Tasmania Holidays

With its wide range of experiences, attractions and spectacular landscapes, Tasmania packs a lot of appeal into a diverse, distinctive and easy-to explore region. Explore the treats of Tasmania's welcoming capital city, Hobart. Visit the underground art world of the Museum of Old and New Art (MONA), a world-class gallery with a collection of art designed to provoke.

Delve into history at Australia's most notorious convict settlement in the beautiful coastal setting of Port Arthur. Marvel at Cradle Mountain and hike the dramatic cliff-lined peak rising from the shores of Dove Lake. Witness the flawless white curve of Wineglass Bay and the wander it’s white sands in Freycinet National Park. Feast on some of the freshest crayfish, abalone and oyster you’ll ever taste, and meet the states emblematic Tasmanian devil.

Tasmania's quality food and wine attract foodies from all over the world. Rich soil, pure air and clean water inspire dedicated growers to produce truly authentic food and drink experiences. One of the joys of a holiday to Tasmania is not just the pleasure of tasting farm-fresh and ocean-fresh produce, but the ease of meeting farmers and makers at cellar doors, farm gates and local markets. A growing range of paddock-to-plate experiences, tasting trails, wine routes, cooking schools and gourmet walking tours allow travellers to forage, cook, taste and learn firsthand.

Tasmania also has some of Australia's leading cool climate wines, with their pinot noir and sparkling wines attracting the interest of wine makers from around the world. Plus, Tassie’s clean, green environment is ideal for producing cider, whisky and gin. You'll find boutique breweries and distilleries showcasing their wares at cellar doors where you can sample the produce and talk to the maker.

From wombats and wallabies, to whales, dolphins and duck-billed platypuses, and of course the endemic Tasmanian devil, Tassie is quite simply bursting with life. Long detached from the Australian mainland with habitats ranging from rainforest to alpine, coastal scrubland to wild open heath, you’ll never be far away from an incredible wildlife experience on your Tasmania trip. See wallabies on the beach in Freycinet National Park, witness Peregrine falcons soaring over Cradle Mountain, and watch whales and dolphins from the shores of the Bay of Fires.

Humpbacks visit these waters between May and July, and you’ll see the Southern Right Whale between June and September. Tasmanian Devils are a little more elusive, so why not make a stop at the Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary – 30 minutes outside Hobart – to meet these little critters and a host of their friends? You can also learn how Tassie’s unique natural heritage is being conserved.

The islands four distinct seasons are holidays to Tasmania possible all year round. Enjoy beach life and blooming lavender fields in summer, and see the “turning of the fagus” in autumn, when Australia’s only deciduous tree turns brilliant colours. Fish for wild brown trout in spring and, in winter, join solstice festivals and warm up around hot tubs and log fires with fine Tassie whisky.

Rainfall varies significantly across the island. Hobart is the second driest capital city in Australia (after Adelaide), while the west coast has an annual average rainfall of 2400 millimetres, which sustains the island’s cool temperate rainforests.

No matter when you travel, it’s important to prepare for sudden changes in the weather. Pack warm, fast-drying layers for maximum flexibility, particularly in the cooler months, and be sure to carry extra warm clothing and a waterproof jacket.