Ruth Dawkins

Ah, lovely Launceston. Tasmania’s second city might not get quite so much love as more famous cities on the Australian mainland (or, for that matter, the island’s capital city, Hobart), but it most certainly should. This home of just over 75,000 people teems with stuff to see and do, from gorgeous sights and majestic nature to underrated restaurants. Our Travel & News Editor, Melissa Woodley, explored the city like a true local on a campervan trip and visited all of Launceston's top attractions. Here’s her guide to the best things to do in Launceston, combined with a few insider tips from the locals. 🌳 The best things to do in Hobart😱 The top places to visit in Tasmania🚘 The coolest day trips from Hobart

When it comes to ultimate Aussie winter getaways, it’s hard to beat the chilly charm of our only island capital, Hobart. The pretty little city makes for a wonderful weekender, no matter the season. However, unlike other Australian cities, Tassie is built for the cooler months – with plenty of magical midwinter festivals, stargazing opportunities and heated indoor adventures. You can embrace the crisp, cool air on a scenic hike, seek warmth at one of Hobart’s best day spas, or cosy up by the fireplace at one of the nation’s top fine dining restaurants. A trip to Hobart’s famous avant-garde gallery, MONA, is a must – after which you can sink into a steamy bubble bath at one of Tassie’s most bougie hotels. Rug up, pack your puffer and prepare for the ultimate winter getaway with this list of the best things to do in Hobart in winter. 🍽️ The best restaurants in Hobart right now🌈 The best winter light festivals in Australia🔥 The best saunas in Tasmania

Australians have a love affair with art, and with incredible galleries dotted throughout the country, it’s also one of the top reasons we travel interstate. Every year, our nation welcomes blockbuster international exhibitions, along with major showings of our most colourful and creative local talents.  Whether it’s contemporary Aboriginal art in Alice Springs, delicate glassworks in Wagga Wagga, topical portraits in Canberra or 21st-century Chinese art in Sydney, these are the top public galleries worth visiting in Australia. The best part is that most offer free entry to the permanent galleries! As a bonus, our Arts & Culture Editor, Alannah Le Cross, along with Travel & News Editor, Melissa Woodley, have also put together a guide on the best art exhibitions to see in Australia right now. 🌳 The 20 top tourist attractions in Australia👀 Australia's finest museums☀️ The best things to do in Australia

Tasmania is arguably Australia's most underrated destination when it comes to adventure. The small southernmost state's rugged landscapes, crystal-clear seas, fresh farm produce and cool-climate wine regions make it a must-visit for nature lovers, thrill-seekers and foodies alike. Beyond extraordinary dining experiences and the world-famous Museum of Old and New Art, 40 per cent of Tasmania's land is reserved as national parks and World Heritage wilderness. A zippy 20-minute drive from any of the state’s major cities, Hobart and Launceston, will see you walking in the bush, biking down a spectacular mountain trail or lounging on a secluded beach. Here's our pick of the best things to do on your next trip to Tasmania. 🚗 The best day trips from Hobart🏔️ Everything to tick off in Cradle Mountain🏝️ What to do on Bruny Island 

As an island off an island, Bruny ticks all the boxes with artisanal goods, stunning hiking trails and wondrous wildlife encounters. Despite its tiny permanent population of around 1,000, Bruny Island draws more than 150,000 visitors annually – all chasing a slice of the good life, even if just for a day. Getting to Bruny Island is half the fun. Take a scenic drive to Kettering, a 40-minute drive south of Hobart and jump on the car ferry, operating from 7am to 7pm. The 20-minute journey will treat you to gorgeous views of the D’Entrecasteaux Channel and back towards kunanyi/Mt Wellington. Once there, the world is your (Bruny Island) oyster. You can explore the 60-kilometre stretch of land at your own pace, over a few hours, a weekend or an entire week. Here are the best things to do on Bruny Island. 🏝️ The most beautiful islands in Australia🌊 Tasmania's 10 best beaches🚘 All the best day trips from Hobart

Australia is the biggest island on Earth. With our nation's borders being made out of 100 per cent seawater, it's kind of go figure that we've got a speckling of smaller islands fringing our biggest one – 8,222 of them, to be exact. It would take you a bloody long time to hop around to them all, so, to save you the trouble, we've rounded up the eight most spectacular, interesting and downright delightful Australian islands that we reckon you need to put on your bucket list. From a far-flung tropical paradise that you've probably never heard of, to wildlife sanctuaries, to a fresh cheese oasis, we've found a diverse range of Aussie islands that will appeal to pretty much every kind of person who likes the sound of escaping the mainland. Island time? We're ready for you.  🌊 The most incredible beaches to dip in Down Under🏝️ Australia's best beach towns🚘 Regional towns in Australia worth checking out

Many of Tasmania’s attractions are already well known throughout Australia. The Port Arthur Historic Site, Cradle Mountain and Wineglass Bay are on everyone’s hit list whatever the weather (and in Tassie the weather can be challenging.) But many of the most interesting things to see and do on the island are kept a little quieter. You won’t find these places on a picture postcard, but every one of them is worth going out of your way to find, and when you get there it will almost certainly be quiet enough to enjoy.

