Australia's Island State

Tasmania consists of a group of islands off the southeast coast of the Australian mainland. There is one main island and many smaller ones. It has a population of a little under half a million.

Hobart, its capital, has one of the world's most magnificent harbours and is situated in the southeast of the main Tasmanian island. Unlike other Australian states, Tasmania's capital only has around 40% of the population, with half the state's population living in the north and north west of the main island. This makes Tasmania the most decentralised state in the Commonwealth of Australia.

The small decentralised population has not put the same pressure on the environment that more crowded places experience, with the result that Tasmania has large tracts of native forest, extensive tree plantations and farmlands. It only takes a few minutes drive from any of the cities to be out in a rural area. Combine that with a temperate maritime climate and you have one of the most liveable places in the world and a producer of quality products exported all over the world. For more information see:
http://www.brandtasmania.com.

Tasmania is linked to mainland Australia by regular air services, two "roll-on roll-off" ferries taking both vehicles and hundreds of passengers, sailing between Melbourne in Victoria and Devonport in North West Tasmania and one sailing between Sydney in New South Wales and Devonport. Private vehicle carriage attracts a government subsidy, making it quite inexpensive to take your own car with you.

Be our guests and take a virtual tour of Hobart and the entire state of Tasmania, including some of its world-renowned parks and wilderness, or check out the webcams listed below.

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/mapshells/australasia/hobart/hobart.htm 

http://www.tourtasmania.com/

http://www.dpiwe.tas.gov.au

Webcams

View of Hobart from eastern shore of the Derwent River

http://www.rosebay.tased.edu.au/camera.htm

Popular surfing spot - Clifton Beach

http://www.coastview.com.au/site/clifton

Bay of Fires, N.E. Tasmania

http://www.coastview.com.au/site/bof

Derwent Estuary

http://www.coastview.com.au/site/derwent