Tasmania, Australia

Tasmania is the largest of Australia's islands. An "island off an island" ... It is located 200 kilometres south (Under) of Victoria , and is separated by a body of water called Bass Strait. This geographical isolation from the mainland of Australia and the fact that it is the most southerly state of Australia has resulted in an island that has developed a unique and amazing ecosystem.

Aurora Australis: the Southern Lights  Tasmania is the Australian state from which the Aurora Australis or ‘southern lights’ are most commonly seen  

Tasmanian Wilderness The island of Tasmania has wilderness that is world reknowned for its ancient forests and remote mountains and rivers. Thousands of years of being largely untouched by humans has allowed some of the oldest and largest trees in the world to flourish. One of the most interesting Tasmania facts is that Tassie has one of the oldest native trees in the world, the Huon Pine. There are also a number of mountain ranges (one of the most famous being Cradle Mountain) scattered across the state which provide spectacular hiking or camping opportunities

Air Tasmania is said to have the cleanest air in the world.

Other interesting facts about Tasmania. 

The Bush Inn at New Norfolk (1825) is the oldest continually licensed public house in Australia.

The Theatre Royal in Hobart is Australia's oldest operative live theatre.

Tasmania has Australia's oldest brewery, the Cascade brewery in Hobart.

Tasmania has Australia's most complete ruins of a convict settlement at Port Arthur.

Tasmania has a higher proportion of its land area (22.6 per cent) reserved for recreation and conservation purposes than any other State.

Western Tasmania's World Heritage Area is one of the last great unspoilt temperate wilderness areas in the world.

Tasmania possesses the finest brown trout angling in the southern hemisphere and is the source of all brown trout stocks in Australia and New Zealand.

Tasmania has the longest and deepest caves and the deepest natural freshwater lake in Australia.

Launceston's Cataract Gorge Chairlift is the longest single-span chairlift in the world.

Tasmania has the fastest growing farmed Atlantic salmon in the world and one of the world's largest and most modern hatcheries.

The reputation of Tasmania's premium wines is protected by the only legislated apellation scheme in Australia.

Tasmania has the largest lavender farm in the world and it is the only commercial lavender producer in the southern hemisphere.

The dominant rainforest species are eucalypts, including the tallest stands of hardwood in the southern Hemisphere and the biggest white gum (89 metres tall and 10 metres around) in the world.

The forests also include a unique range of minor species, including myrtle, blackwood, sassafras, leatherwood, celery top pine, Huon pine and King Billy pine. These timbers are used extensively in the craft and quality furniture industries.

A Huon pine tree in the south-west wilderness is estimated to be 4,000 years old, making it the oldest living thing on earth.

Tasmania has 69 golf courses - more per capita than any other state in Australia.