Tasmania is by far the smallest of the six Australian states, only
the Australian Capital Territory occupying less space. It is also the
only island state or territory. Tasmania
has an area of 68,400 square kilometres. It is less than a third of
the size of the next
smallest state, its neighbour Victoria, and it represents a little less
than one per cent of
the total Australian land mass. Tasmania has a population of 500,000,
of which 200,000
live in Hobart, the capital.
The history of the island of Tasmania goes back a long way. It was
originally a part
of the Australian mainland, but was cut off by rising waters some 12,000
years ago.
Aborigines had already been living here for 10,000 to 15,000 years,
and, as they
became isolated from their relatives on the other side of the water,
they and their culture
developed in different ways.
This depth of history here in Tasmania is not always appreciated by
visitors to Australia, who often by-pass this small state, especially
as it is an island which is rather expensive to reach. It is well worth
the effort, however, for Tasmania has a beauty of its own and an atmosphere
quite different from the rest of Australia.
Its climate is unpredictable, but tends to be damper than in most
other states,
resulting in great tracts of pristine forests and, at times, raging
rivers. It is a popular
area for walking, and the Overland Track between Cradle Mountain and
Lake St. Clair,
in particular, is one of the world’s most famous treks.
This excerpt has been taken from "Jim's Guide to Australia".
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