Island cradle of Australia’s colourful history

Press, 16 March 1982, Page 25

Island cradle of Australia’s colourful history

Tasmania has been dubbed “The Treasure Island.” Yet it might equally well be. knowwn as “pleasure” or “leisure” island. For there is a lack of urgency in Australia’s friendly, serene, and naturally beautiful island state that makes it a pleasure to visit. Barely three hours of comfortable flying time from Christchurch, Tasmania’s connections with New Zealand’s South Island seem far older than the 16-month direct air link which has made travel between the two regions so much easier. For a start, variety of scenery' is common to both trans-Tasman islands—blue seascapes, dense forests, rugged mountains, snow country, lakes, wild rivers,; streams and lush pastures. The climate is also, similar in its seasons and daily changeability. Within its 68,000 square kilometres, 424,600 Tasmanians enjoy a lifestyle very much like that of South Islanders. Likewise, overseas visitors are treated'with genuine hospitality and warmth.

Getting around Tasmania is easy, making it an ideal touring destination even for anyone who has never travelled “overseas” before. The island has a network of good roads and caters well for those touring in their own rental car or van. Coach and air travel link the island’s main centres.

Yet, viva la difference. To explore Tasmania is to discover the cradle of Australia’s history. Permanent relics of early settlement dating back to 1803 exist as part of a rich heritage that adds colour, quaintness and interest to the island's naturally attractive landscape. Throughout the island stately homes, dignified churches, picturesque bridges, and mute ruins of the harsh days of the. convict era bear witness to Tasmania’s dramatic past. At the other end of the scale, Tasmania’s nightlife and entertainment scene boasts a sophistication that is surprising indeedd for a region with such a small population. Since 1973 the famous Wrest Point Casino in Hobart has introduced many New Zealanders to new

realms of entertainment. From May this year a country club hotel-casino, complete with fully equipped health studios, will add a further dimension to fine living in acres of rolling bushland near Launceston.

Cuisine-wise, Tasmania easily surpasses New Zealand. Today it has more than 80 licensed restaurants, providing an epicurean choice—French, Italian, Greek, Mexican, Hungarian, German, Chinese, Japanese, Malaysian, Swiss, Austrian, and so on. Seafood specialties make the island a gourmet’s paradise. Most restaurants, too, are situated in exotic and quaint surroundings—historic buildings with imaginative decor reminiscent of the past.

A further plus is the flexibility of restaurant and hotel hours, an indication that the visitor is regarded as top priority. Hobart has hotels opening as early as 7 a.m. and some remain open until 3 a.m. the following morning. Almost any hotel provides first-class but cheap counter meals and many have dining rooms that outrank restaurants in the top bracket. .Tasmania offers the full range of accommodation—hotel-casinos, hotels, motor inns, motels, .holiday villages with cabins and adventure playgrounds, colonial cottages, host farms, guest houses, caravan parks (50 in number), camping grounds, youth hostels (19 in all), as well as safari tours which allow visitors a chance to sleep under canvas in the wilderness.

Most visitors to Tasmania stay an average length of 10 days. Certainly it is not possible to do justice to the island—at a relaxed pace—in less than that. But visitors with only a week to spare could do worse than land at Hobart and base themselves in the immediate area. Not only is Hobart an interesting and attractive city in its own right, but the surrounding countryside offers a variety of enjoyable day trips. Others may wish to follow the wellworn tourist route between Hobart and Launceston, a satisfying and pleasant trip

that takes the traveller through a number of historic sites. Launceston, the garden city 200 km to the north of Hobart offers excellent tourist attractions, including the Disney-like Penny Royal World—a replica of early nineteenth century gunpowder mills, all in working condition. Away from these two main centres, visitors can lose themselves in the natural and varied beauty of the large island—in the coastal and mountain resorts of “Cape Country” and the North West, in the rugged bush-clad landscape of the mineral-rich West Coast, in the forest-covered mountains and golden beaches of the East Coast, the impressive scenery of the Central Highlands, and the mellow rural beauty of the popular south east region. To make the round-trip one needs to allow 10 days. We made the 1200 kilometre circuit of the shield-shaped island in a week, but would have appreciated another three days at least. The distance to be covered can be compared with a round-trip of the South Island from Christchurch to Hokitika, the Glaciers, Haast, Wanaka, Tekapo, Geraldine, and back to Christchurch. Whistle-stop tours are out of place on “Treasure Island” which surrenders its rewards only to those who take the time to breathe in the view and reflect on the past.