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maltatoday, SUNDAY, 12 JULY 2015 44 TRAVEL I know that everyone talks about New Zealand being the land with magical landscapes and the king- dom of the Lord of the Rings Trilogy, however I feel that Peter Jackson could have easily includ- ed Tasmania as another location for his set. The Aussies don't call this place a mini New Zealand for nothing, I mean you have everything that's majestic about the planet all within 90,758 km², and to get one over on New Zea- land, there is also an abundance of wildlife. One of the areas that I've been to and lived in for quite a while is the Northern Midlands. In my eyes this place stands out for its unique waterfalls, lakes, farmland, caves and gorges. Not to mention some really quaint small villages with friendly residents that curi- ous travellers thrive on. The main spots to visit in this area are Evan- dale, Cressy, Campbell Town, Oatlands, Longford, Paotina, Liffey Falls, Meander Valley and Cataract Gorge. All of these plac- es are within a maximum of one hour travelling distance, making it possible to visit most of these places in a day if you are pressed for time. The fresh waters from the Great Western Tiers run through Cata- ract Gorge, all the way down to the large town of Launceston. On calm days, it is possible to trek right down around the gorge's rocky sides and all the way down to the water's edge. You can make a day out of it, wining and dining at a fine restaurant, a café or sim- ply enjoying a swim in the open air swimming pools or a picnic on the Basin lawns. When heavy rainfall comes and lasts more than a few days, Cataract Gorge becomes a hostile environment. Deadly rap- ids transform the serene landscape and floods of up to 15 metres have wiped out two major bridges in the past. Home of the Tasmanian tiger that became extinct in 1936, Cataract Gorge is a display of the power of Mother Nature. Another place to visit, and this is probably my favorite area, is Liffey Falls. Located in the west of the Northern Midlands, Liffey Falls is home to the Tasmanian Devil as well as other wildlife. Its back- drop would be where the Great Western Tiers mountains end to the north, and just below the falls you will find the quiet little town of Liffey itself, where sheep graze and a cottage in the middle of no- where has dozens of gnomes and Shrek guarding its front paddock. The area is great for hiking, camp- ing, offroading and when it is 30 degrees, or over, which may hap- pen one month a year, it is great for bathing in the cascading water- falls. These falls are a truly magical sight that make you feel like you have entered a mythical world. Other locations to explore would be the Mountains of the Great Western Tiers that are past Pa- otina, another small village on the mountain overlooking the entire Northern Midlands and is a great place to go and have some fresh tea. If you are driving just look out for the huge number of wallabies and pademelons, another wallaby- like marsupial, that come out at dawn and dusk. They are a won- derful sight but that's not the only reason you should be on the look out for them as they can cause considerable damage to a car! If you are taking an easy day and just want to visit some heritage sights and try some local food and drinks then the country villages of Longford, Evandale and Oat- lands are the places to go. These areas have some wonderfully de- signed cottages, both old and new, most of which have been turned into distilleries, pubs, hotels and museums. The drinks of choice would be whiskey and beer, both of which are proudly made in Tas- mania. Boages Draught for beer and Sullivans Cove for Whiskey have been highly rated. With re- gard to food, you should ask for wallaby meat if you would like to try something new and if not then I can easily recommend dishes from the local livestock. Pub food is the way to go here, and if sea- food is more to your fancy, then drive by Cressy and Longford, where fishing is more than popu- lar and check out the local catch of the day. Tasmania has so much to offer with such little distance to cover, this truly is a traveller's dream. Getting there and around To get to Tasmania, you can fly into Launceston, which is located just north of the Northern Mid- lands, or fly into Hobart, which is about two hours to the south. Alternatively you can get there by sea through the Bass Straits from Melbourne and landing in Dev- onport that is located about an hour to the west. From these areas I would recommend hiring a car unless you bring your own from the mainland. Although there are tourist packages available that of- fer bus tours, the small size of Tas- mania makes travelling around on your own the best course of ac- tion. Tasmania - The land where fairytales are created