Discover ’s Natural State Tasmania, Australia’s state, is about the same size as Scotland, and, like Scotland, is also renowned for its great natural beauty.

Recently, the Tasmanian experience has been undergoing a sophisticated change. While you can still spend a lot of your time surrounded by unspoilt wilderness, there are now also plenty of opportunities to spoil yourself.

Luxurious accommodation, mountains of fresh produce and mouth-watering boutique wines ensure non-stop pampering at the end of a day’s adventuring. As you wander on a deserted white sand beach your only thought of other people will be as dining companions later that day, when you share local wines or nibble on freshly shucked oysters at a luxury beachfront standing camp. Go trout fishing in wild rivers and highland lakes, then relax with a Tasmanian-distilled single malt whisky in an intimate five-star lodge or a charming bed and breakfast.

Take an eco-cruise under towering sea cliffs then dine out in an award-winning restaurant on the catch of the day, to tales of encounters with whales, dolphins, sea eagles and a mighty coastline. Step out with rare wildlife. Wild and Tasmanian devils are found nowhere else in the world and while you may have to go nocturnal to see these unique creatures, , wallabies and platypus can be readily encountered during the day. Revel in the rollicking tales and the grand sandstone buildings which define our convict past, or trace your family back a few centuries – your forebears may have helped to shape our colonial history.

If local art and crafts are your passions, you can engage with a thriving Tasmanian art scene in galleries and markets. Tasmania remains gloriously unspoilt. But these days our island caters to passions as diverse as our cherished natural attributes.

We look forward to welcoming you soon.

Yours sincerely

Felicia Mariani CEO

Front cover: D i r e c t

M D e irec l b o Cape t u M r Wickham elbourne n e

t CONTENTS o F K t U i o n F R g l N in I d E s er l A a TASMANIA s U n KING I d sla X n d Stories of Tasmania FLINDERS

ISLAND 01020 30 40 50

Naracoopa Emita G Currie kilometres ISLAND R O Whitemark U P 6 A Devil of an Encounter Yarra Creek Lackrana Grassy Strzelecki Lady Barron by DEREK GRELEWSKI Di

r National Park ect As seen in Australian Geographic

M n e n o K t l o s in b t s e g o c Tasmanian devils – theirs is a life without subtleties … I urne to e n s c l u a n n a CAPE u L d a Three Direct Melbour o - L t D W Wy Hummock i o e r t n n y K n e a to in c y Island y n b s g t e a yard Me s e r I n i c Hunter d s r Clarke l d n a B n y u Island l a Island d b S t L - o t c D - ur c e r e i d e A Wilderness Retreat v ne to ne to Launc n r 8 o i D n la Robbins p D s Cape Grim o I r s Island t D r by EMMA SLOLEY e e v d on n i l Swan F p Spirit of Tasmania I & II eston Cape Portland Island o As seen in Harper’s Bazaar Stanley rt from Melbourne

Devonport Bracing walks, massages and wildlife encounters … SMITHTON Rocky Cape Terminal Port National Park Mt William Marrawah Latta National Park West Boat Harbour Point Table Cape Gladstone WYNYARD Bridport Point Somerset BURNIE Narawntapu 9 Gourmet Delights National Park GEORGE Penguin TOWN Pipers VERSTONE River Derby by CAROL DRINKWATER UL DEVONPORT Yolla SCOTTSDALE Ridgley Port Beauty Pt Sorell Beaconsfield Description to come … Forth Ringarooma LATROBE Hampshire Lilydale Gunns Plains Exeter Savage River Barrington Railton Frankford ST HELENS National Park Nietta Sheffield Wilmot Sandy Cape Destinations of Tasmania Waratah Elizabeth Town LAUNCESTON Mathinna Scamander DELORAINE Savage River Westbury PERTH Evandale National Park Ironhouse Point Mole Creek Karst Longford Deddington St Marys 10 and Surrounds National Park Nile Cradle Valley Rossarden Fingal Corinna Cressy Douglas Apsley 12 Launceston, Tamar and the North Cleveland Avoca National Rosebery Poatina Park Conara Walls of Bicheno - Campbell Town 14 The Western Wilderness Jerusalem National Park Miena National Park Freycinet Ross National 16 The North West Coast QUEENSTOWN Bronte Coles Bay Park Swansea STRAHAN Park Tunbridge Freycinet S Peninsula 18

O Franklin - Gordon Oatlands U Wild Rivers Bothwell 19 T National Park

H Ouse Melton Mowbray rt a Kempton Colebrook b E Orford National Park o H The East Coast Hamilton rt 20 Darlington o t ba R Mount Field Buckland e o Bagdad Maria id H National la to Island e e d n N Park A ur Gretna t o c lb National Park Bushy Brighton e e rt ir M ba Park Richmond D t Ho BRIDGEWATER rec y to Di ydne What’s Happening in Tasmania SORELL t S Strathgordon Maydena Direc rt to Hoba Cambridge Copping Direct Brisbane Di GLENORCHY rect C anberra O to Hobart HOBART Dunalley Lauderdale 21 Tasmanian itinerary suggestions C KINGSTON Low Rocky E South Arm Point Margate Tasman A Snug Franklin 22 Tasmanian Events Kettering N Southwest Cygnet Port Tasman Woodbridge Peninsula Arthur National Park National Park Hartz Mtns 23 Getting here National Park Dover BRUNY Alonnah Adventure Bay Melaleuca ISLAND TRAVELLING DISTANCES (km) AND TIMES Southport Photographic acknowledgments: Tourism Tasmania.© Disclaimer: Tourism Tasmania has made every endeavour

