Tamar Island

Traversing Tasmania, Tamar Island
Tamar Island © emily@traversingtasmania 2017

About ten minutes drive from Launceston, accessible via the West Tamar Highway, lies a fascinating place: Tamar Island. A long boardwalk leads out to the island, taking you between phragmites australis reeds and out over mudflats and the river itself. The boardwalk is open from dawn until dusk; we took the opportunity to have a picnic dinner on the island as the sun was beginning to set. It was beautiful!

Tamar Island Wetlands © emily@traversingtasmania 2017

On the walk out to Tamar Island, which takes 20 – 30 minutes (depending on how many things you stop to look at on the way!), you’ll see a variety of birds, such as pelicans, black swans and great egrets, and perhaps even a copperhead snake (which should be left alone as it is venomous! Be careful where you tread!). If you look carefully, you can see the wrecks that were sunk in the channel in order to improve the flow of water.

Facilities

Picnic Table, Tamar Island © emily@traversingtasmania 2017

On Tamar Island, there are picnic tables, public BBQs (you’ll need to take your rubbish with you though), a toilet block, a jetty (giving access to the island via boat) and a European stand of trees. These were donated by the Hobart Botanical Gardens. Even stranger still is the tree that has grown around an abandoned piece of farming equipment!

Tamar Island Wetlands Interpretation Centre © emily@traversingtasmania 2017

The small but informative Tamar Island Wetlands Interpretation Centre, with its distinctive circular roof, is open from 10am to 4pm everyday except Christmas Day (9am to 5pm in summer). You can view birds from a hide 0.5km from the interpretation centre.

Cost

Although it is possible to walk to Tamar Island for free, your donation helps Parks and Wildlife. They aim to conserve the native flora and fauna of the island and wetlands.

To read more about my adventures in Tasmania’s north, click here. Further up the Tamar River, explore the Cataract Gorge by boat or on foot. Looking for another free, short walk? Try nearby Tailrace Park.

Getting to Tasmania

Tasmania is an island state of Australia, located at latitude 42° south. It has excellent food and wine, beautiful beaches, spectacular UNESCO listed wilderness, stunning mountains, a rich history and friendly, innovative people. Tasmania has five UNESCO listed convict sites. Getting to Tasmania necessitates the adventure of travelling by boat or plane from Melbourne, or by plane from Sydney or Brisbane.

Boat

The Spirit of Tasmania ferries passengers and cars between Melbourne (Victoria) and Devonport (Tasmania). There are day sailings in peak seasons. Night sailings operate year round on every day except Sunday. Read about my journey on the Spirit of Tasmania here.

Plane

Hobart International Airport

Hobart, Tasmania’s capital city, can be reached directly from Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. Fly via Virgin Australia, Jetstar, Qantas (Melbourne and Sydney only) and Tigerair (Melbourne only).

Launceston Airport

Launceston is Tasmania’s second largest city and can be reached directly from Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. Fly via Virgin Australia (Melbourne and Sydney only), Jetstar and QantasSharp Airlines also flies from Launceston Airport to Burnie, King Island and Flinders Island.

Devonport Airport

Devonport, the northern city from which The Spirit of Tasmania sails, has a small airport. It can be reached directly from Melbourne via Qantas.

Burnie Airport

Burnie, a coastal town in the north west, has a small airport. It can be reached directly from Melbourne via Rex and Free Spirit Airlines. Sharp Airlines also files from Burnie to Launceston, King Island and Flinders Island.

There are several other small airports and airlines operating in Tasmania.

Quarantine

Tasmania has strict quarantine laws to prevent the spread of pests and diseases. You cannot bring any fresh meats, honey, fruit and vegetables or plants into Tasmania. For more detailed information, visit the Tasmanian Government’s “Traveller’s Guide to Tasmanian Biosecurity – What You Can and Can’t Bring into Tasmania“.

Enjoy your journey to Tasmania! For more ideas for your Tassie adventures, read my posts about what to do in Tassie’s north, north westsouth, west coast, east coast and midlands.

Writing My Tasmanian Travels

Traversing Tasmania, Table Cape

I am very excited about writing Traversing Tasmania! I have been writing about Tasmania for years, albeit via letters, postcards and emails to friends and family. Recently, I have had a few articles about Tasmanian creatives featured in the lovely and local Lume Magazine.

I grew up across the river from kunanyi (Mt. Wellington) and have always loved the Tasmanian landscape. One of my favourite parts about travelling to other states and countries is returning home! My island is magnificent.

Each time I visit a location in Tasmania, I’ll tell you about my travels so that you can live the journey with me and even plan your own trip! I look forward to sharing my island with you.

Click here to read about my Tasmanian travels.