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South East | Tasmania

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Your visit to Tasmania isn’t complete without spending time on the magnificent Tasman Peninsula, where past and present mingle.

The peninsula is almost an island apart - when you turn right at the historic town of Sorell, you’re heading south for scenery, wildlife, heritage and adventure.

Along the Peninsula, you can discover fine heritage buildings and admire the bold swirls of glaze on contemporary pottery. You’ll sample the region’s superb cool-climate wines, and savour some of the local specialties - octopus, oysters, quail and venison. You may also encounter some of the local inhabitants - playful dolphins; our unique Tasmanian devil; or a majestic sea eagle, soaring from cliffs in the Tasman National Park.

You’ll walk gleaming beaches and stand on the rim of tall sea cliffs, carved into weird natural sculptures over millions of years by crashing waves and endless winds. South again, and follow the road to the past. Overlooking the waters of a quiet bay is Australia ’s most significant historic site at Port Arthur, every piece of hand-hewn stone and every thumb-marked brick has a story that echoes days long gone.

Here, you’ll step back one and a half centuries - exploring the dramatic buildings, strolling or picnicking beneath graceful old English trees and cruising the dark waters to the Isle of the Dead, every moment at Port Arthur is a piece of living history. Your feet tread the same paths the convicts walked - in the silence, you might catch an echo of clinking chains and the tap of hammer on stone.

Returning northwards, turn off through the magnificent Wielangta Forest Drive, where rare parrots flash through the blue gums. Beyond the trees are the gentle landscapes of the East Coast.

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Tourist info

National Park Head Office

  • Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service
    GPO Box 44
    Hobart, Tas 7001
    Ph: 1300 368 550
 

Parks/Reserves

 

latest business reviews

Accommodation - Tasman Peninsula

View from Palmers Lookout boldysr | 2009-10-08 | Self contained, Tasmanian accommodation in Port Arthur on the Tasman Peninsula. Burilda Waters provides an ideal base to explore the numerous attractions and activities located on the beautiful Tasman Peninsula. | read more

Burilda Waters Port Arthur Tasmania

Boats at Burilda Waters boldysr | 2009-10-08 | "Burilda" is an Aboriginal word meaning "place of the possum".........We named our house "Burilda Waters" as it is located on Possum Beach overlooking the beautiful and tranquil Carnarvon Bay. Burilda Waters is only a short walk from the Port Arthur Historic Site along a picturesque coastal track. The balcony provides uninterrupted views of the Isle of the Dead, Point Puer and the boats moored in the bay. | read more

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Main Attractions

  • Copping Colonial and Convict Exhibition
  • Port Arthur
  • Remarkable Cave
  • Sorell
  • Tasman Arch
  • Tasmanian Devil Park
  • Tessellated Pavement

editors picks

Tasman Peninsula - Cape Pillar

Tasman Island boldysr | 2010-05-25 | Bush Walking - The Experience of a Novice | read more

Tidal Measurements at the Isle of the Dead Port Arthur

Isle of the Dead boldysr | 2010-02-11 | A fascinating program on ABC Radio National caught my attention. It led me to put my camera in a plastic bag, launch my kayak and paddle out to the Isle of the Dead, about one kilometre from my holiday accommodation, Burilda Waters. | read more

Surfing at Shipsterns Bluff, Marion Bay, SE Tasmania

Shipsterns is close to the popular town and beach of Marion Bay Beachbreaks | 2009-02-15 | Shipsterns Bluff , 'The Stern' or "shippies" has put South East Tasmania firmly on the world surfing map. The wave is considered as one of the worlds heaviest, and with good reason. | read more

Federation Chocolates and Museum near Port Arthur

Federation Chocolate Factory boldysr | 2010-02-01 | | read more

Tasmania's convict past

Port Arthur spirit | 2008-09-09 | From convict ruins and historic buildings to Aboriginal sites and wild pioneering journeys, every corner of Tasmania offers the chance to step back in time. | read more

 

 

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