Stunning cliffs, 'super-cool' Hobart and a colourful convict past: How Tasmania became the only destination in the country to make Lonely Planet's Top 10 for 2015 (despite often being left off maps of Australia)

  • Tasmania has been named fourth in travel guide Lonely Planet's 'Top 10 Regions to visit in 2015'
  • Almost 1.6 million people visited Tasmania between 2013 and 2014 - nearly double the population of the state
  • Tourism attractions include the vibrant capital Hobart, the stunning Bay of Fires and historic Port Arthur jail  
  • The Apple Isle was left off a map of Australia featuring on the Commonwealth Games uniform earlier this year

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It’s the Australian state that is often overlooked, left off maps and even this year omitted from the national Commonwealth Games sports kit.

But little old Tasmania is now outshining the rest of Australia when it comes to being a recommended tourist destination.

The home of the Tasmanian Devil has made it into travel guide Lonely Planet’s 'Top 10 Regions to visit in 2015' list thanks to its fine food and stunning outdoors, with almost 1.6 million people already visiting its shores in the last year.

'The visitor numbers are now pretty much double the population of the state,' a Discover Tasmania spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia. 

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Hobart, the waterfront capital and most populous city is Tasmania, was described by Lonely Planet as 'super-cool'

Hobart, the waterfront capital and most populous city is Tasmania, was described by Lonely Planet as 'super-cool'

The Bay of Fires, in the Bay of Fires Conservation Area on the northeastern coast of Tasmania, is a beauitful region of white beaches, blue water and orange-hued granite

The Bay of Fires, in the Bay of Fires Conservation Area on the northeastern coast of Tasmania, is a beauitful region of white beaches, blue water and orange-hued granite

The bay at Bishop Mountain, in Maria Island National Park, Tasmania, is a natural beauty 

The bay at Bishop Mountain, in Maria Island National Park, Tasmania, is a natural beauty 

The Ben Lomond mountain is dominated by an alpine plateau over 1500 metres high, it is the main destination for downhill skiing in Tasmania. The windy road to the top is know as Jacob's Ladder

The Ben Lomond mountain is dominated by an alpine plateau over 1500 metres high, it is the main destination for downhill skiing in Tasmania. The windy road to the top is know as Jacob's Ladder

Hop 240 kilometres across the Bass Strait from the south of the Australian continent to the 26th largest island in the world and you will discover historic gems like more than half of Australia’s World Heritage Listed Convict Sites.

Tassie is also home to the oldest Catholic Church in use in Australia, St John’s Roman Catholic Church in Richmond, and the oldest bridge in use in the country – the historic Richmond Bridge. 

Lonely Planet compared areas from around the globe and placed Tasmania fourth, recommending travellers visit Hobart's Museum of Old and New Art and an extension of the Three Capes Track in the state's southeast - due for completion in the new year and offering walkers a ‘stunning’ view of sea cliffs in the Tasman National Park.

‘Modern Tasmania has adopted a fresh, hip and inclusive attitude sparked by the brilliant revival of its now super-cool waterfront capital, Hobart, and the development of an eclectic year-long events calendar,’ Lonely Planet's Chris Zeiher wrote.

He called the food scene a ‘gourmet's paradise’ and said Tasmania has emerged from its humble convict origins to become a ‘wild and dramatic, cultured and quirky, isolated yet accessible’ travel destination.

Port Arthur penal settlement was established in 1830 and is an important part of Australia's convict history

Port Arthur penal settlement was established in 1830 and is an important part of Australia's convict history

Cape Tourville is the home of an unmanned, automatic light, lighthouse built in 1971

Cape Tourville is the home of an unmanned, automatic light, lighthouse built in 1971

The Freycinet Peninsula is bathed in stunning light in the late afternoon. Almost 1.6 million people visited its shores in the last year

The Freycinet Peninsula is bathed in stunning light in the late afternoon. Almost 1.6 million people visited its shores in the last year

