A Jill (a female Wombat) and her joey - Maria Island

TASMANIA! I was in absolute awe for the 12 short days I was there, I needed an excavator to keep picking my jaw up from the floor! How have I grown up and lived in Australia for 25 years and never been to Tassie until now?? This blog is a little insight into what I got up to, my favourite experiences and things I highly recommend you do!

This whole trip started because I was in need of a getaway, and I had no idea where to go. Flights were cheap and I hadn’t been to Tassie before, so a few minutes later I had a few plane tickets. Some say I’m spontaneous, some say I have financial issues - either way I made some incredible memories!

I had a list of places I wanted to check out while I was there, but my list is now even longer…

My original list (no particular order):

Bruny Island
Freycinet National Park / Wineglass Bay
Cradle Mountain
Maria Island
Port Arthur
Cape Hauy
Mt Wellington
MONA
Summer Kitchen Bakery, Bread + Butter Cafe and Pigeon Hole Bakers (yes I’m a sucker for a great bakery feed)
Salamanca Markets

I had a very basic itinerary planned in my notes of how I was going to get it all done. I stayed at an AirBnB at the base of Mt Wellington for the first week then headed up north in the second. This is what I got up to, and some ideas for you to plan YOUR Tassie trip:

Day 1

I flew in to Hobart at about 8pm so grabbed the hire car and dinner on my way to my AirBnB.

Strickland Falls - https://www.instagram.com/reel/DF9yq-CSIMC/

Day 2 - Summer Kitchen Bakery, Strickland + O’Grady Falls

First up was a short drive to Summer Kitchen Bakery to get a warm pie for brekky! I adventured down to Eggs and Bacon Bay (yes this is a real place), then up to Snug Falls but unfortunately it was closed due to bushfires. I smashed down lunch and a coffee at Boho At the Beach in Kingston Beach before heading to Strickland and O’Grady Falls. I spent the afternoon getting creative with my camera and tripod at the gorgeous waterfalls. I ended up trekking off the beaten path and stumbled upon Sphinx Rock lookout

Day 3 - Cathedral Rock

Some of you may have noticed that I didn’t have Cathedral Rock on my list. This was a late night find, and a last minute decision the night before to get up and hike for sunrise. It was hands down my favourite hike of the trip! With the sunrise just after 7am, I was beginning the 9.3km return hike at 6am. Cathedral Rock hike was a fun one, it started off flat along the river then pushed up to a 55% incline for the other half of the way and finished with some rock scrambling at a 99% gradient! I summited just after sunrise, with the whole place to myself. Standing on the cliff edge, I had 360 degree views of Hobart and it’s surrounding mountains. A bit hard to get the excavator up there but thankfully I was able to pick my jaw up myself. I stayed at the summit for quite some time, soaking in the peaceful views as the morning sun rays were hitting my hot and sweaty cheeks.

I was in need of a solid feed after this, so I went back to Kingston Beach and had a feast at Eb+Flo Local Espresso. Well deserved I think.

Day 4 - Maria (Ma-Rye-Ahh) Island

WOAH! I don’t even know where to start. Maria Island would have to be in my top 3 favourite places I’ve ever been to, and that’s a huge statement. The island hosts crystal clear blue waters, white sandy beaches, abundance of wildlife, luscious scrubland and a World Heritage listed convict site.

There are no cars allowed on the island, so the only way to get there is by ferry. A short ferry ride from Triabunna will take you to the breathtaking Darlington Bay. I hired a bike for the day so I could see as much as possible. I got in at about 9.30am and got the 4.30pm ferry back to Triabunna. I rode 47kms around the island, with plenty of breaks for photos and videos, and I couldn’t pass up a swim at Four Mile beach (they lied, it’s only about 350m long)!

The island doesn’t have any options for food or drink so make sure you bring your own. I brought 1.6L of water and that was only just enough, I was rationing until I had my last sip as I was on the ferry back.

Maria Island has a magnitude of wildlife, from friendly wombats, kangaroos, native geese to the incredibly rare Tasmanian Devil. I was lucky enough to see one during the day (they’re nocturnal), but it wasn’t hanging around. Be mindful of the wildlife, you’re in their home and remember not to feed them!

Day 5 - Bruny Island

I love a sunrise, and this one was ripper! I got on the 6am ferry, thankfully with this island, you’re able to drive on it. SeaLink run ferries every day, and allow you to take your vehicle over. I got on the early one as it was cheaper and I wanted to maximise my time on the island. Bruny Island and the sun teamed up to put on a stunning sunrise, as I had just gotten off the ferry the big golden orb was shining through the rolling hills. What a way to start the day! I headed straight for the infamous Truganini Lookout at the Neck Game Reserve, overlooking South Bruny.

