Tasmania

Not so long ago it seemed a bit detractive to say ’Tassie’, which is how the locals call Tasmania. But in the last few years this island 250 km north of Australia became a popular destination not only for tourists, but for moving as well. Tasmania's pleasant climate, vast and untouched woods, endlessly exotic world and last but not least calm atmosphere make this island on the edge of the world one of the most interesting spots in the Australian Commonwealth.

Tasmania in numbers

Biggest cities: Hobart, Launceston, Devonport
Area: 68,401 km²
Population: 522,000
Density: 7.79 people/km²

Weather and geography

The climate of Tasmania is officially cold-temperate, which is kind of similar to the weather in Hungary. There are four seasons, that can be easily distinguished. Summer is usually not too warm, the temperature tends to be around 20°C. In the mountains snow is regular in the winter, but on the other parts of the island the temperature does not sink below 0 very often.
We can say, that in Tasmania rain in not uncommon and the sky is often cloudy.
Geographically Tasmania is an independent island, and it is separated from Australia by the Bass Strait. It has excellent soil and a quarter of its land is used for agriculture. Tasmania's poppy cultivation is worth more than a mention, because more than half of the substances containing codeine and morphine are produced here, which are essential for the pharmaceutical industry.
Most of the state's lands are covered by forests, and in the centre of the island soars Mount Ossa with its height of 1607 metres.

Transport

Because of the size of this island the main form of transport are private cars. Motorways crossing the island are regularly maintained and are also used by Metro Tasmania, the island's inland bus service.
Beside the public roads aviation also has a great role, many Australian airlines launch flights to Tasmania, primarily to the airport in Hobart. There are regular flights to Sydney, Melbourne, Gold Coast, Brisbane and Canberra.
Since 1977 railways don't carry regular passenger services in Tasmania and are only used for freight services except for a couple of tourist routes mainly in national parks.

Curiosities and sports

Tasmania is a unique state in Australia in many respects. What makes it a desired destination for many is its special fauna, but the tasty Tasmanian cuisine also attracts a lot of visitors to the island.
If we only highlight a few examples from its fauna we can mention such special beings as the platypus, which is a mystery of evolution or the Tasmanian devil, which was made famous by Looney Tunes.
There are a good number of cultural events on the island as well. The most well known might be the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, which in Sydney's harbour on the 25th of December and ends around 3-4 days later in Hobart, when the ships arrive. Another major sports event is the Targa Tasmania, which is an annual rally race that crosses the island.

History

The island's original name was Van Diemen and it was first spotted by Abel Janszoon Tasman in 1642.
The British used Tasmania as a penal colony, too. The island became a colony with independent administration in 1855 and that is when it became from Van Diemen to Tasmania.
The island, although it had a small population, ensured a comfortable life for its inhabitants. It became more generally known, when its soldiers were honoured by the Victoria Cross for their significant warfare in the Second Boer War.
Tasmania is part of the Commonwealth of Australia since 1901.