Destination: Tasmania, Australia

Small group tours Tasmania, Australia

Explore the sights and history of Tasmania, from the cerulean waters of the east coast, to Cradle Mountain, and the capital city of Hobart. Odyssey offers safe, confident, authentic, escorted small group tours for mature and senior travellers, couples, and solo travelers to Australia. Limited to 15 like minded travellers.

Sitting about 460km below the Australian mainland state of Victoria, (560km from Melbourne) the island of Tasmania is Australia ‘s second smallest, and 6th most populous state or territory. Covering an area the size of Ireland, or similar to Missouri, Tasmania is home to roughly 540,000 people, about 40% of whom reside in the state’s capital Hobart . Tasmania plays host to a climate, and landscape distinct from the rest of Australia, this is due to its position further south towards the Antarctic, its long separation from the mainland and its position in the ‘roaring forties’ wind current. These have all contributed to its distinct flora, fauna, geology, and climate patterns.

Most of the island has a cool oceanic climate, with the mountainous area towards the centre of the island being cooler still, this climate makes the eastern part of the island productive for agricultural use, while the western portion of the island is densely forested, with huge national parks and protected areas that cover a substantial 42% of the island . Known colloquially as ‘ Tassie‘ to Australians, Tasmania is renowned for its rich natural heritage, with places like Cradle Mountain , Lake St Clair , Mount Wellington , or Wineglass Bay being some of the more well known. The island’s latitude also makes it one of the best places on earth to see the aurora australis , or Southern Lights, if you’re lucky enough to catch them.

As for Tasmania‘s cultural heritage, you can find historic world heritage sites such as Port Arthur on one end of the spectrum, or wild and creative museums such as MONA on the other. MONA is the largest privately owned museum in the southern hemisphere and features large exhibits from artists across Australia. In all, a holiday in Tasmania provides a wide range of experiences, with unique natural and cultural heritage that marks it out as distinct from Australia‘s mainland states.

History

Tasmania‘s earliest history traces back to its Indigenous people , with a history that predates European colonization in the region by around 30,000 years, with Aboriginal settlement on the Australian mainland thought to have begun at least 65,000 years ago – and possibly as early as 125,000 years ago – and gradually moving south. Indigenous people in Tasmania were separated from the mainland some 12,000 years ago when sea levels rose during the thawing of the last ice age. Isolated from the mainland, they developed different languages and cultures that diverged from that of the population on the mainland. Today there are least nine different Aboriginal nations, each with its own language.

The first European contact with Tasmania came in the year 1642, with Dutch explorer Abel Tasman first sighting land on the west coast of the island on the 24th of November 1642. On 1 December, Tasman anchored to the north of Cape Frederick Hendrick. He named the island Van Diemen’s Land in honour Anthony van Diemen, Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies.

This early exploration of the island , as well as New Zealand, and the surrounding seas, has been honoured in the region’s names, with areas such as the Tasman Sea, and the island of Tasmania itself bearing the explorer’s name. Despite the early discoveries of Tasman, Europeans would not return to the area for another 130 years, with French explorer Marc-Joseph Marion du Fresne arriving in 1772, and the British arriving a year later. At this time, though it was theorized, there was no solid evidence that Tasmania, was in fact an island. This was eventually confirmed in 1798, with British Captain Matthew Flinders, and explorer George Bass circumnavigating the Australian continent, and passing through the Bass Strait. (The straight was later to be named after the George Bass.)

Map of Australia from 1826, showing Tasmania and SE coast.

Colonization started in 1803

Although the islands of the Bass Strait had been used by whalers, and sealers for some time, colonization of the main island did not begin until the year 1803, when a settlement established at Risdon Cove in the Derwent Valley. Only a year later, the settlement relocated to the current location of Hobart, which was blessed with rich reserves of water thanks to the cascades running from kunanyi. Tasmania‘s early settlements were characterised by conflict with the indigenous inhabitants and the extensive use of convict labour, with about 4 of every 10 convicts transported to Australia arriving on the island in its early years.

The continued use of Tasmania as a convict settlement helped create a tremendous gender imbalance on the island, adding to turmoil between the settlers and native population, with convicts and free settlers to abducting Aboriginal women. This, coupled with the increasing strain on the island’s resources, and grazing lands, eventually escalated into violent conflict between the settlers and Indigenous population, in what came to be the most brutal example of settler colonisation in Australia‘s history. As the Aborigines last more and more of their traditional hunting grounds, battles erupted between them and the European settlers. In 1828 martial law was declared by the Lieutenant-Governor Arthur and Aboriginal tribes were forced from their lands at gunpoint. Between 1829 and 1834 many remaining indigenous Tasmanians were resettled on Flinders Island where most of them died of disease or despair.