Fluted Cape Hike was next on the agenda, a 6.5km hike with spectacular views at the top. The hike started on the beach….do i need to say more?? I checked out Mount Mangana hike too, but there wasn’t much to see at the top. It was a beautiful walk through the mossy trees nonetheless. Do you know what the fourth light station built in Australia was? The Cape Bruny Lighthouse of course. Derr! It’s definitely worth a look, they have tours too! Jetty Beach is just around the corner and wowee, what a sight to see. The Jetty Beach is right on the edge, a campground you can’t miss if you’re camping! I obviously went for a swim, and it was freezing being one of the closest points in Australia to Antarctica!

Adventure Bay is a significant mention, I found myself coming back to the loveable little town that doesn’t have much more than a campground, general store and cafe. There was a moment in the afternoon, I was sat on the almost grey sand of Adventure Bay beach with an ice cream in my hand, where I felt completely at peace. In that moment in time, there was nothing else I wanted in the world, I had no worries, I wasn’t thinking about the future, about the things I had to do, the stresses of life - I was entirely content. I’ve never felt like that before, it was surreal and a great reminder to focus on being present and living in the moment.

“The past is already gone, the future is not here yet. There’s only one moment for you to live, and that is the present moment”

— Buddha

Day 6 - Salamanca Market + MONA

Do you know what Tasmania’s most visited tourist attraction is? You guessed it (let’s be honest you probably didn’t), it’s the Salamanca Market! One of the biggest markets in Australia, it hosts over 300 stalls, and it brings in over a million people per year! It’s open every Saturday from 8.30am-3.30pm so if you’re around, I highly recommend checking it out. Do it solo if you can, you’ll be there till Christmas if you go with your girlfriend/wife. There’s so much to look at!

I wandered around the wharf until my ferry to MONA was ready to leave. MONA (Museum of Old and New Art) is the largest privately funded museum in the Southern Hemisphere, founded and owned by artist and gambler David Walsh. The museum is like nothing else, the weird and whacky artworks displayed were certainly a sight to see. I wanted to see every display so I spent about 2-3 hours there, plus I got a little lost. MONA doesn’t have labels on the walls next to exhibits, they have The O, a downloadable app that tracks your location in the museum to know which exhibits you’re near them, so you can find out more. It’s a great idea but I honestly didn’t particularly like The O, I went to a museum to get away from screens, not to be on my phone the whole time, so I hardly used it and just spent the time exploring with my eyes. Make sure you catch the ferry if you’re heading to MONA, it’s half the experience!

Day 7 - Cape Hauy, Port Arthur and Shipstern Bluff

Cape Hauy - WOW! 7.30am I started the hike, second one on the trail for the day and boy am I glad I got in early. One thing I noticed this trip was to start hikes as early as possible, before the flock of tourists come (yes I’m a tourist too, just a better tourist ha!). An out and back 10.4km, 627m elevation hike took me to one of the most astonishing sights I’ve ever laid my eyes on. A walk through the dense scrub of the Tasman National Park leads out to an opening overlooking the last ragged section of the Cape Hauy trail. Not quite able to see its beauty yet, you push through towards the end. As you arrive atop the jagged edges of Cape Hauy, you’re met with the strong winds climbing up the dramatic cliffs and into your face.

The thrilling hike takes you along the cliffs to a lookout over the famed Totem Pole, a single 65 meter rock pillar towering over the ocean that, unsurprisingly, has become a daring bucket list climb for rock climbers all over the world. Crazy!

Shipstern Bluff, the notorious swell that brings in the bravest surfers from all over the world. A must see sight, except it was dead calm when I went… Yay. The slab has a nickname, ‘The Step’, for its infamous step-like shape that forms mid wave over the severely shallow reef, providing the swell chasers with a serious challenge. To add to the thrill - seals, orcas and great white sharks are frequent visitors to the freezing cold waters. The 30ft wave attracts only the most advanced and fearless surfers, a wave that you don’t want to mess up…

My final stop for the day - Port Arthur. I arrived around 3pm, and headed straight for the 3.30pm ferry out to the Isle of the Dead. I didn’t get off but the option to get a guided tour of the island was available. They closed at 5pm and I found 2 hours was the perfect time to see everything. It would have been nicer to spend more time there, maybe have a picnic or lunch, but I was able to see what I wanted to see. Port Arthur has such a rich and fascinating history, the World Heritage listed Historic Site is not one to be missed. I wont spoilt too much but it does put things into perspective, how lucky we are in todays world to live the luxurious lives we do, yet will still complain over the silliest of things. Young children would get imprisoned for stealing food for their families, or make one mistake and they’re sentenced to years in prison full of torture and hard labour - and people in todays society complain if they get given a latte instead of a cappuccino (just drink the bloody capp). Be grateful and appreciate the little things in life. Go to Port Arthur and read some stories.