Richmond Bridge is a heritage listed arch bridge, 25 kilometres north of Hobart in Tasmania

Richmond Bridge is a heritage listed arch bridge, 25 kilometres north of Hobart in Tasmania

The Freycinet Peninsula is bathed in stunning light in the late afternoon. Almost 1.6 million people visited its shores in the last year

Richmond Bridge is the oldest bridge still in use in Australia and was constructed using convict labour until completion in 1825

One of Tasmania's top tourist destinations is the world's steepest railway - the west coast wilderness railway

One of Tasmania's top tourist destinations is the world's steepest railway - the west coast wilderness railway

Visitors can witness stunning painted cliffs on Maria Island, a mountainous island off the east coast of Tasmania 

Visitors can witness stunning painted cliffs on Maria Island, a mountainous island off the east coast of Tasmania 

Launceston is Tasmania's only inland city but is still surrounded by rolling hills and the River Tamar

Launceston is Tasmania's only inland city but is still surrounded by rolling hills and the River Tamar

The Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) is an art museum located within the Moorilla winery, in Hobart. MONA is the largest privately funded museum in Australia and draws huge crowds

The Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) is an art museum located within the Moorilla winery, in Hobart. MONA is the largest privately funded museum in Australia and draws huge crowds

Many of the first convicts in Tasmania lived in Port Arthur on the Tasman Peninsula

Many of the first convicts in Tasmania lived in Port Arthur on the Tasman Peninsula

Lake Elysia near Cradle Mountain, in the Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park, is one of the principal tourist sites in Tasmania, owing to its natural beauty

Lake Elysia near Cradle Mountain, in the Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park, is one of the principal tourist sites in Tasmania, owing to its natural beauty

Discover Tasmania issued a comedy apology to the rest of Australia when the result was announced, saying Tassie should have in fact come number one.

Their reasoning is that their ‘culinary delights are the pride of the state and the envy of others, with the majority of our food bred, grown or caught within an oyster shell throw of where it’s prepared and served’.

‘Not to be outdone our beers, ciders, whiskeys and wines are among the world’s finest. Sure, having the world’s purest water helps and is perhaps why one of our whiskies was named best in the world.

‘And while we’re not necessarily famous for our weather (beautiful one day, even more beautiful the next), it does attract some of the greatest wine makers on earth,’ they added.

The blog post described how in Tasmania you can find four of the 7 Great Walks of Australia and ‘in our seas, the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS) recently reported an influx of NSW octopuses travelling down to make love here rather than “doing it” in their own backyard.’

Almost 45 per cent of Tasmania is part of a reserve, national park or World Heritage Site.

On Tasmania's west coast you will find Sarah Island, which is home to Macquarie Harbour Penal Station, a former British colonial penal settlemen

On Tasmania's west coast you will find Sarah Island, which is home to Macquarie Harbour Penal Station, a former British colonial penal settlemen

St. John's Roman Catholic Church, in Richmond is the oldest Catholic church still in use in Australia

St. John's Roman Catholic Church, in Richmond is the oldest Catholic church still in use in Australia

The Mersey Bluff Lighthouse, in Devonport, was built in 1889 and looks stunning at sunset 

The Mersey Bluff Lighthouse, in Devonport, was built in 1889 and looks stunning at sunset 

Gordon River Dam and Lake Gordon in the Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park is simply breathtaking 

Gordon River Dam and Lake Gordon in the Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park is simply breathtaking 

Red lichen on rocks stand out in The Hazards and Coles Bay, in Freycinet National Park

Red lichen on rocks stand out in The Hazards and Coles Bay, in Freycinet National Park

