The name "Tasmania" suggests an unspoiled place, with vast stretches of wilderness roamed by strange creatures like the Tasmanian devil. Many mainland residents still half-jokingly refer to their "country cousins" on the island as rednecks. In truth, most Tasmanians are hospitable and friendly people, lacking the harsh edge that big cities can foster. Most also care passionately for the environment, decrying the belief that anything that moves deserves a bullet and anything that stands still needs chopping down. Despite this, forests are still being clear-felled, noxious chemicals are being sprayed to inhibit undergrowth in plantations, and there are reports of native animals being killed in the process. Tasmania's "clean-green" image is being badly damaged in the process. The possible extinction of Tasmanian devils due to a spreading facial tumor disease, reports of introduced foxes, and a proposed pulp mill that will pump vast quantities of effluent into Bass Straight, does little to help. Tasmania has even been described as an "extinction hotspot" by scientists in a 2006 study.
Visitors to Tasmania are surprised by its size, though compared to the scale of the rest of Australia, the distances are more manageable. Dense rainforests, mountain peaks, alpine meadows, great lakes, eucalyptus stands, and fertile farmland are all easily accessible, but you should be prepared for several hours of concentrated driving between the main attractions. Among Tasmania's chief attractions is its natural environment. More than 20% of the island has been declared a World Heritage area, and nearly a third of the island is protected within 14 national parks.
Tasmania's other main draw is its history. Remains of the Aboriginal people who lived here for thousands of years are evident in rock paintings, engraving, stories, and the aura of spirituality that still holds in places where modern civilization has not yet reached.
Europeans arrived in Tasmania (or Van Diemen's Land, as it was once known) in 1642, when the seafarer Abel Tasman set anchor off its southwest coast. It wasn't identified as an island until 1798. Tasmania made its mark as a dumping ground for convicts, who were more often than not transported for petty crimes in their homeland. The brutal system of control, still evident in the ruins at Port Arthur and elsewhere, spilled over into persecution of the native population. The last full-blooded Tasmanian Aborigine died in 1876, 15 years after the last convict transportation. Most had already died of disease and maltreatment at the hands of the settlers.
