Ever wondered if it’s worth going to Tasmania? This is why I’d say a big fat YES

So we all have plans when we start to travel, some more vague than others granted. I was just the same. I’d read the guidebook, I’d looked at blog posts, talked to travel agents and figured out the usual Australian gap year route. So I came to Australia wanting to hit up the two big cities, Sydney and Melbourne, get a bit of culture at Uluru and of course, travel the well trodden East Coast.

As with all good travel plans this soon changed. I met fellow travellers who raved about Tassie (Tasmania!) and worked with someone up in Darwin who was from there. I was soon enamoured with the idea of going there. 

After a couple of false attempts, I nearly went in February but ended up finding a job instead, I finally made it to Tassie in April. I am so so glad I did as it was amazing, and there is just so much there to see. 

My first decision was how to get there, you can fly from Melbourne super cheaply or get the ferry, which actually is rather expensive unless you want to take your car over. As I have no car it was a fairly easy decision for me- flying it is.

Next up was how am I going to get around Tassie. It’s smaller than the mainland Australia but it is not small, it’s about the size of Ireland. A couple of friends had done tours around the island. There are two main tour companies and they both looked good. I had mixed reviews from my friends about the tours though and as with all tours they weren’t cheap. On top of that my friend from Darwin had given me some tips on where to go and there were some things that the tours just didn’t do that I fancied doing. So in the end my solution was to hire a car. 

This is my 10 day road trip around Tassie:- 

Day 1: Arrive in Hobart 

So I arrive pretty early (cheaper flight) and pick up the hire car at the airport. I can’t check in till the afternoon so I head up to Mount Wellington for the famous view over Hobart. I get to the top and it’s super windy but you really can’t argue that the view isn’t worth it! 

View of Hobart from Mt Wellington

Next up I still have some time to kill so I decide to head over to Richmond which is planned to do the following day. It’s only about 20mins/ half an hour from the city so very close. Richmond is an old town which is great for browsing antique shops and cafes, but mainly to see the oldest bridge in Australia. 

Richmond bridge

The rest of the day was checking into the hostel, The Pickled Frog (a very good place to stay), catching up on sleep after an early flight and finding the supermarket. 
Day 2: Tasman Peninsular 

 About a 3 hour drive from Hobart is the Tasman Peninsular, home to some stunning scenery and Tassie’s convict history. 

My first stop was at the Tessalated Pavement, at the neck of the Peninsular,an intriguing naturally formed rock formation. By this time coffee was also in order and there was a cute little trailer serving coffee with a view over the Peninsular…perfect! 

Tessalsted Pavement

After a stop at the Tasman Arch and Eagles Neck, coastline features, it was a stop at the Unzoo to see a Tasmanian devil, I mean how could I not! 

Tasmanian Devil

It was then on to one of the most popular day trip destinations from Hobart, Port Arthur. This was the convict settlement and is a fascinating place to wander and learn more about the history there. Included is a boat tour which goes out around the bay with good views looking back at the settlement and takes you past the boys prison and the isle of the dead.

Port Arthur

Port Arthur is sort of in the middle of a drive loop in the Peninsular. I decided to drive back along the road I hadn’t been on yet and had an enjoyable scenic drive back to Hobart.

Day 3: hitting the east coast

I’d decided to stay the night before in Hobart as there was more, and cheaper, accommodation choice. But today I was heading out of the city to the east coast to do the famous Wineglass Bay hike. I drove up to Frecyinet NP (I bought a holiday pass for all the national parks in Tassie which worked out cheaper than paying individually), parked up and began the walk up to the Wineglass Bay Lookout. It’s a bit of an uphill climb but the view is amazing. Shame about the sad whaling past of the bay. I then chose to head down to the beach which was good to do, but a hell of a lot of steps! 

Wineglass Bay

This is pretty much a full day’s worth of activity and my next drive was just a short one to Bicheno, a small coast town, where I stayed the night, luckily getting in just before the rain hit.
Day 4: Bay of Fires

While staying in the Bicheno hostel I discovered I was very close to the Douglas Apsley NP so I decided to head there on the way. Unfortunately it was raining so I did a short walk and didn’t go for a swim but I’d say it’s still worth a stop here.

Douglas Apsley NP

It was the on up the coast, destination being the Bay Of Fires. I’d originally planned to beach hop up the coast as there are many beautiful beaches, but the rain soon put paid to that idea. I therefore ended up at the Bay of Fires, so named for the orange colour of the rocks, a little earlier than planned. 

Bay of Fires

As with Hobart, I’d decided to base my in Launceston for a number of nights while I explored the area as there was more and cheaper accommodation. With time on my hands I decided to swing by Evansdale on the way to Launceston. This is a cute old town with shops to browse and Georgian buildings. A stop in the bakery for food is a must.

A late lunch in the bakery

Day 5: Tamar Valley

After arriving into Launceston the day before and making a couple of calls, I found myself on an afternoon wine tour of the Tamar Valley, a wine region very close to the town. Have to say the wine in the area was some of the best I had tasted. I ended up on a small tour with 5 people and as you can probably guess, wine tours with small numbers are always the best! It was a good mix of bigger wineries and small boutique ones. However you do it, I’d recommend visiting the Tamar Valley.

