Tasmania Is A Totally Different World For House Sitting

The state of Tasmania likes to say that it's “A world apart, not a world away”. You can say the same thing for house sitting there. Almost half of the island state, south of the Australian mainland, consists of national parks, reserves and World Heritage Sites.

The main island of Tasmania measures about 300 kilometres wide and 350 kilometres long, making it the 26th largest island in the world. The state, however, also includes another 334 smaller islands. With a head count of a little more than 500,000, you're likely to find house sitting assignments concentrated in the Greater Hobart area where about half of the population lives. The other homes are found in the major population centres of Launceston and Devonport.

Tasmania is so different from other places that its main tourist attraction is a museum – the Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) in Hobart. A highlight of every year is the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race which ends in the capital to coincide with Taste of Tasmania, the state's biggest food and wine festival. Even music festivals in Tasmania are different. The Cygnet Folk Festival in the bay of Port Cygnet is a mix of concerts, dances, workshops and exhibitions that imparts a festival atmosphere to the entire village. Then there is the Tasmanian Lute Festival which features Lute-building workshops, discussions and concerts held in different places around the state.

Hobart, Australia's second-oldest city, lies in the shadow of Mt. Wellington where you can go bushwalking. At the foot of the mountain is the Derwent River, site of the Royal Hobart Regatta and the Australian Wooden Boat Festival every February, and where you can sail in tall ships throughout the year. At the city's Salamanca Market you'll find the wines and boutique cheeses Tasmania is famous for. It's also the centre of cultural and arts festivals during the winter and summer. Battery Point, with its 19th century cottages and side streets, houses restaurants and cafes amid the ambiance of an historic waterfront.

Breaks from your house sitting tasks in Tasmania can take you to the Mt. Field National Park with its waterfalls and varied wildlife, the Penitentiary Chapel's Ghost Tour, or beer tasting at the Cascade Brewery, Australia's oldest.
Be prepared to leave behind all your old ideas of fun and excitement when you do house sitting in Tasmania. It really is a world apart.