Tasmania offers practically endless options for a unique holiday. Whether you’re a thrill-seeking adventurer, ravenous foodie or history buff, Australia’s island state is the perfect place to embrace an experience you’ve never had before.
And if your ideal trip involves simply resting and reconnecting with nature, Tasmania’s bespoke accommodation hosts are ready to show you what their beloved home state – and its abundance of natural wonders – has to offer.
A restorative stay for every guest
Instagram: @Tasmanian_shacklife
Naomi Hume is the creator of the accommodation listings site Tasmanian Shacklife, a sensory delight that introduces visitors to some of the island’s best stays – from the rugged west coast to the picturesque east and everywhere in between. As a local, Hume has a simple wish: to give every visitor to Tasmania the best possible experience.
“All of my shack stays are immersive enough for people to go, ‘I just want to picture myself here’,” she says.
Naomi Hume, creator of Tasmanian Shacklife
“Ninety per cent were the host’s own home or shack that they’ve turned into a space they share with others. It isn’t just a typical Airbnb – it offers something else. It might be timber, washed-up driftwood, beautiful cups of tea, and Tasmanian gins and whiskies. But then there’s also fishing rods and a jetty at the doorstep.”
That’s exactly the website’s vibe. Visitors will find choices ranging from a restored sandstone cottage to a tin shed in the mountains to a converted fishing hut by the wild sea. Each one offers a unique perspective on Tasmania’s diverse landscapes, wildlife and experiences.
“I think the term shacklife is quite Tasmanian,” Hume says. “Everywhere is what you make it, but you can really make it in Tassie. If you put your feet on the ground here, you’ll see it for yourself.”
If this sounds like the lush, rejuvenating holiday you’re after, here are some of the island’s best spots to make it happen.
Sheepwash Bay
Bruny Island
Photograph: @milesunchartered and @sheepwashbay
Jenene Oates and her partner, John Bullock, were already living off-grid on Bruny Island before they decided to host visitors. “Choosing to share the space with others has forced us to distill and concentrate the essence [of the place], and present it in a user-friendly way,” Oates says. “This has, in turn, led us to appreciate living simply in nature.”
Their property at Sheepwash Bay offers guests two ways to enjoy this wild coastline: The Hide, a private, luxurious tiny house, and The Shack, a cabin built from reclaimed timbers, with French doors that open to breathtaking views.
“We decided we’d really like to do something that encourages people to dip their toe into a natural experience from a place of comfort,” Oates says. “The Hide is very close to the water. Sitting down there, watching seagulls and wedgetails and dolphins, you can actually have … we call it ‘the David Attenborough moments’.”
Bullock, AKA the Bruny Baker, is also behind the local attraction the Bread Fridge, which he keeps freshly stocked with wood-fired loaves to top off the perfect visit.
White Cottage
North Hobart
If you’re a more cosmopolitan visitor, White Cottage is a slice of serenity in the heart of Hobart, within easy reach of some of Tasmania’s most iconic arts, entertainment and food experiences.
This 1900s Federation cottage is packed with historical features, including ornate fireplaces, oak floors built from local timber, and a heritage-listed chimney, while also offering a modern kitchen and luxurious deep bath.
White Cottage feels like a secluded escape from the daily routine, but it’s only a 15-minute walk from Hobart’s city centre, making it the ideal jumping-off point for visiting Mona, hitting the bustling North Hobart restaurant strip, or heading into the markets at Salamanca.
Instagram: @white_cottage_hobart
The Eco Cabin
Deloraine
Stunning Deloraine is known for its crafts, and hosts Tasmania’s annual craft fair every November. It’s here, close to the Meander River, that you’ll also find The Eco Cabin.
Scandi-inspired, this luxury accommodation can be found on one of Deloraine’s oldest properties, complete with heritage hawthorn brambles, century-old dry stone walls, and uninterrupted views to Quamby Bluff and the Great Western Tiers. But this new A-frame cabin is also packed with modern comforts, from keyless smart-lock entry to programmable electric blankets – all with the latest eco technology.
Spend your nights relaxing under the stars in the outdoor mineral hot tub, or retire in front of the fire with a book from the cabin’s hidden library.
Instagram: @ecocabintasmania
Alpite House
Friendly Beaches
Instagram: @aplite_house
After each guest ends their stay at Aplite House, Sam and Tamzen Brewster race to see what’s been written in their guest book. This modern sanctuary sits amid 80 hectares of Tasmanian forest, along the Great Eastern Drive, between Coles Bay and Bicheno. It’s fringed on three sides by Freycinet National Park, and is close to beaches; it’s easy to see why visitors are drawn to this idyllic location. “It’s immersed in Tasmania’s east coast wilderness,” Sam says.
He says designing and creating the house was fascinating and enjoyable, involving plenty of thought, research and planning alongside physical work “and heaps of fun”. Now, he and Tamzen welcome guests to enjoy their completely solar-powered, self-catered escape – which they might find themselves sharing with a Tassie devil, wombat or quoll.
“We love running Aplite as eco accommodation,” Sam says. “Sharing such a restorative and regenerative space is extremely rewarding and enriching for us, especially through the feedback guests provide about how rejuvenated they feel.”
In typical Tasmanian fashion, creating a space that connects people with nature has also strengthened Sam and Tamzen’s ties to the world. “It’s opened up our global view while at the same time established amazing local connections,” Sam says.
