Tasmania is an island state of Australia. It is located 240 kilometres (150 miles) to the south of the Australian mainland, separated from it by the Bass Strait. It is Australia's least populous state, with 569,825 residents. The state capital and largest city is Hobart, with around 40 percent of the population living in the Greater Hobart area. Hobart is ranked the safest of Australia's capital cities. Difficult to compete with the iconic waterfronts of many of the Australian mainland harbours, Hobart offers a much more basic look. Yachts, fishing boats, vintage sailboats and a few cruise ships dot the harbour with an old time feel.
Looking for a great seafood dinner on the harbour, check out The Drunken Admiral…..
Where is Tasmania today? Well, it is a long way from the Bugs Bunny cartoons and infamous past penal history. New industries along with tourism campaigns to promote its beautiful beaches, growing wine industry, and interest in Tasmania’s past history - have brought many new visitors to Tasmania. I have come for a different reason, hiking some of the worlds most beautiful costal hikes - The Three Capes Track.
Tasmania had some of Australia's largest and most notorious penal settlements. Between 1804 and 1853, more than 70,000 British & Australian convicts were forcibly transported to Tasmania and set to work building, mining, pining and farming for the state and private landowners. One of the most famous penal settlements was at Port Arthur on Tasman Island. World Heritage listed Port Arthur Historic Site as the best preserved convict site in Australia and among the most significant convict era sites worldwide.
Anyone growing up in the Bugs Bunny Era will remember this character - the Tasmanian Devil. I don’t think most people actually took the time to see where this real life animal came from - Tasmania, Australia. A few facts: It is only found in Tasmania. It is a nocturnal animal and chances of seeing one are slim. It lives a life of solitude and does not form packs. When threatened it emits a strong odour like a skunk. A virus has been spreading amongst the Tasmanian Devil population and 80% of the population has been wiped out. The Tasmanian Devil is listed as endangered and fully protected.
