Tassie: you little devil
Now recognised as an ecological treasure, Tasmania is no longer
bedevilled by its provincial image and property on the island is sought after...
‘‘If I was obliged to emigrate, I should certainly prefer this place," said Charles Darwin of Tasmania's capital Hobart in 1836.
Long the butt of jokes from mainland Australians who mocked its provincialism and isolation, Tasmania is now having the last laugh.
The island state's former obscurity has become
one of its greatest assets, with miles of unspoiled beaches, 18 national parks
and rare wildlife.
Property prices remain lower than in the rest of Australia, but as more local and international
investors start to recognize its charms, Tasmania
will have a devil of a time keeping up with demand.
In 2004, the first intrepid Sydneysiders and
Melbournians turned their attentions to Tasmania,
instantly driving up prices by 42 per cent.
An upgraded ferry service to both cities, along with
cheaper and more frequent flights, has since helped boost interest further, and
international investors have added fuel to the fire in the metro areas.
The average property in Tasmania's
handsome little capital, Hobart, still fetches
around £170,000, around £150,000 less than the equivalent home in Sydney.
Separated from the Southern tip of
the Australian mainland by the 240-kilometre stretch of Bass
Strait, Tasmania is the size of Ireland, with
over a third of the state designated as a World Heritage Area, a refuge for
rare plants and animals. Well preserved historic villages dot the coastal rim,
and the mountainous interior is a popular target for hikers.
Hobart, the easy-going, elegant capital, is home to half of the
island's 500,000 residents. Sitting astride the Derwent
River in the shadow of Mount Wellington,
Hobart has a
spectacular setting in one of the finest natural harbours in the world.
Georgian sandstone buildings house art galleries, boutique shops, cafes and top
class restaurants.
On the waterfront, Salamanca Market sells locally grown
lavender, Huon pine carvings, didgeridoos and freshly-caught lobster. Gin
palace yachts and vast Antarctic trawlers are anchored beside bustling seafood
restaurants.
Tasmania has blossomed in recent years as a destination for foodies.
It boasts organic farms, the world's cleanest air and some of the finest local
produce on the planet. The annual Taste Of Tasmania festival features some of
the best wines from the lush Tamar
Valley, the country's
premier wine-growing region.
Away from the buzz of the capital,
the tiny east Coast villages on the seafront are awakening to the herds of
expats visiting and settling on the glorious Coast.
Tasmania is brimming with accessible wilderness experiences. It has
long been a supreme holiday destination, with visitors falling in love with the
rugged beauty of the heart shaped island.
Trekking has skyrocketed in popularity in the last five
years, so much so that the Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Department has been forced to
institute a reservations system for the popular Overland Track, a five-day bush
walk from Cradle Mountain
to Lake St Clair, on the north-west Coast.
On the east Coast, eucalypts and orchids crowd the
forests of Freycinet National Park, concealing a true paradise: the
crescent-shaped Wineglass
Bay.
Voted one of the world's top ten
beaches, the bay is an analogy for Tasmania
itself difficult to reach (a gruelling hike over the saddle of the pink granite
Hazard Mountains), but the end result is more
than worth it.
Buying a property is complicated enough without the
added distance and cost of travel to Australia. If you are hunting
solely for an investment property, perhaps consider looking closer to home, but
if you are seeking a lifestyle Change, such as emigration or retirement, then Tasmania, and its
property market, has many upsides.
The downside is that it is no longer the world's
best-kept secret.
Picture by accdoh