Our fun 4 days in Tasmania + Sydney updates

Hello Reader

It's been a fun 3 weeks in Sydney, Australia, (read about our last visit here) but now it's time to head back to the UK. We've had so many memorable moments on this trip visiting family and I'm feeling quite at home with the relaxed Bondi Beach lifestyle, coastal walks and stylish cafes of Sydney.

One of the highlights was a 4 day trip to Tasmania, just a 2 hour flight from Sydney. This island state of Australia is paradise for outdoor and adventure lovers, with rolling landscapes and beautiful beaches to enjoy.

We saw a Tasmanian Devil (they are not as cuddly as they look!), took the ferry to a unique art museum in Hobart and enjoyed a refreshing dip in the turquoise waters of the Bay of Fires. You can read more about the highlights of this trip below.

Also check out a couple of things I found essential on this trip - my Bondi Sands sunscreen and this inexpensive but stylish brand of sunglasses.

I'll be working on more articles about Sydney and Tasmania soon, but until then do check out what else I have over on the blog as I've been updating lots of articles recently (just use the search box to find what you're looking for).

Wishing you happy travels wherever you are heading next.

Heather x

PS. For a taste of our last trip to Sydney, read my articles about the best things to do in Sydney and our hike from Bondi to Coogee along the coastal trail.

Travelling soon?

If you are travelling soon it really helps us if you use the booking links below.

We make a small commission at no additional cost to you, which helps keep this newsletter and blog free.

Hotels: I use Booking but Expedia is also good for flight + hotel packages.

Tours: For top end food tours, we recommend Devour Tours and small group tours with Take Walks. Both Get Your Guide and Viator are also great for tours and experiences.

Trains: For train bookings in Europe use Rail Europe. Byway Travel also offer great no-fly itineraries in Europe and beyond.

Car Hire: For car hire I use the car rental arm of Booking.com (but always check the scores and reviews of each provider).

Villas & Cottages: VRBO for villas and holiday rentals worldwide and Sykes Cottages for UK cottages.

My essentials for Australia

Here are some things that earned their keep on my Australia trip.

Bondi Sands facial sunscreen - the sun here is super intense so a 50+ sunscreen is essential, even in cloudy conditions. I've been using this daily on my face and the light texture feels more like moisturiser. It's easy to buy in Australia but I'll be using it when I get home too.

Buy Bondi Sands UK / Buy Bondi Sands USA

Izipizi sunglasses - while I have other more expensive sunglasses, my Izipizi sunnies are the ones I used every day in Australia. They are robust, stylish and reasonably priced, so I won't cry if they get scratched on the beach.

Buy Izipizi UK / Buy Izipizi USA

Tasmania highlights - what we've enjoyed so far

While we only spent 4 nights in Tasmania, we managed to pack in quite a lot of this wild and scenic island state of Australia. Here are the highlights from our road trip on Tasmania's east coast, I'll be writing a full article on the blog soon.

MONA in Hobart - The Museum of Old and New Art is a must-see in Tasmania's capital Hobart. It's in a stunning location overlooking the Derwent River, full of mostly modern art, sculpture and installations, combined with music venue and winery. The art-themed ferry to get there is a fun part of the experience.

Derby and a sauna on the lake - We drove north to this former mining town, now regenerated with mountain biking trails. A fun time was had hanging out in the cute floating sauna on the lake (on socials we saw it had also been recently enjoyed by singer Sophie Ellis-Bexter).

Bay of Fires - swimming in turquoise water - our trip looped round to the coast and the Bay of Fires, a string of lovely beaches, with powder white sand and impossibly turquoise water. The shoreline strewn with huge boulders, covered with bright orange lichen, made for stunning photos.

Bicheno - seafood at the Lobster Shack - we loved this cute seaside holiday town for an overnight stay. This is the place for lobster, locally grown oysters and all kinds of seafood, so we indulged ourself at The Lobster Shack, overlooking the water. We noticed that Sophie E-B had also tried the lobster here.

Wine Glass Bay - our return drive to Hobart took us via the Freycinet National Park, on a wooded peninsula with some lovely beaches. We just had time for a hike to the viewpoint overlooking Wine Glass Bay and wished we could stay longer to walk down the 500 steps (and back up again!) for a swim on the beach.

Australia - tales from my previous trip

Read about some of the things we enjoyed on our previous trip to Australia

1 day in Sydney - an itinerary for first time visitors

My 1 day Sydney itinerary covers all the city highlights if you are short of time or are visiting on a cruise.

Explore Sydney's history, enjoy waterfront views at the Sydney Opera House, dip into some art and culture and enjoy the relaxing green space of the Botanic Garden.

Read: One day in Sydney - an itinerary for first time visitors

There's also a FREE printable walking guide and custom Google Map to accompany this article.

Click to read our 1 day Sydney itinerary

Bondi to Coogee walk - a scenic coastal trail in Sydney

The Bondi to Coogee coastal walk starts at Bondi beach, where you can watch the surfers, grab brunch or swim at the Icebergs sea pool.

Continue to Bronte beach with its lovely rock pool for a cooling dip, then pass Waverley cemetery, where the residents of Sydney enjoy a clifftop view for eternity.

You'll end at Coogee, a broad sandy beach with a number of seawater rock pools.

Read: The Bondi to Coogee walk - a scenic coastal trail in Sydney Australia