DESTINATION DISCOVERY

Tasmania
For Cruisers Who Have Done It All

By Ginger Dingus

Next Stop: Tasmania . . .

Would you rather be spotting weird wildlife or sipping fine wine? Are you a country rambler or a city slicker? Pick your passion in Tasmania, where you’ll find dozens of fascinating attractions that appeal to a whole shipload of diverse personalities.

With 40 percent of its rugged terrain dedicated to national parklands and World Heritage wilderness, Australia’s only island state is best known for eco-adventures and such bizarre creatures as the feisty Tasmanian devil and cuddly wombat. On the flip side is Hobart, capital of the state of Victoria. The city sports chic waterfront dining, an open-air craft and food market ripe for browsing, plus a trendy art hotel near the site where European settlers landed more than 200 years ago.

Get Your Bearings

The heart-shaped island of Tasmania, roughly the size of West Virginia, lies 125 miles off southeast Australia. It was separated from the mainland following the last Ice Age and is now home to a wide variety of unique and threatened species of animals and plants.

Most cruise ships call at one of two primary ports. Hobart is an up-and-coming urban outpost located in the southeast at the mouth of the River Derwent. City lovers can easily spend the day on their own exploring this friendly town. Wildlife and wilderness seekers can venture into the bush via a variety of excursions booked on board.

Burnie, an industrial port on the north shore, is better known as a hub for container ships than as a cruise call. Seize the day by getting out of town on a tour to nearby farms, forests, and parks.