Autumn vines in the Tamar Valley

Day 6: Cradle Mountain

Cradle Mountain and Dove Lake

Another day trip from Launceston was Cradle Mountain NP. A beautiful dive away is this famous hike. On the day I chose it was freezing! The shuttle bus dropped us off at the start of the Dove Lake walk and the mountain was just about visible but the cloud was descending fast. I did the circular walk around Dove Lake which was beautiful, the walking warmed me up. The whole time it was like hide and seek with the Mountain but luckily by the time I reached the end I had the glorious view above of the mountain- phew! 

Boat house on the Dove Lake walk

On the drive back to Launceston I stopped at the Christmas Hills Raspberry Farm Cafe, a menu completely raspberry themed. The complimentary dark choc coated raspberry was to die for. 

I ask swung into town via Cataract Gorge, the main thing to see in Launceston. However, having just done Cradle Mountain I wasn’t overly impressed. I’m sure if the weather was warmer it is a nice place to chill out though. 
Day 7: down the middle 

While in Launceston a fellow hostel stayed made me aware that in recent years Tassie has got a reputation for its whisky. The drive down the middle back to Hobart is not very inspiring but it did take me near Redlands Whisky Distillery, a perfect stop to sample a tipple. 

Rather than drive straight into Hobart I detours off to Mount Field NP. Known for its Russell Falls there are several other waterfalls there. I chose to do the 2/3 hour loop and after Russell Falls barely saw anyone else on the trail, it was a perfect walk. Slightly knackered afterwards it was just a short drive into Hobart and Battery Point where I was staying (Montacutr Bunkhouse, upmarket hostel type accommodation).

Russell Falls

Day 8: MONA 

You can get the ferry to Mona but as I still had the car I drove. It’s got a bit of a controversial name but I found the art gallery a tad small and got round it pretty quick. It’s worth seeing though.

Mona

As I had extra time after a shorter than planned Mona visit I decided to take a drive down the Huon Valley, known for its local produce and cider. It’s a pretty pleasant drive. I didn’t drive too far as I had to drop the hire car back in the afternoon. 

Huon Valley

I discovered the hire car drop off in the city was pretty close to a cat cafe. I’ve always fancied going to one so I decided to pop in. Most of the cats were asleep but it was a nice experience and the coffee was good!
Day 9: Salamanca 

Being a Saturday I of course went to the famous Salamanca Markets. There were lots of stalls with local produce, arts and crafts and food stalls. It’s a great market to go to. 

Salamanca market

I ask had a pretty good brunch at the the Machine Cafe in Salamanca. 

Day 10: Hobart and home 

On my last day in Tassie I just chilled in Hobart, browsing the shops, visiting the museum and waiting for my flight home. Hobart is a lovely city and definitely worth some time in. 

So that was my Tassie road trip, Hobart to Hobart. I didn’t have enough time to head west and I’d definitely go back, it was a fantastic trip and a lovely state to visit. It’s all about nature, history and local produce- perfect! 

What to do in Perth

So obviously I did a little research before I arrived and chatted to my travel friends who’d already been there, but actually I received a lot of great tips from some lovely locals. So this is my list of some planned and some suprise things to see and do in Perth that I’d definitely recommend. 

Planned: Meet a quokka

This was absolutely at the top of my list, and it’s become all the rage to get a quokka selfi amongst the backpacking community. 

Tuesdays are cheaper so come Tuesday I was up early, on a train to Freo to catch the ferry to Rottnest Island, home of the quokkas. It’s a pretty quick ferry and as I’d booked bike hire as soon as I got off the ferry I was handed a bike and I was on my way. 

Don’t be deceived, the island is quite large so there is a lot of cycling involved! On the bright side, quokkas are everywhere and they are as cute as they look in the pictures. Only thing is, they are sneaky food their way so make sure you guard your snacks well! 

 
There’s a heap of lovely beaches but it was a tad cold to brave the water for a snorkel. 

Near the jetty is a bunch of shops and eateries so you can get some snacks, it is expensive though so I was glad I bought my own good. 

Spent pretty much the whole day there getting the penultimate ferry home, it was a great day, although I had sore legs the next day.

Surprise: eating in Leederville

This suburb was not on my radar but was a place I went to several times during my stay. It has a variety of food options but the best place is Greens & Co, open late serving coffee and cake with comfy sofas to relax in. Has a great atmosphere and the cake is so tempting I went back twice. 

Planned: visit Kings Park

This is a massive park home to bush land (bit of a surprise to stumble across that bit) and the Botanical gardens. It’s a lovely place to walk, sit and read or meet friends. It also has awesome views of the city. 

Planned: visit the Perth Mint

Located in a beautiful Georgian building, this is an interesting place to visit to learn more about minting in WA. I was lucky enough to get a free tour which made it all the better! 

Suprise: Lake Monger 

I didn’t know this existed before I arrived but I ended up staying nearby. Needless to say when the sun came out I decided to take a walk around the lake. It’s beautiful and obviously a popular running track! 

