Tasmania is the smallest and the southern most of all of the Australian states. It is also the only island state in the country.
Tasmania is known world-wide for its natural beauty and its pristine environment. It is a state of contrasts ranging from the magnificent unspoilt beauty of its highlands to the wilderness regions of its rugged west coast and the bays and inlets of the beautiful east coast. Tasmania also has some of the world’s most spectacular rainforests and wild rivers including the magnificent Franklin Gordon river system that reaches the sea at Macquarie Harbour on the state’s west coast.
Located approximately 240 kilometres south of mainland Australia across Bass Strait, the Tasmanian climate not surprisingly is cooler and more temperate than other Australian states although the summers can still be hot and the winters dry. In fact, Tasmania’s capital city, Hobart, has the nation’s second lowest average annual rainfall (626mm) despite its southerly location.
The natural environment plays a key role in the state of Tasmania. The state’s World Heritage Area covers approximately 1.38 million hectares and the many national parks and walking trails in Tasmania attract tourists from across the globe. The clean air, crystal clear water and fertile soils support a food and wine industry that also enjoys a world-wide reputation for its unsurpassed quality.
Tasmania has a population of approximately 512,000 people and a total area of just over 68,400 square kilometres. Its major cities are Hobart, Launceston and Devonport.
The growth rate of the Tasmanian economy has in recent times slowed. Gross State Product has decreased slightly in the last financial year, reflecting the difficult economic conditions being experienced right across the developed world.
There are, however, positive signs for the future. In particular, Tasmania’s clean green credentials with regard to the production of food and the state‘s access to renewable energy sources are expected to be increasingly important competitive advantages that few other regional economies will enjoy.
There are currently around 210,000 jobs in the Tasmanian economy and the states gross Regional Product stands at approximately A$24.2 billion. The major industries from an employment perspective are:
- Health Care and Social Assistance;
- Retail Trade;
- Public Administration;
- Education and Training;
- Accommodation & Food Services;
- Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing
Manufacturing, Mining, Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing and are the major sources of export income for the state.
The unemployment rate in Tasmania currently stands at just over 8% which is high by Australian standards, and a reflection of the structure of the Tasmanian economy. However, the Tasmanian Government is taking steps to ensure a prosperous future for the state with its focus on Tasmania’s competitive advantages including its wealth of natural resources, pristine environment, mineral deposits and a strong track record in growing its education and research capabilities, information technology sector and science and research facilities.
Tasmania does offer other advantages such as affordable housing. Hobart’s median house price of around $290,000 is significantly lower than all other mainland states and, as Hobart is the most expensive real estate market in Tasmania, the rest of the state is even more affordable.
Average Weekly Earnings (AWE) in Tasmania for all persons stood at around $1260 per week.
Hobart, Tasmania’s largest city and its capital, has a population of around 215,000 people. Hobart is located on the banks of the River Derwent in Tasmania’s south and is Australia’s second oldest city.
Hobart is a very busy sea-port and is the major centre for the Australian and French Antarctic fleets. The Antarctic programs are an important source of activity for the local and Tasmanian economies generating in excess of A$175m per annum.
Hobart is also a major port of call for many of the cruise ships plying the Southern Ocean and Tasman Sea.
Hobart is well known for its ship building facilities and expertise, and in particular, the construction of high speed catarmarans. The city is also home to Cascade Brewers, a world renowned brewery and to the Cadbury Chocolate Factory which is the major supplier of Cadbury chocolate to the southern hemisphere.
Hobart is a major centre for tourism and the beauty of the city as well as its well preserved colonial surrounds in addition to nearby attractions such as Port Arthur attract tens of thousands of tourists each year.
Launceston, with a total population of around 107,000 people, is located approximately 45 kilometres south of the Bass Strait in the Tamar Valley. The city enjoys a cool temperate climate with January and February generally the hottest months of the year. Winters are cool to cold and due to the topography of the Tamar Valley often foggy.
Launceston is known for its Victorian and Georgian architecture as well as the fine examples of art deco architecture that have been preserved. It is generally regarded as a very attractive city.
The city serves as the commercial centre for the north of Tasmania and particularly for the agricultural and pastoral industries as well as viticulture which is becoming an importance source of economic activity in Tasmania.
Launceston is a major service centre in Tasmania and its facilities include the 300m bed Launceston General Hospital as well as a major campus of the University of Tasmania and the Australian Maritime College. There is also a Casino, the second in Tasmania following the construction of the Hobart Casino. The city is one if the few in the world where power is provided by an extensive hydro electric grid.
The Tasmanian education system is excellent. Pre-schools, schools both public and private, post secondary technical and further education institutes and University campuses are readily available to the Tasmanian population.
The Tasmanian government recognises the important role a high quality education system plays in the development of the skills and expertise of the people of Tasmania and supports the public education system accordingly.
The State of Tasmania is unique in Australia. It is the country’s only island state and it offers a lifestyle and an environment that is unequalled anywhere else in the nation. The history, the beauty of its natural attractions and the quality of life on offer in this island state set it apart from the rest of the country. It has a character that will only become more valuable over time and no doubt future Tasmanians will reap the benefits of this uniqueness.