Prepared by Sandy Groark

Tasmania and Melbourne Update

I recently returned from visiting family in Victoria and five days of driving in gorgeous Tasmania. Tasmania is the smallest state in Australia, about the size of Scotland with a population of less than 500,000 people.

It is an island of natural places. There is a network of national parks-17 of them covering a good proportion of the State's land area. They include the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, the worlds last great temperate wilderness. There are thousands of miles of walking tracks, thousands of lakes and high mountain peaks along with 200 state forests and beautiful beaches.

Hobart is the second oldest city in the country. As in Sydney, life here revolves around the harbor. The lifestyle is cosmopolitan and wonderful restaurants abound. Many lanes are cobbled and numerous colonial sandstone and brick buildings built by convicts have been restored.

Not far from Hobart is the historic village of Richmond. It is a place of sandstone Georgian buildings, A vivid reminder of its days as a convict and military past. Australia’s oldest Catholic Church, which has stood since 1836 and Australia's oldest jail still stand in the center of the village. I continued to Port Arthur, a hauntingly beautiful former penal colony where the spirits of the convicts linger on.

One of the highlights not to be missed in Tasmania is "Freycinet National Park." Freycinet has sheltered coves, quiet beaches (including Wineglass Bay listed by some travel magazines as one of the world's best beaches) and granite sea cliffs abound. Wonderful bushwalking (hiking), sea kayaking, swimming and whale watching cruises are suggested activities at Freycinet. The lodge at Freycinet is classified as luxury. It is gorgeous, comfortable, has wonderful food, and friendly staff.

Equally as impressive, although completely different is "Cradle Mountain National Park." Cradle Mountain Lake St.Clair National Park forms part of Tasmania magnificent 1.4 million-hectare world heritage area. Spectacular scenery abounds and if you have the time walk the Overland Track-one of the world's great treks. Mountain peaks surround ancient pine forests and glacial lakes. You can feed tame wallabies and see Tasmanian devils. Climb into the saddle for a trail ride or take a light aircraft for a wilderness flight. Accommodation suggestions include the very comfortable Cradle Mountain Lodge and Lemonthyme Lodge.

Melbourne has a greater percentage of its inner city devoted to parks and gardens than any other city in the world. This is Australia's second largest city and unlike most of Australia was settled by entrepreneurs. Melbourne is a multi-cultural wonderfully cosmopolitan city, rich in history and cultural heritage and renowned particularly for the fine arts, entertainment and good living.

Melbourne was recently voted the "worlds most livable city." It is known as the shopping capital (for unique Australian designer fashions), the food capital and even the ballet and theatre capital of Australia.

New restaurants abound along with new deluxe hotels. The "Royal Botanical Gardens" looked spectacular and the "winter weather" was a comfortable 60 plus degree's fahrenheit.

My hometown of Melbourne looked wonderful!