Take a breath in Tassie.
Petite penguins at Wineglass Bay. Image credit: Tourism Australia.
In NZ we’re lucky to be blessed with natural gems at our doorstep. However if you’ve exhausted yourself of all our bush walks and beaches, there’s a spot over the ditch that’s waiting to be explored.
While we’re usually lured across to Sydney or Melbourne by stars (cough *Taylor Swift*), sports games and shopping, Australia’s nature state of Tasmania is the perfect wee wonderland for winding down.
Whether you’re wanting to embark on your first girls trip overseas, keen to convince your fam to take some time out, or simply wanting to add to your bucket list, here are some parts of Tasmania that we can’t stop dreaming about.
Wineglass Bay
Image credit: Lauren Bath
With white sparkly sands framed by lush forest and the aquamarine ocean, its a pretty picture-perfect destination. Perched within the flora and fauna of Freycinet National Park, this bay never fails to make its way onto lists of the top beaches in the world. We can see why. Floating amongst that beautiful blue after working up a sweat amongst Tassie’s peaks is pure bliss.
Douglas Apsley National Park
Image credit: Jamie Douros & Camille Helm
Another national park to rival NZ’s own is Douglas Apsley. Wander amongst the woodland and eucalypt forest to arrive at magical river pools fit for a fairy. The plunging gorge that was once home to mining has been filled by the Apsley river and allowed to flourish into a tranquil tourist trail. Be prepared for the crisp water temp to wake you up while washing off any post-hike fatigue.
Bay of Fires
Even during a winter visit, the sapphire blues and emerald greens of Tasmania’s swimming spots lure visitors to dive in. At the Bay of Fires, the crystal-clear water isn’t the only eye catching element on offer. Mother nature has also brushed the rocks here with strokes of a deep orange, creating an eye catching contrast of colours. This fiery decoration comes from a lichen that decided it would be quite happy soaking up the sun on these rocky shores. We’re easily convinced to join them.
Turrakana/Tasman Peninsula
Image credit: Stu Gibson
For a spot that’s a little more adrenaline-inducing, make your way over to Turrakana/Tasman Peninsula. Hanging out to the south-east of Hobart, this former convict stomping ground is now a haven for off-the-track tourists with sheer cliffs and dramatic waves. The intricate yet rugged rock formations almost appear as if they were carefully crafted by hand, piece by piece. A top activity in these stirring waters is observing the beauty of the rock faces from a boat, or a surfboard if you’re a true Tasmanian (dare) devil.
Cradle Mountain
Image credit: Off The Path
For a more sustained effort at getting the heart racing, why not tramp your way through a UNESCO World Heritage site? Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park is equipped with wilderness wonders including glacially-formed landscapes, mountains leftover from the separation of the Gondwana supercontinent, and for those not into all that historical geography business, cute furry quolls. If you manage to get your boots into the shores of Dove Lake at the right time of the year, you may even be lucky enough to see the Southern Lights, the Southern Hemisphere’s answer to its famous sister show in the North.
Lake Derby Floating Sauna
After soaking up all the hikes that Tasmania has on offer, it would only be right to wind down with a little R&R. Luckily enough, this island escape also has an epic address exactly for that. Lake Derby Sauna knocks the family spa pool out of the park. A floating sauna housed in a cute wee cabin ON a lake, *queue an internet-breaking ‘I think I like this little life’ TikTok*.
Bridestowe Lavender
One look at the Billie logo and you may think we’re biased but there’s something about a lavender purple colour that soothes the brain. A visit to Bridestowe Lavender in Tassie is the ultimate immersion into a pretty-purple paradise. Between the winding rows of flowers, set in front of layers of hills, it's a place that treats all the senses. You’ll encounter a calming smell 100x the power of any lavender soap, and even taste a lavender ice cream which, as you guessed it, also sticks to the strictly purple colour palette.
