The South of Tasmania
Anchored by capital Hobart, a beautiful city of good food and good people, the southern end of Australia welcomes travelers to its towns, forests, and coast. Ninety minutes east of Hobart lies historic Port Arthur, the most significant remaining testament to Tassie’s colonial history; 90 minutes west lies the beginning of the vast untrammeled expanse of the South-West World Heritage Area. In between, amid the hop vines of the Derwent Valley and the apple orchards of the D’Entrecasteaux Channel, flourish the homes of people who know a good life when they see it.
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The Northeastof Tasmania
Tasmania's Northeast is blessed with a sunny disposition. Folks here grow up listening to Melbourne radio, drinking Boag's beer, and disdaining the political antics of the South. The midlands offer wool, the north coast wine, and the sun-coast water, all a gently civilized counterpoint to the state's famed wilderness. The priceless coastal pockets of Mount William, Freycinet, and Maria Island National Parks are worlds away from the mountainous World Heritage Areas of the south and west. In the middle of miles of flatness, Ben Lomond rises to survey the entire region; its ski slopes provide a bit of
Australia : Tasmania
With Australia lying empty in a far corner of the Empire, England seemed to have a perfect solution for its 18th-century prison overflow problem. Parliament members happily sent their rabble across the ocean, washed their hands, and went to tea. But lawlessness was still a huge problem in the new prison colony, and penal officials in New South Wales decided to ship the troublemakers away once again. Australia was already at the end of the earth, but Tasmania was at the end of Australia. The British considered assignment to the wild little island, then known as Van Diemen's
South Coast
The coastal towns south of Sydney, strung together by the Princes Hwy, are far less tourist than their northern counterparts. While industry dominates many of the larger towns such as Wollongong and Bega, the smaller coastal towns in between are some of New South Wales' undiscovered treasures. With a string of beautiful beaches on one side and mountainous escarpment on the other, the South Coast is certainly worth a visit. Cool winters cause the area to be particularly deserted between June and August; the windy coastline retains a certain charm.
South West Rocks
South West Rocks is another lovely beachside spot and the Trial Bay Gaol is a diversion worth turning off the highway to see. It’s not as dramatic as Port Arthur, but it’s historic and well kept. Sitting on the headland, it was used from 1886 to 1903 in a failed attempt to employ long-term prisoners for public works. It was later a German internment camp during World War I.
Perth Zoo
Perth Zoo is in South Perth and has more than 2,000 creatures of 280 different species. It tries to present its residents in their natural environment as far as possible. There is an Australian Walkabout section featuring native wildlife, through some parts of which one can wander with the animals. This, the only zoo in Western Australia, is open daily from 9 until 5pm, hours extended until 9pm January. The zoo can be reached by bus no. 30 or 31, or, more scenically, by taking the ferry across the river to Mends Street, followed by a short walk. Located
