Top places to visit in each of Australia’s states

TAS is the country’s smallest state but the largest island, affectionately referred to by the locals as “Tassie”. It’s arguably most famous for the Tasmanian devil (the cartoon character was, of course, based on the real animal).

TAS is also famed for its natural landscapes, which I found to resemble scenery in New Zealand or Wales; not necessarily what you first picture when you imagine Australia, but that’s the charm of TAS.

Cradle Mountain

Cradle Mountain sits within Lake St Clair National Park, which is at the heart of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. And wild it is—it’s one of the most naturally beautiful national parks on the island.

It’s loved by hikers trying to summit the mountain or walk the multi-day Overland Track, and wildlife spotters who have a good chance of seeing Tasmanian devils, wombats, wallabies and more. (It’s one of the Irwin family‘s places they like to vacation, so you know it must be good!).

You don’t have to enjoy multi-day hiking to visit Cradle Mountain. Some of the best views can be found on the 6 km Dove Lake circuit, easily completed in a few hours.

Freycinet National Park

If you Google Tasmania, you’re bound to come across images of Wineglass Bay. If you want to experience this spectacular viewpoint for yourself, you need to come to Freycinet National Park on the east coast of TAS.

Be warned that the walk is steep and Wineglass Bay Lookout cannot be seen from the car park, but as long as you’re of moderate fitness, you should be OK. Aside from the popular Wineglass Bay Lookout walk, Freycinet is also a haven for kayaking, snorkelling and scuba diving.

The Bay of Fires

The Bay of Fires covers the north-east coast of TAS and can be recognised by the distinctive orange colour of the rocks (caused by lichen). The colours of the rocks here are unique compared to those of other Australian beaches, making the bay a must-visit spot for photographers.

There’s not much to do in the area other than sitting on the beach, walking, or camping in nature, but sometimes that’s all you want from Australia. Even if you make this a brief detour on your road trip around TAS (especially if you’re heading north to Launceston), it’s worth a stop.