Tasmania Travel Ideas | Things to Do in Hobart, Port Arthur & Strahan | Tour the World TV

this episode of two of the world is brought to you by evergreen tours our world of discovery and antler the champions of lightweight luggage [Music] get a there and welcome to to the world real people real travel experiences now we join Aussie tour groups traveling to some of the world's most beautiful destinations and this week we don't have to go very far from home we're a guest of evergreen tours on their Tasmanian spectacular it's our very own pint sized piece of paradise the Big Five for this tour and we feel the cultural heartbeat of Hobart at the Salamanca Arts Centre tazzie cuisine is exceptional and a chocoholics delight we get in touch with our inner convict at the Port Arthur Historic Site experience a shopping purple patch at the BRIT Stowe lavender farm and relaxing on our luxury coach is a great way to travel our 10-day tezi tour takes off from Hobart we travel down the Tasman Peninsula to explore our convict past at Port Arthur then onto beautiful Bishan oh and historical Launceston next stop spectacular Cradle Mountain Stanley and strong to experience the wild and woolly west coast the two our finishes back in Hobart home to the famous Salamanca markets [Music] with Hobart the only Aussie city to make Lonely Planet's top ten cities to visit in 2013 the eyes of the world are firmly fixed on our smallest state with a thriving cultural scene magnificent natural beauty and wildlife our convict past to uncover and some good old-fashioned hospitality along the way Tazi has always been a popular touring destination evergreen offers a deluxe style of touring and all the key sights are included in the itinerary and we're on tour so we're going to need a tour guide so Susan you mentioned on the coach that Tasmania is one of Australia's best-kept secrets so what did you mean by that best-kept secret I believe it's the best-kept secret because of its pristine untouched parts it's very beautiful very changeable there's lots of different parts of Tasmania so what's your favorite part of this tool what are you looking forward to showing us the most things like what's behind us right now the East Coast is absolutely beautiful you know the rolling sea is so beautiful and blue and clean the white beaches just beautiful but also not too many people around like you can have a beach on your own especially down the East Coast now before we get underway time to cover off a few of the basics accommodation on this tour is of a deluxe standard all hotels are centrally located with excellent amenities and comfortable furnishings some properties like Headley's Hotel in Hobart have a colonial past which adds to the experience boutique properties like the cradle mountain Chateau are wonderfully integrated into their spectacular natural surroundings transport on this tour is by luxury coach driven by coach captain Brett I'm traveling with a full house but there's plenty of space on board most of my fellow passengers are Aussies and there's a relaxed friendly feel to the group it's one of the great things about chewing is that you are traveling with like-minded people you are for sure and it's wonderful to have everything organized for you where you're taking places and everything's done for you and you do enjoy it and you meet a lot of really nice people who are exactly like yourself and it is wonderful [Music] now we hear a lot about tezi tree huggers of course Tazi is world famous for its national parks in fact some like Cradle Mountain our world heritage-listed now the island is actually 21% National Park or reserve and we visit five or six parks during this tour and that's plenty of time for a little tree hugging all of your own as we set off up the east coast we visit the spectacular Tasman arch and Devil's kitchen before making our way onto frozen a national park here we meet Ranger Rachel before setting off on a guided walk around Cape Torvill tell me how important our national parks to Tasmania really important there's such a such an important way to conserve really beautiful places they protect our native flora and fauna and enable us to show people around these beautiful places and interests you now we've seen some beautiful wildflowers today yes what's the best time of the year to come to say frozen a national park to see the wildflowers we start seeing orchids at sort of from August through September and they change every month there's something you're coming out and today the whales we're a little bit uncool I pretty bit has to be seasoned but we didn't catch any on camera unfortunately what's the best time of the year to come and see the humpbacks so humpbacks they travel north at the coast sort of May and June and then we start seeing them come back down on their migratory route towards Antarctica from September all the way through to December onto one of the main attractions here in Tazi the world heritage-listed Cradle Mountain Lakes and Claire