Launceston-St Helens (via Scottsdale) 163 2hrs20 South Bruny All rights reserved. George Apostolidis, John de la Roche, to ensure that details are correct at the time of printing Launceston-Bicheno (via Scottsdale) 236 3hrs30 National Park South West Cape Tim Dub, Richard Eastwood, Mark Eveleigh, Don Fuchs, (April 2009) but can accept no responsibility for any Launceston-Hobart (via Midlands Hwy) 198 2hrs20 Bicheno-Hobart (via Sorell) 178 2hrs25 Maatsuyker Dennis Harding, Keiichi Hiki, Jeff Jennings, Andrei Jewell, inaccuracy or mis-description contained in this brochure Group Hobart-Port Arthur 93 1hr30 Ray Joyce, Simon Kenny, Darran Leal, Geoffrey Lea, as a result of information supplied, and can accept no Hobart-Queenstown 260 3hrs40 Garry Moore, Peter Morse, Geoff Murray, Matthew responsibility for subsequent change or withdrawal of Queenstown-Burnie 176 2hrs25 AUSTRALIA Burnie-Devonport 49 40min Newton, Robin Nyfeler, Nick Osborne, Pure Tasmania, prices, details or services shown. ©Tourism Tasmania Burnie-Smithton 85 1hr Diane and Lindsay Stockbridge, Joe Shemesh, Rob Walls, UNITED KINGDOM Devonport-Launceston 99 1hr15 Devonport-Hobart (via Midlands Hwy) 277 3hrs Peter Whyte, Greg Willson. Hobart-St Helens 265 3hrs40 Queenstown-Launceston (via Sheffield) 251 3hrs30 © STATE OF TASMANIA Tasmania discovertasmania.com 5 The autumn dusk descends quickly over the forests in north-west Tasmania. Hopping wallabies BY DEREK GRELEWSKI recede into the night. Thump! Thump! Thump! The night also hums with the mystery of the As seen in Australian Geographic* A Devil of an Encounter unseen. In 1982, here in the north-west, an experienced wildlife ranger reported seeing a thylacine, so close he could count all 12 black stripes across its back.

I am, however, not looking for apparitions of the Tasmanian tiger. My quarry is its surviving relative, the Tasmanian devil.

Pre-dinner drinks Maybe it was the childhood Bugs Bunny cartoons featuring the whirlwind ogre Taz, or the larger-than-life reputation of the beast, or the fact that among the world’s carnivorous marsupials they are a stand-alone success story, I’ve always been fascinated by the devils. Yet I’ve never seen one.

The entrée In 1986, Androo Kelly took over the Trowunna Wildlife Park, at Mole Creek, in the . Androo is one of the devil’s most ardent advocates in Tasmania.

The devils, he tells me, live such a furious life, running some 15 km every night in pursuit of food or mates, they simply burn themselves out. Few live longer than five years. Theirs is a life without subtleties, where even mating is a form of combat. It’s tough going from the moment they’re born.

‘The female gives birth to 20 young – each the size of a grain of rice – and they immediately set off on a long crawl to the mother’s marsupial pouch,’ Androo says.

It’s an all-important race because in the pouch there are only four nipples. This running start sets the pace for the rest of their lives.

Tasmania’s wildlife parks are great places to get close to a devil. But Androo suggests I should also book a seat at one of three devil restaurants. He recommends one in Marrawah, near the north-west tip of Tasmania.

Main course Marrawah, perched on the edge of the ocean, is the home of Geoff King, a farmer-turned-devil- restaurateur. Geoff has set up an ecotourism business, the devils’ restaurant, where it’s the devils that dine — from the road-killed wallaby Geoff stakes out.

Geoff and I wait in an old fisherman’s cottage. A diner arrives and I take a cautious, excited peek through the window. A devil, lit by a spotlight, is crouched behind the bait, tugging at it. To see a devil eat is to behold a miracle that something so small can eat so much, so quickly. A devil can consume the equivalent of 40 per cent of its body weight in half an hour. That’s comparable to a human finishing off 25 kg of steak at one sitting.

Dessert I can see that Geoff is proud of the fact that with each visitor passing through his restaurant the myth of the evil beast is dispelled a little, freeing these timid animals from their undeserved reputation. Before midnight Geoff switches off the light and we let the devils be.

*Extracted from Dining with the Devil, Australian Geographic, Issue 70 Apr – Jun 2003. Copyright Australian Geographic.

Tasmanian devil

6 discovertasmania.com discovertasmania.com 7 BY EMMA SLOLEY A Wilderness Retreat As seen in Harper’s Bazaar* Gourmet Delights BY CAROL DRINKWATER

Twenty-two percent of Tasmania is World Heritage while compote, lemon myrtle butter sauce or seared wallaby sirloin, another third is protected. It boasts unique flora and fauna potato rosti and salad dressed with raspberry vinaigrette. and claims the planet’s cleanest air, its least polluted waters. Sit in the sunshine, watch London double-deckers shuttle the Stand on its southern shores, gaze seawards: unbroken streets of trendy Salamanca, guzzle on creamy-smooth, hot horizon between you and the Antarctic. chocolate served with chunky marshmallows at Zum café.

Tasmania’s tourist industry is flourishing. Still, the island Off Tasmania’s southern tip, . In 1792, Captain remains ecologically and environmentally vigilant. It Bligh planted Tasmania’s first vines and one apple tree at possesses some of the world’s most productive soils and the edge of what is now South Bruny National Park. Today, has cultivated one of the finest, most surprising, fresh-food Tasmania, Apple Isle, boasts orchards producing 500 apple larders on the planet: prize-winning cheeses, varieties. Close-by that historic spot, I dined on fresh oysters saffron gathered from purple-flowering crocuses, black truffles shucked at the table, dressed with ginger and Japanese soya, – jewels – grown beneath oaks and hazelnuts, eulogised followed by succulent Flinders Island lamb. We drank Riesling by world-renowned chefs, leatherwood honey, olive oil. and Pinot Noir. Hand on heart, the finest Riesling I have ever A seafood platter might include wild abalone, sweet-fleshed tasted. In 1827, Tasmania’s first commercial vintner produced rock lobsters, trout, blue mussels, scallops, smoked eel, 2000 gallons of ‘champagne.’ Today, Tasmania is clustered salmon caviar, urchin roe, octopus, squid. Its unpolluted with vineyards, many family-owned. offers catches of blue- and yellow-fin tuna, Cradle Mountain Lodge During a recent visit, I fell into conversation with a red- trevalla, orange roughy, blue grenadier and pink ling while whiskered chap, proprietor of a marine chandlers in Hobart its farmed salmon is free of impurities. where metal-framed and wooden lobster pots were stacked There is something deeply, satisfyingly, old-fashioned about taking a boat to a destination that would normally be reached by plane. Hobart, a quaint harbourside settlement where everybody high. I asked if he’d rather live on the mainland. The passenger ferry service from Melbourne to Tasmania, the Spirit of Tasmania, offers the opportunity to do just that. The journey wishes you ‘G’day!’, is Australia’s second oldest city. Yet, takes around nine hours and one of the major perks is that passengers can take their own car on board. I cling to dreams of ‘An Affair ‘Rough as guts there,’ he grinned. ‘It’s paradise here, mate.’ many of the wharf district’s timbered structures have been to Remember’ and on-board intrigue as my husband and I board the ship, which sails daily from Port Melbourne. converted into boutique hotels, state-of-the-art apartments, How right he is. We arrive in Devonport the next morning and drive onto dry land en route to Launceston. The landscape between the two cities is elegant sushi bars and restaurants. Menus seduce you: neat, green and gentrified, with none of the hallmarks of the mainlander’s fantasy of wild Tasmania – it’s more like a pocket of rural salmon fillets, steamed pink-eyed potatoes, chili lime England. Our accommodation in Launceston is Hatherley House, a grand old 1830s home converted into an elegant boutique hotel decorated in British Colonial style. Launceston has a stellar dining scene, and during our stay we indulge in several memorable meals featuring locally sourced produce washed down with excellent Tasmanian vintages.

