About Tasmania

Tasmania is an island roughly the size of West Virginia, located 240 km off the south-east corner of mainland Australia. Next stop south is Antarctica, 2000 km away. Encircled by the Southern Ocean, Tasman Sea and Bass Strait, we breathe the world’s cleanest air and rejoice in pure water and fertile soils – our wine and food are acclaimed around the world.

Tasmania is a natural island – a  land of dramatic coastlines, rugged mountains, tall forests and sparkling highland lakes. Over a third of the state is reserved in a network of National Parks and the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, a refuge and habitat for rare plants and animals, including survivors of the ancient southern super continent, Gondwana.

Our European heritage dates back to the early 1800s, while Tasmanian Aboriginals first reached here 40,000 years ago.

Tasmania also has a vibrant cultural life, boasting one of the best small orchestras in the world and literary authors such as Richard Flanagan, winner of the 2002 Commonwealth Writer's Prize.

Wilderness, heritage, art & culture, wine & food – they’re waiting for you in Tasmania.

• The population of Tasmania is 492,740. Main centres are Hobart (the capital city with 203,600 people), Launceston (98,500), Burnie (18,000) and Devonport (25,000).
• Tasmania has more than 2000 kilometres of walking tracks and 18 national parks.
• The Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area covers 1.38 million hectares, and is one of only 2 areas in the world that fulfils all 7 criteria required for heritage listing.
• Hobart has the second-lowest rainfall of of any Australian capital city (626 mm or 24 inches).
• The average summer temperature is a comfortable 21°C (70°F). Winter’s average is 12°C (52° F).