In Tasmania I’m what they call a blow-in. Unless you are indigenous or have a Tasmanian family heritage stretching back to the convicts or early settlers then you too are a blow-in!
I’ve been in Tassie since 2010. For several years my partner and I would visit my parents and busk on a Saturday at the hugely popular Salamanca Market. At the time my parents were building a home at Adventure Bay on Bruny Island - an Island, off an Island, off an Island. Bruny is extraordinarily breathtaking with pristine white sands and crystal-clear waters. On Bruny you may see whales breach just off the beach or catch a glimpse of an elusive white wallaby. You can also eat your way around the island with fresh local oysters, incredible local artisan cheese, seafood, wine, fudge and a very decent pub menu.
I found that each time I left this small beautiful island I would feel a deep sense of sadness. It wasn’t just about leaving mum and dad, but leaving the place - it gets under your skin. It’s wild and rugged; majestic and serene.
kunanyi (Credit: Hiedi Limebeer)
We decided to move to Tasmania and have been exceptionally blessed to live at the foothills of Mt. Wellington/kunanyi. It has a diverse landscape with lush forests, windswept alpine ranges and numerous waterfalls. It is the land of rainbows.
We have discovered that Tasmania is one of the most unusual and unexpected places you may visit or live. There are two degrees of separation between people, not six. The people are warm and friendly. A local bank teller asked which house I lived in. She then proceeded to tell me her sister once lived in my house - she even spent many a Christmas there. I’ve seen people walking piglets on leads down the main city street and people taking a lamb for a family day trip to the beach. A young colleague mentioned her school’s end of high school muck-up day where all the boys drove tractors to school and parked on the front lawn.
On the theme of expect the unexpected…I am lucky to work in the Tasmanian tourism industry. I also work at the topsy turvy Mad Hatter’s tea party world that is MONA (Museum of Old and New Art). It is a mind-bending museum. The visionary (owner) David Walsh really put Tassie on the map as a go-to destination. Tasmania is now seen as not only a natural beautiful destination but also an edgy cultural hub. Tasmania punches way beyond its weight. Let it get under your skin! Savour it!
Hiedi Limebeer - Travel Advisor
Tasmanian Travel & Information Centre
