Sub topics

• Lifestyle
• Main Population Centres
• Infrastructure
• Agriculture
• Education
• Health Services

Infrastructure

Tasmania has excellent public infrastructure, well-developed internal transport systems and reliable air and sea links with the rest of the world:

• Excellent road and rail networks link all major centres
• Deep water ports at four locations with regular interstate and international cargo services
• More than 480 commercial flights servicing the state's four airports each week
• Three high-speed ferries carrying passengers and vehicles on daily services between Devonport and Melbourne and every second day between Devonport and Sydney

A statewide hydro-electricity grid, which has never been interrupted by industrial action, supplemented by natural gas and wind-generated electricity.

Major roads in Tasmania are tarsealed and suitable for B-Double (large semi trailer) services. An extensive range of trucking firms is based within the state providing local and domestic cartage. There are approximately 322,000 vehicles registered for use on the 24,000-kilometre road network.

Tasmania also has more than 850 kilometres of rail network, which carries substantial tonnages of bulk goods and heavy freight between centres on the Northwest coast. It is conveniently linked to the ports of Port Latta, Burnie and Devonport.

Tasmania has deepwater ports at Hobart, Bell Bay, Burnie and Port Latta. Along with Devonport these provide regular interstate and international cargo services. These ports handle over 18 million tonnes of cargo annually.

There are three major airlines present in Tasmania (Qantas, Jetstar, and Virgin). Launceston and Hobart airports have direct flights to Melbourne, Sydney and the Coolangatta (Gold Coast, Queensland). Devonport and Burnie (Wynyard) have regional airports that provide services to King Island and Melbourne.

Tasmania's electricity needs are supplied by a hydro-electric system which is supplemented by a network of wind turbines and a natural gas fired power station at Bell Bay. Energy trading between Tasmania and the mainland with soon be possible with the commissioning of the Basslink electricity cable.

A pipeline from Victoria provides natural gas to both the North and South of the state. Gas is currently connected to many commercial users with infrastructure for domestic supply currently being commissioned.

Travelling Times (Road)

• Burnie - Hobart: 3 hours 30 minutes (326 kilometres)
• Burnie - Launceston: 1 hour 30 minutes (148 kilometres)
• Burnie - Devonport: 30 minutes (49 kilometres)

Travelling Times (Air)

• Burnie - Melbourne: 1 hour
• Launceston - Melbourne: 50 minutes
• Launceston - Sydney: 1 hour 40 minutes
• Hobart - Melbourne: 1 hour
• Hobart - Sydney: 1 hour 55 minutes

Travelling Times (Sea)

• Devonport - Melbourne: 10 - 12 hours (429 kilometres - crossing every night plus summer day crossings)