6 Places That Prove Tassie Is Home To Some Next-Level Nature
Go Wild Before Uni.
We don’t deserve Tasmania. The eclectic, irresistibly green island down South is about as consistent as they come – an absolute stunner and serving up some of the best camping, hiking and swimming spots in Australia year after year.
Tassie doesn’t have to go so hard, but she does. It’s almost our duty to turn up and take it all in.
So, without further ado, here are the best places to head in Tassie if you’re itching for a rendezvous with Mother Earth. We promise you won’t want to come back.
Hike Cradle Mountain
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You’d be forgiven for thinking Cradle Mountain National Park is some sort of off-shoot of Mars. The acres of lakes, stone, ravines and shrubbery make up some of the most unique landscape you’ll ever come across.
Visitors can complete a sprawling hike that leads you right up to the base of the mountain, over the boulders and to the very top of the Cradle. The view is unreal (and completely worth the slog) so make sure you complete the entire thing.
Explore Maria Island
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Maria Island (pronounced ‘Mariah’ for those who thought it shared the name of a Sound of Music character) (me) is located just off the East Coast before you hit Hobart.
It’s small, only accessible by ferry, and completely car-free, so make sure you bring a bicycle along. You can spend the day on Maria brushing up on some pretty fascinating history (the island boasts one of the country’s oldest convict towns) and biking along the dramatic sandstone coastline. Or, stay even longer to do some whale- or Tasmanian Devil-spotting while you walk. There’s also ripper bird watching, if you’re into that sort of thing!
Head To The Tasman National Park
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The Tasman National Park does not mess around. The incredible reserve is home to numerous natural treasures, including the Tasman Arch, Tesselated Pavement, the Blowhole and the Remarkable Cave. To top it off, jutting up out of the shore break is the Totem Pole, which many brave people have deigned to climb.
The Tasman’s landscape is as diverse as it is interesting. You could spend weeks getting lost in the waterfalls and beaches or staring wide-eyed at the seemingly impossible rock formations. Make sure you carve (rock joke!) enough time to explore for a while.
Oh, Just One Of The World’s Tallest Trees
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In Styx Valley, north-west of Hobart, you can tick ancient eucalyptus trees off your bucket list. And, standing at nearly 100m tall, the Centurion tree ranks as one of the world’s tallest – so you can tick that off, too. The Centurion is so tall it took this photographer over two months to get a proper glamour shot.
Go to gawk at the very tall gums and stay to feel all small, cosy and awestruck. Nay-cha really is that b*tch.
Soak Up The Tarkine
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To get even greener, mossier and down-to-dirt, head to the luscious Tarkine rainforest. You can find Tarkine, home to the second-largest temperate rainforest in the world, in Tassie’s northwest corner, populated by caves, mountains, and even a sinkhole. Keep an eye out for some wild Tassie Devils, echidnas and platypuses while you’re wandering around.
The Tarkine’s Pieman River is also your chance to grab a kayak and go for a once-in-a-lifetime kind of paddle.
Frolic Around The Bay of Fires
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The Bay of Fires may be famous for its unique, orange-coloured boulders, but don’t let that distract you from the crystal-clear water and eye-burningly-bright sand. Spend a few days lazing on the white beaches and a few nights at a nearby eco lodge to truly bathe in all that the bays have to offer.
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Ready to answer the call of Tassie’s next-level nature? Apply now to study at the University of Tasmania in 2020.
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(Lead image: Laura Smetsers / Unsplash)