Island state of mind
Head to Tasmania for legendary Australian surf, magnificent mountains and rugged pockets of rainforest, writes Andrew Bain.
Flinders Island
With mountains rising direct from the sea, white beaches emblazoned with orange lichen, fine local produce and a heady sense of space, Flinders Island is like a scale model version of Tasmania itself.
The state’s largest offshore island invites wandering, whether it’s beachcombing to hulking Castle Rock, rounding the colourful coastline at Trousers Point, or ascending to the island’s highest peak – all three hikes are listed among Tasmania’s promoted ‘‘60 Great Short Walks’’.
Dine at the water’s edge at Flinders Wharf, make an appointment to check out the adjoining Furneaux Distillery, or simply pick a west-coast beach to explore. See: visitflindersisland.com.au.
Shipstern Bluff
Near the southern tip of the Tasman Peninsula, ‘‘Shippies’’ is a place of surfing legend. With epic swells rolling in from Antarctic beginnings, it’s a break only the bravest board riders dare take on, but walkers are granted a gentler outlook over this ferocious piece of nature.
The track to Shippies deviates off the wellgroomed Cape Raoul track, descending to the bluff’s rocky shores laid out beneath tall cliffs that partially collapsed in 2017. From Shippies, it’s a short crossing to Tunnel Bay, with the eponymous tunnel eroded through cliffs at its western end.
Melaleuca
Melaleuca is a remote locality (former settlement) in the southwest area of Tasmania. Access is only by sea via Port Davey, by air or by foot.
An island probably shouldn’t have a place this remote. Deep in the Southwest Wilderness,
Melaleuca is best known as the start (or finish) of the multi-day South Coast and Port Davey tracks, but has enough of interest to warrant a visit on its own. The mighty Deny King – the so-called King of the Wilderness – lived and mined tin here last century and his home and relics of the mines remain. A bird hide at Melaleuca is also the best spot in the world to try to glimpse the critically endangered orange-bellied parrot.
Par Avion runs day trips to Melaleuca, flying in from Hobart, exploring Melaleuca and boating out onto Bathurst Harbour and wild Port Davey. See: paravion.com.au.
Ben Lomond
The magnificent mountain of Ben Lomond is dominated by an alpine plateau more than
1500 metres high. It’s also the main destination for downhill skiing in Tasmania. Its stark, treeless landscape is visible from much of Tasmania’s north and the road to the top, known as Jacob’s Ladder, is sure to leave a lasting memory.
Set apart from Tasmania’s other mountains, Ben Lomond rarely figures in visitor itineraries, yet it’s home to Tasmania’s second-highest peak and the state’s major skifield. Getting here is half the fun, as the road onto the mountain contorts through a series of tight switchbacks known as Jacob’s Ladder
Fact file
Staying safe: Check safetravel.govt.nz before travelling to stay updated on the latest travel advisories.
Carbon footprint: Flying generates carbon emissions. A return trip for one passenger in economy class, flying from Auckland to Hobart, would generate 389kg of carbon dioxide. To offset your carbon emissions, head to: airnewzealand.co.nz/sustainability-customer-carbon-offset. – it’s one of the most spectacular stretches of mountain driving in the country.
The alpine plateau has walks to evocatively named places such as Little Hell and Surprise Vale, and it’s a surprisingly short hike to 1572m Legges Tor, the second-highest mountain in the state. See: parks.tas.gov.au.
Douglas-Apsley National Park
Douglas-Apsley National Park is a place of rugged river gorges, waterfalls, tall stands of eucalypts, tranquil pools and pockets of rainforest. DouglasApsley covers an area of 16,080 hectares close to the Freycinet Peninsula and the popular beachside holiday towns of Tasmania’s mild east coast.
Though it sits just 50 kilometres by road from ever-popular Freycinet National Park, DouglasApsley is a world apart in landscape and visitor numbers. The park’s star feature isn’t beaches – – it’s gorges and waterholes, which slice through dry hills set back from the coast behind Bicheno.
It’s a short stroll from the main car park to Apsley Waterhole, where a swim usually beckons. Another trail loops out from the waterhole to eventually wriggle and rock-hop its way through rugged Apsley Gorge. See: parks.tas.gov.au.