Tasmania is known for its unique and diverse wildlife. The isolation and relatively unspoiled natural environment have allowed many species to thrive in our "small-island" state that are not found on the Australian mainland. Some of the notable wildlife in Tasmania includes:

I've lived in Tasmania for 5+ years though I moved to Hobart back in October 2021 (in the middle of the dreaded pandemic). Since I've moved to "the big smoke", I've hardly gone back to visit a place that I associate with so many wonderful memories – Freycinet and the beautiful coast line stretching all the way to "The Gardens".

One of the most frequent drive journeys that I undertake is the Southern Edge drive. Starting in my hometown of Taroona, which is located 15 minutes south of Hobart and is home to the Shot Tower Historic Site and the Tower Tearoom. The Shot Tower is one of Tasmania’s most distinctive heritage landmarks and is one of the tallest shot towers in Australia at 59 metres tall. It offers fantastic views over the Derwent River and looks out to Opossum Bay and the South Arm Peninsula. There is a fantastic walk that starts from the Shot Tower called the Alum Cliffs Track which is 6 kilometres long (2 hours return walk) offering great coastal views and allows dogs on a lead.

Grey skies lashed by the crowns of a wind-whipped corpse of dreary green eucalypts. Silver sun bleached giants stark, standing sentinel above the plateaus rolling grasslands. A circle of stones, the cold touch of bronze embraced in the green velvet of antiquity; place of power.

I’ve been fortunate to be living in Tasmania for about 5 years. During this time, I’ve become so much more aware of the environment. I moved to the East Coast and more specifically to beautiful Freycinet on arrival in Tassie and started chasing auroras being an avid amateur photographer. One evening when the stars aligned for a beautiful aurora, I noticed some waves hitting the rocks and saw the most outstanding colours in the water. This neon blue was splashing about and then it all made sense to me when people posted things about bioluminescence on social media. Whilst it looks amazing, there are many bioluminescent algae species that are toxic and harmful to ocean life and certainly to humans too. The next day I walked about the Coles Bay jetty and noticed all this ‘pink stuff’ floating around near the rocks and that was the algae I had seen the previous day.

During a road-trip back in January of this year, my husband and I stumbled upon a truly enchanting place nestled in the Huon Valley: the lovely town of Cygnet. Due to its peaceful atmosphere and friendly community, Cygnet quickly became our favourite town. From the moment we arrived in Cygnet, we were mesmerized by its natural beauty. The town offers stunning views and it is a great spot for a picnic, stroll or even if you just want to take your dog to the playground. We found joy in leisurely walks along the streets of Cygnet, where we could soak up the calmness and appreciate the understated beauty of this Southern Tasmanian town.