10 Inspiring Spots in Tasmania

Places connect you to so many things in this world. They can take you to some spheres that go beyond space and time. Here are some of the spots in Tasmania that have taken me everywhere.

1. Elizabeth Street

Located in Hobart, Tasmania’s capital city, Elizabeth Street is unlike any typical street in Melbourne’s CBD. It is special because it serves as a major street that runs right through the centre of the city. So, whenever I get lost, I know how to get re-orientated – just go and look for this Elizabeth Street. Easy. In a way, Elizabeth Street is like a kind mother, guiding me which way to go. But, watch out, the street has a different face at night. By 8 pm, it is already dead. So much for enjoying life and legal sex in Hobart that the street, as well as the whole city, is no longer relevant at night. Sitting down on a bench at an empty street is like meditating in the middle of a cemetery. Fine. I’m okay with that.

2. Sullivan’s Cove

At the end of Elizabeth Street, I will find my favourite spot – Sullivan’s Cove. Located on the Derwent River, this is the original landing site of European settlement when Hobart was founded in 1804. The sight of luxurious yachts at the Constitution Dock or Victoria Dock makes me feel at ease, as if I can grab one of those boats and escape anytime to the faraway world. This bustling waterfront location offers more than great seafood and entertainment. It holds huge sentimental value for the Horbatians. It preserves the story of brave men who travelled to the shore and pursued their dreams beyond their homeland. As I explore the Sullivan’s Cove, I admire at what men can possibly do – leaving home and taking risks.

3. Sandy Bay

Sandy Bay is an elegant residential suburb and is home to Tasmania’s most expensive houses. From a glimpse here, you can tell that it is home to millionaires. The proof? Sandy Bay is also the site of Wrest Point Hotel Casino, Australia’s first legal casino. Yeah, show them the money. There, I can see the scenic landscape of large and extravagant homes lining up on the edge of a hill, overlooking this glorious bay. Impressive sight, huh? You will find an almost similar panoramic view in Malaysia, but it is normally the residence of the dead. Chinese cemetery. But who cares? Be it the residence of the living or the vista of the dying, either view is right for me. My spirit is free. My soul is liberated.

4. The University of Tasmania

University campuses are built either in the middle of some remote jungle or at the seaside overlooking some magnificent great ocean. Apparently, I’d prefer the latter. Standing on Sandy Bay, the University of Tasmania is a perfect university for continuing education and continuing health. As I climb the many steps exploring the hidden faculties and libraries, I could smell the fresh ocean breeze and feel the wind of grace. It’s exhausting, but I’m sure that’s the whole purpose – to train the graduates physically, mentally and spiritually. I can feel my spirit being connected to the larger community of educated men right here. I want to come back here one day. It’s addictive.

5. Soldier’s Memorial Avenue

I don’t know about you, but I love the idea of walking at a nicely-maintained cemetery. Not that I fancy death or breed morbid thoughts. But Soldier’s Memorial Avenue is not really a cemetery. It is a memorial where more than 400 bronze plaques are laid next to cedar trees to commemorate the soldiers who died during the First World War. There’s a gently-sloping track with lovely views of the Derwent River and Tasman Bridge. It is a bit scary walking alone in the middle of this creepy memorial, knowing that soldiers’ spirits could be roaming near me. They must have a lot of unfinished businesses and are eager to share with me. But I would prefer listening to my iPod. I don’t have that sixth sense.

6. Tasman Bridge

From the Soldier’s Memorial Avenue, I can observe the beautiful architecture of Tasman Bridge from many angles. Each angle tells a different story. There’s something unsettling about this five-lane bridge. The design is impressive. Not that it is the world’s longest or highest bridge. But when I checked its history, I was a bit disturbed to discover that the bridge was once struck by a disaster. In 1975, a bulk ore carrier hit the bridge, causing one of the bridge sections to collapse and sink the ship, killing seven ship’s crewmen and five motorists. Four cars fell from the bridge. It’s true, a bridge connects places and people. This particular bridge is indeed connecting and haunting. No wonder I’m attracted to it.

7. Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens

This garden is one of the most enchanting garden networks in Australia. It is the country’s second oldest botanical gardens that feature the extensive collections of plants and specialised gardens of flowers. One of them caught my interest – the Japanese Garden. It was designed by a landscape architect from Yaizu, Japan, Hobart’s sister city. The colours are so vibrant they leave me breathless. The red bridge is stunning it makes me fly like Air Asia. The Japanese maples are dazzling. Water lilies. Camellias. All are adding to the charms of an already charming nature. I’m so engulfed with admiration and contemplation that I would like to believe that I’m in a paradise. Japanese Paradise.

8. Mount Wellington

Mount Wellington is the guardian angel of Hobart. On a clear day, this old man looks so breathtaking and menacing. It’s like a black wave of tsunami that has been frozen for many years. It’s accessible by a narrow road to the summit, about 22 kilometres from the city. I hired a car and drove up to the top and saw the spectacular views of the greater Hobart below and its surroundings from this lookout building. At the height of 1272 metres, Mount Wellington is a strong structure that will look after the residents of Hobart forever. Things do look majestic from high above. But you can see a larger figure of creation from down under. Either way is right. I saw a mountain. Well, sometimes a tsunami.

9. Tasman Peninsula

Driving along Tasman Peninsula is such a great pleasure. Located around 75 kilometres from Hobart, Tasman Peninsula keeps the living history of infamous convicts. But before I dwell into their stories, I have to pull over whenever I catch the quaint and quiet waters of Little Norfolk Bay. I feel the surge of melancholy and sadness when I look at those still waters running idly on the surface. They somehow remind me of familiar sights in Terengganu. They are talking to me in a familiar language of passion. After a few hours of intuitive dialogues and monologues during this scenic drive, I think I understand what they want and what I want. I want to build a house here. Big one.

10. Port Arthur

I finally arrive at the heart of Tasman Peninsula – Port Arthur. This open-air museum is Tasmania’s top-tourist attraction. I can feel a weird kind of connection at this former convict settlement. Maybe the ghosts of the British or Irish convicts are screaming and trying to tell me about their buried agony and ashamed past. God knows what actually happened to them from 1833 to 1850s. This World Heritage-listed historic site offers rich insights into the harsh lives of these convicts. Brutality and barbarism are reflected through the many ruins scattered at this penitentiary. I came out of this historic hell feeling rejuvenated with inspiration. I’m a free man. That’s what I will be. Free.