00:00Rivers, sea and mountains dominate the landscape of eastern Tasmania.
00:10From landscape and history to food and culture, Australia's island state is a feast for travellers.
00:25Down south, at the historic site of Port Arthur, is where we make our first stop.
00:31This magnificently preserved penal colony is a powerful reminder of Australia's early
00:36history.
00:39From 1833 until the 1850s, Port Arthur was a destination for criminals who committed
00:45a second offence after their arrival in Australia.
00:53Conditions were harsh, and escape almost impossible.
01:00With rough seas and shark infested waters on three sides, there was only one way to
01:04escape, through Eagle Neck, a thin strip of land that joins the Tasman Peninsula to the
01:10mainland.
01:11But Eagle Neck was heavily guarded, and to escape, only a thin possibility.
01:20The major prison, known as the Penitentiary, was located near the waterfront.
01:25Most prisoners were kept here, and it was the largest building in Australia at the time
01:29of its construction.
01:32It was originally built by tradesmen convicts to be a flour mill.
01:36When it was converted into a penitentiary in the 1850s, it housed more than 600 prisoners
01:42in dormitories and cells.
01:47It was so cold and damp in the cells that moss covered the walls, and convicts had only
01:52one thin blanket to protect them against the cold and wet winters.
01:58During this time, a new philosophy in institutions saw the light.
02:02It basically argued that isolation and separation would produce moral reform.
02:08Inmates were subjected to sensory deprivation and extreme isolation.
02:15Convicts that were not kept in solitary confinement were used in hard labour, such as stone cutting
02:20and construction.
02:24This is how the big Gothic style church came to light.
02:28The church was never consecrated because so many different denominations used it.
02:34Attendance of the weekly Sunday services was compulsory for the prison population.
02:42Critics say this had little impact on the positive reform of the convicts.
02:46The building was gutted by fire in 1884, but the ruins are now fully preserved.
02:53Almost in the centre of the complex, closer to the waterfront, is the guard tower and
02:58military complex.
03:01This tower is, perhaps architecturally speaking, the most sophisticated building at Port Arthur.
03:08It was built in 1836 with stones specially shaped by teenage convicts at Pointe Peau.
03:15It's extraordinary to think that twelve and a half thousand convicts served their time
03:19here at Port Arthur between 1830 and 1877.
03:24Even more extraordinary to think that many people managed to survive, and eventually
03:30become the main population of the state of Tasmania.
03:35Travelling further north we find Hobart, Australia's second oldest city, and the capital city of Tasmania.
03:43Hobart is set on the banks of the Derwent River, and nestled at the feet of Mount Wellington.
03:49Its fine deepwater port and vibrant seafront give the city a strong maritime flavour.
03:55Sullivan's Cove encircles the whole waterfront, and is home to the many docks that are now
04:00synonymous with Hobart.
04:05Constitution Dock and Victoria Dock form the heart of Sullivan's Cove.
04:11Constitution Dock is also known for its fresh seafood, always available along the dock.
04:18Hobart is a busy seaport because it serves as the home port for the Antarctic activities
04:23of Australia and France.
04:27Walking further down the waterfront you can find a row of graceful sandstone warehouses
04:32known as Salamanca Place.
04:35They're undoubtedly Australia's finest group of Georgian dockside buildings, and have become
04:39the heart of Hobart's lively atmosphere and creative spirit.
04:47And the famous Salamanca Market is held here every Saturday, offering an amazing variety
04:54of local produce, arts and crafts, and the chance to meet local artisans.
05:03Spectacular art can be seen at the Henry Jones Art Hotel.
05:07This multi-award winning hotel complex is established in an old IXL jam factory.
05:13The factory has been converted into a stunning space that features art galleries of contemporary
05:18and Aboriginal art.
05:23From the hotel, visitors have a perfect view of the scenic waterfront and historic warehouses.
