Tasmania, beautiful wilderness.......

Tasmania, Australia’s ultimate self drive holiday destination.

The compact size and rich diversity of Tasmania mean new sights and new experiences around every corner.

Hobart is the state's gracious capital, with its vibrant waterfront, a lively art and music scene and grand historic homes, and it's just a short trip from the city into some wonderfully accessible wilderness.

Hobart lies in the southeast of the state, on the Derwent River and at the foot of Mount Wellington.

Take a stroll through the city centre to see magnificent public buildings or wander the laneways of Battery Point.

It's only a short day trip to the historic Port Arthur convict settlement or the quaint village of Richmond, with its convict-built bridge and architecture.

Many people plan to be in Hobart on a Saturday for the weekly Salamanca markets held in the historic waterfront district.

The waterfront is a focal point for Hobart, housing restaurants , galleries, cruise terminals and, of course, it is the finish line for the annual Sydney to Hobart yacht race.

The arrival of the first yachts into Constitution Dock in December marks the start of the Hobart Summer Festival.

Launceston, the state's second city, has a distinct charm, a combination of well preserved architecture and many city parks.

A variety of walking tours take you through the city and along the Tamar riverfront.

It reaches almost to the middle of the city and it allows the visitor to walk along a rushing river through a dramatic rocky gorge surrounded by beautiful natural bush land.

A rare natural phenomenon in any city.

Less than 15 minutes drive from the centre of Launceston is the start of Tasmania's premier wine growing area and the Tamar Valley.

This is where the acclaimed cool-climate wines are grown, and because many of the vineyards are small and family owned, the growers themselves will greet you and explain just how the wine is made.

Convict labour built many of the roads and bridges in Tasmania.

The Heritage Highway which links Hobart to Launceston, is also a journey through Tasmania's history.

Pick up a fun game of Skullduggery to play along the way.

It challenges you to stop at local towns collecting clues to solve some of the most notorious crimes committed along this busy stretch of road.

The towns, villages and inns en route have many a story to tell.

Tasmania's East Coast is a coast of contrast - sunshine and sea life, wine and wildlife, history, national parks and adventure.

The fertile inland soil along the East Coast produces fine food and wines.

With its bright blazing beaches and distinctive blue-green seas, the East Coast is a place to get close to nature.

Kayak the crystal waters of Wineglass Bay in Freycinet National Park meet fairy penguins at Bicheno, clamber over the brightly coloured rocks that give name to The Bay of Fires or take a ferry to trek around Maria Island National Park.

Burnie is the regional capital of the North West, with its industrial heritage and busy port.

At Table Cape, just beyond the town of Wynyard, the countryside is flat-topped and fertile, supporting tulip farms that stretch over the hillsides.

At the very tip of north-west Tasmania lies Cape Grim on the historic property of Woolnorth.

Here the world's cleanest air sweeps in, propelled by the Roaring Forties and drives Tasmania's largest wind farm.

The Cradle Mountain - Lake St Clair National Park is, for many visitors, their entrance to Tasmania's World Heritage area.

Visitors can choose to pitch a tent or relax in a luxurious alpine spa.

Either way the park offers a range of activities, from short walks and evening nature watching to trekking the challenging Overland Track.

The West Coast of Tasmania is wild. Strahan, on the shores of Macquarie Harbour is the departure point for cruises on the Gordon River and into the South West Wilderness.

From the cruise boat you will see stands of Tasmania's finest trees; the Huon pine, myrtle and sassafras.

Magnificent artworks featuring these woods can also be found in the local galleries of Strahan.

Tasmania offers wonderful opportunities to savour exquisite boutique wine, beer and fresh produce, and to meet the stars of the show - the makers, chefs and growers.

Stop for lunch or dinner at one of their stunning winery restaurants.

Immerse yourself in therapeutic vineyard or river views and contemporary architecture while selecting award-winning sparkling wine, riesling and pinot noir to match Tasmania's freshest oysters, rock lobster and venison.

Shopping in Tasmania is distinctly different to the mainland, with many unique shopping opportunities.

Scattered throughout the island are numerous tempting antique stores and, in addition to the fine wine and food products on offer, quality hand-knitted woollen wear can be found for sale in almost any small town.

Other specialties include chocolate truffles, and wooden products skillfully crafted from Huon pine.

Whether you've brought your own vehicle on the Spirit of Tasmania or have decided to hire a vehicle during your stay, you'll find driving a very convenient way to tour Tasmania.

Colourful characters come out in full force every Saturday, from 8.30am until 3pm, at Hobart's Salamanca Market.

Here you will find some of the best arts, crafts, food and flowers produced in Tasmania.

Salamanca Market is one of those special places where you actually meet the people who create, make or grow what they sell.

Port Arthur is the most intact and evocative historic prison in Australia.

Covering 97 hectares, it has many ruined and restored buildings set in gardens and rolling lawns.

You can join a guided tour with an experienced and knowledgeable guide, or follow your own inclinations and explore the site at your own pace.

Discover one of the world's greatest railway journeys.

The historic 35-kilometre railway of tight curves and spectacular bridges clambers through rugged wilderness, dense rainforest and steep gorges - a legacy of the engineering skills, determination and endurance of the early 19th-century west coast pioneers who built it.

Take a World Heritage cruise down the Gordon River to see one of the world's last great temperate rainforests.

Visit Hells Gates and Sarah Island, then partake in a fabulous buffet lunch featuring locally grown smoked salmon.

You can disembark to stroll in a timeless rainforest where you will spend time at the base of a Huon pine tree that was a mere seedling 2000 years ago.

Visit the museum and retail store, then take a tour of the brewery where you will see the processes that produce the amber liquid.

You'll also have the opportunity to taste the beers that consistently win gold at the Australian International Beer Awards.

Why not see Tasmania by bicycle?

Commence the journey in Launceston and seven days later arrive in Hobart.

Travel through rural farmland before hitting the spectacular eastern coastline.

Visit the renowned Freycinet National Park with its pristine beaches including Wineglass Bay and stop in at Maria Island National Park.

Seahorse farm, located just 35 minutes north of Launceston at the mouth of the picturesque Tamar Valley.

The working farm and aquarium provides a unique insight into the mystical, intriguing and lovable seahorses from birth.

On a clear day drive 22 kilometres to the top of Mount Wellington.

Every day is different - bathed in a rosy glow at dawn, resplendent in the noonday sun, darkly silhouetted at dusk.

From the top you'll see miles and miles up the Derwent Valley, down to the Southern Ocean and across to Port Arthur.

Yes, Tasmania is Australia's ultimate self drive holiday........enjoy.

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