Van Diemen’s Land

Known in these early years as ‘Van Diemen’s Land’, the island was extremely important to early colonization, with about a third of Australia‘s non-indigenous population residing on the island in 1830, as well as accounting for a full half of cultivated land. The majority of the settlement for agricultural purposes was in the centre of the island and on the east coast. The Van Diemen’s Land Company was also a tremendously influential body at this time, and enjoyed an undisputed monopoly to the entire northwest of the island.

1853, a name change

The transportation of convicts eventually came to an end in the year 1853, and the name of the island was subsequently changed in the year 1856 to Tasmania. The name change came as more and more free settlers made their way to the island, and Tasmania sought to distance itself from its recent history of convict labour. As time progressed and Tasmania came into its own, it became its own fully fledged state, joining with the mainland in federation in 1901 , with the vote to join enjoying the largest margin of any Australian state. In the early years of the 20th century Tasmania suffered something of a depression leading to a lack of development, this in turn led to the retention of many of its fine colonial buildings. Throughout the 20th and 21st century, Tasmania has been shaped by the development of the hydro-electricity sector, and has become an important melting pot from which several of Australia‘s environmental movements have developed. Today it is well known as an eco-tourism destination, as well as for its vibrant arts and culture sector.

Travelling to Tasmania

Tasmania is easily reached from mainland Australia and from further afield. Hobart, the state’s capital, has an international airport, though most fights come in via Melbourne, Sydney or one of the other mainland capitals. Devonport, on the north coast of Tasmania, close to Launceston, Tasmania‘s second city, can also be reached via ferry from Melbourne. A small group tour of Tasmania with Odyssey usually begins in either Hobart or Launceston. A small group tour of Tasmania can offer the senior traveller a rich experience, delving into the state’s incredible natural, and cultural heritage. Travellers to Tasmania are able to enjoy its historic townships, Jurassic era dolerite cliffs, temperate rainforests and bushland, cerulean blue coasts, as well as some of the world’s cleanest air .

Touring Tasmania

For those starting out on a Tasmania tour, a good place to begin would be the state’s capital city, Hobart.

Hobart

Located on the south-east coast of the island, Hobart is home to some 206,000 people, roughly 40% of Tasmania ‘s population. Hobart has a thriving cultural, and commercial life, and is dotted with cafes and restaurants, as well as museums, markets, art galleries, and more. Visitors to Hobart should be sure to stop by on a Saturday, this is the time when you can catch the famous Salamanca markets , here you can find local craft goods and foods, ranging from carved Tasmanian native woods, to lavender, mountain honey, craft gin, pearls and much much more. While eating out in Hobart you might also want to have lunch or dinner around the famous Elizabeth St Pier, which has incredible fresh seafood, North Hobart is also known as a popular place to eat both lunch and dinner, with a variety of local favourites found in this part of town.

Just outside of Hobart, though always present on the city’s skyline, is Mount Wellington , or ‘Kunanyi’. You can make your way up the mountain to the lookout in about an hour’s drive from town. From the top you can enjoy a spectacular view of the city, the harbour, and at times you can even catch the aurora australis away from the polluting lights of the city below. Another major Hobart attraction is the Museum of Old and New Art, or MONA . Opened in 2011 by professional gambler and philanthropist David Walsh, MONA features large exhibition spaces with brilliant, creative and at times controversial art installations. The best way to get to MONA , since it occupies its own private island, are the Mona Roma ferries, these depart from the Brooke St Pier just next to Salamanca place, where you can also buy entry tickets.

Aside from the activities of the city of Hobart itself, the city is an excellent staging point from which to explore much of the surrounding area.

Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary

It is easy to take a day tour from Hobart to many scenic and historic sites. One of the easiest of these would be Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary . Located near the town of Brighton to the north of Hobart, the wildlife sanctuary is an easy way to see much of Tasmania ‘s unique wildlife up close and personal. This can also be an excellent opportunity to meet the island’s famous tassie devil , which can be rather elusive in the wild. To the south of the city, you might want to take a day trip to Huonville and the Huon Valley. This area is a popular region for wineries, as well as craft ciders, mead, liqueurs, whisky and gin. While in Huonville you can stop by at Willie Smith’s Apple Shed for a hearty lunch, tasting palette of ciders, and sometimes even local musicians. Just over an hour west of Hobart, you can also visit Mt. Field National Park, here you can find some incredible walking tracks through the the Tasmanian wilderness, as well as some truly special waterfalls like Russell Falls, or Horseshoe Falls. Here the spectacular scenery is reminiscent of a Tolkien novel.

