Sighted and named Van Diemen's Land in 1642 by Abel Tasman, settlement then followed by the French and British. Many thousands of years earlier, the Palawa people called this island home and despite the violent and cruel actions of early white settlers that impacted tragically on their culture, today they are a growing and important part of the community.

Tasmania is Australia's smallest state measuring only 296 kilometres lengthways and 315 kilometres across and this is reflected in its population of less than 500 000. However the state does enjoy over half a million visitors annually.