Shopping and Eating in Tasmania, Australia
Cuisine and restaurants of Tasmania
The island’s restaurants have long been dominated by English gastronomic traditions (due to a close and long history of Anglo-Australian interaction). With the arrival of international migrants in Tasmania, it became possible to find a catering establishment for almost any cuisine in the world. Of the local delicious attractions, it is recommended to try seafood: lobsters, salmon in various preparations, exotic deep-sea fish called Atlantic bighead (bred on Tasmanian marine farms) and a variety of shellfish: mussels, oysters, abalone and other shell holders.
Tassie Dining Card is a card that entitles you to a discount of 15 to 50% in restaurants, bars and cafes in more than 40 cities and towns of the island. Discounts are also available at some grocery stores, enotecas and culinaries. The map is accompanied by a 32-page Tasmanian restaurant guide. Cost – 39 USD, valid for 30 days for a group of up to six people.
According to wholevehicles, Tasmania, like Australia, is famous for soft, fragrant and weak wine (the best wineries are located in the Tamar Valley), sparkling drinks, and local beer. The Cascade and Boag’s brands are popular throughout the country.
King Island is known for its cheese factories, and Hobart for its Cadbury chocolate factory.
Try the exclusive Tasmanian honey, obtained from the flower pollen of the leatherwood shrub (brilliant Eurythia) – it is very fragrant and has a lot of useful properties.
The “Island of Inspiration”, Tassi, as the Australians call it, offers an abundance of amazing activities, from spending the night in the bush to meeting the Tasmanian marsupial devil.
Shopping and shopping in Tasmania
Thanks to Tasmania’s long isolation from civilized life, its colonial past and national passion for preserving antiques, unique antiques can be found here: furniture and home decoration, silver, books, coins and porcelain. Furniture items made from exotic woods, such as myrtle or kauri, are in particular demand. Most antique shops offer overseas shipping services for purchased items. Be sure to visit the largest antiques market in Hobart – The Antiques Market.
There are also many galleries of painting, arts and crafts and handicrafts on the island. In general, Tasmania has a really fantastic percentage of talent per capita!
Tasmania is also famous for its wool products; precious merino goats roam the area. You can buy wool yarn or ready-made products. Do not forget about edible souvenirs: fresh products, of course, are problematic to bring home, but cheese heads and bottles of wine can be taken with you.
Entertainment and attractions in Tasmania
Entertainment Tasmania can be divided into two large groups: admiring the amazing nature and wildlife of the island and getting acquainted with the gloomy heritage of the colonial regime – visiting places of detention, former colony settlements and labor enterprises. According to the Tourism Office, the latter will be of particular interest to the British – they will literally be able to feel in the shoes of their ancestors.
Five of Tasmania’s historic sites (all with prison roots) were most recently inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List: Port Arthur Prison Fort, Collieries, Cascades Women’s Factory, Darlington Probation Station, and Brickendon Woolmers Estates.
The Tiagarra Cultural Center in Devonport tells the story of Tasmanian Aboriginals (the island’s indigenous people today make up 1% of the population). Inscriptions carved in stone dating back to the eighth millennium BC have been preserved here. The museum has over 2,000 artifacts on display.
The Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery has exhibits on the history, culture and decorative arts of the island, separate rooms are dedicated to the work of the natives, in particular, here you can see a model of a primitive canoe.
Nature of Tasmania
The nature of Tasmania is a magnificent attraction in itself, and there are many noteworthy tours and excursions on the island in national parks (they occupy more than 40% of the territory), canyons, virgin coast, wildlife sanctuaries and bush.
Cateract Gorge in Launceston is a natural phenomenon located almost in the center of the city with a mountain river, steep slopes and an abundance of exotic plants.
On Flinders Island, you can enjoy the play of the sun’s rays on the pink-gray granite rocks, see the mining of semi-precious stones and, perhaps, purchase some of your favorite products.
Tasmania also offers many opportunities for outdoor enthusiasts: rock climbing and surfing, diving and caving, mountain biking, paragliding, mountaineering and rafting.