Tasmania: An Ecotourist’s Paradise

Tasmania: An Ecotourist’s Paradise. Article first published in www.ozehols.com.au, http://www.ozehols.com.au/blog/tasmania/tasmania-an-ecotourists-paradise/

The island of Tasmania is one of the most picturesque locations on the
planet. It boasts beautiful sandy beaches, ancient rainforests and
breathtaking mountains. It is therefore little wonder it is such a popular
site for ecotourism<http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/7d12b0f6763c78caca257061001cc588/84e04703e1a91a53ca256c3200241725!OpenDocument>.
Nature has been one of the main draws to the state for tourists since the
late 1800s. However its ecotourism industry did not emerge until the 1970s.
Nowadays the industry is thriving, which is no surprise considering the
fact that twenty percent of Tasmania is classed as World Heritage area of
outstanding cultural and natural significance. The island possesses
vegetation, scenery and wildlife that are unlike those found anywhere else
on earth.

*Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens*

Tasmania’s capital city of Hobart is five minutes away from a range of
different beauty spots, making it a popular stop off point for cruises from
the UK <http://www.iglucruise.com/cruises-from-uk>, mainland Australia, New
Zealand and a host of other nations. Tourists come from far and wide to
stay in a city that lies on nature’s doorstep. Perhaps the best location to
visit near the city is the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens. They are home
to conservation collections of over a dozen threatened plant species
and a ‘Chinese
garden <http://www.rtbg.tas.gov.au/index.aspx?base=365>’, which has been
created using traditional oriental gardening practices.
The Botanical Gardens also contain a garden that demonstrates innovative,
environmentally sensitive methods for reducing the harm that urban storm
water runoff causes to the environment. Rainwater is harvested from
building roofs, pathways and roads into a small basin with attractive,
native vegetation planted in it, showing that a storm water treatment
system can be incorporated into a visually appealing landscape design.

*National Parks*

Another feather in the cap of Tasmania’s ecotourism industry is its
nineteen different national parks, which offer visitors a huge choice of
fascinating landscapes to discover, from towering mountains to
awe-inspiring forests and waterfalls. Ben Lomond National Park in the
northeast of the island is one of the most impressive of these parks. It
boasts beautiful snow-covered mountaintops, an outstanding variety of
glacial features and a plethora of different rare bird species.
Douglas-Apsley National Park is also well worth a visit. It contains deep
river gorges, waterfalls, pockets of rainforest and a host of unusual
plants and animals.

*Eco Cabins*

For dedicated ecotourists who possess a desire to know what it feels like
to live in the Tasmanian wilderness, the Rainbow Retreat Wilderness Eco
Cabins near St Marys are the perfect option. They offer ocean-view
accommodation on a wildlife nature reserve and are ran one hundred percent
on wind and solar power. The downside is that the cabin owners restrict
water use in order to conserve resources, which might be inconvenient at
times. It is worth it for the panoramas though, as they are absolutely
stunning.

*Huon Valley*

If white, sandy beaches and picturesque orchards and vineyards are your
thing then you will love the Huon Valley, which is just half an hour’s
drive from Hobart. It is home to the mighty eucalyptus regnans, which are
the world’s tallest flowering plants, and boasts a mixture of wild, rugged
landscapes, friendly small towns and well-kept garden features. It is
perfect for those who want to get away from it all, as the entire region
has a population of just fewer than fifteen and a half thousand people even
though it contains a total of seven different towns. The dark, still waters
of the River Huon are positively mesmerizing. They are so tranquil that
rumour has it that if you stare into them for long enough, you will see the
reflection of your soul.
If you are searching for Huon Valley accommodation, OzeHols offer a wide range of holiday accommodation in Huon Valley.

*Tahune Forest Air Walk*

The Tahune Forest Air Walk offers another opportunity to witness some of
the Huon Valley’s most beautiful scenery. It features a spine-tingling
swinging bridge across the Picton and Huon rivers and lush, green forest
filled with wildlife. The attraction also provides the opportunity to learn
about the forest, increasing participants’ understanding of human beings’
interactions with the natural world and encouraging conservation. The best
thing about attractions of this ilk is that they foster a love of natural
spaces. Visiting a large city has its perks but the main benefit of a
holiday in Tasmania is that it allows you to avoid the hustle and bustle of
everyday and experience life how it is intended to be lived.
We invite you to visit beautiful Tasmania and enjoy the island’s beauty while staying in one of the holiday accommodation in Tasmania offered by OzeHols.

Blog content provided by Evelyn Robinson.