AI-generated words and images on a website for tours around Tasmania has encouraged tourists to hunt for the Weldborough Hot Springs. Unfortunately, they don’t exist.

 

Employees at the Weldborough Hotel in Tasmania’s north east have recently noticed an increased number of tourists asking for directions to the Weldborough Hot Springs.

‘In the last couple of months I’ve had a lot of people ringing and turning up looking for the Weldborough Hot Springs’, publican Kristy Probert told the ABC.

‘I’ve done a bit of research because it keeps happening and happening… and there’s an actual website for Tasmanian Tours, saying that there’s hot springs in a number of locations in Tasmania, including Weldborough, which is just not the case.’

The website people were reading was Tasmania Tours, which featured a list article titled ‘7 Best Hot Springs Tasmania Experiences for 2026’.

The article has since been removed by the website, but described the non-existent springs as ‘rich in therapeutic minerals’ and ‘a popular destination for those looking to immerse themselves in Tasmania’s raw beauty’.

In lieu of hot springs, Kristy has been sending people to the local river.

‘The Weld River, which runs through Weldborough, is freezing cold and it’s definitely, definitely not a hot spring’, she said.

Although the list featured some real hot springs locations, such as Hastings Caves and Thermal Springs, the Weldborough listing wasn’t the only eye-brow raising inclusion, with both the Savage River and the famously freezing town of Liawenee listed.

Tasmania Tours website is filled with AI generated images and words, many of which don’t provide an accurate representation of the destinations at all.

The Savage River supposedly

View from the top of Kunanyi/Mt Wellington in Hobart, apparently

The tour company is operated by a larger NSW business, Australian Tours and Cruises, which includes multiple booking websites.

Owner Scott Hennessy said that content creation on the website had been outsourced to a third party, which used AI.

‘We’re trying to compete with the big boys, and part of that is you’ve got to keep your content refreshed and new all of the time’, he said. ‘Our AI has messed up completely.’

Hennessy said that some of the AI-generated articles, including the hot springs list which was posted in July 2025, had been published mistakenly without being checked while he was overseas.

All of the AI content has been removed from the site, and Hennessy assures customers, Tasmania Tours is a legitimate website and tour company.

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