From the South Island of New Zealand, I flew to Hobart, the capital of Tasmania, to explore this island state for the next 10 days for some travel photography.  Often overlooked by many tourists that flock to the more well-known places in Australia, Tasmania is still relatively quiet and unspoiled.  It’s really a hidden gem that features both beautiful landscapes and some unique animals.  Needless to say, I was excited for what was ahead.  So, I picked up my rental car which is essential to get around this rugged island, and I set off along the beautiful coast of Tasmania.

Freycinet National Park & Bay of Fires

Freycinet National Park is situated on a peninsula and boasts some of the most stunning beaches in all of Australia!  The water would be comparable to the Caribbean, only here it’s much colder.  Aside from the beaches, there are some great hikes with spectacular views.  Mt. Amos is a challenging hike that requires some scrambling and bouldering, but the views from the top were well worth it!  I recommend starting the hike in the afternoon to appreciate the views late in the day from the top.  Just keep in mind to give yourself time to get down with enough daylight.

After seeing the beaches in Freycinet, I didn’t think the views could get any better.  And then I arrived at the Bay of Fires further up the coast.  This place was magical with its bright orange boulders protruding out from emerald waters and white-powdered sand beaches.  Towards sunset, the boulders begin to change into soft pastel hues providing for some great photography!  Most of the beaches here allow for some swimming and laying on the sand.  In some areas, I had the beach all to myself.  I really appreciated the tranquility and remoteness of the Bay of Fires, so definitely go before it becomes popular!

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Maria island

I took the first ferry over to this small island off the coast of Tasmania.  When I arrived, I picked up a mountain bike and explored the island, hoping to catch a glimpse of the elusive wombat.  Luck was not on my side as there were no wombats to be seen anywhere, but I did manage to see some cape barren geese and some impressive mountain cliffs, called the painted cliffs. With steep inclines, it was an intense but fun day.

Tasman National Park – Cape Raoul hike

Tasmania is great for hiking with so many different routes for each level of fitness.  From the multiple day Overland track to more challenging day hikes and easy hikes, it’s hard to choose!  One of the hikes that should not be missed is located in the Tasman National Park at the Tasman peninsula.  Here I hiked the Cape Raoul hike, a 14km out and back hike to some beautiful cliffs.  The weather was quite cloudy when I started, but as I got to the viewpoints, the sun came through and I got to enjoy this dramatic coast in all its glory.  What a nice way to end the day!

Mount Field National Park

Tucked away in the middle of Tasmania is Mount Field National Park.  This is one of Tasmania’s oldest parks and the waterfalls here are beautiful!  The lush and scenic trail to the falls is full of beautiful giant fern trees, leading up to some amazing waterfalls.  The star of the show here is the Russel Falls, with different layers and a total plunge of 58 meters!  Along the way, I spotted an echidna. These are hard to see up close as they often hide as soon as they see you.  Tasmania is full of wildlife and with a bit of luck on your side, you will manage to see quite a lot of different animals. I managed to see a kookaburra, a bird with an iconic almost human-like laugh, up close.

Narawntapu National Park

Often skipped because of its remote location, Narawntapu National Park was my favorite place in all of Tasmania.  This small national park is often called Tasmania’s Serengeti because of the grasslands, lakes, and wildlife found in this coastal park.  Kangaroos, wallabies and pademelons can be spotted here in heaps.  I visited late in the afternoon towards sunset and walked across the plains to observe countless forest kangaroos and wallabies grazing and hopping around.  Some of the young joeys began play fighting with each other while others were busy scratching their backs and bellies.  Standing there amongst these interesting creatures gave me a sense of appreciation for the natural beauty around us.  I didn’t want to leave but I knew I had to get back in time before the sun would set.  It was an unforgettable experience.

Platypus in the wild at Latrobe

Another iconic animal of Australia that I wanted to see was the platypus, though I realized that it might be wishful thinking to spot one in the wild.  I had heard that my best chance of seeing them would be out in Latrobe, known as the platypus capital of the world.  I had my doubts but I went anyway hoping to have some luck.  It didn’t take long after walking around a shallow lake that I spotted my first platypus!  And not only did I spot one, but several others came out for a swim.  I was ecstatic as these strange creatures are rarely seen.  Come here with a bit of luck and patience and you just might spot a platypus in the wild!

Cradle Mountain National Park

As I didn’t manage to see one single wombat on Maria Island, I had my hopes set on Cradle Mountain.  Apparently in this national park they can be found in great numbers.  As I drove into the park and approached the start of the hiking trail, I was rewarded with several wombats!  They were literally everywhere!  With the sun setting, these big furry bears take advantage of the cooler temperatures late in the day to come out and graze for food.  The trail here is on a raised boardwalk so you don’t disturb the wombats and you don’t accidentally step on one of their boroughs.

Tasmania will always be a special place for me.  It was where I started my trip through Australia and where I spotted my first kangaroo.  Aside from the amazing nature and unique wildlife, the people here were some of the friendliest I have met in all my travels.  Tasmania felt safe, welcoming and surprisingly quiet.  I really appreciated the lack of tourism on the island, so I really encourage you to visit Tasmania before it gets busy.

 

Travel photography Tasmania | Best places to visit in Tasmania