Tasmania is Australia’s smallest and only island state with a population of roughly 500,000 people. It enjoys a unique lifestyle and beautiful landscapes. It is separated by a body of water called the Bass Strait that has isolated it from the rest of Australia for thousands of years.

Tasmania was settled by the British as a penal colony and convicts were first transported to what was then called Van Diemen’s Land, in 1804. Penal settlements were established at Sullivans Cove (Hobart), Maria Island, Sarah Island, and Port Arthur. The ruins of the convict jails can still be seen in these places, particularly at Port Arthur, which has been carefully preserved and has many convict related activities for tourists. For its size, Tasmania has plenty attractions and you could spend a month there and still not see everything.

Tasmania promotes itself internationally as Australia’s Natural State and within Australia as the Island of Inspiration. About 40% of the island is protected as national parks, World Heritage Areas, and forest and marine reserves. It is also a state dominated by logging, with vast tracts of old growth forest being destroyed. The catch cry is “see Tasmania before it is gone”.

Tasmania is famous for its merino wool which is used by Japanese companies to manufacture high quality men’s suits. It is also known world-wide for the Tasmanian tiger, a now extinct striped marsupial dog-like animal, and the nocturnal Tasmanian devil, a small black and white marsupial whose sharp teeth and frightening screams belie the fact that it is shy of humans. Tasmanian devils are currently under threat of extinction due to a widespread facial tumour. The state government is endeavouring to detect the cause of the tumours and preserve disease-free colonies.

On the whole, expect a good mix of nice natural scenery, fresh food and wines, and heritage.