The Top 10 Places to See in Tasmania
With Tasmania's 3.4-million acres of protected wilderness, this alluring isle feels close to heaven—Tasmanian devils included
- By Tony Perrottet
- Smithsonian.com, April 17, 2012
Scenic coastline at Binnalong Bay - part of the famed Bay of Fires region. (© Travelscape Images / Alamy)
The Bay of Fires in Tasmania’s northeast received its evocative name in 1773, when a passing British sea captain, Tobias Furneaux, spotted the campfires of Tasmanian Aborigines burning in the bush. Today, the only sign that there were indigenous inhabitants are the ancient middens above the sands—the first Tasmanians were hunted down in a colonial campaign, and the last full-blooded islander died in 1878—but the bay, a ravishing stretch of unblemished sand, is the climax of a popular four-day guided walk. On the first night, the small group of hikers camp by the surf in comfortable permanent tents. The second and third nights are spent in the Bay of Fires Lodge, a superbly located building of polished local hardwoods and glass perched on an isolated headland. From the balcony, you can spot passing right whales and pods of dolphins in the surf, while the guide-chefs serve up Thai prawn curries and Tasmanian wines.
Contributing writer Tony Perrottet, who was born in Australia and now lives in New York, has been visiting Tasmania since the 1980s; www.tonyperrottet.com.
Comments (2)
Love the pictures! When its the best time to visit?
Posted by Peter Tangprasertchai on April 26,2012 | 11:18 AM
Love that pic. I was born in Hobart, live in Brisbane, and will be attending a training course for registered crew members on that tall ship the Lady Nelson in Hobart on Saturday. She's beautiful.
Posted by Ali on April 20,2012 | 11:14 PM