6 places to visit in wild and wonderful Tasmania

First Class Holidays is your ideal way to experience the natural wonders, spectacular beaches and heritage and culinary gems of Australia’s best-kept secret, Tasmania. Come and discover the walks, wallabies and wilderness of the glorious Apple Isle with a multi–award-winning tour operator. First Class Holidays has 28 years of experience and works only with the very best and most-trusted local ‘Tassie’ tour and destination experts who know every inch of this island’s cities, coasts, mountains and national parks. This invaluable local knowledge enables First Class Holidays to offer 100% tailor-made trips for guests.  

Tasmania’s capital city is a wonderful combination of heritage, arts, walks and refreshing oceanfront views. The lovely Georgian stone cottages and cosy pubs are reminders that this was Australia’s second colony settlement after Sydney, established at the start of the 19th century. Take the Battery Point Sculpture Walk, relax in the idyllic Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens and shop at the weekly Salamanca Markets. Kayak the harbour followed by great fish ‘n’ chips and a wee dram of local whisky on Constitution Dock. Or cruise up the Derwent River to local wineries and the Museum of Old and New Art (MONA). 

Strahan is a charming harbour town on the west coast and a gateway to the magnificent Franklin–Gordon Wild Rivers National Park, a 440,000-hectare wilderness in the heart of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. This is a primeval land of rivers, rainforests, deep gorges and remote mountain ranges. Cruise the calm waters of the Gordon River, drifting past verdant curtains of rainforest and gazing at towering, 2,000-year-old Huon pine trees. From Strahan, walk to Ocean Beach – Tasmania’s longest – to watch and hear the Southern Ocean pounding in; at this latitude there is no land west of here until Argentina.  

Follow the track down the Dove River to the tranquil, jet-black waters of Dove Lake to marvel at one of the most iconic views on the island: the sawtooth ridge of 1,545m-tall Cradle Mountain. This is the far northern section of Tasmania’s most popular and famous long-distance walking trail, the Overland Track. From here it wanders south through the 161,000-hectare Cradle Mountain–Lake St Clair National Park past lakes, peaks, peat bogs, alpine meadows and eucalypt forests. Keep an eye out for an array of wildlife, from possums and wallabies to wombats, dusky robins and mysterious and secretive Tasmanian Devils.  

Burnie, on the Cradle Coast, is one of Tasmania’s penguin hotspots. Stroll from the city centre to the Little Fairy Penguin colony to get up close and personal with the little fellas. The penguins come ashore at dusk each evening between October to March, to court a mate and rear their chicks. It’s a thrilling encounter the memories of which will stay with visitors forever. Just a few miles down the coast is a town actually called Penguin. Another unique Aussie wildlife encounter is at Fernglade Reserve, just east of Burnie, where platypus play in the graceful Emu River.  

Launceston is the capital of Tasmania’s north, the third oldest city in Australia (dating to 1806) and a UNESCO City of Gastronomy, one of only 56 in the world and two in Australia. Take a short stroll from the city centre to the 65-million-year-old Cataract Gorge, a wild yet still urban canyon that has long been a sacred Aboriginal meeting place. Cross the gorge by bridge or see it from a cruise boat on the Tamar River, Australia’s longest navigable tidal estuary. Look out for black swans, seals and pelicans, and drop in at cool-climate wineries along the cruise route. 

Port Arthur is Tasmania’s remarkable must-see heritage site. It is arguably Australia’s most famous former penal colony, a southern hemisphere Alcatraz, accessible only by a narrow strip of land called Eaglehawk Neck, which was guarded by a line of vicious attack dogs. Tours vividly tell the stories of some of the 12,000 men, women and children who were incarcerated here between 1878 and 1868, and the conditions they suffered. The names of the attractions are also chilling and remind visitors of the region’s notoriously harsh history: the Isle of the Dead and Devil’s Kitchen are two of the most haunting. 

About the experts

First Class Holidays is proud to offer over 28 years of exceptional service with a personal, friendly approach that’s led the company to becoming an industry leader in delivering memorable, tailor-made holidays. First Class Holidays has won several awards and all of its trips are ABTA and ATOL protected. Their team of experts can provide first-hand knowledge on everything, from flights and hotels to sightseeing and excursions. Contact First Class Holidays at enquiries@fcholidays.com or 0161 8885628.