Best things about living in Tasmania, according to a local

For almost 25 years, Rob Pennicott's co-tourism business, Pennicott Tours, has showcased the Tasmanian coastline and its wildlife.

Freycinet Park, Tasmania. Photo: Katharina13

Here's what he loves about his hometown. 

I love the waterways of Tasmania

I started fishing when I was 12, and I knew right away that my future would be on or around water. When I was 24, I started taking people out in a 12-seat boat to see blowholes and cruise alongside seals and dolphins. Now, here we are with 19 boats, plus buses and more than 150 staff, offering eight different products in four locations in Tasmania: Bruny Island, Port Arthur, Hobart and Coles Bay.

If you want to be the only one on a beach...

you can do that in Tassie. And I mean an amazing beach that would be packed anywhere else in the world.

I’m really into hunting and gathering...

and can often be found slipping from the sand to go fishing or forage for scallops, sea urchin and oysters. A little bit of local knowledge is needed if you’re going out for a snorkel, and you do need a licence to catch crayfish.

Sullivan's cove in Hobart harbour with historic fishing boats docked. Photo: zetter

Tassie may not be the best place in Australia for...

shopping. But the pristine wilderness means that it’s certainly top for fresh produce and rejuvenation. There’s nothing like the invigorating climate, watching the clouds and the ever-changing weather systems. I love having extremes in life.

You can be anywhere really fast in Tasmania.

You can travel from one end of the state to the other in a couple of hours. One minute you’re in the mountains, the next you can be on the beach or amid vineyards. This means that you can do great day trips.

My favourite places here are...

Coles Bay and The Hazards. There’s such beauty everywhere you look. The pink granite cliffs take my breath away every time. It doesn’t matter how often I go.

Cradle Mountain is just one of Tasmania's natural wonders. Photo: Katharina13

One of my most amazing wildlife encounters happened at sea.

We were cruising along in a little 3.2m boat, and suddenly there were eight orcas playing around us. They hung around for half an hour. The male had one eye trained on us the whole time as if to say, “Look at me and my harem of women!” Another time there were 14 minke whales. I’ve also seen a dolphin that was in the first hour of its life – its mum was showing it off proudly to us, as we would do with a newborn human baby.

Tassie’s best-kept secret is...

Flinders Island. I’m so lucky to have a boat that I can take out there and unwind. There’s no phone coverage, so all you can do is switch off, maybe get a barbecue going or have a drink on the back deck.

Tasmania's rocky and picturesque coastlines. Photo: Wirestock

I would recommend any visitor...

to rent a car and get into regional Tassie. Yes, the east coast and Huonville circuit are amazing. But so is getting off the beaten track along the west coast and meeting the locals. And don’t try to do too much, because you’ll find plenty of places that you’ll want to linger.

The scenery in its own right is awesome – the animals are a bonus

There are also amazing adventures in the mountains. I live in South Hobart and in no time I can be hiking through the rainforest, surrounded by ferns and eucalypts.

There are some great places to eat out in Hobart

There are some pretty fancy places these days, but you can’t go past Mures right at the dock for super fresh seafood. The upper deck is a la carte but you can grab fish and chips to go from the lower deck. And you can’t beat the Cascade Hotel for a bit of nostalgia. I’ve been going for a countertop meal since I was 14 or 15! Restaurants have to be good to survive here.

Originally published as Best things about living in Tasmania, according to a local