Tasmania is Australia's smallest and only island state with a population of roughly 500,000 people. It enjoys a unique lifestyle and beautiful landscapes. It is separated by a body of water called the Bass Strait that has isolated it from the rest of Australia for thousands of years.
Hobart is the capital city of Tasmania, with a population of 250,000. The metropolitan area stretches north and south along the Derwent River, crossed by several bridges. It has a mild temperate oceanic climate, with four distinct seasons.
Tasmania promotes itself internationally as Australia's Natural State and within Australia as the Island of Inspiration. About 40% of the island is protected as national parks, World Heritage Areas, and forest and marine reserves. It is also a state dominated by logging, with vast tracts of old growth forest being destroyed. The catch cry is "see Tasmania before it is gone".
Tasmania is known world-wide for the Tasmanian tiger, a now extinct striped marsupial dog-like animal, and the nocturnal Tasmanian devil, a small black and white marsupial whose sharp teeth and frightening screams belie the fact that it is shy of humans. Tasmanian devils are currently under threat of extinction due to a widespread facial tumour. The state government is endeavouring to detect the cause of the tumours and preserve disease-free colonies.
Tasmania is served by several national and regional airlines, primarily flying into Hobart and Launceston. Some flights are also available to Burnie and Devonport from Melbourne. There are no direct international flights to Tasmania.
Another way to get to Tasmania is to take the Spirit of Tasmania, which departs from Sydney and Melbourne and arrives in Devonport. You can take you vehicle on this ship, or go as a passenger.
Tasmania is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time). During summer Tasmania observes 'daylight savings', where clocks are put an hour forward to GMT +11.
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