Day 8 - Hobart to Launceston

A travel day. A rewind day. A day to relax. I drove up to Launceston from Hobart, stopping in at Bread + Butter cafe for a coffee and feast while I did some editing. The Top Place Retreat was where I stayed for the next few nights, and it left me speechless. I don’t even know where to begin. It was electrifying, it was revitalising, it was a breath of fresh air. The 100 acre property has a watering hole (that you can swim in!), it’s own private waterfall, a huge fire pit and stunning surroundings to soak in. I was in absolute awe for the entire time I was here. They also had a puppy, Juno, who often found her way into your room for a pat or to play, which certainly wasn’t something I was mad about!

Day 9 - Cradle Mountain

I’m either shit at writing blogs, or Tasmania just blew me away because I’m speechless once again. Luckily I made a video outlining my insanely wild Cradle Mountain experience. No typed words needed except 14kms and 1,046m elevation. Enjoy the film :)

Day 10 + 11 - Rest Days

As you saw in the Cradle Mountain video, I injured my ankle and struggled to walk for the next few days so I rested it. I visited what would turn out to be my favourite cafe in Tasmania, Frank and Lotti in Deloraine. I came here both days because I just couldn’t get enough. I edited whilst eating some beautiful homemade food and sipping on my refreshing iced latte. The staff were extremely lovely, letting my sprawl my laptop and camera gear everywhere and choosing my lunch for me when I couldn’t decide. Their decisions were spot on! Or maybe all of the food was superb. I don’t give google reviews very often but I was super stoked with the place so I gave them one. 5 stars obviously!

I checked out Liffey falls too as it was only a short walk, and it was well worth the pain to get there! I’ll let the photo do all the talking. They do say a picture says thousand words! The other time I spent playing with Juno and sitting by the fire pit (there was actually fire in the pit, I wasn’t sitting next to an empty fire pit - I’m not that rogue).

Day 12 - Freycinet National Park + Mt Amos

Wineglass Bay - 35mm film (Fuji 400) shot on Pentax 90WR

This was a huge travelling day - Driving over 400kms and flying 1200kms back home. I left The Top Place Retreat at 6am and drove a measly 3 hours to Freycinet (Frey-Sin-Ay) National Park. I wanted to get to Mt Amos as early as I could to beat the tourists, when I got there the carpark was packed! I didn’t mind too much, I had a yarn with a few people as we climbed up together. Mt Amos was like mars, the rock formations were like nothing else, and the view of Coles Bay behind you as you’re climbing up was gorgeous. The steep climb has as a few trail markers but they’re often hard to spot so keep to the trail as best you can because it’s very easy to get off track. To add to the spiciness of the steep incline, the rocks are incredibly slippery. Don’t forget to wear shoes with good grip and hold on! I slipped twice on my way down, sliding on my bum for a few meters!

You may have heard of Wineglass Bay, and that’s what you get an extraordinary view of when you summit Mount Amos. Spoiler alert: See photo

Mount Amos was short and steep with a 440m elevation gain in 4.64kms! It took me just under 2 hours including a snack and rest at the top for 30mins. Overlooking Wineglass Bay from the summit was so surreal that it looked fake, I was in disbelief.

I really wish I had another day or two to explore more of Freycinet National Park, but I also felt like that with everywhere else in Tasmania! I just couldn’t get enough.

Booking a late flight allowed me to meander the 2.5 hour drive back to Hobart, grab an early dinner before dropping off my hire car and boarding my flight home. Trust me to jam pack as much in a day as I can hah!

*****

Have I convinced you yet? You best be opening another tab to book your flights right now, you wont regret it. Tasmania is regarded as one of my favourite locations I’ve ever been to, and that’s not an easy thing for me to say. There’s only so much recommending I can do, you’ve just got to see it for yourself. One place I missed out on that i would have really liked to go to was Bay of Fires. Unfortunately it was just out of reach in terms of where I was staying and the time I had. Like I said, my list has now grown so I can explore even more next time.

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to shoot me an email or a message on Instagram. I’m always up for a chat!

To see more of my work, or some more beautiful content from Tasmania, click on any of the links below.

Thanks for reading, have a glorious day and appreciate the little things in life

Callum

The Ultimate Itinerary to Australia’s Most Underrated Island - Tasmania

Callum Jai Media