The MCF Hangout with Jetabout Holidays was an opportunity for MCF members to find out more about self-drive holidays, with a focus on Tasmania, Australia.

Over 60 MyCarForum (MCF) members gathered at CoSpace Park, at Science Park Road to attend the latest MCF Hangout with Jetabout Holidays. The event proved to be a learning opportunity to MCF members who want to head for self-drive holidays and tours in Tasmania.

Jetabout Holidays is an established travel agency that provides various well-priced and all-inclusive tour packages, including self-drive and group tour packages in and around Tasmania. For self-drive packages, it includes vehicle rental, too.

Tasmania is known for its beautiful landscapes. Despite being Australia's smallest state, it is geographically diverse with over 40% of land area reserved for national parks and wilderness areas.

sgCarMart Deputy Editor, Nigel Yong, was on hand to share his thoughts on driving overseas, including Tasmania. As shared by Nigel, a Singapore driving licence is recognised in Australia, and there is no need for an International Driving Permit.

For other types of driving licences, as long as the driving licence is in English and you have over a year of driving experience, it will be recognised.

According to Nigel, driving in Australia is very similar to Singapore, and drivers are courteous. But he did mention that speed limits, as well as the usage of seat belts for drivers and passengers are regularly enforced.

Also, Australia's drink driving laws are very strict, and regularly enforced with road blocks at all times of the day.

During the event, Jensen Chua, Associate Instructor at the Canon Imaging Academy, also shared some tips on how to capture great photos.

During the last Tasmania self-drive, holiday makers managed to capture a glimpse of the Southern Lights. From his experience, he advised that travellers planning to capture the Southern Lights should bring a tripod and a camera that is able to do long exposure shorts, like a DSLR.

He also mentioned about the weather in Tasmania. He advised that travellers should always be prepared for changes in weather, even when going for a self-drive. He noted that while a fleece jacket will suffice when you're outdoors, temperatures can start dropping quickly when driving up mountainous areas.

Fiona Lee from Tourism Tasmania was also on hand to share more on what one can expect from Tasmania's vast geographical diversity. Cradle Mountain, Tasmania's alpine wilderness, is a place where you can also get a chance to encounter the adorable Tasmanian Devil that's native to Tasmania.

There was also a food tasting experience during the event. MCF members had a chance to taste food and drinks that is unique to the region, like Tasmanian Leatherwood Honey.