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 In
1642, Abel Janszoon Tasman was sailing his Dutch ship in
the South Pacific, when he came across a pretty
island. Instead of baptizing it Tasmania or Abelmania, he
decided to name it Van Diemen's Land in honor to the Governor of the
Batavia. Anyway, the island was never colonized by its
proprietors due to being very far from Holland. Later with the
English colonization and with the settling of Australia,
Van Diemen's Land became a maximum security prison for
English criminals. The most dangerous assassins and
outlaws were sent there. In 1803 Hobart was established
(the second oldest city of Australia), and one year later
Launceston city was created. In 1856, the name was changed
to Tasmania, in honor of Abel who discovered it. In 1901,
during the Federation of Australia it became the State of Tasmania, or Tassie, as
it is affectionately called by the Australians. Tasmania is one of the most
beautiful places in Australia, offering tourists and
international students, an enormous variety of interesting
things to do and see.
Tasmania
characteristics are unique and different from the other
Australian States. It offers fantastic sceneries and great
historic places to visit. There are high mountains covered
with snow in the winter, crystalline lakes ,
spectacular scarps, hills along the coast, and many
beautiful beaches with great surf and gorgeous coves.
The City of Hobart (photo), which is the capital of
Tasmania, is located
at the bottom of Mount Wellington, Mount Nelson, and by
the estuary of the Derwent River. The city presents a
modern and vibrant life style with lots of fun and entertainment for all
ages. Restaurants, nightclubs, shopping centers and a
world of other facilities make this city, which has less
than 200 thousand inhabitants, one of the most safe
and extraordinary places to visit or live. Only 20 minutes
by car from Hobart , there is a piece of history that you
cannot miss. It is the village of Richmond, where old ruins of penitentiary time are well preserved. Another
breathtaking place in Hobart, is to go up to the Lookout
on Mt.Wellington or Mt. Nelson. From there, it is
possible to see the entire bay with the view of the city really unforgettable.
Other cities in Tasmania are also very interesting, each
one with a different attraction that enchants the
tourists. Launceston (population of 100
thousand), Devonport (25 thousand) and
Burnie (19 thousand) offers great landscapes and beautiful
constructions as Launceston with its bright red
roofs. Actually each small city or village in
Tasmania has something special to offer making them
captivating and safe. Beyond the hospitality, the
population has pride to show the visitors
where they live, and always treats them with
affection and friendship. In Port Arthur, 1 hour by car
from Hobart, there are ruins of the most brutal criminal colony
in Tasmania. The city was created exclusively for this
purpose, and only prisoners who had recommitted previous
crimes were sent there. Surrounding these cities, farms
which have both products
and animals, offering the best of
Tasmanian. The Wines of Tasmania, as well as the
meat of Sheep and Pig, are considered one of the best
quality in Australia. The Tasmania Apples have a
world-wide reputation, such as "Granny Smith"
(green apple) first produced in Tasmania, and than
exported to the world. Trout and Salmon were
introduced in 1864 with excellent results, adding
to the list of the most famous produces of Tasmania. These
tasteful fishes together with wines, meat, and apples, made Tasmanian products
appreciated and respected in any part of Australia and the world.
For
the Adventurous, Tasmania offers more
excitement than you can imagine. There are 18 National
Parks, with exuberant Flora and Fauna, impressive landscapes
and lots of tours full of adrenaline. Tasmania has great
Bush Walking tracks as
well as all types of Radical Sports.
Despite the cold water (but nothing too
cold that a good wet suits can't resolve), there
are an enormous number of
spectacular Surfing beaches with
fantastic point breaks for any level of Surfers.
Most of these beaches are unspoiled, uncrowded,
and many of
them rarely been
explored. There are good waves all year round, from small
to perfect monsters ride.
Places such as Bruny Island's, Cloudy Bay, and
South Cape Bay, receive enormous swells
from the Southern Ocean and Antarctica. Close to
Hobart, Clifton Beach and Park Beach are the
favourites. The
truth is that all over the coast of
Tasmania, there are always empty peaks waiting for
you. You only need to drive your car along the coast
to find them. Most parts of the Tasmanian
territory is considered as National Park, and
some are considered Patrimony of the Humanity.
4x4 vehicles are an excellent choice to explore the Island and you will not be tired of seeing
so many natural beauties in a pristine stage.
In Tasmania, you will be able to practice all
types of radical sports, from Kayaking, Hang
Gliding, River Rafting, Gliders, Jumps
Falls, Jet Boating, Climbing, besides cruise activities such as
Sailing, Golf,
Fishing and many others. Your good time in
Tasmania will be only limited by your
will, or your wallet. Tasmania has a
little bit of everything, It is truly a playground for adults of all ages.
Without
a doubt, to visit Australia without visiting
Tasmania, is like going to Rome and not seeing
the Pope. Except in the winter months, when can
be too cold for outdoor activities (although not
as frozen as in Northern Europe or Canada), in the
remaining portion of the year any time is a good
time to explore Tasmania.
Beyond spectacular traveling, Tasmania also is an
excellent place to study, having the most
appraised schools of Australia. Room is very easy
to find from Backpacker Hostels to luxurious
Hotels. Daily flights from Melbourne
and Sydney are available, but also you can
cross the Bass Strait by the ferryboat Spirit of Tasmania.
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Come
to Visit or Study in Tasmania!
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Curiosities
about Tasmania:
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Distance
for the Continent: 240 km · Area: 68000 Km² ·
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Ferry
Boat Spirit of Tasmania I and II leaves Melbourne
the 9PM arrives at the 7AM ·
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Spirit
of Tasmania III leaves Sydney 3 times per week
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Total
Population: Approx. 500.000 inhabitants ·
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Average
of maximum temperatures: Summer 22º - Winter 14º
Celsius. ·
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Ticket
Pass of AU$ 33 gives to right to enter in all National Parks ·
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Tasmania
has more Golf fields per head that any State of
Australia
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Visitor
Information Centers gives tips of strolls and
reserves lodging ·
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The
last pure Tasmania Aborigine died in 1876.
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More
than 10,000 prisoners had been sent to Tasmania.
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Last
importation of prisoners was made in 1852.
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The
Tasmania Devil is a carnivorous marsupial animal
with nocturnal habits.
Other
topics:
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Important
Notice: yesaustralia.com has changed in January
2007 into a newer and more comprehensive
website www.portaloceania.com
The English version on the new website is not
completed yet, so we recommend to stick with this
one for a while.
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