The next day, we head to the World Heritage-listed Cradle Mountain/Lake St Clair National Park. It’s an easy three-hour ramble west through pristine countryside, and just before the Pencil Pine River we turn into Cradle Mountain Lodge, an upscale wilderness retreat whose suites feature fireplaces and decks with hot tubs overlooking bushland.

Two days’ worth of bracing walks, massages and wildlife encounters begin to weave their spell and we’re almost fully restored when the time comes to point our car towards the east coast and Freycinet Lodge. The climate on this coast is far milder and the beaches are remarkably unpopulated, as we discover on taking a walk to Wineglass Bay. The lookout above this beach is reached via a fairly steep path, but once we reach the top, we’re rewarded with a perfect arc of white sand and crystal clear water that’s all but deserted.

Our last stop is the Bay of Fires Lodge, a glass and timber eco-marvel perched high on a bluff overlooking a rock-strewn bay. Reached at the end of a four-day walk through Mt William National Park, the location has a wild and elemental allure. Guests relax at the lodge for the rest of their stay, chatting by the fireside, sipping Tasmanian wines and swapping dolphin-spotting tales as the waves crash on the beach below.

It’s easy to see why Tasmania is getting a global reputation as the next hot destination: it offers unparalleled opportunities to see some of the world’s remaining ancient wilderness areas, walk on pristine beaches and for motoring enthusiasts, the chance to experience some of the country’s most exhilarating driving.

*First appeared in Harpers Bazaar April 2004. Copyright Emma Sloley.

Seafood lunch beside Victoria Dock, Hobart 8 discovertasmania.com discovertasmania.com 9 HOBART AND SURROUNDS

Hobart brims with vitality yet retains a timeless appeal. This capital city is the centre of captivating history, amazing waterways, wild mountains and gourmet experiences. From bustling galleries, restaurants and shops at to the magic of the Derwent River and the lofty summit of Mount Wellington, Hobart effortlessly mixes class with adventure. Food and wine History and culture Cruise upriver to an award-winning winery or downriver for fine dining where much of what’s on the menu comes from local producers. Catch a concert by a symphony orchestra or a show in Australia’s oldest theatre. Wander • Enjoy award-winning wine, meet winemakers and • Explore the workers’cottages and village green of relax in superb locations like Moorilla, Meadowbank Arthurs Circus at Battery Point Battery Point and soak up the finest colonial suburb in Australia. Discover the source of a silversmith’s inspiration, or the Coal River Valley • Join strolling theatre that brings the heartbreak of a invest in your own barrel of whisky or choose a rock lobster fresh from Hobart’s amazing waterfront. • Compare the flavour of flagship and craft beers after convict woman to life at South Hobart’s Female Factory Surrounding areas will astonish you with the breadth of experiences on offer. Near to the city, astonishing Port a tour at Cascade, Australia’s oldest brewery • Encounter designers, makers and inspired arts and Arthur gives up both convict history and stunning sea cliffs: Bruny Island’s rugged beauty can seem impossibly • Bite into rare Huon Valley heritage apples straight crafts around Hobart’s waterfront and beyond close to a capital city: the Huon Valley’s tales include French exploration, the freshest seafood and friendly locals, from the orchard • Catch a symphony orchestra concert, live art and parts of the Derwent Valley and the Midlands mix authentic colonial charms with stylish and luxurious lodges. • Sample regional cuisine around Peppermint Bay performances or a show in Australia’s oldest theatre • Buy your own barrel of Bothwell’s Nant Estate single • Immerse yourself in the power of Port Arthur, its convict malt whisky; it’s flavoured with a colonial story buildings, gardens, tours and captivating tales • Graze your way through the food, colour, characters • Wander through galleries and antique shops at Richmond, and offerings of renowned Salamanca Market. one of Australia’s best preserved colonial villages

FREYCINET

PENINSULA

SCHOUTEN Oatlands ISLAND

Bothwell

Triabunna Hamilton Orford

MOUNT FIELD S E A NATIONAL PARK Brighton Bridgewater Richmond New Norfolk Sorell Seven HOBART Mile Dunalley Beach Lauderdale Kingston Margate Eaglehawk Huonville Neck T A S M A N Kettering Adventure Wildlife and waterways Woodbridge Port Arthur Geeveston BRUNY ISLAND • Pedal downhill from Mt Wellington’s summit for alpine • Have a close encounter with Tasmanian devils in terrain, forest and panoramic views wildlife parks at Brighton and Dover • Sail the Derwent on the square-rigger Lady Nelson • Feed fish near New Norfolk at the Salmon Ponds, BRUNY ISLAND and relive the days of epic sea odysseys the southern hemisphere’s oldest trout hatchery • Soar in the treetops at Tahune AirWalk • Stalk quolls and devils at night or see wombats and • Lift your spirits on a Bruny Island eco-cruise and get platypus by day at a Mt Field wildlife refuge then Cockle Creek De Witt I explore Mt Field National Park, including MAATSUYKER upclose to 300-metre sea cliffs, caves and abundant GROUP sea life • Share the wonder of seals, dolphins, whales and • Tap into natures’s fury at Pirates Bay, with the Devils along the Tasman Peninsula Kitchen, Tasman Arch, Blowhole and the Tessellated • Welcome Little Penguins returning to The Neck’s wild Pavement beach on Bruny Island after a day at sea

