Tasmania, Island state in southern Australia.
This state sits south of the Australian mainland and spreads across one main island plus several smaller surrounding islands. Mountain ranges cross the interior, while coastal sections alternate between sandy beaches and rocky formations, surrounded by temperate rainforest and open moorland.
European settlers reached the island at the start of the 19th century and established penal colonies that operated until the middle of that century. The transition to free settlement and self-government followed in the decades after, as farming and mining developed across the territory.
Local communities maintain strong connections to farming and fishing, visible in the weekly markets held across towns and coastal settlements. Craft workshops in wood and wool appear throughout shops, while seasonal festivals celebrate the relationship between residents and their natural surroundings.
Ferry connections run regularly between the mainland and the northern coast, allowing transport of vehicles and passengers. Flights to Hobart and Launceston offer quicker alternatives, while roads in the interior occasionally encounter snow or frost during winter months.
Several animal species live here that exist nowhere else on Earth, including the Tasmanian devil, which now survives in the wild only on this island. Conservation areas and research programs work to maintain populations of these species, while visitors sometimes spot wombats and wallabies near coastal areas.
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