The smallest of the Australian states, Tasmania is famous across the world as a ‘natural state’ with about 45 per cent of its area lying in reserves, national parks and World Heritage Sites. Geographically, this island is located 240 kilometres to the south of the Australian mainland, and has its capital in Hobart. It encompasses the main island of Tasmania and 334 islands surrounding it.
Historical evidences show that the name ‘Tasmania’ comes from Abel Janszoon Tasman, the Dutch explorer who happened to be the first European to discover the island.
Today, Tasmania is most famous for its spectacular mountains, lakes and coastal scenery. At a height of 1,617 metres, Mount Ossa is the highest peak on the island. It stands proudly in the Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park which is part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area that preserves all the national parks and reserves in the state.