Hobart’s Victoria Dock

10 discovertasmania.com discovertasmania.com 11 LAUNCESTON, TAMAR AND THE NORTH

As one of Australia’s oldest cities Launceston is rich with the charm of gracious Victorian-era buildings and gardens. The River Tamar, the city’s seaport and the waterside al fresco dining options create an intriguing seaside Food and wine Outdoor experiences ambience. Launceston has some of the best restaurants in the state, their reputations built on the fresh flavours • Check out the city’s café culture and award-winning • Glide on a high wire at Hollybank Treetops Adventure of local produce as much as a chef’s skills. Follow the walking path from the river-side eateries to Cataract Gorge, restaurants, including a stroll along the riverfront for a fresh perspective on forests Australia’s most staggeringly beautiful inner-city reserve. Elsewhere, share the passion it takes to make world- promenade to al fresco waterfront dining • Take to a mountain bike for a thrilling guided descent beating beer and fine timber furniture or visit a fabulous museum and gallery. • Taste the cool-climate difference at more than of Ben Lomond. Start at the alpine village and negotiate 20 Tamar Valley vineyards, wineries and cellar doors Jacobs Ladder and forest paths You’ll be busy for weeks in this region of Tassie: stop at a Tamar Valley cellar door to sample award-winning cool- • Try the Tamar’s contemporary food and fine dining • At Beauty Point enter the wondrous world of seahorses climate wines and meet friendly down-to-earth wine makers; ‘fly’ through a forest on a zip-line; wander lavender featuring local seafood and produce and endangered marine creatures then immerse in fields where the whole world seems to have turned purple; tee off on one of Australia’s best golf courses, right by • Check out a beer menu at Boags, where Wizard unparalleled access to families of platypus in a fascinating Bass Strait. Or follow uncluttered roads to waterfalls, farm gates and captivating colonial villages where community Smith’s an ale and the magic’s in the brewing discovery centre roots run deep. • Stock up on raspberries at Christmas Hills, near • Head into a subterranean world at Mole Creek Tour through Deloraine, and Ashgrove’s English county-style King Solomons Cave and Marakoopa’s glow worm cave cheeses from the farm gate close by • Play a round of golf at Barnbougle Dunes Golf Links

Bridport

Low Head George Town Beauty Point Port Sorell Scottsdale Beaconsfield Lilydale Exeter

Legana LAUNCESTON

BEN LOMOND Deloraine Hagley Hadspen Mole Creek NATIONAL Westbury Westbury Perth Evandale PARK Chudleigh Longford Cultural heritage Sensory experiences Cressy • Explore romantic streetscapes featuring some of • Feel the texture of ripe camembert cheese, crusty bread Australia’s best 19th-century architecture from the providore, warm fruit growing on the vine or GREAT WESTERN TIERS CONSERVATION AREA • Stroll Victorian gardens which include ferns and exotic smooth Huon Pine (GWTCA) Campbell Town plants, a band rotunda and peacocks – all within a wild • Relax with a spa, sauna, massage or beauty treatment, oasis at Cataract Gorge without even leaving your city hideaway Ross • Celebrate craft skills and world-acclaimed design at the • Enjoy the river breeze on a Tamar cruise, the calls of Tasmanian Wood Design Collection myriad water birds and a passing parade of vineyards, • Enjoy the vibrancy and energy of a Launceston dance historic homesteads, and communities company that celebrates island life • Smell fragrant history on a journey through the evolution • Discover a heritage-filled highway where colonial history of the rose – there are more than 5,000 to enjoy at is alive in a string of towns, from Evandale to Pontville Woolmers National Rose Garden at Longford

Pipers Brook Vineyard

12 discovertasmania.com discovertasmania.com 13 THE WESTERN WILDERNESS

Discover the wild heart of a World Heritage Area wilderness that is the envy of the world. It’s raw and powerful and can speak to you in a number of ways. Humility may steal upon you as the summit of Cradle Mountain emerges through a mist, or when captures the mirror image of the peak on its surface. Ancient rainforests, waterfalls and chance encounters with wildlife will arouse endless conversations with fellow travellers and friends. Wilderness and wildlife Exhilarating experiences The region’s hardy pioneers were inspired by the alpine surrounds but not so many visitors rough it as • Walk through a dramatic glacier-carved world at Cradle • Raft gorges, rapids and the Great Ravine on the they did. It’s more usual to enter this world via a luxurious lodge or from a comfortable cabin. And while Mountain and Dove Lake. Dance in the Ballroom Forest, legendary , known the world over for discover hidden tarns and meet fascinating creatures its untamed beauty gourmet food or a hot tub can greet you at the end of a day’s walk, the real reward is a wilderness where • Travel through rainforest and river country to Corinna, • Walk the six-day through Tasmania’s Mother Nature rules. on the edge of one of the largest tracts of remaining World Heritage heart with creature comforts and gourmet Away from the main trails, go with the flow while rafting the mystical Franklin River and its rapids and temperate rainforest in the world for forest walking, the fare provided Tarkine Hotel, the Tannin Restaurant, and a ravines, or kayak the mighty . Skim over rivers and forests on a seaplane flight from Strahan • Near Rosebery mountain bike or walk to Tasmania’s cruise on a Huon pine boat and put down on a river deep in the road-less wilderness. highest waterfall – magnificent – • Near Derwent Bridge, at the end of the Overland Track, on an historic tramway track. Take the swinging bridge Some of the region’s great journeys, like the luxury cruises on , can blend discovery cruise Lake St Clair, Australia’s deepest freshwater lake if you dare with wine and gourmet food. You can meet local characters on a steam powered railway journey through • Relax in a clifftop hot tub with sweeping rainforest views • Glide on an ancient waterway through uninhabited the valleys and rainforest that shelter former mining towns. Tragedy and triumph have shaped this at five star Tarraleah Lodge, where wild times come with wilderness on the Gordon River Paddle white linen and fine dining terrain. Adventures still happen every day.

