Hello from Tasmania!
It’s going to be a really quick blog post today, as I’m running out of computer and internet time over here in Tassie, but I just wanted to give a short update.
I arrived in Tasmania 3 days ago now, and am having the best time. I flew via Bangkok and Sydney, and even managed to find a spare hour in Sydney to visit the Opera House and Harbour Bridge – bonus!
Me at the Sydney Opera House after a 23 hour flight and about 2 hours sleep...
A short flight later (well, short in comparison to my London – Sydney flight) I arrived in Tasmania.
Honestly, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I’ve found a stunning Australian state, with an abundance of great walks, wonderful wildlife, and tasty food to try.
After getting over the jetlag, I’ve walked around Cradle Mountain, met the Tassie Devil and fed some kangaroos – and as a first time visitor to Australia it’s also the first time I’ve ever seen a kangaroo, which was truly incredible and I couldn’t quite believe my eyes!
Me feeding Orla, the baby kangaroo
The second half of my week ‘down under’ will be fairly different from the first as I’m keen to move away from nature walks and animal feeding in order to seek out some of the trendy things to see and do in Tassie… bars, art, shopping…
I’ll update you when I can!
Sam Tanner replied:
I am soooo jealous, but really keen to hear what you think about Tasmania. I never went when I was down under 5 years ago but would really like to go…
09/06/2010 at 1:08 pm. Permalink.
Katie Silcox replied:
Nice to hear from you Sam. I think it’s a shame that a lot of people visit Australia, but don’t make it down here. I would say it’s definitely worthwhile making the journey, especially as it’s only a short flight from mainland Australia. I’ll show you know a bit more about it with photos once I’m back!
11/06/2010 at 5:54 am. Permalink.
Discover Tasmania replied:
Katie – if you are able and can record an aspect of your journey somewhere other than your own channels … it would be great to have a few pics and a few words on our Tasmanian Experiences site (@ http://experiences.discovertasmania.com) from you.
Appreciate the mention/observation you have made about getting down to Tassie from the mainland. You are right, so many people do the long journey from the Northenr Hemisphere, whack around the mainland cities and forget about the other part of Australia.
Hope you continue to enjoy your time here.
11/06/2010 at 8:23 am. Permalink.
Katie Silcox replied:
Hi there, I would love to provide you with a few words on my stay here in Tassie – no problem at all. Also, I have been in touch with some of the Tourism Tasmania team, and may be able to provide you guys with some video of my experiences here too. Totally – if you’re going to travel this far from the Northern Hemisphere then make the most of it by exploring some (or all!) of Tassie too!
12/06/2010 at 7:14 am. Permalink.
Darren Cronian replied:
I love Tassie. I have a friend who lives there and thinking about taking a trip over there (and NZ) next year. I would be interesting to see the official stats on the number of Brits heading over to Tasmania because I get the impression that most of us head for the likes of Sydney, Queensland, and they are missing out on a great state in Tasmania.
19/06/2010 at 4:22 pm. Permalink.
Katie Silcox replied:
Your lucky friend, living out there! It’s always a great time to visit Tassie, but next year will be an extra special time to visit NZ as it’s the Rugby World Cup in 2011. Hope you manage to get out there. I’m not sure about numbers of Brits who make it to Tasmania, because as you say, most tend to visit Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland. I’ve said it before, but it’s such a shame that so many of us Brits go all that way but miss Tassie out. I’ll see if I can find any official figures for you and let you know!
20/06/2010 at 7:48 am. Permalink.
Katie Silcox replied:
Hi Darren, I’ve been in touch with Tourism Tasmania regarding your enquiry about the number of Brits heading over to Tasmania, they said…
“About 26,000 Brits visit Tassie every year (we are Tasmania’s biggest international market) but compared to the other states it is a drop in the ocean. NSW gets approx 375,000. But of course the mainland states get what we call visiting friends and relatives traffic and lots of backpackers. Traveller’s need to be persuaded to hop over the Bass Strait!”
I whole heartedly agree with this last comment and hope to persuade more to make the journey to Tassie.
Tourism Tasmania also said…
“Visitor numbers out of the UK have doubled in the last decade, the impetus and interest is definitely growing and we are sure we will continue to see growth as more and more people discover the untouched wilderness”.
I hope this has answered your questions? Thanks for your interest!
13/07/2010 at 9:16 pm. Permalink.