Overview Of Tasmania

Tasmania, an Australian state, is tucked away at the far south of the country and across the waters of Bass Strait, rich with heritage and spectacular natural history. Tasmania has the nickname Apple Isle due to the large number of apples grown there. It is believed that this state was joined to the mainland until the end of the most recent ice age. The Tasmanian Devil is found here - a carnivorous marsupial the size of a small dog but stocky and muscular. The Tasmanian Devil is the largest carnivorous marsupial in the world.

Tasmania's successful industry is farming of all kinds on the land and in the sea. Merino sheep farming produces fine wools, dairy lands are common on the lush pasturelands and freshwater trout and salmon are plentiful in the rivers. Offshore seafoods, such as lobsters and oysters, are a delicacy and in demand across the country.

Tasmania's southeast is the most densely populated region of the state, yet still has many bushland areas and natural wonders for the enjoyment of visitors. Hobart the state capital and largest city in Tasmania is a cleaver merging of times and styles and is the center of commerce and industry. Along the waterfront are elegant cafes, restaurants and boutiques. In the bay rest first-rate fishing boats and yachts, they make a pretty scene for tourists.

On the waterfront of Hobart is Salamanca Place, which consists of rows of sandstone buildings. Each Saturday morning roads leading to Salamanca Place are closed for the Salamanca Market. Local traders sell everything from honey to straw dolls, and buskers provide entertainment. Fruit farms in the Huon Valley still demonstrate why Tasmania was nicknamed the Apple Isle and there are sheep and hop farms in the Derwent Valley. Other towns south of Hobart, such as Geeveston, host sizable forestry-related businesses.