Waratah Exton

Westbury

Pieman River Cradle Valley DOVE Corinna LAKE Cradle Liffey Tullah Mountain WALLS OF Rosebery JERUSALEM NATIONAL PARK

Zeehan CRADLE MOUNTAIN - LAKE ST CLAIR

NATIONAL PARK Miena LAKE Queenstown ST CLAIR

Ocean Beach Derwent Bridge Strahan LAKE KING WILLIAM

Tarraleah

FRANKLIN - GORDON WILD RIVERS Gordon To Hobart Ouse NATIONAL PARK River

Franklin Hamilton River Living heritage Wilderness touring

Ellendale Westerway • Ride the restored steam-powered West Coast Wilderness • Join guided tours or drive yourself to set your own pace – National Park Bushy Park Strathgordon Railway through the imposing King River Rainforest Gorge either way, immerse yourself in the best of the rugged west • The Piners and Miners tour from Strahan mixes pioneering • Take your time on a series of stunning short walks along stories, a rainforest walk, and a gourmet waterfront lunch the that take you to a wilderness lookout, in the evocative ghost town of Pillinger the Franklin River and . In Strahan walk through rainforest to Hogarth Falls SOUTHWEST • Sarah Island’s convict history takes an interesting twist NATIONAL PARK with the play The Ship That Never Was, Australia’s popular • Escape on a 4WD tour to roaring surf, mountain peaks longest running live performance and remote lakes

Lune River • Discover frontier challenges at Zeehan’s Pioneer Museum • Take to the water on a kayaking expedition with Roaring

Catamaran and the Gaiety Theatre, brought back to life by a strong 40s into the sublime southwest and far-flung Bathurst community spirit Harbour. Granite-jawed mountains help keep this gigantic harbor and all that surrounds it a gloriously uncorrupted part of the world Gordon River cruise

14 discovertasmania.com discovertasmania.com 15 THE NORTH WEST COAST

The North West is a sanctuary for simple and unhurried living yet the variety of experiences is extraordinary. Watch a wild devil feeding or chat to a whisky-maker who’s waiting to show you their favourite single malt. Wander some of the largest remaining tracts of temperate rainforest in the world. Step into a bush studio where an international designer crafts fine furniture. Harvest the freshest produce from farm gates. See exquisite truffles rolled by hand then savour the chocolate maker’s favourites in a tasting room. Meet the makers Adventure

Take your time to get to know Stanley, one of the finest colonial-era villages in Australia. The Stanley Hotel • Sip a single malt whisky at Hellyers Road Distillery • Trek along the coastline of the , where sea caves abound, gnarled banksias grow in groves has been fielding almost as many congratulatory calls as bookings for tables since winning the Australian • Indulge in cherries fresh from the orchard at a and you can learn about Aboriginal life in this area Hotels Association Best Bistro/Brasserie in Australia award in 2008. To work up your appetite for local food, Spreyton farm that grows more than 15 varieties walk up the Nut, the remains of an exctinct volcano, or take a sea cruise to a seal colony. Whatever you do, of this luscious fruit • Ride Tarkine Forest Adventures twisting110-metre slide into Dismal Swamp, a natural sinkhole that’s a world share the locals’ passion for their place. • Buy direct from growers and makers at Sunday’s big of mystery under-cover market in the coastal town of Penguin • Take a Tall Timbers Tarkine adventure tour to a rugged, • At the House of Anvers in Latrobe taste fine couverture remote coast chocolate and truffles that are the choice of celebrity • Choose a guided five or six day walk deep into Tarkine chefs rainforest country, where nature’s power is evident at • Shape your own handmade paper from exotic fibres every turn at Creative Paper Tasmania in Burnie • Head off the beaten track in the far North West on a personalised 4WD tour to a coastal bush camp

KING ISLAND Naracoopa Currie

Grassy

Wilderness and wildlife Community experiences • Get close to wombats on the marsupial lawn at coastal • Share a passion for history and nature at Sheffield,

Cape Grim , where a short walk takes where almost every large wall in this town of murals Stanley you to a lagoon that’s a paradise for endemic birds is an impressive work of art Smithton ROCKY CAPE Sisters Beach Marrawah • Explore the secret life of the platypus at Latrobe’s • Stroll the shore in easygoing seaside villages like NATIONAL PARK Wynyard Dismal Swamp Bells Parade Ulverstone, Penguin or Wynyard, enjoying beach walks, Somerset BURNIE NARAWNTAPU Arthur River NATIONAL PARK bike rides and mixing with locals in parks and cafés Penguin DEVONPORT • Hear the call of Leven Canyon from a lookout almost Ulverstone Port Sorell Latrobe 300 metres above a twisting river • Shop at farmers’ markets at Don Village near Devonport, Ulverstone and Burnie for produce and local crafts, or join Railton • See Burnie’s remarkable penguin colony, thriving near Sheffield the city centre thanks to local care locals in food, wine and music events

Mole Creek • On a coastal night tour with Kings Run Wildlife, watch • Explore a Burnie rhododendron garden where locals and listen to wild Tasmanian devils feeding nurture 20,000 plants, many of them rare, and you can stroll along fern walks and around tranquil lakes

