Tasmania: A journey

By SHIVANGI AMBANI-GANDHI

When convicts were shipped from England to Australia to serve a sentence of eternal banishment and for an excellent multi-day rafting experience. Gigantic waves come crashing to Tasmanian shores all the way from Antarctica, and you can take in

Hobart

I began my introduction to Tassie, as the Aussies call it, in the coastal city of Hobart, which is protected from the icy winds of the Roaring 40s by the towering Mount Wellington. Just a short 10-minute drive out of the city centre, there is a trail leading to beautiful springs in Mount Wellington Park, and the views over the city from its peak are gorgeous.

Meanwhile, a stroll through the carefully preserved Georgian cottages of Battery Point and the original cemetery in the historic St David’s Park will reveal the city’s historic significance. By the waterfront, the row of tastefully restored Georgian warehouses form the famous Salamanca Place which houses restaurants, cafés, shops and an excellent arts centre. The mellow sandstone buildings come alive every Saturday when the open air Salamanca Markets bring local produce - jams, pickles, condiments, fudge, homebaked breads and biscuits—and crafts to the city.

Fresh produce, including excellent seafood, also makes its way into Hobart’s restaurants, many of which have a decidedly bohemian atmosphere. You can’t walk into the Sirens restaurant wearing any form of militia regalia. However, for peace-loving vegetarians like me, the place is a gem serving up melt-in-your-mouth dumplings in an oriental broth, perfectly grilled tofu with unbelievably sweet, fresh greens and a desert of the creamiest chocolate mousse with crunchy pistachio short bread and Turkish delight fingers.

Hobart is also home of Cascade brewery and wine trails abound in the surrounding areas. There are several other day trips starting from Hobart -including the popular convict sites of Port Arthur -and most visitors tend to restrict their Tasmanian holiday to the Hobart base, but Tasmania has a world to offer if you are willing to step out of the comfort zone.

Bruny Island

The half-hour ferry from Kettering to Bruny Island seems like a journey to another time-space continuum. The bush lies undisturbed, the waves crash in undeterred, the wind untamable and you seem to be floating in the ocean, in the middle of nowhere.

A narrow isthmus called the Neck, links North and South Bruny. The Neck Lookout offers breathtaking views of the isthmus, the wild ocean and the South Bruny National Park. At the base of the lookout, are mutton bird rookeries and a spot to view fairy penguins return home to the beach at dusk.

You can also take cruises around the coast to view wild dolphins and seals. I decided to drive through the renowned national park instead and began with a leisurely lunch at the Hothouse Café at Adventure Bay. The excellent views over the isthmus, canopied picnic tables, local wines and delicious focaccias and wraps freshly prepared make this a perfect spot for a relaxing lunch.

Then I head to the southern edge of the island- Cape Bruny Lighthouse, the second-oldest manned-lighthouse in Australia, built using convict labour. Looking south, is the seemingly unending Southern Ocean that stretches down to Antarctica. Turn north and you can see the rugged edges of Bruny Island fighting a loosing battle against the icy wind and powerful waves that erode its cliffs into dramatic rock formations.