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Tasmania is the smallest Australian state, situated 240km (150mi) south of the mainland. Measuring just 290km (180mi) by 280km (175mi), it is roughly the same size as Ireland, but with a population of only about 500,000 people. Tasmania was "discovered" by the Dutch explorer Abel Von Tasman in 1642, but is probably best known for its role in the 19C as a penal colony. In spite of its sordid past, Tasmania is a place of spectacular beauty, being one of the few parts of Australia which is well watered.
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| Two views (above)
in northwestern Tasmania, west of Launceston.
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A view of the sea (left) along the northwest coast near Wynyard. |
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| Much of central
and western Tasmania is covered by rain forests such as this
(above)
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Queenstown (left) is the major town in western Tasmania. |
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| Two views (above)
inside Cradle
Mountain - Lake St Clair National Park, in the central part of the
island.
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Like their larger kangaroo cousins, wallabies (left) are marsupials. This one holds a "joey" in her pouch. |
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| Two views (above)
inside Mount
Field National Park, in the southwestern part of Tasmania, known for
its lush temperate rainforests and cascading waterfalls.
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Those parts of central Tasmania not covered by rainforest have generally been cleared for use as pasture. |
A view of Hobart, Tasmania's capital and largest city with a population of roughly 225,000. Founded in 1804, it is Australia's second oldest city after Sydney. |
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| Two views (above) of Hobart; at left is Salamanca Place, an area of restored 19C docks and warehouses. | |||
Lovely spring flowers bloom at the Hobart Botanical Gardens.
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Lush green pastures on the highway from Hobart to Port Arthur. |
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Five views (left, above) of various buildings at Port Arthur, Australia's most notorious penal colony, which operated from 1833 to 1876. It was home to what were considered the most incorrigible prisoners, and was the scene of much brutality even by standards of the time. Today it is a popular national park. |
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| Four views (above)
of the spectacular scenery of the Tasman Peninsula near Port Arthur.
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Ben Lomond Peak is one of the highest points in Tasmania, and lies within Ben Lomond National Park. |
A foggy morning on the plains near the city of Launceston. What amazed me about Tasmania is that it is a place where even the mundane is beautiful. |
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A map showing the location of Tasmania relative to the Australian mainland. |
Tasmania map courtesy of Focus on Tasmania. |
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