National Park and a stop at the stunning dove lake at the base of the mountain [Music] well we have left civilization will and truly behind us to explore just a tiny little nano section of Tasmania's wild and woolly west coast now some of this area is yet to be explored by modern man it's remote its unspoiled it's a little mysterious and it's incredibly spectacular boarding the luxurious Lady Jane Franklin in Strawn we set sail towards the Gordon wild river and some of Tassie's most impenetrable wilderness it's a breathtaking 3 hours which includes a visit to the Macquarie Harbour entrance once on the river we stopped at heritage landing for a fabulous guided walk to experience the majesty of the rainforest firsthand back onboard we enjoy a delicious buffet lunch on the journey home to strong ok time to get up close and personal with some of the furry locals here in tezi at the Bono wrong wildlife type now I've been known to throw at auntie or two at the breakfast buffet when there's no Bertram usually but my breakfast manners are nothing compared to the headline act Bonner on wildlife park is home to a variety of furry and feathered Ozzie critters many of them orphans rescued from road accidents and bought to the park to be cared for before being released back into the wild the majority of the parks funding comes from entry proceeds and it performs a vital role in rehabilitating injured youngsters there are always hungry mouths to feed and none more so than the parks of feisty desi devils and as I mentioned they're not known to politely wait their turn at the breakfast of buffet for some more feathered fan visit the fairy penguin colony in vashanoo now unlike penguin attractions on the mainland this is small-scale and the Penguins are free to roam where they like while the hard-working adults spend their days at sea catching fish the large demanding chicks remain at home waiting for a feed and will eventually have to be pushed out of the nest sounds very gen why [Music] now if you wanted to take your very own time machine back to colonial Australia you wouldn't have to travel much further than this tour of Tazzy there is an incredible collection of colonial buildings bridges and monuments to explore including the world heritage-listed wormers estate which gives a fascinating insight into daily colonial life built by thomas archer the first in the early 1800s wormers estate really does allow you to step back in time the estate has been meticulously preserved and a visit here is an included activity on this tour stroll through the Magnificent gardens before enjoying a guided tour of the home the rooms are largely untouched from the 1800s on to explore our convict history and the infamous Port Arthur penal settlement our visit to fascinating Port Arthur begins with a guided tour of some of the key buildings on the site and some of the history of the penal settlement where more than 12,000 convicts were sent between 1830 and 1877 the birdsong and peaceful stillness of Port Arthur today seems strangely at odds with its violent past there's plenty of time to wander at your own pace and while 300,000 visitors come here every year you can often feel quite alone as you explore the site now one of the specialties here at Port Arthur was solitary confinement so if you're particularly bad you got sent to the separate prison and you were deprived of all human contact but not only that have a look at this you've got to wear a set of these here we go that goes in there but even if he could escape there was nowhere to run to this place is virtually an island and coming from England most convicts couldn't swim we'll just describe what you saw at Port Arthur I think the thing that had the most effect was the punishment building that was eerie that was so eerie when you go in there and the way it's set up and you can actually their sound effects I could hear a man copying and things like that you know it was wonderful interesting informative [Music] so it was back on Anzac Day in 2006 when the small town of Beaconsfield north of Launceston hit the world headlines for all the wrong reasons miners Todd Russell and Brent Webb were trapped underground following a mining accident and their colleague Larry Knight unfortunately died during the accident now the tour does give you the opportunity to visit the Beaconsfield mine and Heritage Center it's a great opportunity to learn more about their great escape but also a hundred years of mining history at this site and it's unlikely anyone will ever forget the moment Russell and Webb walked free and finally clocked off at the end of their ordeal [Music] ah time to talk Tazi cuisine and these test regions are a lucky Bunch fabulous cool climate wines like Pinot Noirs chardonnays and Rieslings and fresh produce of every description now all breakfasts and most dinners are included this is a tantalizing tour for the taste buds shoes prepare to be wowed by the taka in tazzie it is exceptional with most ingredients