Tasmania: Our Unforgettable Adventure

Hobart greets you gently, which is exactly what a first day should do. The flight from Melbourne is short enough that you arrive with energy left, and Hobart rewards that immediately.

We checked into Lenna of Hobart, a beautifully restored heritage property right on the waterfront that set the tone for the whole trip in the best possible way.

The afternoon belonged to the harbor. Wandering Salamanca Place, taking in the sandstone warehouses, watching the boats, and getting a feel for a city that moves at exactly the right pace.

Restaurants in Hobart are refreshingly unfussy... good food, good atmosphere, and none of the pretension that sometimes follows a destination with a growing reputation. We ate well, walked more than planned, and fell asleep to the kind of quiet that reminds you how far you are from ordinary life.

Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary was the kind of experience that earns a permanent place in the family highlight reel. Set in the Tasmanian countryside, it’s not a zoo. It’s a rescue sanctuary where the animals roam freely and the encounters feel genuinely personal rather than performative. Hand-feeding kangaroos is one of those things that sounds like a tourist trap until you’re actually doing it, at which point it becomes one of the most magical moments you can have anywhere in the world. They are soooo soft!

The wombats were an unexpected favorite. Impossibly round, completely unbothered, and somehow even more endearing in person than any photo prepares you for.

And then there were the Tasmanian Devils. Fierce, fast, and not even slightly interested in being charming, which made the whole encounter feel appropriately wild.

We left with full memory cards, slightly overwhelmed hearts, and a newfound appreciation for an island that takes its wildlife very seriously.

Our last full day called for something bigger, and Mount Wellington delivered without hesitation.

The drive up winds through an increasingly dramatic landscape until the city of Hobart appears below you like a map, the harbor a silver ribbon in the distance and the ocean beyond that. On a clear day, the views stretch further than you can imagine. We did a light hike along the summit, took our time, and said very little because sometimes a view does the talking for you. Coming back down felt like returning from somewhere else entirely, which is the best thing a day trip can do.

We wrapped the trip the way good trips should end, an easy pizza dinner, a slow pack, and the quiet satisfaction of a place that gave more than it promised. Tasmania has a way of doing that.