Tasmanian Giants, Devils & Views

After a rather car-heavy Bruny day, I was ready for more fresh air and movement – and the Mount Field National Park & Wildlife Tour delivered exactly that.

We started from Hobart’s tourist office, hopping on a comfy minibus with our guide Dave – a walking encyclopedia of Tasmanian history, nature, and fun facts. He might’ve gone into information overdrive at times, but if you listened closely, you learned a ton. And I got lucky 🍀 I sat right behind the driver, where you get the best views over the road.

The early morning fog still covered the city and parts of Mount Wellington – the sun slowly slicing through made for some magical first photos. Before reaching the park, we made a quick sandwich stop for lunch-on-the-go.

At Mount Field, we set off on the Big Circle Walk – about 2.5 hours of forest bliss, with a few hundred stairs for good measure. Totally worth the sweat: lush greenery, mossy rainforest paths, and some of the tallest trees on Earth. These giants – mainly swamp gums – can reach up to 80 meters here, with some Tasmanian trees exceeding 100 meters elsewhere. Fun fact: only California’s redwoods grow taller!

The trail winds through two ecosystems – a cool-temperate rainforest (rare outside the tropics!) and more open mixed forest. Fascinating to see the contrast – especially the bark differences: some trees shed theirs entirely, while others wear it top-to-root. And yes, eucalyptus oil = flammable, so bushfires are sadly common.

After our hike and a relaxing lunch break, we headed to a wildlife sanctuary. There we met some grumpy teen wombats (yes, puberty hits hard – they bite and scratch to get kicked out by mum), charming Tasmanian devils, and of course, the star kangaroos. Completely tame, totally food-obsessed, and big fans of belly rubs.

The day ended on a high – literally – with a scenic drive up Mount Wellington. We got super lucky with the weather: clear skies and a breathtaking panoramic view over Hobart, the River Derwent, and beyond. The perfect farewell to Tasmania’s wild beauty.Læs mere