
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People say that in Australia you can see four seasons in a day. In Tasmania, they say you can see four seasons in an hour. This picture was taken at Freycinet National Park barely 15 minutes after the earlier one. Yet, it is misty and mysterious while the other is bright and sunshiny. Our advice is to always bring along a jacket - even if it's the height of summer.
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Besides the ever-popular Tasmanian Devil, Tasmania is also home to a wide array of wildlife, like the wallaby pictured here. By the way, did you know that Tassie was once known as Van Diemen's Land? There's actually a U2 song about it. Check it out if you have the time.
No trip to Tasmania is complete without a visit to Port Arthur. Once Australia's largest penal colony and the world's first juvenile detention facility, it is today a Unesco World Heritage sight. The ruins are immaculately maintained and practically drips with history. If you listen carefully, you may still be able to hear the ghostly echoes of long-dead convicts
In 1996, Port Arthur was the scene of the worst mass murder in Australian history. Martin Bryant went on a killing spree, murdering 35 people and wounding 21 more before being captured by the Tasmanian police. His rampage led to a national ban on semi-automatic shotguns and rifles
Even today, entering the ruined cells of those long-dead convicts - some of whome were deported to Van Diemen's Land for offences as small as stealing bread, leaves one with a feeling of discomfort and claustrophobia. For those of stout heart, there is a ghost tour that is run at night in Port Arthur. We weren't brave enough to go on it. Are you
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