Hobart, Tasman Peninsula and Maria Island

Hobart is Tasmania's capital. We are staying at a hostel called Pickled Frog right in the center. We finally shower and eat fresh fruits and vegetables again after the Overland Track. Hobart is small but has nice cafes and shops as well as a beautiful harbor. Originally we wanted to visit Australia's largest private museum, the Mona, but we didn't have enough time.

The next day we face the challenge of driving on the left. Exciting!

We drive with our black Kia Rio to the Tasman Peninsula, a peninsula in the southeast of Tasmania. It is one of the few places where healthy Tasmanian devils still live. Due to a nasty and highly contagious cancer, almost 90% of the devils in Tasmania have become extinct. Since the Tasman Peninsula is somewhat isolated, the disease has not yet spread there. The largest living carnivorous marsupial is currently the Tasmanian devil (there used to be an even larger one called the Tasmanian tiger, which unfortunately became extinct). They are nocturnal and very rare to see in the wild, which is why we decide to visit the Unzoo. They are dedicated to protecting the animals, which mainly means keeping the peninsula free of the disease. It is one of several conservation projects in Tassie. There used to be devils even on the mainland until the dingo came to Australia and the devils became their prey. A sad story of the Tasmanian devil.

At the Unzoo, there are also kangaroos and birds, mostly rescued animals that were found injured.

On the peninsula, we then drive to different beautiful bays! We camp right on the beach, swim in the ice-cold sea, and hike to Cape Hauy! The climate down here is much milder than in the northwest, where we did the Overland Track. Finally, it is not so cold at night anymore! The sun is relentless during the day, you burn in no time, which is why you should always wear a head covering, and everyone does that here, so the hat and cap business is very profitable.

The people are really nice and sociable. You can start a conversation super quickly. Two girls from Sydney were our saviors when we didn't have any cash to pay for the campground. You couldn't pay with a credit card there like usual. They gave us cash and we transferred it to them via PayPal. Australians are also crazy about sports. There is a lot of hiking, paddling, surfing, and cycling.

Our last destination in Tasmania is Maria Island. We rent bikes and explore the island, which is completely a national park. The bikes are junk and weigh about a ton, so it's very exhausting. But we are in shape now... We stop at the Fossil Cliffs, which consist entirely of fossilized marine organisms, and at the Painted Cliffs, which are reddish-brown and white. We see a pretty big snake and finally a wombat up close.

The next day we take the Spirit of Tasmania ferry from Devonport back to Melbourne!

Hobart is the capital of Tasmania. We are staying at a hostel in the center called Pickled Frog. After 8 days on the Overland Track, we can finally wash our clothes, wash ourselves, eat something fresh, and sleep in a bed. The city is small but with a beautiful harbor, cafes, and shops.

The next day we face our first left-hand drive experience.

With our brand new Kia Rio, we head to the Tasman Peninsula in the southeast of the island. It is the only place where a contagious facial cancer that affects Tasmanian devils has not yet arrived, as it is a peninsula isolated from the rest of the island. This cancer has already killed 90% of the devils, and there is a protection program for them here.

Part of the program is the Unzoo, which we visit the next day, and it is a center where animals are rescued and some devils are kept in captivity. They also take care of feeding wild devils.

There used to be devils in the rest of Australia too, but they became extinct with the arrival of the dingo brought by the colonizers from Asia.

From the peninsula, we travel north along the coast, passing through different bays. One day we hike to Cape Huay and another day to Maria Island, which is another national park.

On Maria Island, we rent some bikes (which are a bit junky) to explore it. And finally, we manage to see a Wombat up close.

The next day we take the ferry back to Melbourne. Goodbye, Tasmania!!