One of Australia’s wildest states, Tasmania is renowned for its eucalypt and Huon pine forests, rich Indigenous and colonial histories, and unique wildlife. Its dotted with charming country towns interspersed with farmlands, mountain peaks, cave systems, and a other natural treasures, making Tasmania one of the most enriching states to explore with every corner of the island offering new and exciting experiences.
The question is: what are the experiences that are worth shaping your trip around? Read on to discover some the top attractions to shape your Tassie trip itinerary.
MONA
If you’re flying in and landing in Hobart, then the first place you should seek is MONA (the Museum of Old and New Art). A striking gallery known for its subterranean architecture, MONA’s structure is just as much a marvel as the paintings and sculptures it houses. It’s best to set aside a whole day of your trip to explore the gallery in full, with time to check out the goodies in the MONA gift shop before heading back to your hotel.
If you like to get out into nature there’ll be plenty of opportunities to go camping and glamping in Tasmania, but spending your first night or two in the city can be a great way to gear up for your wilder Tassie adventure. Plus, there’s plenty of great Hobart accommodation that’s conveniently located close to rental car agencies, so you can waste no time in picking up your vehicle before you leave the city in your rear view.
Bruny Island
Once you’ve picked up your hire car, you may be tempted to drive due north – don’t! Instead, head south to Kettering and board the ferry to Bruny Island.
Home to the elusive white wallaby plus literally thousands of migrating short-tailed shearwaters, AKA muttonbirds, Bruny Island is the ultimate destination for nature lovers visiting Tassie. The island itself is a prominent Tasmanian heritage site, thanks in part to the preservation of the original Bruny Lighthouse from 1836. Bruny is also the birthplace of Truganini, a prominent figure in Tasmania’s Indigenous history, and the namesake of the Truganini Lookout that’s located on the ‘Neck’ between North Bruny and South Bruny.
Let’s talk about the ‘Neck’ for a second here as well. This 5km stretch of sand and brush gets as narrow as just 45-50 metres at its narrowest point, with the Truganini Lookout offering insane 360 degree views of the island’s eastern and western coastline. The ‘Neck’ at Bruny is in short, an ethereal geographic phenomenon that absolutely must be experienced. Trust us. Don’t leave Tassie without getting lost in all the majesty of Bruny first.
Kunanyi (Mt Wellington)
Speaking of panoramic views, anybody starting their trip in Hobart shouldn’t leave the city without first hiking Kunanyi, the Indigenous name for the city’s Mt Wellington. The summit of the Wellington Range, the city of Hobart is actually located directly at the foot of the mountain – which is yes, why Hobart has so many hills.
The positioning of Tasmania’s capital at the foot of Kunanyi provides superb views of both the city and the surrounding harbour and riverlands on one side, plus the wider Huon Valley on the other. Be sure to bring your camera to capture some panoramas, as well as to take in all the details of the Organ Pipes rock formations that you can also spot during your hike.
Richmond Bridge
Alongside having a rich Indigenous history, Tasmania also played an important role in Australia’s wider colonial origins as a penal colony. There are still remnants of Tasmania’s convict history all over the island state, from the Convict Brick Trail in Campbelltown to the ruins of Port Arthur itself.
One of the most breathtaking remnants of the island’s convict past has to be the Richmond Bridge. Built by the hands of convict labourers from 1823-1825, the Richmond Bridge is actually Australia’s oldest stone bridge that’s still carrying traffic.
On top of being incredibly photogenic, the bridge itself is a marvel of engineering, measuring at a whopping 41 metres long and boasting six elegant stone archways that play with dawn and dusk lighting fantastically. If you’re planning to drive from Hobart to Port Arthur, we definitely recommend taking a little detour through Richmond and over the Richmond Bridge to preface your explorations of the Port Arthur convict settlement.
Port Arthur
No surprises what this next attraction is. The preservation of Port Arthur and its attached penitentiary is a must-experience for any travellers visiting Tasmania. Not only is it a fascinating historical landmark, but the lands surrounding the settlement itself are also gorgeous. A quick walk up to the Scorpion Rock Lookout is a must, plus a walk along the Stewarts Bay Walking Track to take in some cliffside views of Ladies Bay and a visit to the Port Arthur Jetty.
At the settlement itself, you’ll definitely want to book a tour or two. The Ghost Tour is a fan favourite, though not for the faint of heart. For those who want to make a quick day trip of visiting Port Arthur, however, you can still get plenty of enrichment from either the Premium or Essentials Tours.
