45 Best Sights in Tasmania, Australia

The old state library building houses one of the best maritime collections in Australia, including figureheads, whaling implements, models, and photographs dating from as far back as 1804. It's a small museum though, so don't plan on spending more than an hour. Upstairs the Carnegie Gallery has rotating exhibitions in a magnificent space.

Exhibits in this gracious old Georgian town house, surrounded by a lovely rose-filled garden, depict the life of Tasmania's upper-class pioneers. Of particular interest are the collections of colonial furniture, clothes, paintings, and photos.

A stone's throw from the historic town of Swansea, this long, sweeping beach is a favorite for swimming, fishing, and simply soaking up the views and peaceful surroundings—visitors enjoy uninterrupted views across Great Oyster Bay to Schouten Island, The Hazards, and the Freycinet Peninsula. Dangerous rips can be a concern here—take care, especially near the sand bar. The western end of the beach has a variety of lodgings and holiday rentals. Great Swanport lagoon and wetlands form the back side of the beach. There's parking for about 100 cars in the lot. Amenities: parking (free). Best for: solitude; surfing; swimming; walking.

“The Tench," as it was known by its inhabitants, was the prisoners' barracks for Hobart Town. The buildings, only a short walk from Hobart's CBD, vividly portray Tasmania's penal, judicial, and religious heritage in their courtrooms, old cells, and underground tunnels. If you want to get spooked, come for the nighttime ghost tour (reservations necessary).

Opened in 1891, the gallery presents fascinating insights into the city's history, including the rich Aboriginal and colonial past. There's also a large natural-history collection of stuffed birds and animals (including the now-extinct thylacine, or Tasmanian tiger). Regular tours and history talks are a great way to dig a little deeper into the museum's collection.

The largest area of open land in Hobart, these well-tended gardens are rarely crowded and provide a welcome relief from the city. Plants from all over the world are here—more than 6,000 exotic and native species in all. The collection of Tasmania's unique native flora is especially impressive. The café serves wholesome meals with some produce grown on-site. The gardens also host regular concerts and events throughout the summer. A sub-Antarctic chamber contains specimens from islands far to the south of Tasmania.

One of Hobart's favorite beaches, this long, sandy stretch of sand is less than a 20-minute drive outside of Hobart, close to the airport. It is both isolated and stunning to look at, although it can be noisy with planes taking off and landing nearby. Considered a great family beach, it's rarely crowded and ideal for long walks along sand that's peppered with many unusual shells. The small surrounding community includes playgrounds, golf courses, and a café. Seven Mile Beach Cabin and Caravan Park is set within a beautiful park alongside the beach. There are numerous day-use areas—No. 1 has unsheltered tables and a lawn area suitable for picnicking. Amenities: food and drink; parking (free); showers; toilets. Best for: solitude; swimming; walking.

In the small village of Sheffield, 32 km (20 miles) south of Devonport, with the ever-present Mt. Roland overlooking the valley, more than 60 murals painted on the exterior walls of local buildings depict scenes of local history. This village is worth a special detour; its cafés and galleries are interesting, and it's the perfect rest point on the way to Cradle Mountain.

Beyond Geeveston, the cantilevered, 1,880-foot-long Tahune AirWalk rises to 150 feet above the forest floor, providing a stunning panorama of the Huon and Picton rivers and the Hartz Mountains. The best views are from the platform at the end of the walkway, and if you have time, follow one of the trails that leads from the center through the surrounding forests. If one day isn't enough you can stay the night on-site in the reasonably priced Tahune Lodge or in a self-contained cabin. There's also a shop and a café with free Wi-Fi.

This "unzoo" offers a four-in-one wildlife nature experience that combines up-close animal encounters, wildlife adventures, a Tasmanian native garden, and original art. It is also the best place to come face-to-face with real live Tasmanian devils. Spot these burrowing carnivorous marsupials (about the size of a small dog), as well as quolls, boobooks (small, spotted brown owls), masked owls, eagles, and other native fauna. The philosophy of the "unzoo" is to challenge the way native animals are presented to the public.

This sheer volcanic plug that's some 12½ million years old rears up right behind the village—it's almost totally surrounded by the sea. You can ride a chairlift to the top of the 500-foot-high headland, where the views are breathtaking; or, you can make the 20-minute trek on a footpath leading to the summit, where walking trails lead in all directions. It's a stunning place to view birdlife and the whole northwest coastline.

Tasmania's Aboriginal culture is being revitalised through regular cultural events. On display is artworks and a series of reproduced Aboriginal huts. Among the exhibits are many cultural artifacts including beautiful Aboriginal rock engravings, which were discovered on the nearby Mersey Bluff headland in 1929 and subsequently collected here for protection. Tours must be arranged in advanced.

This museum housed in the old Zeehan School of Mines and Metallurgy (established in 1894) showcases the region's mining history with a remarkable selection of minerals, historical items, and personal records. Some exhibits are in a re-created underground mine or just out of town.

In this helpful visitor center there's also a museum that concentrates on local subjects and isn't afraid to tackle such controversial issues as past conservation battles over the area's rivers and the fate of Tasmania's Aborigines. Don't miss the rowdy and exuberant performance of The Ship That Never Was, based on a true story of convict escape and a loophole in British justice at the amphitheater daily at 5:30 pm. there are also great displays on the timber and mining history of the wild West Coast.

It's less than a 10-minute drive from the historic former penal colony of Port Arthur to the pristine white sands of beautiful White Beach, a wild, unspoiled, crescent-shape beach often named one of the most beautiful beaches in Australia. The breathtaking views from the beach are among the most beautiful in all of Tasmania, stretching as far as the eye can see across Wedge Bay to Storm Bay and then beyond to the Hartz Mountains. The local trails are worth exploring, not far from the usually deserted 3-km (2-mile) beach, although world-class diving is also available at Eaglehawk Neck and decent surfing at Roaring Beach. White Beach Tourist Park fronts directly onto the beach, and the general area has a number of cafés and restaurants offering excellent local Tasmanian cuisine. Amenities: food and drink; parking (free); toilets. Best for: snorkeling; solitude; sunrise; sunset; surfing; swimming; walking.