Tasmania - The places not to miss?

[biggerry]

We are heading off to Tasmania next week and have noticed there are a few Tasmanian members here and probably a fair few have visted there. I am looking for suggestions for places that we should REALLy not miss (in a photographic sense and also the tourist sense)

We are flying into (and out) Hobart and have planned a rough track north then to the west coast and back down again, we were going to give the majority of the east coast a miss (next time maybe). We will be doing lots of walking and camping so this will be the subject of most of the pictures I imagine.

Soo..any suggestions for people who live down there or others who have visted down there, horror stories to avoid? unforgettable photographic places?

[who]

Not quite sure exactly where your limits are, nor how long you are spending.

Places I like - Up the top of Mt Wellington..... Up the top of the shot tower at Taroona......

The drive over to Queenstown etc is good with lots of rainforesty stuff. There is apparently a good attraction on that road - someone doing big panels carved from wood if I remember right (haven't been there myself).....

Strahan and the river cruises from there..... that is a day. Sunset at Strahan is great too, as you are on the West Coast.

So much to see and do - but equally that is the opposite end of the state to where I am.

The East Coast - is very photogenic and has quite a few of the postcard pics there for your next trip as well.

The weather seems to have really picked up over the last 10 days or so.... really nice and summery now.

[gstark]

The weather seems to have really picked up over the last 10 days or so.... really nice and summery now.

The temps have hit 5?



Gerry, the east coast is not to be missed. Places like Port Arthur and Bicheno are wonderful, and as Ian says, they are spectacularly photogenic. Richmond, Launceston ... and is it Hastings Caves right down south?

It's been way too long sive I visited Tassie.

[wendellt]

from up North Bernie to Cradle Mountain i experienced 4 weather patterns and an array of varying landscape as diverse as rock beaches, deserted land with moss mountains, valleys and hills.

make sure to get the lighthoue at Davenport


heres my little diary of the experience
http://www.zeduce.org/images/travel/tas/01.htm

[biggerry]

Gerry, the east coast is not to be missed

ahh crap...your not making this easy

drive over to Queenstown etc is good with lots of rainforesty stuff.

yeah definitely doing this one - looking for big tree shots, I have currently got all the seriously big trees and every mapped waterfall plugged into my GPS

Not quite sure exactly where your limits are, nor how long you are spending.

We have 2 weeks to burn down there - limits..what limits, you know the saying, hire cars go further

make sure to get the lighthoue at Davenport

will do! nice set of travel images Wendell, I really love the tulips and the final image of the girl walking down the road to teh lake. Thanks for sharing!

gerry

[radar]

Gerry,

I think you are doing the right thing by concentrating on one section of Tasmania. It is actually a big place and the photographic opportunities in the north west are endless. Keep the east coast for the next trip, lots of photo ops there to keep you busy as well.

Make sure you stop at Mt Field Nat Park to see the mountain ash, tallest flowering plant in the world, just under 100m. Lots of waterfalls there as well. Get to the top and walk around lake Dobson and to lake Webster, beautiful alpine area.

Continuing on, stop at Lake St-Clair, nice day walk to Shadow Lake. If you are lucky, look for a still day and have Mt Olympus reflecting in the lake, magic.

The Highlands Conservation is an area I want to visit but didn't get to it this time.

Obviously, plenty to do around Cradle Mountain, your fitness level is what will determine how far you get but there is also plenty to photograph within easy reach, Crater Falls, Marion's Lookout, walk along lake Hanson and then if you have the fitness, walk the path just below the cradle and down by Lake Wilks to rejoin the Dove lake circuit.

If you are going to Queenstown, you are also very close to the Tarkine Wilderness, look that up, lots there as well.

I'll be back in Tassie in early May to get the fagus changing colours, one of my favourite times.

Have fun and don't try to cover too much territory, that way you are spending less time in the car more time taking photos.

cheers,

André

[ozimax]

I've done the Cradle Mt - Lake St Clair walk three times (although not for over 20 years now). All three times it snowed in Jan/Feb and was bitterly cold. The walks are spectacular anywhere, but do take precautions as blizzards can roll in at any time. I got mild hypothermia (sp?) during one walk because I was, well, silly.

If you get the chance to climb Mt Ossa, do it. Tassie's highest peak, and an easy 3-4 hr return walk from the main track, which was, from memory, 2 days walk from Cradle mountain, although I could be getting confused with my facts and figures here.

The West Coast is spectacular, wet, windy and stark. The East coast is warm, beautiful and inviting. The interior is just wonderful.

Enjoy your holidays!

[biggerry]

André / Ozimax, et al.

Thanks for the detailed replies, I really appreciate the time taken Hopefully I will have something to show in a couple of weeks

[Killakoala]

If you are coming to Hobart and tracking north then are you going to Launceston or via Cradle mountain and Queenstown to the north west? As Radar said, don't underestimate how big Tassie really is. Sure you can get from one side of it to the other in a day or completely circumnavigate it in two easy days driving, but there is so much to see there.

Every hill you climb and bend in the road you corner will afford you yet another fantastic view and more things you will want to see and photograph. One trip will not be anywhere near enough to see all you discover so plan to visit another time.

Still, at least this trip will pave the way for your future visits by giving you an idea of where you will want to focus your next trips.

All of Tasmania is a nice to see except one place in particular which I would advise you avoid, and that is 'Burnie.' Ignore it with the contempt it deserves, just drive straight passed it. Everywhere else is nice though.

I have NO doubt that you will enjoy every minute of your trip.

[who]

All of Tasmania is a nice to see except one place in particular which I would advise you avoid, and that is 'Burnie.' Ignore it with the contempt it deserves, just drive straight passed it. Everywhere else is nice though.

Burnie isn't that bad.... and seems to be improving generally in the 4 years I have worked there now (don't live there though )

There is even more and more being done to improve the place too. I must ask - when were you last there.


But overall - lots of good info so far. I reckon you will find great things everywhere you go, although if you go up to the highlands you will see the drought, same on the East Coast.