10 niche activities

Ready to expand your horizons? Give these one-of-a-kind Tasmanian experiences a go.

From outdoor adventure in unsurpassable wild places to a steamy sauna session dripping in nature or a dash of good old-fashioned competition, a trip to Tasmania is a chance to try something different. Here are 10 unordinary experiences to add to your Tasmanian to-do list.

1. Race back in time at Evandale

Oversized wheels and ye olde costumes dominate at Evandale's quirky National Penny Farthing Championships, held each February at the Evandale Village Fair. Join the crowd (or the race) in the town’s colonial-era streets and revel in the buzz of old-school competition. The pace drops but the colour continues in March, when art aficionados relish in the finalists’ exhibition of the annual Glover Prize – one of Australia’s most prestigious landscape art awards – on display at Evandale’s historic show pavilion.

2. Raft the legendary Franklin River

Saved from being dammed in the 1980s, the Franklin River is synonymous with Tasmania’s grassroots environmental movement. The wild waterway flows through what is now the heart of the vast Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, swirling over rocks, rushing through steep gorges and drifting past swathes of cool-temperate rainforest. Forge a lasting connection with this special place on an exhilarating multi-day rafting adventure with Franklin River Rafting, Water By Nature or Tasmanian Expeditions.

3. Blend your own Tasmanian whisky

Since Tasmania’s ban on distilling was overturned in 1992, the whisky industry has boomed, inspired by the purity of the island’s ingredients. Dip a toe in the trade and create a bespoke bottle of amber spirit during a two-hour workshop at Lark, the island’s original post-prohibition distillery. Prefer to fully immerse? Old Kempton Distillery and Killara Distillery offer multi-day distiller courses, taking eager students through the Tasmanian take on this age-old artform.

4. Forage for your feed

There are so many things to do in Tasmania, it can be hard to know where to begin. But eating is always a good place to start and food tastes even better when you’ve worked for it. Harvest from the kitchen garden at an Agrarian Kitchen cooking class, learn about Tasmanian Aboriginal bush foods with palawa kipli, or let someone else do the hard yards and enjoy a true paddock-to-plate meal at King Island’s Wild Harvest.

5. Take up slow travel, island-style

Wind down to island-off-an-island time: slow the pace, breathe more deeply, soak up the surrounds. Join Tasmanian Walking Company for a Bruny Island Long Weekend and the opportunity to connect with nature on guided day walks across this southern isle. Spend six days traversing rugged peaks and quiet Bass Strait coastlines on a Trek Tasmania Flinders Island Walking Tour. Or head to the east coast for three days of contemplative pack-free walking among abundant wildlife on the Maria Island Walk.

6. Uncover architectural gems of the past

Tasmania is home to some of the country’s oldest cities, guaranteeing a trove of historical architectural treasures. Wander the laneways of Launceston and learn the city’s stories with a Launceston by foot tour. Be thoroughly spooked on a haunting Willow Court Asylum Ghost Tour in New Norfolk. Meander the history-lined pavements of Hobart’s Battery Point on a self-guided walking tour, or take a Battery Point Jaunt and clop along the narrow streets in a horse-drawn carriage. On Maria Island, BYO torch and stay the night in Darlington's rustic convict-era penitentiary, where comfortable bunks and wood fires make for a cosy take on prison life.

7. Simmer in outdoor sauna culture

Sweat it out, plunge into cool water and emerge renewed. Tasmania’s outdoor saunas are multiplying and the island’s mild climate and natural beauty set the ideal scene for a steamy session. Cruise between wood-fired heat and the salty sea aboard Kuuma Nature Sauna, moored at a secluded anchorage south of Hobart. In Derby, plunge directly into the lake after a serene steep at Floating Sauna Lake Derby, while Sweaty Penguins offers a detox and cold shower combo in Hobart, and the north-west towns of Penguin and Burnie.

8. Immerse in elemental art

Across the island, explore a constellation of galleries under wide-open skies. On a west-coast road trip, seek out the sculptures of the Western Wilds Art Trail, each featuring a dramatic natural backdrop. Sheffield’s colourful murals are impossible to miss, adorning building walls and creating a vibrant streetscape. In November, the town’s annual Mural Fest draws a crowd as artists execute their creative works on a grand scale. Down south, stroll the sculpture trail and wander aromatic fields of Tasmanian native peppers at Art Farm Birchs Bay.

9. Barrel downhill on a mountain bike

If upping the adrenaline fills you with thrills, mountain biking in Tasmania is not to be missed. Cruise from the mountains to the sandy seashore of the larapuna / Bay of Fires area on the St Helens Mountain Bike Trails, or flow through rainforest on over 125km of purpose-built trails at Blue Derby. Get grounded by gravity at Maydena Bike Park, or carve across barren crests on Queenstown's Mt Owen MTB Trail Network. Choose an adventure, hire a bike and jump on a shuttle – you're good to go.

10. Chase glimmering lights across dark nights

Low light pollution makes Tasmania’s night skies sparkle. For uninterrupted views of the beaming cosmos, enjoy an opulent stay at Pumphouse Point, perched atop Lake St Clair in World Heritage wilderness. Gaze at the Milky Way deep in the night and capture this awe-inspiring sight at an astrophotography workshop with Luke Tscharke Photography or Luke O’Brien Photography Tours. And when conditions are just right, shift your focus to the southern horizon for glimpses of the shimmering Aurora Australis.

Tasmanian experiences FAQs

When can you see the Aurora Australis in Tasmania?

The Aurora Australis, or Southern Lights, can make its otherworldly appearance across the seasons (although winter’s long, dark nights up the chances of catching a glimpse). When an aurora is forecast, grab a camera and look towards the southern sky. Here are 7 top spots to see the Southern Lights.

Are there any family-friendly mountain bike trails in Tasmania?

Planning a family holiday mountain biking in Tasmania? There’s something for riders of all skill levels. Find family-friendly options at the likes of Blue Derby, St Helens Mountain Bike Trails and Hollybank Mountain Bike Park. Browse more options at 10 of Tasmania’s great mountain bike networks.

Where can I go whisky tasting in Tasmania?

Whisky distilleries have popped up right across the island. For a well-rounded tasting treat, follow the Tasmanian Whisky and Spirits Trail, or get tips from the patriarch of the industry himself in Bill Lark’s guide to Tasmanian whisky.