Tasmania is the small island south of the mainland of Australia. Many Australians and also tourists don’t venture this far south, which is a shame because it is so beautiful and different to mainland Australia.
To get there, the ship ‘The Spirit of Tasmania’ sails twice a day in summer, every 12 hours and you can take your car on board. They have on board entertainment and you can purchase a cabin if you want to sleep onboard.
The Spirit of Tasmania sails from Melbourne to Devonport and back. To drive from Devonport to Hobart in the south takes about 3 hours. Hobart is the capital of Tasmania. They have festivals in the Summer and the Sydney to Hobart yacht race. At the pier to celebrate the winner is the ‘Taste of Tasmania’ festival, where you can try food and alcohol from the region.
One of the hikes we did was the South Coast track. This was the most Southerly point in Australia if you don’t count the little islands in the Antarctic ocean. The water was so cold at this beach it made my feet hurt.
On a clear night you can see the Southern lights, called the Aurora Australis.
Another benefit of taking your car meant we could drive on many isolated beaches. We caught another car ferry to Bruny Island where we camped on New Years Eve. However, you need a 4WD to do this.
So if you are thinking of coming to Australia, don’t over look Tasmania.
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