Travel guide Tasmania for Whale Watching

Taking a break in Wynyard, Tasmania offers an unusual array of laid-back excitement. This delightful seaside town offers the best of relaxation, while providing adventure lovers plenty of scope to keep their adrenaline pumping. Spectacular views from Table Cape offer year-round enjoyment, made even more exquisite when the region brightens up with colour during the Wynyard Tulip Festival.   Once a major Tasmanian sea port due to its previous timber industry; today the town is a quiet haven of beauty and friendly locals.    Things to do: Tiptoe through the tulips: Wynyard is famous for its Tulip festival each October. If you’re in the area during late September or early October, also be sure to check out Van Diemen’s Bulb Farm where you can view fields of... 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

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 ancient beauty includes vast tracts of World Heritage wilderness without peer in Australia. These wilds host both soft and extreme adventures. Now in Tasmania, swapping the lounge room for wilderness has never been easier. An eco-cruise is one way to pierce Tasmania's outermost regions.  Witness migrating wildlife on the great Southern Ocean and towering coastal cliffs, amongst the tallest in Australia, from a custom-built, ocean-going cruiser. Or stir the mind while negotiating the temperate wilderness crowding the Gordon River. Meandering through the World Heritage Area the majestic and mysterious Gordon River moves through some of Tasmania's most inaccessible rainforest.  Spoil yourself on a luxury cruise or fly in on a seaplane. For those who prefer to get clos... Read more