Sighted and named Van Diemen’s Land in 1642 by Abel Tasman, settlement then followed by the French and British.  Many thousands of years earlier, the Palawa people called this island home and despite the violent and cruel actions of early white settlers that impacted tragically on their culture, today they are a growing and important part of the community.

Tasmania is Australia’s smallest state measuring only 296 kilometres lengthways and 315 kilometres across and this is reflected in its population of less than 500 000.  However the state does enjoy over half a million visitors annually.

The state also boasts one of the world’s best beaches - Wineglass Bay situated on the relatively calm east coast whilst the wild the west coast is often pounded by huge swells caused by the roaring forty winds originating in Africa.  The resultant air is some of the world’s cleanest.

Tasmania can lay claim to forming the world’s first ‘green’ political party in the 1970s. 1983 was a watershed year when the High Court of Australia ruled against the building of the Gordon-below-Franklin dam brought about by world attention seeking demonstrations and riots staged by an ever growing environmental population.

Despite the fact that two thirds of the island is too harsh for farming, a burgeoning boutique agricultural industry has developed featuring some wonderful cooler climate wines, fresh seafood and award winning dairy produce.

Hobart, the island’s capital city with a population of 220 000 is located on the Derwent River and stands in the shadow of the often snow-capped Mt. Wellington.

It was the second city in Australia to be established (after Sydney) and began as a convict settlement in 1804.  Its history is very well preserved in the form of 19^th century sandstone Georgian buildings, colonial cottages and federation houses.
 

There are 1 000 islands surrounding Tasmania but the two main ones, King and Flinders are located in the north and are separated from the mainland by Bass Strait.

A growing number of visitors enjoy the windswept rugged beauty of their landscapes, the fauna and world renowned produce of King Island ranging from world famous cheeses and creams to beef.