Tasmania is a state known for its artistic talent, bursting with galleries, exhibitions and performances all year long.
However, it is also home to extraordinary natural beauty, containing some of the best mountains, waterways and forests in the world. For those wishing to combine the two, it doesn’t get much better than art trails. This list of the best art trails in Tasmania is perfect for those wishing to immerse themselves in the beauty and wonder of this popular region.
Art Farm Birchs Bay
Art Farm Birchs Bay is a not-for-profit association that aims to build connections between artists, their communities and the landscape.
Found on Five Bob Farm, the collection is exhibited along a 2-kilometre bush track, with more than 35 artworks to discover. On the farm, you can also wander through fields of Diemen Pepper, orchards and a kitchen garden.
Here, the association often hosts exhibitions, workshops and artist retreats in their mission to champion local talent and showcase the power of art.
Great Western Tiers Sculpture Trail
Travelling to Deloraine in northern Tasmania, you will come across a trail of sculptures specially designed by local artists with the aim of commenting on the natural beauty of the region.
Following the path will take you through the streets of Deloraine and along the banks of the Meander River to popular sites including Marakoopa Cave, King Solomons Cave, Alum Cliffs, Devils Gullet and Mole Creek. The sculptures blend into their environment, seamlessly combining the value of manmade and natural wonders.
Every November, Deloraine transforms as the location of the Tasmanian Craft Fair, a four-day festival of craft and visual artistry that draws a crowd from all over the country.
Huon Valley Studio Art Trail
The Huon Valley Studio Art Trail is an annual event offering visitors the chance to step foot in the studios and creative spaces of artists in southern Tasmania.
As well as artists’ individual spaces, local businesses such as Frank’s Cider, Cygnet Gallery and Dover Museum also display work in a variety of different venues.
Set against a stunning Huon Valley backdrop, attendants are invited to learn more about the region’s diverse culture and wander through nearby forests and waterways for a fully immersive experience.
Battery Point Sculpture Trail
For those looking for a trail closer to home, the Battery Point Sculpture Trail is an easy two-kilometre walk past nine large sculptures in Hobart.
Each sculpture embodies a specific weight, measure, time, quantity, date or distance linked to a historic moment in Hobart’s past, weaving stories about culture and industry.
Keep your eyes peeled, and you will spot a sculpture floating on the river, one cut out of a hedge, and even one that glows at night. Winding along Battery Point, you will also pass heritage buildings and local hotspots you can return to on your visit.
Tamar Valley Open Studios
Running for the last week in August, Open Studios is a highly anticipated event for creatives in the Tamar Valey Region. Visitors are invited to chat with local artists and learn more about their practices.
In 2023, the event featured sixty artists in thirty-three venues as they showcased a range of artworks in mediums including textiles, ceramics, jewellery, glass and more. The studios spread across the entire region, taking visitors to Callington, Launceston, Tavistock and Plymouth.
GASP Pavilion Glenorchy
The Glenorchy Arts and Sculpture Park (GASP) is a three-kilometre path weaving through two pavilions to highlight an impressive collection of architectural displays.
The park has been designed as an aesthetic frame for the surrounding mountains, using timber, concrete and glass to create unique and interesting displays. One of the most popular elements of this park has to be the 40 metre-long, 4 metre-tall concrete wall which shields visitors from oncoming wind. Approaching, they will come across a red glass wall that whistles as wind filters through several strategically placed holes
Sheffield Murals
Sheffield may be a small town, but it has created a big reputation for itself as Tasmania’s Outdoor Art Gallery.
Here, there are more than 200 murals to explore, painted on prominent buildings in the main strip and residential areas alike.
Each year, Sheffield hosts Mural Fest, inviting all participants to submit a proposed mural based on the annual theme. From thousands of submissions, nine artists are eventually chosen to travel to Sheffield and turn their concepts into full-sized murals in Mural Park, watched over by eager spectators.
Simply strolling through town with a coffee in hand allows visitors to create their own art trail, with many of the murals paying homage to the history of Sheffield and its surrounds. The first mural was painted in 1987, and depicts a blacksmith at work while surrounded by a number of small animals.
Heritage Highway Silhouette Trail
Driving along the southern end of Heritage Highway, it’s hard to miss the shadowy figures standing tall by the side of the road, or hidden up in the mountains. These sculptures are part of the ‘Shadows of the Past’ Silhouette Trail, emblems of how life would have been living in this region in the 19th century.
Designed by local artists Folko Kooper and Maureen Craig, each sculpture characterises an element of the area’s colonial past, with 16 total artworks dotted between Tunbridge and Kempton.
On the road, you will drive past mighty bushrangers, convict chain gangs, a horseback messenger, stagecoach travellers and more. There are also sculptures that pay tribute to the iconic thylacine and Tasmanian emu, both sadly extinct in modern times.
Loving these art trails in Tasmania? To read about the best art trails in NSW, click here.
