Why Tasmania Is the Ultimate Off-the-Beaten-Path Destination for 2025

Tasmania’s clean air and water aren’t just good for you, they also make island-grown produce; some of the tastiest in the world.

Savour regional ingredients such as leatherwood honey or Tasmanian pepperberry, pluck and shuck your own oysters, sip Australia’s most awarded sparkling wine, or some of the southern hemisphere’s greatest whiskies, and more:   

• Artisan Markets:  Every weekend, communities across the state line the streets with stalls of fresh and artisanal produce. At Hobart’s Salamanca Market you will meet 300 stallholders offering a variety of products from artisanal wares to the famed (but divisive) scallop pie. The following day enjoy even more of Hobarts fresh produce and artisan food stalls at Farm Gate Market. In Launceston, a UNESCO City of Gastronomy, visit Harvest Market for great local food such as seafood, freshly baked bread, beer, honey and other seasonal specialties. 

• Wonderful Wineries: Tasmania is a wine lover’s paradise – home to five acclaimed wine regions: the Tamar Valley, Derwent Valley, Coal River Valley, Huon Valley and East Coast. Follow the Tamar Valley Wine Trail and sample world-class sparkling at House of Arras, or head to the Coal River Valley for a glass of crisp Tolpuddle Chardonnay. Whether it’s Pinot Noir by the coast or whites in the south, Tasmania’s cellar doors promise something special at every stop.   

• World Class ‘Liquid Sunshine’: Following numerous wins at the World Whisky Awards 2025, ensure you don’t miss out on visiting world-renowned distilleries such Lark Distillery, Sullivan’s Cove and Hellyers Road Distillery.   

• Sensational Seafood: Journey offshore with Pennicott Wilderness Journeys’ Tasmanian Seafood Seduction, offering a full day amongst the waves sampling fresh seafood whilst you take in the pristine surroundings of southern Tasmania’s pristine waterways. Or, at Freycinet Marine Farm on the east coast, step into the heart of a working oyster farm and enjoy world-class oysters that are freshly shucked just for you.  

• Farm-to-Table: With a strong farm-to-table ethos, local chefs work closely with growers, fishermen and producers to create seasonal menus that hero what’s grown nearby. Not only does the island state offer the chance to sample produce straight from the farm and ocean, but it also allows us to meet the makers and experience farm-to-table dining with freshness like no other place in the world. For a taste of home with a Tassie twist, Brits should visit Oirthir, the newest fine dining offering that offers a unique mélange of Scottish influence, French culinary techniques, and fresh Tasmanian produce.   

Unleash your creative spirit in Australia’s hidden art capital  

Tasmania’s wild beauty and deep history continues to inspire a community of artists, designers and performers and attracts creatives from across the globe:  

• Mona: Mona (Museum of Old and New Art) presents an alternative universe of ideas and expression through its exhibitions, seasonal events and eateries. Notable recent exhibitions include the now closed Ladies Lounge and Name Dropping, which explores the concept of status and why we are drawn to certain objects and people.  

• Dark Mofo: Soon to return for 2025, Dark Mofo celebrates pagan rituals of renewal through art, music, film, and culinary experiences. The Nude Winter Solstice Swim, one of the festival’s most anticipated events, sees swimmers take the plunge into Hobart’s River Derwent at sunrise on the morning after the longest night.  

• Beaker Street: Beaker Street Festival is a week-long celebration of science in Lutruwita/Tasmania each August. Now approaching its ninth year, Beaker Street Festival promises a mix of wonder, flavour, and scientifically proven fun. The festival invites curious minded people from all walks of life to delve into today’s hottest topics with a packed program of science-infused entertainment and discussions, while experiencing the best of Tasmanian environments and culture.   

Uncover rich history through Tasmania’s heritage sites  

In Tasmania, travellers can learn about the Palawa (Tasmanian Aboriginal) connection to country through stories, knowledge and enduring culture. Highlights include:  

• Wukalina Walk: Step onto sacred ground and journey through time on the Wukalina Walk, Tasmania’s only Aboriginal-owned and led multi-day hike, which was named one of TIME’s  World’s Greatest Places in 2024. Set in the breathtaking Bay of Fires and Wukalina (Mount William) landscapes, this immersive experience invites you to connect deeply with Palawa (Tasmanian Aboriginal) culture, history, and country. Hear stories passed down for thousands of generations and sleep under southern skies on a cultural journey that you won’t find anywhere else in the world.  

• Palawa kipli: Palawa Kipli is Tasmania’s only Aboriginal food business, 100% owned and operated by Aboriginal people. Its 90-minute bush-food walks with Palawa guides invite guests to taste seasonal native bush tucker, learn about Palawa history and culture, and discover ways to shape a sustainable future. The experience ends with a unique tasting of native food and drinks – or a private sit-down cultural dining experience, featuring a six-plate set menu of high-end native foods.  

• Blak Led Tours: Blak Led Tours hosts guided tours and story-telling projects across Tasmania, created by Palawa / Warlpiri woman Nunami Sculthorpe-Green with Tasmanian playwright Sarah Hamilton. Learn about Palawa perspective, history and continued presence within the city on Takara Nipaluna / Walking Hobart tour, which exposes the history beneath the asphalt.