Discover Tasmania

Discover Tasmania
Name	Discover Tasmania
Type	Tourism promotion
Location	Tasmania, Australia
Established	20th century
Website	official tourism bodies

Discover Tasmania is a broad term used to describe promotion, exploration, and interpretation of the island of Tasmania and its attractions for visitors from Australia and abroad. It encompasses initiatives by organizations such as Tourism Australia, Parks and Wildlife Service (Tasmania), and regional bodies in Hobart, Launceston, Devonport, and Burnie. Marketing campaigns link Tasmania with cultural venues like the Museum of Old and New Art and natural features such as Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park and Freycinet National Park.

Overview

Tasmania, the island state of Australia, is positioned south of the Australian mainland and separated by the Bass Strait; it is administered from the capital, Hobart, and represented in national institutions including the Parliament of Australia. Visitor promotion draws on heritage sites like Port Arthur and colonial architecture in Richmond, Tasmania while featuring contemporary events at venues such as the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens and performance spaces like the Theatre Royal, Hobart. Industry participants include operators registered with Tourism Industry Council Tasmania and accommodation providers in districts like Battery Point and Sandy Bay.

Geography and Climate

Tasmania’s landscape combines the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area with coastal embayments such as Wineglass Bay and river systems like the Derwent River and Tamar River. The island’s geology references features studied by institutions such as the University of Tasmania and mapped in work by the Geological Survey of Tasmania. Climatic conditions are influenced by the Roaring Forties and maritime currents, producing temperate weather patterns experienced in locales including Strahan, Queenstown, Tasmania, St Helens, Tasmania, and Bruny Island. Topographic highlights include Mount Wellington, alpine plateaux of the Central Highlands (Tasmania), and karst systems of the Mole Creek Karst National Park.

History and Culture

Aboriginal histories are central, with connections to nations such as the Palawa and archaeological sites like those in the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre documentation; colonial history includes sites associated with the Van Diemen's Land period and penal settlements at Port Arthur Historic Site. Cultural life encompasses institutions such as the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery and festivals including the MONA FOMA and Ten Days on the Island; performing arts feature companies like the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra and venues such as the Federation Concert Hall, Hobart. Literary connections cite authors hosted by the University of Tasmania and artworks exhibited at MONA and local galleries in towns such as Launceston and Devonport. Heritage transport includes heritage railways like the West Coast Wilderness Railway and maritime exhibits at the Bass and Flinders Centre.

Major Attractions and Activities

Visitors engage with national parks including Freycinet National Park, Mount Field National Park, and Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park; coastal activities cluster around Bay of Fires and islands like Bruny Island. Historical tourism centers on Port Arthur Historic Site, the convict-era landscapes of Coal River Valley, and convict-built structures in Richmond, Tasmania. Adventure tourism operators run excursions to Cradle Mountain, guided walks on the Three Capes Track, and sea-kayaking around Maria Island National Park. Food and beverage trails highlight producers in the Derwent Valley, vineyards in the Coal River Valley (Tasmania), oysters from Tamar Valley estuaries, cheeses marketed through outlets like Salamanca Market, and craft breweries clustered in Hobart and Launceston.

Wildlife and Natural Reserves

Tasmania supports endemic fauna such as the Tasmanian devil, populations of eastern quoll, and marsupials including the Bennett's wallaby; seabird colonies occur at Maatsuyker Island, King Island, and Albatross Island. Conservation work is conducted by agencies including the Parks and Wildlife Service (Tasmania), researchers at the Tasmanian Research and Innovation Hub, and non-government bodies like the Tasmanian Land Conservancy. Marine reserves include the Tasman Fracture Commonwealth Marine Reserve and habitats around the Furneaux Group; freshwater conservation involves lakes in the Central Plateau Conservation Area. Threats prompting research and management involve diseases and invasive species studied by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation and environmental assessments commissioned by the Tasmanian Environment Protection Authority.

Travel and Transportation

Access to Tasmania is via air services to Hobart International Airport, Launceston Airport, and Devonport Airport with carriers such as Qantas, Virgin Australia, and regional operators; sea access includes ferry services linking Spirit of Tasmania routes between Melbourne and Devonport. Road routes connect population centres via the Highway 1 (Australia) network and scenic drives on the Tasman Highway and Lyell Highway; long-distance coaches operate under operators such as Redline Coaches and regional services coordinated by Metro Tasmania. Visitor logistics also include tour operators licensed through the Tourism Industry Council Tasmania, active conservation volunteer programs hosted by Parks and Wildlife Service (Tasmania), and accommodation ranging from heritage inns in Richmond, Tasmania to resorts near Coles Bay and remote wilderness huts on tracks like the Overland Track.

Category:Tasmania