Tasmania

Tasmania or ‘Tassie’ is the idyllic Australian island state located 240 kilometres to the south of the mainland, separated by tempestuous Bass Strait. The southernmost point on Tasmania is only 2,575 km from Antarctica. The state encompasses the main island of Tasmania, and the surrounding 334 smaller islands, the largest of which are Flinders and King Islands. Tasmania’s capital Hobart is home to over 45% of the islands population and sits at the end of the River Derwent hugging the harbour. Launceston is Tasmania's second major city and is a vibrant hub for food and wine, culture and nature.

Australia’s smallest state is a natural paradise with pristine cool temperate rainforest, crystal clear rivers feeding cascading waterfalls and magnificent outcrops, gorges and cliffs. Roughly 52% of Tasmania’s land is protected, which includes national parks, marine parks and World Heritage Sites. Cradle Mountain in Lake St Clair National Park, is surrounded by glacial lakes and ancient rainforest. Kunanyi or Mt Wellington’s summit passing through temperate rainforest and glacial rock formations, ending in panoramic views of Hobart, Bruny Island, South Arm and the Tasman Peninsula. Tasmania is also home to the visually stunning Bay of Fires or larapuna whose turquoise water and fine white sand leading to huge orange tinged boulders.

Tasmania creates excellent cold climate wines and premium natural produce due to its rich land and pure air and water. Farmers markets, cellar doors, food festivals and local eateries are found across the island. The stand out cultural attraction is The Museum of Old and New Art or MONA it is Australia's largest private museum and one of the most controversial private collections of modern art and antiquities in the world.

Lutruwita is the palawa name for Tasmania, the local palawa people of Tasmania can be traced back 40,000 years on the island. Palawa people are the only group of humans to evolve in isolation for over 10,000 years, when the seas rose cutting Tasmania off from the mainland, creating a distinctly different culture and heritage from mainland Aboriginal cultures.