Tasmania – Australia with a Difference
If you are a considering a new life in Australia or New Zealand take a close look at Tasmania and have the best of both worlds!
Where is Tasmania?
Tasmania is a large mountainous island (approximately 70,000 km2) lying off the southeast coast of Australia at a latitude of 40 degrees. The capital city, Hobart, is approximately one hours flying time from Melbourne and one and a half hours from Sydney. Five airlines provide approximately 64,000 seats in and out of the state each week.
What’s It Like?
‘Heaven on Earth’ (according to Elle magazine’s July 2007 Japanese edition). Tasmania’s beautiful environment (much of it World Heritage listed) attracts migrants looking for quality of life in one of the last unspoilt corners of the globe. The economy is growing strongly with widespread skills shortages and migrants able to contribute to our State’s growth and development are warmly welcomed.
Who Migrates to Tasmania?
Typically people who place a high priority on their quality of life or who want their kids to enjoy a safe, outdoors focused childhood. The state also attracts people who like the idea of living in Australia but don’t enjoy extreme summer heat or severe water restrictions. Others come for quite specific reasons; to escape pollution, overcrowding or stress, to be able to go fishing every day or to buy the waterfront property or boat they could never afford back home.
What’s Happening?
Strong economic growth has led to growing skills shortages. A number of large projects in tourism, water infrastructure and resource processing (mining and timber) have been approved and will require large number of skilled workers to construct and operate.
Outside of work there are events such as the Falls Music Festival, the 10 Days in the Island arts festival, The Taste of Tasmania food festival, The Sydney to Hobart ocean yacht race and regular sporting fixtures. Tasmania also produces some of Australia’s finest food and wines which you can enjoy at home or in some of the best restaurants in the country. Popular destinations include Wineglass Bay (regularly listed amongst the world’s greatest beaches), Hobart’s well preserved waterfront precinct, the vineyards of the Tamar Valley (producing Australia’s finest sparkling wines) and the many national parks which take up 40% of the States area.
Educational choices
– Private or public education with well qualified teachers and some of Australia’s smallest class sizes. The University of Tasmania offers a wide range of degrees including specialist areas such as furniture design, Antarctic and Southern Ocean studies and aquaculture.
Recreation and leisure
– Tasmania is a nature lovers paradise and hiking, mountain biking, kayaking, rock climbing, surfing and diving are popular. Sports infrastructure is excellent and a wide variety of cultural activities (such as theatre, festivals and performances by the Tasmanian symphony orchestra) are on offer year round. A typical day out might be a barbeque with friends, a game of golf, visiting a vineyard, taking the kids to play sport, shopping at a local market or high street or spending time on ‘the boat’ or at a coastal holiday home (known as a ‘shack’).
Cost of living
- Generally the same as Australia as a whole. Housing, private education and locally produced food tends to be cheaper than other parts of Australia. Some items that are transported from other parts of the country (such as petrol) can be a little more expensive.
h2>Transportation infrastructure– Extensive public bus services operate in all major centres and (less frequently) in rural areas.
Housing market
– Hobart is Australia’s most affordable capital city with a median house price of $317,000 (Real Estate Institute of Australia, September 2007). Expect to pay between $250 - $350/week to rent a three-bedroom house.
Climate
– Tasmania is the same latitude as Rome, Italy or Bordeaux, France with four distinct seasons. The surrounding oceans produce a temperate maritime climate with no extremes of heat or cold.
Key industry sectors
– Broad range of industries with an economic profile similar to Australia as a whole. Mining, manufacturing, tourism, agriculture and food processing and forestry and timber processing are all key industries. Skills shortages occur across a range of occupations, particularly in the construction, manufacturing and medical sectors.
Want to Know More? Visit these Websites:
www.migratetasmania.com.au
www.iris.tas.gov.au
www.brandtasmania.com
www.discovertasmania.com