Hobart also boasts the most daylight hours of any capital city during summer.

Those who live in the farthest south of the eight states and territories revel in 15.2 hours of daylight at the summer solstice on 22 December. That's two-and-a-half more hours of daylight than Darwin receives in summer and an hour more than Sydney enjoys.

The experts at the Launceston Planetarium (part of the Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery, Launceston) say the day is even longer if twilight - the period before sunrise and after sunset when it is still light enough to carry out normal outdoor activities - is included. Of course in winter Tasmania has less daylight than the mainland states and territories. Hobart has just over nine hours, an hour less than Sydney and two hours and 20 minutes less than Darwin.

But that's no reason not to come to Tassie in winter. Visitors are often surprised to find that winter is characterised by crisp blue skies and sparkling sunshine. Bring a jumper and enjoy the freshest air in the world. (But that's another story.)