The Nut, Stanley

16 discovertasmania.com discovertasmania.com 17 THE EAST COAST

Unwind on the East Coast of Tasmania with coastal adventures that get to the heart of things. Put foot prints into a deserted white sand beach; soar with a sea eagle and swim or sea kayak in water so clear you won’t be able to tell where the horizon meets the sea. Pack a picnic of local cheeses, berries and wine and wander a coastal trail where an ambling echidna might be all that breaks the spell of tranquil seascapes. Take a Beach experiences Food and wine sea kayaking tour on Promise Bay and find a ‘secret’ cove. Climb to the lookout at Wineglass Bay in the • Find freedom on Freycinet’s beaches overlooking the • Join a guided walk to Wineglass Bay for a sumptuous and discover beaches fringed by lush forests where wildlife abounds. shimmering turquoise sea – at , Wineglass beachside banquet of local lobster, scallops, beef, quail Discover why Lonely Planet chose the Bay of Fires as the best destination in the world for 2009. Bay or secluded Hazards Beach and Tasmanian wines But you’ll also want to make time for Maria Island National Park. Maria has been described as a type of • Escape with Freycinet Sea Cruises to Wineglass Bay; local • Dine at Diamond Island Resort’s award-winning beachfront restaurant, with its own colony in the garden Noah’s Ark – it’s easy to mix with the unhurried wombats, Tasmania’s indigenous birds including thriving oysters, cheeses and sparkling wine are served at anchor near the world-acclaimed beach • Choose freshly-shucked Salty Seas oysters at St Helens – populations of once endangered Cape Barren geese and the elusive white-breasted eagle. Discover too, • Settle back in a spa overlooking a private beach and they’ve won gourmet awards and the business is a local world-rated fossil cliffs and a restored convict settlement. uninterrupted views of the vast success story Whitemark Collect additions to the cellar from East Coast wineries including the much respected Freycinet Vineyard • Take a guided four-day walk along the stunning white • On a picturesque family farm, bite into tangy Pyengana cheddar made to a century-old recipe and Spring Vale wines, homes to some of Tassie’s best pinot noirs. No matter what you do on the East beaches of the Bay of Fires, meeting abundant wildlife • Savour premium seafood, local wine and a view over Coast, some of Australia’s finest oysters, rock lobsters and local pinots will be a fine complement to the and exploring coastal woodlands Binalong Bay and the Bay of Fires from the deck of sunsets and unhurried seaside villages. Angasi Restaurant

MT WILLIAM

Bridport NATIONAL PARK

Bay Scottsdale Derby of Beaconsfield Fires Ringarooma Binalong Bay Pyengana St Helens

Scamander

Deloraine Evandale St Marys Fingal

DOUGLAS-APSLEY NATIONAL PARK Adventure Nature and wildlife Bicheno Campbell Town • Kayak with Freycinet Adventures to bays where the • Walk for four days on the wildlife refuge of Maria Island.

Ross Hazards mountains meet the sea Get lost in the island’s own convict story

Swansea Coles Bay • Take an exhilarating ride on an all-terrain vehicle to • Go beach to bush – cruise to Wineglass Bay then walk the Wineglass Bay FREYCINET faraway beaches and forests with All4adventure granite outcrops of Range for coastal scenery NATIONAL PARK FREYCINET Oatlands • Battle a marlin, swordfish or bluefin tuna on a game • Go wildlife spotting after dark to see eager Tasmanian PENINSULA fishing charter out of St Helens, widely acclaimed as wildlife one of Australia’s best game fishing spots • Visit East Coast Nature World, one of the finest nature Triabunna Orford MARIA ISLAND • Take on a vertical challenge, abseiling down dramatic parks in Tasmania NATIONAL PARK granite crags at Whitewater Wall, • Make time for a walk that will take you to the rugged river Pontville gorges, waterholes and waterfalls of the Douglas Apsley Richmond • Dive into enormous kelp forests, sea caves and National Park Hobart shipwrecks with dive operators at Binalong Bay, St Helens or Bicheno • Watch Little Penguins in a natural environment in the Cremorne KINGSTON BayOpossum nightly parade at Bicheno Ranelagh Blackmans Bay Huonville Margate Howden ArmSouth Bay of FiresElectronaSnug Walk Franklin TASMANNubeena PENINSULA Kettering White Beach Woodbridge Port 18 Geeveston discovertasmania.comCygnet Arthur discovertasmania.com 19 King Island Island lifestyle Tasmanian itinerary suggestions • Linger at the King Island Dairy fromagerie, tasting Renowned for its special relationship with the sea, King Island camembert, double brie, tangy blue vein, and indulgent capitalises on its Bass Strait location to provide highly prized crème desserts or yoghurt food that’s coveted by some of the country’s best restaurants. • Chat to farmers with a passion for bee-keeping and The island’s clean air and water, lush pastures help nuture sample their aromatic Lymwood Honey, select grass-fed beef for a barbecue or stop at the Currie bakery for a gorgeous creamy cheese, succulent seafood and tender beef. delicious scallop pie • Choose a rock lobster, king crab or oysters at King Island Seafoods – you need to order in advance