05:30One famous building is the Cascade Brewery, one of Australia's oldest operating breweries.
05:35The grand old building is home to beers that have been made with locally grown hops, barley
05:40and mountain water since 1824.
05:44It's unthinkable to experience Hobart without a counter meal in a warm colonial pub.
05:50Drunken Admiral is one of Hobart's iconic restaurants, crammed with maritime memorabilia
05:55and old world charm.
05:58On the hill behind Salamanca Place lies a small maritime village called Battery Point.
06:04Governor Arthur had a wish of creating a little bit of old England here in Battery Point,
06:09and so the idea of Arthur's Circus was born.
06:13Between 1847 and 1852, 16 cottages, now known as Arthur's Circus, were built around a circular
06:20village green.
06:22From then till today, they existed almost as an intact Georgian streetscape.
06:28These cottages are all privately owned and boast delightful gardens and dreamy water
06:33vistas.
06:37No trip to Hobart is complete without visiting Mount Wellington.
06:41The mountain is only 20 minutes drive from the centre of town and is the dominant feature
06:46of Hobart's skyline.
06:50Some locals take to the mountain where they can cycle from the top of the mountain all
06:54the way down with a mountain bike.
06:59Stunning views across the Derwent River and Storm Bay meet them.
07:04The winding road takes them through tall forests and alpine meadows, while they pass the sheer
07:09cliffs of the organ pipes underneath.
07:13For riders and visitors alike, pure fresh mountain water is available.
07:20200 kilometres north of Hobart we find the Tamar Valley.
07:25Tamar Valley is a wine and food lovers paradise, and the climate is similar to that of the
07:30south of France.
07:33This valley is known as one of Tasmania's great road trips.
07:36It passes through fishing villages, historic settlements, forests, orchards and vineyards.
07:43The Batman Bridge links the east and west of the valley, and is renowned for having
07:47one of the oldest truss bridges in the world of its type.
07:53Your visit may start at the Hollybank Forest.
07:56This park has rare beauty and was one of the earliest private tree plantations.
08:01Corsican pines and holly trees grow in abundance and add to the beauty of this splendid autumns.
08:11But adventure is never far away.
08:13Here at Hollybank you can soar above the forest canopy on a 730 metre long flying fox that
08:19reaches speeds of up to 40 kilometres an hour.
08:23It's a long way down from a 30 metre high gum tree where it sways in the freshening
08:28breeze, so take a deep breath, focus on some branches 40 metres away, check your harness
08:35and step out into thin air.
08:41Tasmanians love to fish and the state has something for every taste in lowland rivers
08:45or highland lakes, all easily accessible around the valley.
08:51Whether you're a novice or a pro, there are many excellent locations to catch and release.
08:58Along the Tamar River, wineries.
09:03Locals say the high quality wines produced here has much to do with the dry, warm autumns
09:08of the Tamar Valley.
09:11Nestled between the wineries, you'll find typical Tasmanian rural experiences.
09:17On the many small farms that meet you on the way, you'll literally have time to smell the roses.
09:24Turkeys scratch around and peacocks add some colour.
09:34In the warmer months, visitors can pick their own berries and sample some of the delicious
09:39local produce.
09:41Beaconsfield is an old mining town in the Tamar Valley and caught the world's attention
09:46in 2006 when two miners were rescued after 14 days of being trapped underground.
09:56A little further along the west of Tamar Valley at Beauty Point is a seahorse farm, the only
10:01of its kind.
10:04The farm is dedicated to the preservation and conservation of the wild seahorse.
10:17Seahorse World provides visitors with an opportunity to experience the secret life of seahorses,
10:23from pregnant males through birth up to adulthood.
10:29It's also possible to touch these elegant creatures and look at them closely.
10:37Seahorse World exhibits more species of seahorses than anywhere else in the world.
10:43Seahorse World, an unusual but delightful ending to our visit to eastern Tasmania.
11:13Seahorse World.