The River Derwent near New Norfolk is a popular place to take a boat trip

The River Derwent near New Norfolk is a popular place to take a boat trip

The Beowulf climb at Coles Bay is popular with thrill seekers and adventurers 

The Beowulf climb at Coles Bay is popular with thrill seekers and adventurers 

TOP 10 REGIONS IN 2015 ACCORDING TO LONELY PLANET 

  • Gallipoli Peninsula, Turkey
  • Rocky Mountain National Park, USA
  • The Toledo District, Belize
  • Tasmania, Australia
  • Northern Norway
  • Khumbu, Nepal
  • Copper Canyon, Mexico
  • Flores, Indonesia
  • Atacama Desert, Chile
  • Macau, China
A man rides a horse along the peaceful beach at Frederick Henry Bay, Tasmania

A man rides a horse along the peaceful beach at Frederick Henry Bay, Tasmania

Liffey Falls
Horseshoe Falls

Liffey Falls (left) is a series of four distinct tiered–cascade waterfalls on the Liffey River, is located in the Midlands region of Tasmania. Horseshoe Falls (right), meanwhile, is located in the Central Highlands region of Tasmania

Montezuma Falls is a temperate rainforest waterfall in the western region of Tasmania

Montezuma Falls is a temperate rainforest waterfall in the western region of Tasmania

Ruins of an old convict penal settlement still stand on Sarah Island in Maquarie Harbour, Strahan

Ruins of an old convict penal settlement still stand on Sarah Island in Maquarie Harbour, Strahan

Before the island broke away from mainland Australia 10,000 years ago it had already been inhabited by Tasmanian Aborigines for around 25,000 years.

The first European to site the state was Dutch man Abel Tasman on November 24 1642 and early settlers were mostly convicts and their military guards. They were given the job of developing agriculture on the island and other industries.

THE FOUR BEST BEACHES IN TASMANIA 

Discover Tasmania, the state's official tourism board, recommends the following four beaches as the best on the Apple Isle. 

1. Wineglass Bay

2. The Bay of Fires

3. Friendly Beaches, Freycinet

4. Shoal Bay, Maria Island

Many of the convicts lived in Port Arthur on the Tasman Peninsula and the area has now become Tasmania’s most popular tourist destination.

However, in 1996 the site was marred by tragedy when it became the scene of the worst mass murder event in the English-speaking world, 35 people were killed and 23 were wounded when 28-year-old Hobart resident Martin Bryant opened fire.

As well as the beautiful main island of Tasmania there are 334 surrounding islands, including those given female names such as Maria Island and Sarah Island.

Tasmania is no stranger to the Lonely Planet guide. Hobart was named a top-10 city in 2013 and the east coast Bay of Fires was a top-10 region in 2009.

It is Australia's only listing in the latest publication, and the Tasmanian government says the island state is punching above its weight and well on track to its goal of attracting 1.5 million visitors a year by 2020.

Hundreds of regions were nominated for the Lonely Planet listing before a panel of in-house travel experts scored each on a criteria of topicality, excitement, value and ‘that special X-factor’.

The title also lists its top-10 countries to visit in 2015: Singapore, Namibia, Lithuania, Nicaragua, Ireland, Republic of Congo, Serbia, The Philippines, St Lucia, and Morocco.

The top-10 cities for 2015 are: Washington, DC; El Chalten, Argentina; Milan, Italy; Zermatt, Switzerland; Valletta, Malta; Plovdiv, Bulgaria; Salisbury, UK; Vienna, Austria; Chennai, India; and Toronto, Canada. 

Cascade Brewery, in South Hobart, is the oldest continually operating brewery in Australia and began operation in 1825

Cascade Brewery, in South Hobart, is the oldest continually operating brewery in Australia and began operation in 1825

Paul Cooper holds a lantern during a spooky Ghost Walk in front of old church at Port Arthur Prison

Paul Cooper holds a lantern during a spooky Ghost Walk in front of old church at Port Arthur Prison

The stalagmites and stalactites inside King Solomons Cave are another attraction for Tassie visitors 

The stalagmites and stalactites inside King Solomons Cave are another attraction for Tassie visitors 

The Lark Distillery was the first licensed distillery in Tasmania and has been operating since 1839 in Hobart

The Lark Distillery was the first licensed distillery in Tasmania and has been operating since 1839 in Hobart

 

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