Tasmania’s isolation from mainland Australia makes it a refuge for animals and plants that are rare or even extinct in the rest of the world, including the legendary Tasmanian Devil, a marsupial the size of a small dog.

The most common way to encounter Tas' most well-known animal is through its nighttime scream. The little, hyena-like marsupial is infamous for its eerie hiss, which Tasmanian author Richard Flanagan likened to a woman being strangled. Initially thought to be tormented souls by prisoners, they are now treasured icon that is threatened by a rare illness called DFTD, or Devil Facial Tumor Disease.

There are sanctuaries all around the state, including Bonorong and Devils@Cradle, where you can learn about the terrible sickness that threatens them, observe the devils up close, and perhaps even get the chance to pet one of the animals while helping to alleviate their condition. Visit during feeding time to witness these marsupials fighting, screeching, and gnawing into wallaby bones.

The world’s most “far-out” museum, as it has often been called, can be reached by taking a ferry ride up the peaceful Derwent River in the northern suburbs of Hobart. And in the subterranean galleries of Tasmania’s Museum of Old and New Art, you’ll find some of the most confronting creations in Australia. Passion, death, and decay are explored in unflinching detail in this controversial museum in the northern suburbs of Tasmania’s capital, Hobart.

Visitors are given an iPod touch that utilizes GPS to identify the piece of art they are in front of and then plays Walsh's commentary in real-time. In the three levels of steel and stone that follow, there are displays like X-rated sculptures, installations covered in maggots, and a variety of works of art and artifacts centered on death, sex, and evolution that are simultaneously disturbing, entertaining, and educational. Some of Walsh's own antiques, including gold coins removed from a Parthenon statue in Athens and a 1,500-year-old Egyptian sarcophagus, are interspersed among them.

Location: within the Moorilla winery on the Berriedale peninsula in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia

The Wild Rivers of Franklin and Gordon The Franklin River, among other well-known wild rivers that flow through the heart of the Tasmanian wilderness, as well as impressive gorges and spectacular mountain peaks, are all found in National Pak, which is recognized as a World Heritage Site. The remote and rough terrain, which was largely formed by prehistoric glaciers, is perfect for outdoor adventurers.

You may enjoy the roaring rapids, serene gorges, rich temperate forests, and native species including wallabies, platypus, white-breasted sea eagles, and yellow-tailed black cockatoos by joining a heart-pounding whitewater rafting trip with Franklin River Rafting. You'll eat a mix of unique and traditional foods, with an emphasis on fresh Tasmanian produce and herbs, in between your water experiences.

Other options include hiking any of a number of walks, including the Franklin River Nature Trail, which leads through magnificent rainforest to the Surprise and Franklin Rivers, and the Nelson Falls Nature Trail, a gentle stroll across the boardwalk to a stunning waterfall.

Location: in the Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park at the mid northern area of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area

One of the most exciting developments in Tasmania over the past two decades has been the rise of farm-to-fork tasting experiences, which include sparkling wine, whisky, craft beer, oysters, salmon, scallops, honey, hazelnuts, cider, truffles, cheese, gelato, and more. Even more, the island boasts a Cradle to Coast Tasting Trail that follows its northwest coast and showcases nearly 40 regional producers.

But it’s not the only trail for travelers whose favorite sense is taste. Tasmania also boasts a Cider Trail (apples are one of Tassie’s major crops), a Tasmania Beer Trail (with more than 20 breweries), a Tasmanian Whisky & Spirits Trail with almost 20 distilleries (Tasmania’s Sullivan’s Cove has won best single-malt whisky awards several times since 2014), a Tamar Valley Wine Route with 30 cellar doors (including 20 offering sparking wine) and more. Delicious dining in innovative restaurants and pubs is available throughout Tasmania, but especially in Hobart, Launceston and the Tamar Valley.

Bruny Island is home to breathtaking and diverse landscapes, stunning wildlife, an array of foods to delight the palate, and delicious single malts to soothe the soul, Bruny Island is sure to become a repeat destination for your Australian adventures.

There is a wealth of species on the island, including its renowned white wallabies and fairy penguins, as well as spectacular landscapes with exquisite beaches, magical forests, and dramatic coasts. With rainforest and plant species not found anyplace else in the state, more than half of the island has been designated as a national park and state reserve. There are many quiet lengths on the beach where you can take pleasure in relaxing and swimming.

While the national park and sizable rainforest regions are located in the south of Bruny, the north is characterized by wide fields and light vegetation. A new contemporary light shines to guide you back to a location that always makes you feel at home, replacing the second-oldest lighthouse in Australia.

