Tag Archives: Tasmania

Visiting Port Arthur Historic Site & Sorell Fruit Farm — photos

If you are visiting Hobart, then Port Arthur Historic Site is a ‘must see’. This is one of Australia’s most historic sites as one of the most important convict settlements. “Port Arthur was a key part of the colonial system of convict discipline. Remote, harsh, with no chance of escape, this was the perfect destination for hardened, repeat offenders. … The Port Arthur Historic Site covers around 40 hectares (100 acres) of land containing more … more »

Visiting Hobart, Tasmania — photos of The Taste Festival and Sydney Hobart Yacht Race

My family stayed in Hobart over the New Year period in 2010. We had a great time visiting the The Taste Festival, watching the boats arrive from the Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, and watching the New Years’ Eve fireworks over the Derwent River. We also took a day trip to Port Arthur Historic Site, but that is the subject of a separate story. Hobart was our second base that we used to explore Tasmania. Our first … more »

Tasmania Zoo in Launceston, Tasmania — photos

We took our children to visit Tasmania Zoo in Launceston, Tasmania. The zoo has a large variety of wildlife — apparently the largest collection of native and exotic animals in Tasmania. While my photos do not show it, birds are a large part of the zoo’s collection of animals. The animals of interest to my family were the Tasmanian Devils. The zoo has a breeding program aimed at combating the Devil Facial Tumour Disease (DFTD), which … more »

Visiting Platypus House and Seahorse World — photos

We decided to drive from Launceston to Green’s Beach, taking in some of the local tourist attractions along the way. Several people had told us that we just had to take the kids to see the echidnas at Platypus House located on Inspection Head Wharf in Flinders Street at Beauty Point. We joined a tour and saw the platypus. I did not manage to get any photos of the platypus. We then entered the Echidna Garden. We were all … more »

Ben Lomond National Park in Tasmania — photos

After eating a simple picnic Christmas lunch at Cataract Gorge Reserve in Launceston, we decided to drive to Ben Lomond National Park, which is about 50 kilometres from Launceston and includes the second highest peak in Tasmania — Legges Tor at 1,572 metres. We did not realise that the Tasmanian Government charges a Park Entry Fee to all its national parks. Day-visit National Parks Passes can be purchased on entry to the Ben Lomond National Park, … more »

Cataract Gorge Reserve in Launceston, Tasmania — photos

Being a couple of thousand kilometres from home for Christmas day had certain advantages — we did not need to spend Christmas with family! Instead, we packed a Christmas lunch of turkey sandwiches, fruitcake and some drinks, and made our way to Cataract Gorge Reserve. This is a lovely location and very popular with the locals. The water in First Basin is deep and very cold. However, there is always the heated swimming … more »

Visiting Launceston, Tasmania and Bridgestowe Estate Lavender Farm — photo

After settling in to our accommodation, we went for a walk around the Launceston CBD, including The Quadrant and The Mall. My three year old and six year old easily managed a leisurely stroll around the CBD — Launceston is a small city. A recurring theme in Tasmania is the lack of children’s play equipment in parks. There was a play ground in Queens Park and a few swings in another park, but apart … more »