Bruny island

Off the southeast coast of Tasmania, and another popular day trip from Hobart is Bruny Island. Bruny Island is famous for its pristine beaches, dramatic cliffs, fresh seafood, and local wildlife. Travellers to Bruny often find one of the best spots for sightseeing on the island is the narrow isthmus connecting north, and south Bruny, known locally as ‘the neck’. Another way to see Bruny Island is on a cruise, where you can oft spot seals and dolphins around the islands coastline, on the land you can also find a unique Bruny Island species of wallaby, which due to generations of mutation have snowy white fur.

On South Bruny you can also take a Bruny Island Lighthouse tour, with the historic Cape Bruny Lighthouse being one of the oldest continually operating in the country’s history. Heading east from Hobart around the coast to the Tasman Peninsula, is Port Arthur. Port Arthur is a World Heritage listed area, with its history harkening back to the colonial era as one of the most notorious and brutal penal colonies in Australian history. The Port Arthur historic site’s colonial history is brought into revealing, and stark contrast, with the site’s museums and tours giving visitors insight into what day to day life was like for some of Australia‘s earliest European residents. Port Arthur is also a good jumping off point for a wildlife cruise around the coastline of the Tasman National Park, along the ride you can find animals such as bottlenose dolphins, and Australian fur seals in abundance, as well as a huge variety of seabirds such as cormorants and sea-eagles.

Day Trip to Richmond and new Norfolk

From Hobart it is also possible to take a day trip to historic townships such as Richmond and New Norfolk. These towns were settled early in the colony’s history and still retain much of their early 19th century architecture. Richmond, on the Coal River, with its historic 1823 convict built bridge, is a particularly popular spot for a day trip. The New Norfolk population was dramatically increased when the first convict settlement on Norfolk Island was closed, and the inhabitants resettled in Tasmania, in 1807. One of Australia‘s oldest hotels, The Brush Inn, has been trading in the same building in New Norfolk since 1825.

Exploring the East coast of Tasmania

Leaving Hobart behind, a journey heading up Tasmania ‘s east coast is a fantastic way to see how the landscape changes as you pass through forests, mountains, and verdant plains along your trip . One of the first highlights along this route would have to be Wineglass Bay, located on the Freycinet Peninsula. This is a place famous for its pristine beaches, blue waters and incredible abundance of wildlife and Wineglass Bay is worth at least a whole day to do it proper justice.

For those on a walking tour , heading south from Coles Bay through the national park is a great way to get to Wineglass Bay Beach. Along the way be sure to stop at the Wineglass Bay lookout , here you’ll get a great view of the sandy beaches , rugged coastline, and see the distinctive U-shape the bay is famous for. Another place to look out for while journeying up the east coast is the seaside town of Bicheno . Bicheno is famous for its large naturally occurring blowhole, which launches out huge jets of water into the air as the tide fluctuates, making for a great photo opportunity, it’s also a good lunch spot for fresh seafood and a break from the road.

Launceston

Another Tasmanian city hub, though smaller than the capital Hobart, is Launceston. Located in the island’s Tamar valley region, Launceston has just under half the population of Hobart, making it Tasmania ‘s second largest city. Launceston is known for its colonial, and Victorian style architecture dating back to the earliest days of settlement, and has one of the best preserved and oldest cityscapes in Australia. Launceston is another great launching pad for a tour of the surrounding region, or for connecting transport heading further afield. One example of this is Flinders Island, which you can make your way to after a short, light aircraft flight from Launceston. Flinders Island is located off the northeast coast of Tasmania, and is the largest in the Furneaux group of islands, it is known for its natural beauty, walking tracks, and its tragic colonial history. With this in mind, the layout of Flinders Island, is ideal for a walking tour, with Odyssey, visiting nearly every major site on the island along our tour.

Cradle Mountain- World Heritage site

Heading west out of Launceston, eventually you’ll come upon one of Tasmania ‘s most notable attractions, the UNESCO world heritage listed Cradle Mountain. The Cradle Mountain National Park is the highlight of any wilderness tour of Tasmania , with its natural beauty being special even in a place so naturally gifted as Tasmania. The area is dotted with wilderness walks and walking trails necessary to properly explore what the national park has to offer. One of the most popular spots is Dove lake , which lies at the centre of the park with the mountain looming behind, and is the perfect spot for a photo opportunity. The national park is also incredibly abundant in wildlife , and you might find yourself literally tripping over wombats, who have become quite friendly and unafraid of visiting humans. You should also keep an eye out for the island’s famous tassie devil, which could make an appearance.