Location: off the south-eastern coast of Tasmania

Tasmania is rich in history, including the Port Arthur Penal Colony from the 19th century, which is included on the World Heritage List. British prisoners were transported here to endure imprisonment, harsh labor, and punishment, and almost 7,000 died there between the 1830s and 1870s. There are several different tours available, including lantern-lit ghost tours that visit the location's most notorious structures and ruins.

The historic feel of the island is particularly evident in Hobart, the island's main city, where the waterfront Salamanca Place's cobbled alleyways and ancient Georgian sandstone warehouses play host to vibrant Saturday markets with more than 300 sellers and a booming restaurant and bar scene.

About 20 minutes from Hobart is the historic town of Richmond, which is a wonderful place to travel back in time. More than 50 heritage-listed colonial structures may be found there, along with Australia's oldest and most picturesque sandstone bridge, which was constructed by convict labor in the 1820s. The oldest Catholic Church in Australia (St. John's) and the country's oldest jail are both located in Richmond. Additionally, because the nearby Coal River Valley is a rapidly expanding wine region, travelers may simply and amicably combine history with gastronomy thanks to the region's thriving gastronomic scene.

As recorded by the air pollution station at Cape Grim, on Tasmania’s north-western tip, fresh air doesn’t get any cleaner than this. A lack of urbanization combined with fresh winds that sweep in from the Southern Ocean and Antarctica ensure Tasmania’s air is the least polluted in the world.

In fact, the air is so clean that the local region bottles and sells its air and water to regions that are heavily impacted by polluted air. However, recent recordings at the Peninsula’s scientific station have reported readings of increased greenhouse gas emissions from as far away as China – a movement of air pollution that is threatening this baseline air quality.

Amazingly, Australian Olympians have received rainwater from Tasmania since it is thought to be so pure. You'll be happy to learn that this purity is superbly utilized in the creation of mouthwateringly crisp and fresh wines and brews.

All that great outdoors is best seen on two feet, especially as Tasmania is home to some of Australia’s best bush walks. The headliner is the Overland Track, which runs from the jagged backbone of Cradle Mountain to Lake St Clair and takes six days to complete, camping in basic facilities en route.

The Overland Track, a strenuous six-day journey through the Cradle Mountain-Lake St. Clair National Park that travels more than 40 miles through glacier-carved valleys and aromatic eucalyptus woods, is one of the most well-known hikes in Tasmania. The park also offers simpler day treks to Cradle Summit and Crater Lake. The Freycinet Peninsula, where a two- or three-day, 17-mile Freycinet Peninsula Circuit offers views of the ocean and sandy beaches in addition to the craggy Hazards mountain range—as well as incredible panoramas of stunning Wineglass Bay—is another location that combines a strenuous hike with scenic beauty. Once more, day hikes are also an option.

With its stunning splendor, the Bay of Fires is a natural wonder that draws tourists to Tasmania. It takes about 4 hours to drive from Hobart to the bay, which is on Tasmania's northeast coast. A 50 km stretch of the bay's coastline is ideal for swimming, stand-up paddleboarding, and resting. The Aboriginal people's beach fires, which Captain Tobias Furneaux could see in 1733 while sailing by, gave rise to the name "Bay of Fires." The name is still appropriate today because of the vivid orange lichen that covers the rocks by the sea.

This well-known conservation reserve, which has been drawing tourists for years, is actually a series of breathtakingly magnificent beaches, separated from one another by lagoons and rocky bluffs. This idyllic area, known for its orange lichen-covered granite boulders, powder-white sand, and blue waters, is a great site to take in the breathtaking views and have a dreamlike walk along the beach. The Bay of Fires has earned a reputation as one of the world's most pristine natural wonders thanks to its magnificently isolated beaches and inlets, which are a sight to behold.

Location: on the northeastern coast of Tasmania.

Steeped in history, Salamanca Place is popular with tourists because of its grand Georgian sandstone buildings, artists’ studios, and galleries as well as its buzzing café and bar scene. Set between graceful plane trees and mellow sandstone facades of historic warehouses, this famous waterfront bazaar at Salamanca Place is Australia’s best outdoor market.

More than 300 vendors, which are open every Saturday, sell a variety of fresh foods, curry, comic books, crystals, antique bric-a-brac, and exquisite Tasmanian artwork and craft, including striking ceramics, intricately crafted glass, and chic clothing. Buskers who softly pluck a folk tune, sing the blues, or delicately stroke a harp provide visitors with a variety of entertainment. To get to the working docks at Sullivans Cove, cross the Salamanca grounds. Here, ships to Antarctica arrive and go, and fishing boats coexist with enormous cruise yachts and tall-masted wooden ships. You may listen to buskers playing everything from folk or jazz to blues while you peruse the crowded market.

Opening hour: every Saturday from 8.30 am to 3 pm
Location: historic Salamanca Place, next to the Hobart waterfront