Cape • Meet a remarkable Italian butcher at Grassy – he’s Wickham turned his skills to local fare ranging from smoked eels Martha Lavinia Pennys Lagoon to black back salmon • Head out before dawn and step into the life of a North West Coast Wilderness 5 Nights / 6 Days East Coast Explorer 5 Nights / 6 Days KING fisherman for the day ISLAND Day 1 Hobart and surrounds – Arrive Hobart and explore its • Go wildlife viewing at dusk for wallabies, potoroos and Day 1 Hobart – Spend the day in Hobart discovering the architectural heritage. Discover Salamanca Place and Battery possums, watch little penguins come ashore or spot harbour, galleries and gardens. Stroll around historic Battery Naracoopa Point – on Saturdays don’t miss Salamanca Market. Admire Point, cruise the Derwent River or drive to Mt Wellington for Currie the rare orange-bellied parrot superb views over the harbour from Mt Wellington, visit the superb views. Overnight Hobart. famous Cadbury Chocolate Factory or . Day 2 Hobart and surrounds – Tour the Tasman Peninsula. Grassy Overnight Hobart. Visit the Tasmanian Devil Conservation Park and Port Arthur Day 2 Hobart to Strahan – (300 km [186 miles] 4½ hours) Historic Site. OR ... explore the Huon Valley – visit the Tahune AirWalk and sample local food and wine. OR ... cross to Bruny Start early to tour through the Derwent Valley to New Norfolk. The harbour at Currie Island for an eco-cruise. Overnight Hobart. Take a break at Lake St Clair, Australia’s deepest lake. Visit the historic mining town of Queenstown before driving to Day 3 Hobart to Freycinet – (194 km [120 miles] 3 hours) the harbourside village of Strahan. Overnight Strahan. Tour to Richmond and the east coast. Take a 20-minute ferry ride from Triabunna to Maria Island National Park. On return, Day 3 Strahan to Cradle Mountain – (151 km [94 miles] follow the coast to Swansea, sample local wines and fresh 2½ hours) Take a morning cruise across Macquarie berries. Overnight Freycinet National Park. Harbour along the Gordon River into the heart of Tasmania’s Day 4 Freycinet National Park – Discover Freycinet National wilderness. Then head to the North West. Overnight Stanley. Flinders Island Nature and wildlife Park. Walk to the Wineglass Bay lookout to admire one of the Day 4 Cradle Mountain – Head to Cradle Mountain. • Slow down on an evening cruise of Franklin Sound – top 10 beaches in the world. Visit Cape Tourville Lighthouse, Icy streams cascading from rugged mountains, calm lake Find your own rhythm on more than 120 deserted beaches or the clouds are actually shearwaters on the wing photograph the pink granite rocks of The Hazards or explore waters and a wealth of wildlife make this one of Tasmania’s the coast in a sea kayak. At nearby Bicheno see little penguins reach new heights atop the craggy granite cliffs of Strzelecki • Sea kayak the ever-changing coastline – or go diving with most popular and breathtakingly beautiful areas. Spend the on an evening penguin tour. Overnight Freycinet. a master diving instructor who has spent years exploring National Park. Enjoy mouth-watering lobster from pristine day discovering it at your leisure. Overnight Cradle Mountain. Day 5 Freycinet National Park to Launceston – (173 km [107 waters or succulent lamb favoured by celebrity chefs. these waters Day 5 Cradle Mountain to Launceston – (181 km [112 miles] miles] 4 hours) Tour north to Bicheno and St Helens. Travel • Chase trophy-size tuna or battle marlin and blue eye on a 2 hours) Visit Sheffield, the town of murals, before a scenic through rainforests and see St Columba Falls. Visit the Forest world-class game fishing expedition drive to Launceston. Visit one of the city’s many public EcoCentre at Scottsdale, the Bridestowe Estate Lavender • Revel in unspoiled beaches – swim at Trousers Point, with gardens or museums; or experience the natural attraction Farm, and Pipers Brook Vineyard. Overnight Launceston. a view that’s one of Flinders’ most photographed; fossick of Cataract Gorge. Overnight Launceston. Day 6 Launceston – Stroll along the riverbank boardwalk to for Killiecrankie diamonds; or go beachcombing for a prized Palana Day 6 Launceston – Explore Launceston before your Cataract Gorge Reserve, walk in the Cliff Grounds gardens and paper nautilus shell Killiecrankie return flight. ride the Basin chairlift. Cruise the on the Tamar FLINDERS • Take the rewarding five hour hike to the top of Mt Strzelecki ISLAND Odyssey, visit the Inveresk Cultural Centre and Queen Victoria for sublime views or the gentle two kilometre Strzelecki Emita Museum and Art Gallery. Wybalenna Walkers Lookout Walking Track to seascapes, tree ferns and orchids Whitemark • Buckle up for a flight over majestic Franklin Sound and STRZELECKI Lady Barron Furneaux with Flinders Island Aviation Trousers Point NATIONAL Stanley PARK Franklin Sound LAUNCESTON St Helens

LAUNCESTON Cradle Mountain Strahan Freycinet National Park HOBART CLARKE HOBART ISLAND Tasman Peninsula

