Wild About Tasmania

With ancient rainforests that include the worlds rarest trees, soaring peaks, alpine waterfalls and stunning beaches, Tasmania is an area of outstanding natural beauty. And an island of breath-taking ecological diversity, home to a myriad of wildlife species, many of which are endangered or extinct elsewhere on the planet. But best of all, its a wilderness we can conserve as we explore...

The original inhabitants arrived across a land bridge from mainland Australia before the last Ice Age and became islanders when the glaciers melted to form Bass Strait. The island was first sighted by Europeans in 1642 and named Van Diemens Land by the Dutch explorer, Abel Tasman. In 1803 it was settled by the British as a penal colony and fifty years later, when convict transportation stopped, it was renamed Tasmania.

A rich variety of architecture can be found throughout the island. In Hobart you can stroll among the beautiful Georgian warehouses of Salamanca Place, once home to a thriving waling industry and now filled with art galleries and cafes. In nearby Battery Point, tiny 19th century cottages stand alongside grand mansions and wonderful examples of colonial architecture.

In the south, the Port Arthur Historic Site offers a fascinating glimpse into Tasmania's convict past. Created with convict labour, the impressive architecture, delightful gardens and chilling prison facilities survive today. From the moment you enter this amazing site you are immersed in the stories of convict life.

While at Strahan, on the west coast, cruise across Macquarie Harbour to Sarah Island, Tasmania's oldest and Australia’s most notorious convict settlement, operating from 1822 to 1833.

Accessible Wilderness

Not just rich in history and heritage, Tasmania also boasts an astonishingly diverse geography from alpine waterfalls and dense rainforests to white sandy beaches and glacial lakes. Furthermore, this wilderness is incredibly accessible as forty per cent of Tasmania is protected in national parks and reserves and makes up the worlds last temperate wilderness, including the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Areas. Whether you travel independently by car or join a tour group there really is an incredible choice of experiences to suit everyone. From wildlife conservation work to active hikes through some of Tasmanias most remote areas, and from leisurely coastal wildlife cruises to stays in stunning wilderness lodges. Heres our guide to the best wilderness experiences in Tasmania.

Conservation Experiences

For those who want to give something back to the natural environment there are now short breaks available to support ongoing conservation activities in Tasmania and Australia. Operated by Naturewise, part of Conservation Volunteers Australia (CVA), you can combine valuable conservation work with the chance to explore some of Tasmanias most beautiful and little-visited spots.

Day with the Devils: Share an unforgettable connection with Tasmanias wildlife and play a part in their protection. Join an expert wildlife keeper for a behind the scenes tour of Bonorong Wildlife Conservation Centre, a sanctuary for injured Tasmanian wildlife. Visit the spectacular Mount Field National Park, offering an array of natural wonders. Thirteen of the parks plant species are recorded as rare in Tasmania and the park provides natural habitat for a number of nationally endangered and vulnerable wildlife, including the barred bandicoots and Tasmanian Devil.

Two Day Wildlife Encounter: This two day program starts at the Bonorong Wildlife Conservation Centre before travelling to Bruny Island. Join local landholders on a major conservation initiative to recover the habitat of two endangered Tasmanian birds, the magnificent Swift Parrot and the jewel-like 40-Spotted Pardalote. Walk along stretches of white sandy beaches and observe Little Penguins as they make their regular evening journey ashore. You will also have an opportunity to assist local National Parks and Wildlife Rangers with ongoing penguin rookery restoration to ensure their continued survival.

Your support will help fund ongoing conservation programs. No prior experience is required to participate, however you should be reasonably fit to enjoy these programmes. CVA works with the Tasmanian Government to provide practical expertise and support to help save the Tasmanian Devil.

Hiking

Tasmania has more than 2,000 kilometres of world-class walking tracks, thousands of highland lakes, hundreds of clean ocean beaches, more than 300 islands both remote and accessible, and enough peaks to keep the keenest walkers busy for a lifetime.

Maria Island Walk: Award-winning fully guided walk following pristine secluded beaches and bays before heading inland through rich forests. Departs Hobart.

Bay of Fires Walk: Located in the very north-east of Tasmania, the Bay of Fires offers a magnificent wilderness coastline with dramatic landscape, ecology and wildlife. Departs Launceston.

Cradle Mountain Huts: Explore this rugged mountainous region, home to a profusion of rare plants and collection of Tasmanian Devils, quolls and platypus. Departs Launceston.

Wildlife Watching

There are many opportunities to view indigenous creatures in their natural habitats throughout Tasmania. Bruny Island, in the south, is an untouched wilderness where you can experience a great environmental adventure during a three-hour eco-cruise, with Bruny Island Cruises, spotting sea-life and coastal wildlife along remote bays and in deep sea caves.

For land-based wildlife join the Twilight Quoll Patrol, your intrepid host, Craig Williams or Bushie, will introduce you to exciting viewing opportunities of possums, wombats, wallabies and possibly even Tasmanian Devils.

Wilderness Lodges

The Grand Circle is a popular driving route taking you through to Freycinet National Park and Cradle Mountain National Park over ten days, starting and ending in Hobart. Self-driving offers the luxury of picking and choosing where you stay on route, and for the optimum wilderness experience, Lodges should rank highly on your itinerary.

Freycinet Lodge, within Freycinet National Park, offers cabins in a bush-setting. This area is renowned for gourmet delights with an oyster farm nearby, local wineries and freshly caught seafood.

Cradle Mountain Lodge is a unique wilderness retreat, with great outdoors activities available such as horse-riding, cycling and fishing tuition. Midway between Strahan and Hobart, Tarraleah Lodge is a new award-winning resort, boasting waterfall walks, unique wildlife and spectacular views.

The plight of the Tasmanian Devil

The Tasmanian Devil was officially declared endangered in May 2008. It is the largest surviving carnivorous marsupial, unique to Tasmania and is under threat from a virulent facial tumour disease which has wiped out around 50% of the devil population in total.

The plight of the Tasmanian Devil has a growing army of supporters fighting to bring the Tasmanian Devil back from the brink of extinction. Including Formula One racing driver Mark Webber, who every November urges teams of celebrities to complete the 450 km adventure race through the wilderness, in what is becoming known as one of the toughest adventure races in the world.

Raising awareness for the cause is key and visitors to Tasmania can now embark on remarkable wildlife itineraries that provide a first hand encounter with the animal and those that have dedicated their lives to it.

The ultimate devil experience takes place with King's Run Wildlife Tours, based in the remote far northwest of Tasmania, and run by devil expert Geoff King on his 830 acre coastal property. Here King has allowed wildlife to take over from cattle grazing. Large numbers of marsupials such as wallaby, wombat and spotted quolls graze here, supporting large populations of the Tasmanian Devil. By creating a scent trail along the sandy tracks to a rustic fishermans hut, King attracts the devil with its extraordinary sense of smell and hearing. Visitors remain undetected by the creatures, watching by candlelight through the huts window as the animals begin their feeding frenzy.

This is not an experience for the fainthearted, and one never to be forgotten. Geoff King works closely with the Tasmanian Nature Conservation Service to ensure that the devils do not become dependent on him for their food source, so he only operates five nights out of 14 and never more than three nights in a row.