Wineglass Bay
If you go to any souvenir shop in Tasmania, you’re all but guaranteed to see some postcards and prints capturing the glory of Wineglass Bay. An iconic landmark within Freycinet National Park, the hike to Wineglass Bay is tricky at times thanks to the steep ascent – but it’s well worth it.
The sparkling blue waters and white sands of the crescent-shaped beach are picturesque at all times during the day. And with opportunities to spot wombats, wallabies, and even dolphins and sea eagles, you’ll find yourself wanting to spend some time sitting up at the lookout point once you do finish the hike.
Freycinet and Bicheno are also along Tassie’s Great Eastern Drive, which is considered one of Australia’s greatest road trips, so if you’re planning to follow this road trip route the scenic hike up to this magical lookout point will be a highlight of your drive.
Freycinet and Bicheno are also along Tassie’s Great Eastern Drive, which is considered one of Australia’s greatest road trips, so if you’re planning to follow this road trip route the scenic hike up to this magical lookout point will be a highlight of your drive.
Hastings Caves
Nestled in Huon Valley and just a quick an hour’s drive from Huonville, the Hastings Caves State Reserve really does have a little something for all types of travellers. A guided tour of the dolomite rock Newdegate Caves is an absolute must, and we highly recommend following your cave tour up with a dip in the thermal springs and maybe even a forest walk across the Platypus and Hot Springs trails as well.
Tasmania has extensive karst country, which means that there are actually natural cave systems all over the island. So even if you don’t have time for a trip to Hastings Caves, you can still take in some cave systems across the Mole Creek Karst National Park, the Gunns Plains Caves in northwest Tassie, or the Kutikina Cave along the west coast.
Sarah Island
A big drive through Tasmania’s wilderness will take you through to the west coast now, where you can find gorgeous spots like Strahan and Macquarie Heads and Arthur River. While you’re visiting Strahan, you may find yourself sipping on a coffee and seated on a bench overlooking the Macquarie Harbour where you can board a cruise to explore Sarah Island and the Gordon River. And yes, we strongly recommend you board that river cruise.
Not only is the Macquarie Harbour and wider Gordon River steeped in history themselves, but fans of Port Arthur will be downright fascinated by their time on the unassuming Sarah Island, which happens to house Australia’s most isolated convict prison. As you walk among the ruins of Sarah Island and hear the stories of the convicts that were unlucky enough to serve their time there, it’s hard to imagine the idyllic island was the setting for such horrors. But the stories themselves will change your understanding of Tasmania’s convict history.
On top of the history lessons, Sarah Island and the wider Macquarie Harbour are a beautiful place to be. If you want to see Huon pine forestlands in all their majesty, this cruise will take you directly into the heart of the Tassie wilderness, which also happens to be one of the most iconic UNESCO World Heritage sites.
Trowutta Arch
Let’s drive further north now and all the way up to Arthur River on Tassie’s western coast. Here, you can explore the sleepy coastal town and the fascinating shapes of the rivermouth along Tassie’s understated western coastline. A quick drive inland will also take you directly to one of Tasmania’s most fascinating geographical marvels: the Trowutta Arch.
Tassie’s karst country displays its magic in full force at Trowutta Arch, with the ancient rock archway leading down directly to an exposed sinkhole, now lined with palm ferns and kissed by algae. The entire site of the sinkhole exposed in full sun is genuinely unforgettable.
The walk down to the Arch isn’t too demanding and the archway itself is quite cooling and naturally protective from the afternoon sun, which makes a trip to Trowutta Arch a perfect adventure for a hot summer’s day.
Cradle Mountain
Finally, just as Wineglass Bay is one of Tasmania’s perpetual picturesque postcard moments, so too is the iconic peak of Cradle Mountain. There are many ways to experience Cradle Mountain, whether it be by taking in all the views of the mountain from the Dove Lake Circuit or even taking in the glaciated landscape of the mountain and surrounds from the Crater Lake circuit.
Of course you don’t have to climb to the Cradle Mountain summit in order to enjoy all that this region has to offer. But if you are planning to climb to the Cradle Mountain summit, keep in mind that extreme winter weather can definitely make climbing conditions even more challenging, so the mountain isn’t safe to scale at all times of the year.
Tick Tasmania off your Aussie travel bucket list
Needless say, it’ll take more than just one trip to experience all that Tasmania has to offer. So if there are any particular attractions on this list that call out to you, why not shape your first trip around that corner of the map? And if you’re not ready to say goodbye on the day of your departure, then you’ll just have to come back down for air again some other time.
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