growing locally and much of it exported to clamoring world markets what have you thought of the food on this trip well I was warned before I came to touch mania the food will be great well it's lived up to it it's fantastic everywhere we've gone with being fed well very very tasty tour isn't it yes you eat your way across Tuscany all right now there are two very important things in life chocolates and cheese and this morning I get to indulge in both of them both products of Tasmania starting at the house of Amber's Chocolate Factory and you're wondering why I'm hurrying it because that means more time to enjoy the chocolate now when Forrest Gump's and Mama said life is like a box of chocolates she was almost certainly talking about Tazi lift the lid and you will find a tempting array of delicious delights around every corner and I make the most of the opportunity to try as much chocolate as I possibly can on to the Ashgrove cheese factory for another tempting tasting but first we learn more about the cheese making process and is the opportunity to view the factory in operation but let's face it the tasting is what we're all here for and once again I don't hold back [Music] now even though this is a packed tour there is always time to squeeze in a little retail therapy and I'm gonna be a little bit controversial here I'm gonna go so far as to say Australia's best markets are just a stone's throw from your Hobart hotel welcome to Salamanca your tool will arrive back in Hobart on Friday so that you can visit the fabulous Salamanca market on Saturday morning the market offers fine Tasmanian textiles handmade paper goods clothing cosmetics and more you name it it's here to be discovered every Saturday morning in Salamanca place lavender has always been a big part of the tourists experience right here in Tazi with fields carpeted in purple but you need to be here during December and January to see it in full bloom nevertheless you can have the full lavender experience right here at the Brit Stowe lavender farm I'm taking home the gourmet lavender honey I've got the lavender tea I've got the lavender fridge magnet and pen and I'm rounding it off with some lavender ice cream how would you like to win an amazing a Touring package well here's your chance from two of the world this fabulous prize includes a one thousand dollar voucher towards a tour for two people from immigrant tours a world of discovery a stylish set of three Drive light luggage cases from Adler the champions of lightweight luggage a selection of go travel products to help you get the most from your travel experience and immense holiday wardrobe to the value of $500 from uberman contemporary urban looks and uncompromising quality just tell us in 25 words or less where you'd like to tour to and why visit two of the WorldCom au [Music] the Salamanca waterfront has always been home to a colorful community but ex-convicts sailors and smugglers have long since departed and the arts community have moved in so Rosemarie tell me a little bit about the art scene here in Tazi do I believe it's a flourishing a lot of the artists and arts activists community members that supported the arts cut behind the making of the Art Center and that meant that there were opportunities for artists to start to work to sell their wares there's theater here we have the peacock theatre another theater in town is the Theatre Royal then of course there's Mona and you catch a ferry Artem oh no they operate six days a week as well the arts are alive and well in regional Tazi too including the picturesque town of Sheffield which has turned its fortunes around with the annual international mural fest [Music] on to Cradle Mountain and the amazing wilderness gallery the gallery showcases a stunning collection of nature photography and a poignant exhibition on the Tasmanian tiger or thylacine believed to have become extinct in the 1930s we have a little bit of on this trip too about the Tasmanian tiger which is a very sad stories and how did that make you feel it is very very sad if we have lost them as with any endangered species it's just really sad but I'm hoping out there somewhere there's a little cluster of them well said Fay and here's hoping now if you think this tour ticks all the boxes on your holiday checklist then call evergreen tours or go online to evergreen tours calm for more episodes of - of the world visit our website or track us down on Facebook [Music] well sadly that is all we have time for this week just a tempting taste of what's on offer in tazzie now if you have toured around Tasmania please let us know what you thought on our Facebook page and we look forward to seeing you too of the world again with us next week see you then [Music]

Channel: The Big Bus | Travel Series

Views: 182,600

Rating: 4.601757 out of 5

Keywords: Things to see and do in Tasmania, Tasmania, Hobart, Launceston, Tasmania travel guide

Id: 8_F9SavFuTM

Length: 20min 41sec (1241 seconds)

Published: Sun Feb 23 2014