There are two ways of planning a holiday. You can decide when you’re going and pick the right place according to how it will be at that time of year. Or you can decide where you want to go and arrange the dates to make sure you get the best weather.
If you have always had a hankering to have a look around Tasmania, you’ve got a certain amount of seasonality to factor in. It’s not quite Sahara vs South Pole, but in Tassie, the words summer and winter do mean something, so let’s look at the facts.
What we are calling summer is roughly December to February or maybe March. Average temperatures then are 17-23C (62-73F).
Winter is June–August and it’s 3- 11 °C (37-51F). The remaining months have their own charms, of course; it’s just that summer and winter are the headline seasons. If you enjoy the optimism of springtime or the easing down of autumn, or if commitments mean they are the only times you can get away, there is still plenty of fun to be had.
What Is There to Do in Winter?
Sometimes it seems that Australia misses out on a bit of character through being relentlessly warm. That’s not a bad thing in many ways, of course, but it’s easier to believe in Father Christmas if it’s cool enough for him to wear the cosy red suit. For that reason alone, it can be great for kids in Tasmania in winter – and it’s a lot cheaper than taking them to Lapland or wherever they have got it in their heads that he and the reindeer live.
In March, there’s Steamfest, a quirky event celebrating the glory days of steam engines and machines.
There is also a lot to be said for ambling around the countryside and the beaches with a pair of walking boots and a chunky sweater on. Beaches are not the exclusive preserve of the young, the beautiful and the scantily clad. They are invigorating places where you can get the wind in your hair and blow the cobwebs of life away.
One of Tassie tourism’s slogans is “Come down for air”, as opposed to coming up for it, and that has a lot to do with the refreshing climate of the winter months.
There is culture to be had down here, and Hobart is a historic kind of place that has cultural events on all the time, from theatre and music to the pleasure of making your own entertainment over dinner in one of the many restaurants. And it’s not just the capital that has a food scene; just as you will find talented chefs all over the mainland, so they’re down here too, dotted around in the cities, on the coast and up in the mountains.
If you have a specific favourite activity, Google it with Tasmania in the search and you’ll no doubt find something.
How About in The Summer?
The Sydney to Hobart yacht race is still a popular event, and not just for yachties who like looking at the vessels. It’s an event, which is an excuse for a good time, and no one knows how to do that better than Tasmanians.
In addition, there will be outdoor gigs and festivals, plus the easy options like lazing on the beach. Forget Bondi and the Copacabana. Tasmania’s got beautiful sandy stretches with a bit of character and individuality.
How about the Festival of Voices, celebrating the simple joy of singing? That’s on in late June/early July.
Still Vibrant in the Colder Months
There is stuff going on all year round. The Tasmania Super 400 is top-class motor racing in May, just south of Launceston. Seafood lovers are drawn in their droves to the Tassie Scallop Fiesta in Bridport in August. Or the Junction Arts Festival in Launceston in September. Too many events to mention, really. State what you’re interested in and search for it.
So Everyone’s a Winner
Winter, spring, summer or fall, all you’ve got to do is call, as the song goes, and you’ve got a friend too, because Tasmania is that kind of place.
Ready to roll? Contact LeisureRent for the perfect campervan hire or car hire service to get your journey started.