There has been much talk of the “Mona effect”, referring to the positive artistic, social and financial impact of David Walsh’s Museum of Old and New Art, but the newfound vibrancy and confidence of Hobart extends well beyond Mona’s sandstone walls. A thriving food and drink scene, along with festivals, markets and close proximity to some of the world’s most pristine wilderness have seen Hobart attracting record numbers of visitors from both Australia and overseas. With a population of just over 200,000, Hobart punches well above its weight in terms of attractions, but still maintains the friendly welcome and accessibility of a smaller city. Word of Hobart’s charms seems to be spreading fast, so it might pay to visit sooner rather than later. // (function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){i['GoogleAnalyticsObject']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){ (i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o), m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m) })(window,document,'script','//www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js','ga'); ga('create', 'UA-74661476-2', 'auto'); ga('send', 'pageview'); setTimeout("ga('send','event','11 seconds','time on page more than 10 sec')",11000); setTimeout("ga('send','event','31 seconds','time on page more than 30 sec')",31000); setTimeout("ga('send','event','61 seconds','time on page more than 60 sec')",61000); setTimeout("ga('send','event','181 seconds','time on page more than 180 sec')",181000); set

There has been much talk of the “Mona effect”, referring to the positive artistic, social and financial impact of David Walsh’s Museum of Old and New Art, but the newfound vibrancy and confidence of Hobart extends well beyond Mona’s sandstone walls. A thriving food and drink scene, along with festivals, markets and close proximity to some of the world’s most pristine wilderness have seen Hobart attracting record numbers of visitors from both Australia and overseas. With a population of just over 200,000, Hobart punches well above its weight in terms of attractions, but still maintains the friendly welcome and accessibility of a smaller city. Word of Hobart’s charms seems to be spreading fast, so it might pay to visit sooner rather than later. // (function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){i['GoogleAnalyticsObject']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){ (i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o), m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m) })(window,document,'script','//www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js','ga'); ga('create', 'UA-74661476-2', 'auto'); ga('send', 'pageview'); setTimeout("ga('send','event','11 seconds','time on page more than 10 sec')",11000); setTimeout("ga('send','event','31 seconds','time on page more than 30 sec')",31000); setTimeout("ga('send','event','61 seconds','time on page more than 60 sec')",61000); setTimeout("ga('send','event','181 seconds','time on page more than 180 sec')",181000); set

Many of Tasmania’s attractions are already well known throughout Australia. Visitor numbers at the Port Arthur Historic Site, Cradle Mountain and Wineglass Bay remain high whatever the weather (and in Tassie the weather can be challenging.) But many of the most interesting things to see and do on the island are kept a little quieter. You won’t find any of these places on a picture postcard, but every one of them is worth going out of your way to find, and when you get there it will almost certainly be quiet enough to enjoy.

Many of Tasmania’s attractions are already well known throughout Australia. Visitor numbers at the Port Arthur Historic Site, Cradle Mountain and Wineglass Bay remain high whatever the weather (and in Tassie the weather can be challenging.) But many of the most interesting things to see and do on the island are kept a little quieter. You won’t find any of these places on a picture postcard, but every one of them is worth going out of your way to find, and when you get there it will almost certainly be quiet enough to enjoy.

Tasmania’s North West coast is known for being one of the state’s most prosperous agricultural and farming areas, but it’s becoming increasingly popular as a tourist destination. There are huge areas of wilderness that are home to rare and endangered wildlife, scenic coastlines, and small towns packed with independently run shops and restaurants. This is the purest, greenest corner of Tassie; reliable rainfall, geographical isolation and lack of pollution mean that the air here is regularly monitored and recorded as being the cleanest in the world. Combine those environmentally friendly credentials with an abundance of fresh produce and outstanding scenery, and it’s no wonder the North West is thriving. Whether you’re more into boutique accommodation and gourmet food, or backpacking through the bush with your swag and snags, there’s guaranteed to be something that will interest you in the area.

What is it? Much more than just a green space, City Park is the beating heart of Launceston, hosting events and festivals almost year-round. If you’ve got tired feet, explore the park via the miniature railway. Why go? In addition to mature trees and shrubs, flower displays, a beautiful conservatory and a sense garden, the park is home to an enclosure of macaque monkeys – a gift from Launceston’s sister city Ikeda City in Japan.

What is it? A whole new way of seeing Tasmania’s beautiful forests. This 2.5-hour tour takes you through the treetops via zipline, making your way from platform to platform up to 50 metres above the forest floor. Why go? This is the perfect way to combine spectacular scenery with a thrill-seeking experience. To really up the ante, pair your zipline adventure with one of Hollybank's other experiences, including an off-road Segway adventure, ropes course or mountain biking.

What is it? With its numerous antique shops, car boot sales and auction houses, Tasmania is an absolute paradise for second-hand fans. Tulloch’s is one of the best, selling fine art, antiques, jewellery, collector cars and quality general goods. Why go? Browse the Tullochs showroom and then sign up for an online or in-room auction, and you might find yourself leaving Tasmania with anything from a collection of pottery marbles, an old enamel advertising board or a 1980s DeLorean.