Planned: Cottesloe Beach 

I’d heard Perth was know for its beautiful beaches and this one was the most mentioned. As soon as the weather looked semi decent I was off to the beach. 

Cottesloe is only a short train ride for the CBD so pretty easy to get to. 

First was a recommended stop at Il Lido for coffee from a Perthite I met in Tassie. The coffee lived up to their recommendation and was a great start to the day. 

The water was again a tad cold but it looked like a lovely safe swimming area. I took up residence on the beach and was grateful for the beach huts that provided a bit of shade. Was a lovely way to spend a day.

Planned: Visit Fremantle

Another train ride away lies Fremantle, or Freo as the locals call it.

Full of old architecture this is a great place to wander around. I didn’t go on market day so wasn’t completey sold on how great Freo is meant to be, but I thoroughly enjoyed the trip to Fremantle Prison. Convict built and in use to fairly recently, the prison is accessible by a fascinating tour. You can do different tours but the basic $20 was brilliant and gave a great history of the place.

My other tip for Freo for coffee lovers is to go to Blink, has great coffee! 

Suprise: Penguin Island

A tour with Rockingham Wild Encounters took me on a boat cruise to see sea lions and then dropped us off at Penguin Island to see the Little Penguin. It’s a small island but is worth the visit to see the penguins so close! I missed feeding time but even so I got to see the penguins pretty active and close. If the weather was warmer you could definitely spend the day and snorkel in the water and chill on the beach, but it was a tad cold for my visit. 

Suprise: Swan Valley wine tour

So as I’m discovering, Australia has way more wine regions that I thought!  The Swan Valley is about half an hour from the CBD and has some lovely wineries. We had a stop in Guildford which is a National Trust listed town, and then it was on to sample the fine wines of the region as well as the chocolate at the Margaret River Chocolate Company and a stop at the Providore – yum! 

Suprise: South Perth  

One day I caught the ferry over to South Peth. It’s nice to walk along the Esplanade and there is a great view looking back over the city, but otherwise there isn’t a whole lot there. 

I did go back to South Perth later with someone who knew the area better and can say there are some hidden gems there. Mainly in the cafe department, there are some fantastic brunch options there! 
Suprise: Hillarys Boat Harbour

A train and bus ride away from the CBD this place is still reachable pretty easily. It’s a nice place to while away a few hours with lots of restaurants, some boutique shops, places to sit in the sun and an aquarium to keep you occupied. 

Planned: Elizabeth Quay

Nice to see but not a whole lot there. Free wifi and a good view is the main draw! 

So that’s it. Perth isn’t massive so I’d say a week there is fine. However, it is a lovely city to be in, especially with the warmer weather it seems to attract. You can definitely spend longer there too and there is heaps more to explore south of Perth if you have the transport! All in all, I’m looking forward to heading back there before I leave Australia. 

2 days in Adelaide

So I heard many mixed reviews on Adelaide but I figured I’m only here once so I might as well go! Have to say, although it is small, Adelaide is worth a visit. 

Having heard there wasn’t much here I chose to stay for 2 days which did mean I had to be selective about what I wanted to do. As I arrived in May it is a tad cold so I decided to rule out Kangaroo Island, but I’ve heard it’s got good walks and wildlife if you can spend a couple of days there. 

Anyway, here is what I actually did:-

Day one: Wine Tour 

Wine anyone

Day one was all about wine. Adelaide is surrounded by great wine regions. I picked the Barossa Valley to visit and spent the day in a tour with Taste the Barossa, which was brilliant. We stopped at 4 cellar doors and tried some amazing wine. The Barossa is know for its Shiraz so a fair number of these were imbibed! Highlights for me were the sparkling Shiraz (never even heard of this before), the tawneys (sunshine in a glass!) and the reisling from the Clare Valley. 

Even got to see wine in the making, really interesting

Day two: exploring the city 

After heading out of the city on day one, day two was left to explore what the city itself has to offer. Started the morning with a trip to the Central Market, perfect to pick up some fresh food.

Botanical Gardens

Next up was a walk to the Botanical Gardens, through Rundle Mall, the main shopping part of the city. The gardens are beautiful and with the sun out it was easy to while away a couple of hours here. 

Only remaining British colonial ecological museum

After the gardens it was a quick stop at Haighs Chocolate Factory on Greenhill Road. They run free 20 min tours (book in advance) and the smell is just heavenly. This is their only factory and it’s fascinating seeing how they produce the chocolate for SA, Vic and NSW. A lot of it is still hand done too! 

Under the jetty

I couldn’t leave Adelaide without visiting one of its beaches, especially as the sun was out. I chose Glenelg Beach to visit. Was nice to wander along the beach and there’s plenty of shops and eateries to while away some time on Jetty Road. 

Glenelg beach and jetty

Then it was back on the tram to the city and hostel. 

I stayed at Adelaide Central YHA which is, as the name implies, well located. It’s got great facilities and a friendly vibe with lots of planned activities. 

So that was my whistle stop tour of Adelaide, summed up by two words; wine and chocolate!