Sawyers Bay, Flinders Island

20 discovertasmania.com discovertasmania.com 21 Tasmanian itinerary suggestions

Tasmania’s Adventure Island 9 Nights / 10 Days Events in Tasmania

Day 1 Hobart – Explore historic Battery Point and Salamanca Place. Experience the thrill of a downhill bike ride on Mt Wellington with Island Cycle Tours. Overnight Hobart. Day 2 Bruny Island eco-cruise – Spend the day with Bruny Island Charters and enjoy an amazing cruise from Adventure Bay along the coastline of South Bruny. See sheer-faced sea cliffs, seals, dolphins and sea eagles. Overnight Hobart. Day 3 Tasman Peninsula – (93 km [57 miles] 1½ hours) Explore the spectacular Tasman Peninsula and the convict history of Port Arthur. Take a cruise or an evening ghost tour. Overnight Taste of Two Cities 3 Nights / 4 Days Port Arthur. Day 4 East Coast – 237 km [147 miles] 3 hrs) Drive north Winter Spring Summer Autumn Day 1 Hobart and the Huon Valley – (Hobart to Geeveston along the East Coast to Freycinet National Park. Walk to Antarctic Midwinter Festival – Hobart Blooming Tasmania – Statewide Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race Northern Open Vineyards Weekend (June) (September to May) (December/January) – Northern Tasmania (March) 180 km [112 miles] 3 hrs return) Travel south from Hobart Wineglass Bay, try abseiling, sea kayaking or a four-wheel A festival celebrating the frozen continent, Blooming Tasmania is a celebration Welcome home intrepid sailors competing Northern Tasmania’s vineyards and to the Huon Valley. Visit the Tahune Forest AirWalk near motorbike tour. Overnight Freycinet. the amazing people who go there and of the State’s diverse horticultural and in this bluewater classic from Sydney wineries welcome you into the world Geeveston or take a jet boat ride at Huonville. Enjoy the Day 5 East Coast to Launceston – (173 km [107 miles] Hobart’s special relationship with botanical delights. It is an invitation Harbour to Hobart’s harbour – and of cool-climate wines at cellar doors region’s fine produce – fruit, wine, mushrooms and seafood. Antarctica. to you to share in these simple pleasures. welcome in the New Year at waterfront and tastings. 2½ hours) Travel to Launceston. Take the chairlift ride across festivities. Tastings at the Top – Cradle Mountain Point to Pinnacle Fun Run & Walk Ten Days on the Island – Statewide The Huon Valley is one of southern Tasmania’s acclaimed Cataract Gorge and discover the innovative Inveresk Cultural (June) – Hobart (November) Taste of Tasmania – Hobart (March/April – every two years 2011, 2013) wine regions – taste superb cool-climate wines and luscious Precinct and Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery. Four days of indulgence, tasting and Take on the thrill of an iconic 22km (December/January) Poignant, powerful and even provocative fruit liqueurs. Overnight Hobart. Overnight Launceston. discussion of Tasmania’s finest food footrace from the Wrest Point Boardwalk to The island’s largest food and beverage – Tasmania’s biennial state arts festival and wines in the renowned Cradle the pinnacle of Mt Wellington. Regarded as event puts the spotlight on Tasmania’s brings together unique island artists from Day 2 Tasman Peninsula – (190 km [118 miles] 3 hrs return) Day 6 Launceston to Cradle Mountain – (181 km [112 miles] Mountain Lodge. Australia’s toughest much-celebrated food and wine. around the world at more than Tour the vineyards of the Coal River wine region and spend 2½ hours) Travel west to Cradle Mountain. On the way, get half marathon. On Hobart’s waterfront. 40 Tasmanian venues. Festival of Voices – Salamanca Place time in the historic colonial village of Richmond before touring close to a Tasmanian devil at Trowunna Wildlife Park and tour (July) Tasmanian International Beerfest Australian Wooden Boat Festival International Mural Fest – Sheffield along the Tasman Peninsula, with its spectacular coastal the Marakoopa Caves to see the glow worms. Overnight Four days of uplifting workshops, concerts – Hobart (November) – Hobart (February – every two years 2011, (April) 2013) scenery and rock formations – the Tessellated Pavement, Cradle Mountain. and happenings filled with A showcase of the world’s finest boutique See art on a big scale at a one of the joy of voices and singing, centred beers and brewers. The festival celebrates maritime craft, Australia’s ‘largest’ art exhibitions. Blowhole, Devil’s Kitchen and Tasman Arch. Visit Port Arthur Day 7 Cradle Mountain – Enjoy a walk in Cradle Valley – in and around Hobart’s historic Salamanca art and heritage over four unforgettable TasPride Festival (November) Hydro Three Peaks Race – Statewide circumnavigate Dove Lake or climb to the summit of Cradle Place. days of colour, action, music, theatre, Historic Site – take a guided tour; cruise to ; Tasmania’s Gay & Lesbian celebration (April) flavours and fun. stay late for the evening Ghost Tour. Overnight Hobart. Mountain. Indulge in a luxurious spa experience. In the evening, Chocolate Winter Fest – Latrobe (July) of arts, culture and community. Australia’s ultimate non-stop endurance Wickedly delicious chocolate, food and Festivale – Launceston (February) challenge. Teams sail from Beauty Point take a wildlife-viewing tour. Overnight Cradle Mountain. The Zeehan Gem and Mineral Fair Day 3 Hobart to Launceston – (198 km [123 miles] wine in ways you love best and some Premium food and wine is centre stage north of Launceston to Flinders Island, (November) 2½ hours) Don’t miss Saturday’s Salamanca Market in Day 8 Cradle Mountain to Strahan – (151 km [94 miles] 2 hrs) you’ve never thought of before, in a town during three days of fabulous treats, Coles Bay and Hobart and scale three At the Zeehan Gem and Mineral Fair there Drive to Strahan – pause at Rosebery to walk to Montezuma that is home to one of the world’s finest sensational cool-climate wine, and great mighty mountains – Mt Strzelecki, Hobart. Drive north along The Heritage Highway towards will be displays of all sorts of crystals, chocolate-makers. arts and entertainment. Mt Freycinet and Mt Wellington – Falls, the highest waterfall in the State. From Strahan, take an minerals, opals, gold, fossils, jewellery, Launceston, pausing at the historic villages along the way along the way. all-terrain vehicle tour to Henty Dunes or a scenic flight over the Launceston Ten – Launceston (July) beads and lots more! Southern Open Vineyards Weekend – visit Oatlands; see the carvings on the convict-built Ross wilderness. In the evening enjoy the play The Ship That Never Northern Tasmania’s largest fun run, – Southern Tasmania Targa Tasmania – Statewide (April) Bridge. Enjoy the evening relaxing in the Old Launceston with more than 1700 runners sharing the (February to March) The world’s best touring, sports Was. Overnight Strahan. Seaport precinct with its variety of restaurants and bistros. pleasure of hitting the road together. Southern Tasmania’s vineyards and and GT cars compete on the island’s wineries open their doors for a weekend toughest roads, travelling more than 2,000 Day 9 Strahan – Take an inspiring Gordon River cruise across Hawthorn Home Games in Tasmania Overnight Launceston. of insights into local wine life, tastings kilometres. Macquarie Harbour – or ride the West Coast Wilderness Railway (April – September) and cellar door sales. Day 4 Around Launceston – (100 km [62 miles] 2 hrs return) through the King River gorge and pristine wilderness Enjoy all the excitement of the AFL at Launceston’s Aurora Stadium, one of Spend a relaxing day exploring the Tamar Valley with its to Queenstown. Overnight Strahan. Australia’s greatest grounds. many fine cool-climate vineyards. Enjoy lunch at a vineyard Day 10 Strahan to Hobart – (300 km [186 miles] 4 hrs) Start restaurant such as Rosevears Estate or Daniel Alps at early to drive through Queenstown to Hobart. Stretch your Strathlynn. See fields striped with colour at Lavender House legs at Lake St Clair. Detour to Mt Field National Park and get at Rowella or the Bridestowe Estate lavender farm at close to a platypus at the Something Wild Wildlife Sanctuary. Getting here Nabowla, before departing from Launceston Airport. Complete your tour in Hobart. Climate – Tasmania has a mild, temperate maritime climate with Getting here – International flights are available direct from Los four distinct seasons, Summer (December to February), Autumn Angeles to Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney; and from New York to (March to May), Winter (June to August) and Spring (September to Sydney. Domestic connecting flights are available from all of these November). cities direct to Hobart, Tasmania’s capital city. LAUNCESTON LAUNCESTON

Cradle Mountain Currency – Tasmania’s currency is Australian Dollars $AUD. Most Getting around – Tasmania is an easy State for touring in a Strahan Freycinet National Park major credit cards are accepted. Tipping is not essential – giving tips campervan or hire car. Local transport is also available around the

HOBART HOBART is at your discretion. major cities and to/from airports. Most tour companies can collect Tasman Tasman Peninsula Peninsula Bruny you from your hotel for tours to surrounding attractions. Island Voltage – Electricity is supplied at 230/240 volts (50 hertz).

22 discovertasmania.com discovertasmania.com 23 In Tasmania my space isn’t a website