Travel guide Tasmania for Fishing

Best Aussie Adventures Where do you think is the best adventure holiday destination in Australia? The 2009 votes are still being counted to find the best place to take yourself and your friends, partner or family on an adventure holiday. Where are the best places to go, things to do and things to see? TakeABreak.com.au, Australia’s only independent holiday rental website, has initiated a first time ‘Best Places to Stay’ award for Australian destinations, which recognises towns and cities that have outstanding facilities in specialist segment categories. Winners will be voted on by the public with 8 categories presenting finalists across each state. Just some of the TakeABreak Adventure Destination finalists… Freycinet P... Read more

The bronzed Aussie with a nose covered in zinc cream, a surfboard, and big happy grin is a stereotype held by many people throughout the world. The bronzed part is easy enough – even with sunblock, t-shirts, and hats, lovely tans are hard to avoid given our abundance of sunshine. The zinc cream is our way of saying, “Hey – it’s cool to be sun-safe – protect yourself!” The surfboard (or fishing rods, scuba gear etc) is because there are so many adventures to be had at each of our beaches. And the big happy grin? Hey – when you have thousands of kilometres of coastline, you just can’t stop smiling. For this reason, Australia welcomes millions of visitors to our shores, all hoping to catch a taste of the Aussie life, even if only for a week. ... Read more

Those of us who live in Australia grow up understanding the joys, dangers and safety rules that make it such a great place.  However, many visitors to our country find Australia an alien, but starkly beautiful country, and they have little or no understanding of the best way to stay safe and enjoy their time here. A few very simple rules can help to make a visit to Australia a safe and pleasurable experience, and Tourism Australia has a brochure available for download that lists safety tips in a variety of languages. Driving tips One of the first things to remember is that speed limits are strictly enforced in Australia, more so than in many countries overseas.  Generally, when driving in urban and suburban areas, the speed limit is between 50 and 60 kilometres per hour. When ... Read more

We know that our teenage children can be delightful, exasperating, funny, sullen, adventurous, shy, talkative, slothful and manic – and sometimes that is just in the space of an hour!  All these moods are magnified when it comes to travelling, be it in Australia or overseas, as teens and parents are forced into one another’s company without a ‘get out of jail free’ card, such as time with friends. Travelling overseas with teenagers tends to be a better experience for a number of reasons, such as the brilliant entertainment systems now available on most flights, menus that let them eat things they like, resorts that have activities that cater for most age groups and the “wow” factor.  So let’s concentrate on surviving travelling in Austra... Read more

Have you ever watched a movie – probably a period romance or nostalgic film – and thought to yourself, “Places like this don’t really exist!”? You know – where everything seems utterly perfect…lovely rolling hills, calm waters, flowers and trees everywhere, and a sense that the locals are truly content. It’s not possible, right? A place where there is no hustle or bustle, where people take the time to laugh together, to savour good food and wine, and locals practise fly fishing, not caring too much if the fish choose to bite. The good news is – such a place really does still exist, and it’s in the southern part of Tasmania.   When you arrive in the region, which is home to the Huon Valley and the famous d’Entrecast... Read more

Rising 1545 metres above sea level, and towering over Dove Lake, Lake Wilks and Crater Lake, Cradle Mountain was aptly named in 1827 by surveyor Joseph Fossey. Formed by millennia of glacial sculpting, this unique peak is part of the Cradle Mountain – Lake St Clair National Park, within the vast Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. Despite its popularity among outdoor enthusiasts, artists, athletes, families, couples and tour groups, it is easy to find your own space to explore, reflect, and rejuvenate.  Things To Do The most important items you’ll need to pack in your bag are good walking boots and a camera, because Cradle Mountain is all about the scenery and enjoying life in the Tasmanian wilderness. With that in mind, make sure you stop into the Cradle Mountain... Read more

The coastal town of Swansea in Tasmania has won the prestigious title of Australia’s Tidiest Town for 2007.  In a clean sweep of the awards, Swansea also took out the Heritage and Culture category, sponsored by TakeABreak.com.au who, together with Keep Australia Beautiful, developed the Tidy Towns Travel initiative. Swansea is a growing holiday destination for both domestic and international visitors, with particular appeal for those who love combining holidays with history.  The town boasts a substantial number of historic homes and buildings and heritage restoration is a major priority.  It sits on the Great Oyster Bay across from the rugged mountains of the Freycinet National Park and this idyllic location, combined with the beauty of the old buildings, makes Swans... Read more

Tasmania’s Effervescent East Discover Launceston and the many roads to Hobart. There are many things to do in Tasmania at any time of the year. If it’s not the famous Sydney to Hobart yacht race, it's the cool-climate wine regions, gourmet produce and Hobart’s Cascade beer. Tasmania is usually remembered as being the ‘Apple Isle’, or for Hobart and the convict settlements that were housed nearby. We’re going to start in the North East with Launceston, home of Boag’s. Brewery tours are one of Launceston’s most popular attractions. Launceston is Australia’s third oldest city, behind Sydney and Hobart, quite a claim to fame really, but probably one on the whole overlooked. It is the second largest city in Tasmania, the main city ... Read more

Do you just need a break from the hum drum of every day life? Escape from the city, for a weekend, or a longer getaway! The average Australian takes holidays twice a year, and most often we travel with families and friends, including children, according to recent research commissioned by Take A Break Away. Australian holidaymakers most often choose to stay in self-contained accommodation, either an apartment or a house, followed closely by bed and breakfast properties and guesthouses. It seems we like access to self-catering facilities so we can do our own thing, relax and fire up the barbeque. Decisions, Decisions, Decisions How do we decide where to go? We look at location and availability, as well as personal recommendations from friends and relatives. More and more we are using the... Read more

The North West of Tasmania is distinctive for its rich volcanic soil and rolling patchwork quilt of pasturelands. It is particularly famous for Cradle Mountain, the Stanley Nut and Boat Harbour. Increasingly it is becoming famous for the Tarkine wilderness, the world's second  largest temperate rainforest. In between these icons there are a multitude of natural and cultural attractions. Volcanoes and glaciers of the distant past have  shaped the entire area and have given rise to a great diversity of landscapes and ecosystems. There are a host of waterfalls, lakes, mountains and rainforests, valleys, plains, sand dunes and beaches. The seaside town of Wynyard, at the base of Table Cape, has a range of quality accommodation and restaurants making it an ideal base to explore... Read more