Another world

Conference delegates find Tasmania a breath of fresh air, with its natural surroundings and commitment to nature.

Whether in summer or winter, Tasmania offers delegates a climate and landscape quite unique in Australia. The southernmost state is a small island of just 68,000 square kilometres, separated from the mainland by Bass Strait. Visitors can fly into Tasmania directly from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide, while car ferries operate from Melbourne and Sydney. Flying time from Melbourne to Hobart is just one hour.

Tasmania’s small size belies the amount of things to do and experience. The climate is mild in summer and decidedly cold in winter. Australians tend to think of Tasmania much like England, but it’s the English countryside rather than crowded metropolises they’re comparing it to.

History and heritage plays an important part in Tasmania’s attraction. It was originally sighted by explorer Abel Tasman in 1642 and called Van Diemen’s Land, but was not settled until the early years of the 19th century (in fact, Hobart predates Melbourne). There remains a wealth of graceful Georgian architecture, much of which has been restored and retained for everyday use, although some grand mansions have now been transformed into house museums under the care of the National Trust.

In its early years, Tasmania was notorious as a penal settlement – Port Arthur in the east and Sarah Island on the west coast retain a certain atmospheric reminder of those harsh days.

Days of old
The heritage trail, taking in many historic buildings and quaint country towns and villages, is explored on the roads between Hobart and Launceston. There’s also an established fine-food and wine trail sure to entertain delegates. The first vineyard was planted in Tasmania near Hobart in 1823, and the established wine district around that city has been joined by another that straddles both banks of the Tamar River near Launceston. Cool-climate riesling, chardonnay, pinot gris and pinot noir are particularly prized.

Conference groups are building such travels into their social itineraries, and quite a few wineries have capacity for special events and meetings. Certainly, Tasmania’s reputation as a haven for good living has helped it snare quite a few high profile and prestigious events. In recent times, such successes have included the 74th Congress of the International Wool Textile Organisation, which drew 520 delegates from 22 countries to Hobart in 2005, as well as the Australian Veterinary Association National Conference and Sustainable Economic Growth for Regional Australia National Conference. Another coup will be hosting the Meetings and Events Australia (MEA) annual conference in Hobart next year, expected to attract some 450 delegates.

>> Conference & meeting venues in Tasmania

Natural attractions
MEA, like many other conference delegates, will spend time on pre and post-touring options – beach fossicking along the east coast, exploring the World Heritage-listed Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park, and the Franklin and Gordon rivers of the wild west coast. Tasmania has a varied and fascinating range of wildlife, including the unique Tasmanian Devil, the world’s largest carnivorous marsupial. Such places as the Narawntapu National Park, Mount William National Park, and Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park are the perfect places to see them in their natural habitat.



Birdwatchers will also be impressed with Tasmania. Many endangered species, such as the Orange Bellied Parrot and the Forty-spotted Pardalote, are viewable. For dedicated enthusiasts, specialised birdwatching and wildlife tours can be arranged.

Adventure lovers will be similarly entranced: fishing for brown and rainbow trout; rock climbing or abseiling Mount Wellington overlooking Hobart or the Cataract Gorge in Launceston; diving amongst the shipwrecks around King and Flinders islands; or trekking the six day Overland Track through the Cradle Mountain region. Tasmania even has its own underground national park – Mole Creek Karst National Park – in the mid-north region, about 40 minutes west of Deloraine, which takes in more than 300 known caves and sinkholes. Caving for all levels is especially popular in such places.