Tasmania [antikvár]

The smallest of Australia's States, Tasmania covers 68,300 square kilometres, with almost 1.4 million hectares protected by WOrld Heritage listing. Once connected to the rest of Australia, the land bridge across Bass Strait was submerged more than 13,000 years ago during the great melt down which ended the last ice age. The Dutchman Abel Tasman was the first European to set foot on the lovely island in 1642 and promptly named it Van DIemens Land. Although there were other expeditions, it was not until 1804 that the first European settlement was founded at Hobart, the name of the colony being officially changed to Tasmania in 1856. Tasmania is a land of fiversity, from the gentle rolling hills reminiscent of England and the lunar landscape of Queenstown to the sunny beaches of the east coast and the rugged mountains of the west. The visitor will find Australia's deepest lake, the world's largest lavender farm and the most ancient trees. There are caves to explore, historic villages to visit, fantastic bush walking trails and some of the best white water rafting, rock climbing and fishig in Australia. Hobart Founded 16 years after Sydney, Hobart is located by the banks of the tranquil Derwent River with 1270 metre high Mt. Wellington forming a rugged backdrop to a city which contains many reminders of its colourful past. The last convict vessel docked at Hobart town on 26th May 1853, closing one chapter in the colony's history but leaving many examples of architecture built by forced labour. Some of Hobart's finest buildings were built at Battery Point, originally a gun emplacement to ward off possible French attacks in the early days of the settlement. It eventually became the town's first residential district, the size of homes reflecting the person's status in life, ranging from the tiny cottages at Arthurs Circus to the more lavish mansions nearby. Salamanca Place, a unique row of warehouses built between 1835 and 1860 now houses craft shops, restaurants and an open-air market. There are many handsome Georgian buildings to be seen from the 1800's, when Hobart quickly became the largest whaling port in the British Empire, attracting merchants and seamen from all over the world