Tasmania is Australia’s island state — separated from the mainland by the 240-kilometer Bass Strait — and one of the most extraordinary travel destinations in the Southern Hemisphere. With 42% of its land protected in national parks, World Heritage wilderness reserves, and conservation areas, Tasmania has a higher proportion of protected land per capita than virtually any other place on earth. Add to this one of the world’s most confronting and captivating private art museums, a food and wine culture that consistently ranks among the finest in Australia, and a population that is warm, unpretentious, and genuinely proud of their remarkable island, and you have one of the most compelling destinations on the continent. A week here barely scratches the surface.
Getting to Tasmania
Flights connect Hobart (the capital, in the south) and Launceston (the northern city) to all Australian mainland capitals. Qantas, Virgin Australia, and Jetstar all serve the routes; advance booking gets Sydney–Hobart from AUD $79. The alternative — and for many visitors the preferred option — is the Spirit of Tasmania ferry from Melbourne’s Station Pier to Devonport on Tasmania’s north coast. The crossing takes approximately 10.5 hours (overnight, with day sailings also available in peak season); cabins range from aircraft-style reclining seats to private en-suite cabins. The ferry allows you to bring your own car, which is the best way to explore Tasmania’s dispersed landscapes. Book several months ahead for December–January sailings.
MONA: Museum of Old and New Art
MONA is the private museum built by gambler-mathematician David Walsh 12 kilometers north of Hobart — possibly the most extraordinary private art institution in the world. Built into the sandstone cliffs above the Derwent River, the subterranean complex houses Walsh’s vast collection with Walsh’s stated intention to “create a museum that will unsettle people.” He largely succeeds: the collection includes ancient Egyptian artifacts alongside contemporary works that provoke, disturb, and occasionally delight. Cloaca Professional (a machine that digests food and produces feces, displayed behind glass), The Library of Babel (a full-scale recreation of Borges’ fictional library), and the rotating contemporary exhibitions all serve Walsh’s anti-museum philosophy. The museum app (used instead of labels) provides multiple perspectives on each work, including Walsh’s own frequently irreverent commentary.
MONA is accessed from Hobart’s central waterfront via the MONA Roma ferry — a sleek catamaran that runs hourly and is itself a work of design. The ferry journey through Sullivan’s Cove and up the Derwent is a genuine pleasure. Allow a full day; the restaurant, bar, and cellar door on-site justify staying past closing time of the galleries. Admission: AUD $35 for adults; Tasmanian residents free. Closed Tuesdays.
The Wilderness: Cradle Mountain and the Overland Track
Cradle Mountain is Tasmania’s most iconic landscape — a jagged dolerite peak rising above the Dove Lake plain, reflected in the still water at dawn in an image that has appeared on countless travel brochures. The mountain sits at the northern end of Cradle Mountain–Lake St Clair National Park, which contains the Overland Track (65km, 6 days minimum, bookings required November–May) — widely regarded as one of the finest multi-day wilderness walks in Australia, traversing the heart of the Tasmanian highlands from Cradle Mountain south to Lake St Clair, the deepest lake in Australia. Day walks from the Cradle Mountain Visitor Centre include the Dove Lake Circuit (6km, 2–3 hours, excellent for all fitness levels) and the more challenging Cradle Mountain Summit (5–7 hours, requiring good weather and experience).
Freycinet Peninsula and Wineglass Bay
On Tasmania’s east coast, Freycinet National Park protects a rugged granite peninsula with its centerpiece attraction: Wineglass Bay, a perfect horseshoe arc of white sand and remarkably clear turquoise water consistently rated among the world’s most beautiful beaches. The Wineglass Bay Lookout hike (45 minutes return from the car park) provides the famous aerial view from the col between the Hazards mountains — one of the most photographed views in Australia. The descent to the beach (an additional 40 minutes each way) is well worth the effort; you’re rarely alone but the beach is long enough to find space. The Freycinet Peninsula Circuit (3 days, camping required) traverses the full length of the peninsula past Cape Peron and the extraordinary white quartzite beaches of Hazards Beach and Cooks Beach — this is among the finest multi-day coastal walks in Australia.
Hobart: Australia’s Most Liveable Small City
Hobart is Australia’s second-oldest city — founded in 1804, it retains a remarkable concentration of Georgian and Victorian sandstone architecture in the Sullivan’s Cove precinct around the waterfront. Salamanca Place — a row of Georgian sandstone warehouses now containing galleries, restaurants, and the Saturday morning Salamanca Market (one of Australia’s finest outdoor markets, with exceptional local food producers, artisan crafts, and a genuine community atmosphere) — is the social heart of the city. Battery Point above the waterfront is a preserved colonial neighborhood of cottages, pubs, and artisan workshops that gives a genuine sense of early colonial Australia. Mount Wellington (now officially Kunanyi) rises directly behind the city to 1,271 meters — the summit drive (or excellent mountain bike descent) provides extraordinary panoramic views across Hobart, the Derwent, and the surrounding wilderness.
Tasmanian Food and Wine
Tasmania’s food culture is arguably the finest in Australia — a product of outstanding local produce and a passionate community of producers, chefs, and winemakers. The cold, clean waters of Bass Strait produce exceptional Pacific oysters (Bruny Island and Freycinet are the most celebrated growing areas), Atlantic salmon (farmed in the Huon Valley), abalone, and sea urchin. The Huon Valley produces superb apples and stone fruit; the island’s cool climate is ideal for truffles (harvested July–September, when Tasmanian black truffles are exported globally). The Tamar Valley north of Launceston is Tasmania’s primary wine country — exceptional Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from producers including Pipers Brook, Josef Chromy, and Tamar Ridge. The Coal River Valley (between Hobart and Richmond) has a growing cluster of outstanding cellar doors including Pooley Wines and Frogmore Creek. For dining in Hobart, Franklin (wood-fire cooking, seasonal menu), Fico (Italian-inflected fine dining), and Aloft (harbourside, excellent local produce) are all among the best restaurants in Australia.
