Tasmania is an island roughly the size of West Virginia, located 240 km off the south-east corner of mainland Australia. Next stop south is Antarctica, 2000 km away.

Encircled by the Southern Ocean, Tasman Sea and Bass Strait, we breathe the world’s cleanest air and rejoice in pure water and fertile soils – our wine and food are acclaimed around the world.

Tasmania is a natural island – a  land of dramatic coastlines, rugged mountains, tall forests and sparkling highland lakes. Over a third of the state is reserved in a network of National Parks and the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, a refuge and habitat for rare plants and animals, including survivors of the ancient southern super continent, Gondwana.

Our European heritage dates back to the early 1800s, while Tasmanian Aboriginals first reached here 40,000 years ago.

Tasmania also has a vibrant cultural life, boasting one of the best small orchestras in the world and literary authors such as Richard Flanagan, winner of the 2002 Commonwealth Writer's Prize.

Wilderness, heritage, art & culture, wine & food – they’re waiting for you in Tasmania.

Tasmania’s history is the most colourful but tragic of all the states. For more than 25,000 years the island was inhabited by Aboriginal tribes, isolated from the Australian mainland about 12,000 years ago when the seas rose to form Bass Strait. Their peaceful existence was shattered in 1803 with the establishment of a British penal colony. The hard labour associated with establishing most of Tasmania’s prosperous settlements was done by the convicts, who lived in brutal conditions at Port Arthur, while the Aborigines, who resisted the takeover of their land, were treated even more harshly than the convicts. Today the economy is largely based on agriculture, especially quality specialised food products, and on the tourists who flock here to experience the scenery, adventure activities and history. Most towns, especially its capital, Hobart, have preserved their colonial charm by retaining their historic buildings, many of which have been converted to B&Bs, art and craft galleries and restaurants. The restored ruins of Port Arthur, now part of a peaceful 40ha tourist attraction, remain as a monument to Australia’s convict era.