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| Kuoni Travel — Australia, New Zealand & South Pacific 2008/09 |
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Page Text Content
Enjoy stunning scenery, clean air, postcard-perfect beaches and vast areas of untouched wilderness.
tasmania
compact & beautiful
At the far corner of the planet, washed by the cleanest oceans and the freshest air in the world, lies the island of Tasmania Australia's Natural State. If there's any place on earth that's an unchanged Garden of Eden, it's Tasmania's remote, temperate wilderness. With more than 40% of the island protected in reserves and national parks, Tasmania is an island for nature lovers. And it's nature that's accessible too. In Tasmania you can step out of your car into primeval forests, or drive to some of the most beautiful beaches on the globe. With a rich colonial history, thriving food, wine and arts scenes, and stylish hotels, Tasmania is a haven for a rejuvenating journey.
in a word
Tasmania has been inhabited by humans for over 30,000 years. It was separated from the mainland by rising waters in Bass Strait some 12,000 years ago and after the island's separation, Tasmanian Aborigines lived on hunting wildlife, collecting seafood, trading and creating their wonderful art. The first European sighting of Tasmania came in 1642 when the Dutch explorer Abel Tasman sailed past the island's west coast and named it Van Dieman's Land after the then governor of Batavia. In 1772, the French landed in Tasmania and the British began to settle here from 1803. Seventy thousand convicts were shipped to Tasmania between 1804 and 1852, and in 1856, the island first became known as Tasmania. 98 Convict history and the old whaling and maritime days now form a strong part of Tasmania's European heritage. Today, this heart shaped island thrives on innovative agriculture, intelligent industry and its burgeoning tourist trade. There's still a nautical feel to the island, with ship building being an important business. Tasmania is also Australia's Antarctic link, and it's often possible to see icebreakers moored in the capital Hobart's docks, alongside yachts and fishing boats. The ambience of Tasmania today is of a welcoming, laid-back haven that's eminently civilised, and yet feels blissfully far away from the manic pace of rest of the world.
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inbro