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Real Estate News Releases
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(EMAILWIRE.COM, May 03, 2009 ) Tasmania, Australia - Now recognised as an ecological treasure, Tasmania is no longer bedevilled by its provincial image and property on the island is sought afterÂ…
Tasmania was, for a long time, the butt of jokes from mainland Australians who mocked its provincialism and isolation.
But now the island stateÂ’s former obscurity has become one of its greatest assets, with miles of unspoiled beaches, 18 national parks and rare wildlife.
The price of mainland property in Australia is still higher than property prices in Tasmania, but as more local and international investors start to recognize its charms, Tasmania will have a devil of a time keeping up with demand.
In 2004, the first intrepid Sydneysiders and Melbournians turned their attentions to Tasmania, instantly driving up prices by 42 per cent.
An upgraded ferry service to both cities, along with cheaper and more frequent flights, has since helped boost interest further, and international investors have added fuel to the fire in the metro areas.
The average property in Tasmania’s handsome little capital, Hobart, still fetches around £170,000, around £150,000 less than the equivalent property in Sydney.
Separated from the southern tip of the Australian mainland by the 240-kilometre stretch of Bass Strait, Tasmania is the size of Ireland, with over a third of the state designated as a World Heritage Area, a refuge for rare plants and animals. Well preserved historic villages dot the coastal rim, and the mountainous interior is a popular target for hikers.
Hobart, the easy-going, elegant capital, is home to half of the islandÂ’s 500,000 residents. Sitting astride the Derwent River in the shadow of Mount Wellington, Hobart has a spectacular setting in one of the finest natural harbours in the world. Georgian sandstone buildings house art galleries, boutique shops, cafes and top class restaurants.
On the waterfront, Salamanca Market sells locally grown lavender, Huon pine carvings, didgeridoos and freshly-caught lobster. Gin palace yachts and vast Antarctic trawlers are anchored beside bustling seafood restaurants.
Tasmania has blossomed in recent years as a destination for foodies. It boasts organic farms, the worldÂ’s cleanest air and some of the finest local produce on the planet. The annual Taste Of Tasmania festival features some of the best wines from the lush Tamar Valley, the countryÂ’s premier wine-growing region.
‘‘If I was obliged to emigrate, I should certainly prefer this place,” said Charles Darwin of Hobart in 1836.
Away from the buzz of the capital, the tiny east coast villages on the seafront are awakening to the herds of expats visiting and settling on the glorious coast.
Tasmania is brimming with accessible wilderness experiences. It has long been a supreme holiday destination, with visitors falling in love with the rugged beauty of the heart shaped island.
Trekking has skyrocketed in popularity in the last five years, so much so that the Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Department has been forced to institute a reservations system for the popular Overland Track, a five-day bush walk from Cradle Mountain to Lake St Clair, on the north-west coast.
On the east coast, eucalypts and orchids crowd the forests of Freycinet National Park, concealing a true paradise: the crescent-shaped Wineglass Bay.
Voted one of the worldÂ’s top ten beaches, the bay is an analogy for Tasmania itself difficult to reach (a gruelling hike over the saddle of the pink granite Hazard Mountains), but the end result is more than worth it.
Buying a property in Tasmania is complicated enough without the added distance and cost of travel to Australia. If you are hunting solely for an investment property, perhaps consider looking closer to home, but if you are seeking a lifestyle change, such as emigration or retirement, then Tasmania, and its property market, has many upsides.
The downside is that it is no longer the worldÂ’s best-kept secret.
For more information on properties in Australia and the property market in general, please visit http://australia.themovechannel.com/
-ENDS-
Notes to editors:
TheMoveChannel.com is a property website that was founded in 1999 as an online resource for buying, selling and learning about property. It now receives as many as 300,000 visits per month and advertises over 50,000 properties in nearly 90 countries, which are listed by over 500 partner organisations.
For further information, please contact:
Dan Johnson
Managing Director
www.themovechannel.com
0207 952 7650
TheMoveChannel.com
Dan Johnson
020 7952 7650
dj@themovechannel.com 
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