Top 5 facts for the average America:
- Tasmania does exist. It’s an island state of Australia. But if you didn’t know that, don’t feel bad because even some Australians forget that Tasmania exists.
- It’s home to the cleanest air in the world (the same as Antarctica!) so the area is frequently used as a benchmark for air quality tests.
- The water, even out of pipes, springs, and fountains, is pristine. I think it was the cleanest water I’ve ever had.
- The Tasmanian Devil, indeed now only found in Tasmania, was recently listed as an endangered species. The population is being plagued by the Devil Facial Tumor disease.
- The annual Sydney Hobart Yacht Race is 1,170 km long (727 miles or 630 nautical miles) and has been completed within an astounding 2 days.
(From the wings of Jetstar!)
Cheapest Transportation:
The best way to get to Tasmania is obviously by plane, but it’s difficult to fly to there directly outside of Australia or New Zealand. We found that Jetstar consistently beat out the other airlines. Always check their promotions page because they frequently run great discounts:
- Sydney <-> Launceton: $79
- Sydney <-> Hobart: $79
- Melbourne <-> Launceton: $55
- Melbourne <-> Hobart: $59
Hobart [capital city]:
Unfortunately, the time that Angela and I spent in Tasmania didn’t warrant anytime out of Hobart. The two full days that we spent there were action packed and you can check out our adventures here. Here are some of the “must-do’s”
- Take the Peppermint Bay Cruise. ($88 to $180)”The Tasmanian cruise takes in the picturesque Hobart Harbour and River Derwent, and the magnificent waters of the D’Entrecasteaux Channel on its way past Bruny Island to Peppermint Bay.”
For reviews and pictures of the cruise, check out this post. They do offer student discounts, so we were able to obtain window seats for the price of atrium seats (the cheapest). But, if you’re going to spend most of your time on deck, just grab the atrium seats.
- Take a hike up Mt. Wellington. Start early because it’s going to take a few hours to get to the top and back down. You don’t want to be stuck like us, going halfway, and then having to hitchhike a ride up and down (with a ridiculously nice couple!)
(A panoramic view of the city, waters, neighboring small islands, and you get the point. It’s frosty up there and the climate drops dramatically.)
- Walk along the banks of the water by Princess Park (you can easily access it through Salamanca Place). You’ve have to climb over some wooden posts, but once you get to the edge of the shore, walk along where you’ll see several piers. The best time to go is in the wee hours of the mornings and maybe dolphins will grace you with their presence as they did with us.
Places to eat:
- Ball and Chain Grill (supposedly the best steak in all of Tasmania, and quite possibly in Australia)
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87 Salamanca Place,
Hobart, Tasmania 7000 - Salamanca Bakehouse: the only 24 hour place in Hobart. Necessary if you plan on spending the night at the airport, because the airport actually closes! (Unfortunately, we learned the hard way)5 Salamanca Square
Hobart, Tasmania 7000 - Annapurna Indian Cuisine: A bit expensive, but nonetheless, great Indian food.
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93 Salamanca Place
Hobart, Tasmania 7000
Phone: (03) 6224 0400
