Bruny Island
From Adventure Bay on the east coast of Bruny Island, embark on an exhilarating 3-hour tour with award-winning local operator Pennicotts Wilderness Journeys to the rugged southern coastline of South Bruny Island. Enter deep sea caves, pass through the narrow gap between the coast and ‘The Monument,’ and see seals, dolphins, and sea birds at close range.
Later, walk along the dramatic coastal cliffs of Fluted Cape and hope to see Bennett’s Wallabies, which are endemic to Bruny Island. Learn about how southern right whales were almost hunted to extinction, and Adventure Bay housed four whaling stations before the industry’s decline in the mid-1840s. The ruins can be seen on a walk to Grassy Point.
Maria Island
Maria Island can be referred to as a Noah’s Ark for native Tasmanian species. The Maria Island National Park provides an ideal sanctuary and is one of the best places in Australia to observe endemic birdlife, wombats, Cape Barren geese, Forester Kangaroos, Bennett’s Wallabies, and pademelons.
Stroll amongst the ruins and beautifully restored buildings of the Darlington convict settlement and walk to the striking formations of the Painted Cliffs, where rich iron deposits have stained the sandstone cliffs with colored streaks of red, purple, and orange. With ample time at Maria Island, you also have the opportunity to do the Fossil Cliffs walk and the Reservoir circuit.
Freycinet National Park
The Freycinet Peninsula is a dramatic headland dominated by a pink-hued granite mountain range called the Hazards. Blessed with picturesque sweeping bays and white sand beaches like the famed Wineglass Bay, much of the peninsula is designated as Freycinet National Park.
Take a guided hike along the Isthmus Track to Wineglass Bay, or continue to the lookout to be rewarded with magnificent views of the azure waters of this iconic beach. Later, land at Schouten Island with time for a beach stroll on this secluded island.
Port Davey and Bathurst Harbor
On the edge of the world in southwest Tasmania, the landscape here is about as wild as it gets. Raw, craggy-peaked mountains and drowned river valleys. Wild rivers and rivulets carved by an eternity. Where tannin-rich freshwater sits atop saltwater, tinting the ocean the color of tea. With no road access, the logical way to explore this wilderness is by a small expedition ship.
Sheltered from Roaring Forties winds that buffet this coast is the protected haven of Port Davey and Bathurst Harbor. A marine reserve and part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, you spend two days (weather permitting) enjoying this rare opportunity to hike, kayak, and take in this pristine natural environment. Explore by Xplorer tender vessels and learn about intrepid European explorers and Indigenous Australians who once walked this land. Watch for the rare and endangered Orange Bellied Parrot amongst other wildlife.
*Access to Port Davey and Bathurst Harbor is subject to annual permits granted by Tasmania Parks and Wildlife.
Huon Valley
The Huon Valley was once the hub of Tasmania’s growing apple industry and the reason the state is nicknamed ‘The Apple Isle.’ These days, this region is known for its burgeoning food and wine scene, as well as its variety of natural attractions. The picturesque Huon River winds gently through this valley, its banks lined with charming little towns, orchards, and boutique wineries before emptying into the D’entrecasteaux channel. The heritage-listed Southwest National Park borders the southern end of this valley.
Spend time in this picturesque valley exploring both its natural and epicurean offerings. Meet local producers, enjoy coastal walks, and be delighted by all this region offers.
Port Arthur Historic Site
One of Australia’s most significant historic places, the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Port Arthur ruins stand sentinel on the Tasman Peninsula south of the narrow isthmus of Eaglehawk Neck. For more than 40 years, the Port Arthur penal colony housed British and Australian convicts sentenced to hard labor before its heavy iron doors clanked shut for the last time in 1877. Today, the Historic Site has over 30 buildings, ruins, and restored period homes set on 100 acres of landscaped grounds. In the company of Port Arthur’s knowledgeable guides, join a walking tour of this site.
Tasman Peninsula
The Tasman Peninsula is known for its fascinating geological formations like the Tessellated Pavement, Tasman Arch, and the soaring 300-meter-high dolerite sea cliffs of Cape Raoul, Cape Pillar, and Cape Hauy – the tallest in the southern hemisphere. Watch fur seals hauling out on the rocks, playful dolphins feeding, and magnificent albatrosses soaring amongst the updrafts created by the sea cliffs. Visit Fortescue Bay, hike sections of the coastal Tasman Trail, take a scenic Xplorer cruise of the rugged coastline, and kayak in Canoe Bay.
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