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Australia > Tasmania
Travel Specials > Destination Information > Tasmania, Australia
Tasmania promotes itself internationally as "Australia's Natural State" and within Australia as the "Island of Inspiration". About 40% of the island is protected as national parks, World Heritage Areas, and forest and marine reserves. This temperate island paradise boasts 20 national parks, and the mild sunny climate makes this a prosperous region for making fine foods and wine.
It is also known world-wide for the Tasmanian tiger, a now extinct striped marsupial dog-like animal, and of course the nocturnal Tasmanian devil, a small black and white marsupial whose sharp teeth and frightening screams belie the fact that it is shy of humans.
The capitol of Tasmania is Australia’s second oldest city of Hobart. With the River Derwent running through it and Mount Wellington just behind, Hobart does not lack charm and beauty. Many of the historic colonial houses and buildings in Hobart have been preserved, and are now used as restaurants, art studios, cafes and boutique hotels. Some of the most popular attractions in Hobart include:
· Bonorong Wildlife Center offers visitors the chance to interact with native animals, including koalas, Tasmanian devils, kangaroos, emus and wombats. Open year round, except for national holidays. Tours run twice-daily.
· Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens is located near the city center and is home to historic plant collections and a large number of significant trees, some dating back to the nineteenth century. Open year round except for Christmas day and Good Friday. Admission is free!
· Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery is a great place to find out about Tasmania’s history, including its Aboriginal heritage. Also features traveling art exhibits. Open year round. Admission is free!
· Salamanca Place is Hobart’s entertainment hotspot, offering a wide variety of shopping, restaurants, galleries, pubs and nightlife. It is also home to the famous Salamanca Market, which is open every Saturday.
· Kayak tours are one of the best, and perhaps most interesting way to see Hobart. Dozens of tour companies offer these tours year round. Most are about 2 hours long.
· Walking tours can be a fun way to see this scenic city. There are many different tour options available, one to suit just about everyone, including historic tours, coastal walks, treasure hunts and ghost tours.
Other things to do in Tasmania include:
Mount Wellington stands right behind the city of Hobart. When it is not covered in snow, there are many walking trails to explore its heavily forested slopes. Near the top is an enclosed look out which provides spectacular views of the city below.
Hastings Caves and Thermal Springs are located approximately 80 miles south of Hobart. The richly decorated cave is one of the few caves in Australia formed by dolomite. It began forming over 40 million years ago. Admission to the Cave Tour also includes use of the thermal springs pool, changing rooms, hot showers and barbeques for the day. Open year round. 
Port Arthur Historic Site is the best preserved convict settlement in Australia. Every feature of this historic site has a story to tell. Besides the historic buildings, Port Arthur also features magnificent gardens, guided tours and a restaurant and café. It is open every day of the year, except Christmas.
The Cradle Mountain – Lake St Claire National Park is one of the most popular and beautiful natural areas in Tasmania. The park contains a network of walking trails and paths, many of them leading to lookout points with breathtaking views below. There are many picnic areas complete with barbeques throughout the park.
Vineyards and Wineries. Tasmania has over 60 vineyards and wineries, spanning over seven wine regions, mainly on the east side of the state. The wines produced in Tasmania include Chardonnay, Merlot, Riesling and Pinot Noir, just to name a few. Many of the wineries offer tours and free wine tastings.
Weather:
Tasmania has a cool temperate climate with four distinct seasons. Summer lasts from December to February with an average temperature of 72 °F. Autumn lasts between March and May and experiences changeable weather where summer weather patterns gradually take on the shape of winter patterns. The winter months are between June and July and are generally the wettest and coolest months in the state, with most high lying areas receiving considerable snowfall. Winter maximums are 54 °F on average along coastal areas and 37 °F on the central plateau. Spring is a season of transition, where winter weather patterns begin to take the shape of summer patterns. Although snowfall is still common up until October. Spring is generally the windiest time of the year with afternoon sea breezes starting to take effect on the coast.
Some of the information on this page was copied from http://wikitravel.org/en/Tasmania. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. The license Wikipedia uses grants free access to our content in the same sense that free software is licensed freely. This principle is known as copyleft in contrast to typical copyright licenses. Wikipedia content can be copied, modified, and redistributed if and only if the copied version is made available on the same terms to others and that acknowledgment of the authors of the Wikipedia article used is included (a link back to the article is generally thought to satisfy the attribution requirement). Copied Wikipedia content will therefore remain free under the GFDL and can continue to be used by anyone subject to certain restrictions, most of which aim to ensure that freedom.