Stanley

Continuing north, a good place to head to is Stanley , which with its incredibly clean air, and seaside charm, is another great base from which to explore Tasmania ‘s northwest region.

Along your way to Stanley you may want to stop by the Table Cape, which has one of Tasmania ‘s largest tulip farms , and is a visually stunning stop for any ‘budding’ horticulturalist. The town of Stanley itself is notable for a number of reasons, the first of these is its massive dormant volcano, known locally as ‘the nut’. This is a great lookout from which to take in the surrounding seas and countryside, and you can even take a chairlift to the top.

The town is also famous for its historic buildings, some of which date back to the time of the Van Diemen’s Land Company. Lastly the air around Stanley , and places in northwest Tasmania such as Cape Grim has been measured as amongst the cleanest in the world. At first this may not sound like much to boast about, but in a world characterized by air pollution in the larger cities where many of us live, the effect of fresh, clean air as its supposed to be, is really something of an unexpected marvel.

Near Stanley , you may also want to take a day trip through the Tarkine rainforest , which, as one of the only temperate rainforests in the world, is definitely something to make time for on a tour to Tasmania . The Tarkine is one of Australia ‘s great untamed wild places, with old growth that dates back many hundreds of years. It is home to many of Tasmania ‘s native trees and endangered species, and is a great place to experience one of the few remaining wild places on our planet.

The West coast Highway to Strahan and the Gordon river.

Heading further down along the west coast , you’ll find numerous national parks , small towns like Strahan, and rivers such as the Gordon River and Franklin River. The west coast is a great way to see Tasmania ‘s wilderness , that captures the island’s Gondwana heritage.

Rounding the west coast route back to Hobart, you’ll come across Lake St Clair , listed along with Cradle Mountain as a UNESCO world heritage site. Lake St Clair is another natural gem to see on a wilderness tour of Tasmania. Lying in a deep basin formed by glaciation over millions of years, Lake St Clair is known for its crystal clear, and incredibly still water. Known as leeawuleena, or ‘Sleeping Water’ in the indigenous language, the huge lake is so calm it reflects the surrounding area, and sky above like an enormous mirror, one which is particularly impressive during the golden hour around sunrise or sunset. One of the best ways to experience areas such as Lake St Clair and Cradle Mountain is with a small group tour. Odyssey specialises in this kind of tour, offering an engaged and intimate tour of Tasmania, ideal for seniors, solo travellers, and couples heading to Australia and Tasmania.

Odyssey’s collection of Australia tour packages with a tour manager enable you to explore each state with Odyssey’s escorted tours Australia 2021 portfolio as a city based tour or a Australia holidays package into the Western Australia outback of the Kimberley or South Australia‘s Flinders range or just spend a week on holiday in Hobart learning about a range of subjects on Odyssey’s Summer Schools tour package. This collection of some 70 scheduled small group holiday departures provides plenty of choice for an Australian holiday. You can make your booking direct for your Australia escorted tour with us or via your travel agent or travel consultant.

A small group tour of Australia is a journey between cities with up to 250 years of settlement history and an outback, which has some of the oldest known geologic material on earth. But importantly, it has one of the longest and truly fascinating known periods of human settlement. Indigenous Australians settled via a land bridge on the continent from Southeast Asia at least 85,000 years before the first Europeans from Portugal and Spain began exploration in the 17th century. For senior and mature travellers, a small group tour of Australia is a unique experience.

Responsible travel tips for Australia

• Before departing, make sure you have a number of AU dollars in a range of denominations. You don’t want to be carrying around enormous amounts of cash, but take enough to make it easy to pay in locations that might not accept credit card. It will also help you avoid card transaction fees, and it makes tipping a breeze.
• Carry a card in your wallet or purse from your local hotel, to assist you with the return journey if you do become lost.
• As a senior traveler ensure that you are covered by travel insurance. If you need advice on this feel free to contact Odyssey and we’ll be able to help.
• Before departing, make sure you have a number of AUD in a range of denominations. You don’t want to be carrying around enormous amounts of cash, but take enough to make it easy to pay in locations that might not accept credit card. It will also help you avoid card transaction fees, and it makes tipping a breeze.
• When travelling independently, make sure you check the opening hours of shops and museums so that you don’t miss out! Also be certain to check whether your trip coincides with any public holidays, so you can plan accordingly.
• Before departing on your trip, contact your bank to inform them that you may be making purchases overseas. Otherwise, they may flag any activity on your account as suspicious. Also, check which ATMs and banks are compatible with your cards, to ensure you can withdraw cash with minimal fees.