Robert SaxtonRobert Saxton

Numerous national parks, many of which make up the world heritage listed Tasmanian Wilderness. Well established tourism industry. Rich natural and colonial history with well preserved historical towns and cities. Access by ferry or air travel. World renowned produce including foods and wines.

Salamanca place, Hobart Museum of Old and New Art (MONA), Hobart Convict settlements including: Port Arthur historic site; Sarah Island (in Macquarie Harbour); the Ross Female Factory; Cascades Female Factory (South Hobart); Richmond; and Maria Island. Railways including the reconstructed West coast Wilderness Railway Museums and art galleries including: Tiagarra Aboriginal Cultural Centre; Queen Victoria Museum and Art gallery, Launceston; and the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, Hobart. National trust homesteads and historical houses (throughout Tasmania). Wineries, fine food producers and fruit growers throughout Tasmania.

Launceston Regional airport Hobart Domestic airport Devonport Regional airport Ferry terminal connecting with Melbourne, Victoria on mainland Australia.

During Aboriginal inhabitation, around 12,000 years ago when, as the last ice age was ending, the sea levels rose and Tasmania was cut off from the mainland by the Bass Strait. Aboriginal people had inhabited Tasmania for at least 40,000 years before in 1642, a Dutch explorer, Abel Tasman sighted land and named it Van Diemens Land, after the governor of Batavia. The first European settlers to land in Tasmania was a company from the French explorer, Marion du Fresne’s 1722 expedition. In 1803 Tasmania was settled by the British as part of NSW. It later became the penal colony of Van Diemen’s Land. Battles between the settlers and the Tasmanian Aboriginal people decimated the native population, to such an extent that the people of Tasmania were declared ‘extinct’. Though this was true of full blood Aboriginals on the mainland of Tasmania, many still lived on islands, where they had either been born or had fled to amidst the extermination of their people. In 1856 the name of the land was changed form Van Diemen’s Land to Tasmania and in 1901 with Federation it became the state it is today.

New Years Day Australia Day – 26 th January Royal Hobart Regatta – 2 nd Monday in February Eight Hours Day – 2 nd Monday in March Good Friday – 22 nd April ANZAC Day – 25 th April Easter Monday Easter Tuesday Queen’s Birthday – 2 nd Monday in June Recreation Day – 1 st Monday November (Northern Tasmania only) Christmas Day Boxing Day

Processed metals Tourism Manufactured goods Wood and paper Ore Seafood Meat Dairy products Other food and drink i.e. fruit, vegetables, beer, chocolate. ICT

Australian Open Tennis – Moorilla 7-15 th January Australian Wooden Boat Festival – Hobart 12 th Feb Longford Revival Festival – Longford 1-3 rd April Targa Rally – Launceston to Hobart 4-10 th April Festival of Voices – Hobart 6-10 th June Tour of Tasmania – Hobart to Devonport 4-9 th October Falken V8 Supercar Challenge – Symmons Plains (30min from Launceston) th November

Cradle Mountain - Lake St Clair NP: 90min drive from Brunie or Devonport Cataract Gorge: Launceston Freycinet NP: surrounds Coles Bay village, East Coast Strahan and West Coast: Flinders Island: fly from Launceston or catch the ferry from Bridport King Island: fly from Brunie or Launceston Gordon River: West Coast, near Strahan Hastings Caves: 90min by car South of Hobart Mole Ck Karst NP: 40min by car West of Deloraine Mount Wellington: within 20min drive from Hobart CBD The Nut: Stanley