As this journey around Tasmania comes to a close, I find myself reflecting not just on the places we visited, but on how deeply this island leaves its mark.

Tasmania is a land of contrasts — wild coastlines and gentle forests, beauty layered with brutal history, silence that speaks louder than words. Everywhere we went, stories were etched into the landscape. Convict ruins softened by moss. Memorial gardens offering peace where tragedy once unfolded. Communities shaped by hardship, resilience, fire, and flood — and still standing.

What struck me most was the human story woven through it all. The women of the Female Factories, punished for poverty, for survival, for existing on the margins of society. Their strength, defiance, and refusal to be erased echoes long after the walls that confined them. The men and women who worked the forests, the seas, the land — and the communities that continue to honour them.

And then there was the natural world.
The ocean, endlessly carving rock and reshaping the coastline. Tessellated pavements that feel almost otherworldly. Beaches that offer up new treasures each morning. The quiet thrill of searching for platypuses, the patience of waiting for an aurora that may or may not appear. These moments slow you down. They invite you to notice.

Travelling this way — unhurried, open, curious — reminds me why I love the road. Even when plans change, vehicles break down, or the ground isn’t quite as firm as it looks, there is always kindness. Locals who help without hesitation. Conversations in pubs that feel timeless. Shared laughter over meals and campfires.

Tasmania doesn’t demand your attention loudly. It asks you to listen.
To sit with its stories.
To walk gently.
To remember.

I leave with sandy shoes, a full heart, and a deep gratitude for this island and all it has shared. Some journeys end when you return home. Others stay with you — shaping how you see the world long after the road runs out.

This one will linger.

I am back home in Queensland for a few weeks before I head back to Tassie and all she has to offer.

My plan for the following three months is to visit some areas I have not yet seen and base myself in each area a week at a time, giving myself time to truely explore.

Watch this space…….