Island Adventure

Hobart, Tasmania's capital city stretches along the banks of the Derwent River, bounded on one side by the dramatic Mt Wellington. Take some time to stroll around Arthur Circus, where whalers' cottages form a colourful circle around a small park. The convict ruins at nearby Port Arthur offer a unique insight into the history of European settlement in Australia. Between 1837 and 1877 an estimated 12,500 convicts, all multiple offenders, passed through the Port Arthur penal colony. Don't miss the Isle of the Dead Cruise, which departs from the historic site daily. This island was Port Arthur's burial ground during the convict era, and nearly 2,000 bodies are buried there. For a spine chilling experience, join a lantern lit ghost tour around Port Arthur at night. And if that's not frightening enough, go face to face with a real little devil at the nearby Tasmanian Devil Park.

Strahan lies on the edge of the unspoiled beauty of Macquarie Harbour, described - with good reason - as 'the last outpost of civilisation'. Nearby, the wild Franklin River offers what's been described as Australia's best outdoor adventure – the full multi-day Franklin descent demands strength, fitness and commitment, while a shorter trip on the lower Franklin gives a wonderful taste of wilderness rafting.

Widely regarded as Australia's best bushwalking destination, the Cradle Mountain– Lake St Clair National Park, is home to glacial lakes, ice-carved crags, alpine shrubbery, waterfalls and tall forests. The jagged dolomite peak of Cradle Mountain dominates the park, but the wild weather of the Tasmanian highlands often shrouds the mountain in cloud. The track to the top of the mountain (1,545 metres above sea level) is an eight-hour return walk, but there are many other shorter, easier walks. If you're going to walk, make sure you advise park rangers of your plans.

After arriving from Melbourne on Spirit of Tasmania, browse through the galleries and craft shops of the city of Devonport before visiting the House of Anvers, where you can indulge your sweet tooth at the chocolate museum and tastings. On the way to Launceston stop at Seahorse World, home to tens of thousands of delicate, seemingly mythical creatures – sure to delight kids of all ages. Tasmania's second largest city is noted for its exceptionally beautiful nineteenth century buildings and the best way to see them is on the historic coach tram tour through the streets. While in town, don't forget to visit Boag's Brewery – funny name but seriously good ale. The brewery is open to the public on weekdays.

Begin your day with a short walk to Cataract Gorge Reserve, where you can ride the Basin Chairlift to formal gardens and natural forest. On the drive east, drop in to Pipers Brook, rated as one of the best winery tasting rooms in Tasmania. There are many other vineyards in this region worth visiting, and you can easily spend a day sampling wines. St Helens, the largest town on the east coast of Tasmania, is a hub of commercial fishing. Here you can charter a game fishing vessel or visit the dazzling beaches of the Bay of Fires.

A short drive from St Helens is Freycinet National Park. Dominated by jagged pink granite peaks with dramatic cliffs that drop straight into the sea, this park boasts one of the 10 best beaches in the world - Wineglass Bay, a perfect half-moon of gleaming white sand.