Top 6: Must See Places in Tasmania.

17 Oct

Tasmania is full of so much beauty that it’s hard to pick favourites. We have just completed a 2 week itinerary for a client roadtripping around Tassie visiting so many incredible places. We have picked out some of our favourites parts.

Hobart:
You can’t go to Tasmania without visiting the gorgeous capital where there is so much history mixed with modern and the city that is framed by rugged Mount Wellington and the River Derwent. Take a trip to the top of Mount Wellington for spectacular views over Hobart, the sea and beyond.
There are stunning waterfront bars, cobbled laneways and amazing restaurants with incredible waterfront views all around Salamanca Square.
Wandering around all the beautiful areas of Salamanca and Battery Point you’ll see history everywhere.

EAT:

Frank - a buzzy Latin American waterside hotspot.
Fico - an Italian bistro with outstanding Tassie produce.

STAY:

MACq01 hotel
Quest Waterfront Serviced Apartments

DO:

Catch the ferry to Mona and enjoy not only the undergrond Museum of Modern and old art but the cellar door at Moorilla Winery, 4 restaurants, 2 bars. live music daily and a monorail running through the property.
Salamanca Markets - Every Saturday morning with over 220 stalls of local designers and handmade products from Tasmania.

2. Stanley and Cradle Mountain Area.

Stanley is on the Coast of North Western Tasmania. It’s a gorgeous quaint little fishing port on a small peninsula and is an absolute hidden gem full of history. Today it’s famous for the “nut” - an old volcanic plug or a solidfied lava lake of a long extinct volcano. You can either make the 10-20 minute walk up the steep but short path or catch the 5 minute chairlift ride to the top for amazing 360 Degree views over Bass Strait and Rocky Cape National Park. it is almost completely surrounded by water and towers 152 m above sea level giving Stanley a dramatic backdrop . Stanley is also famous for it's beautifully preserved colonial buildings and fresh seafood and as it’s sparsley populated it has some of the wildest and least touched marine habitats in the world so keep an eye out for some amazing bird life and animals.

Just over 2 hours from Stanley is the beautiful Cradle Mountain area, one of Tasmania’s most magical spots. It forms part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage area with Southwest National Park and the Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park. Look out for mossy growth in the forest and bright red strawberry bracket fungus as well as the resident wombats.

Do:

Hike or ride the chairlift to the top of the “ Nut “ at Stanley
Stanley Heritage Walk.
Penguin viewing at Godfrey’s Beach, Stanley
Hike Cradle Mountain - Take your pick of these short walks- the Rainforest Walk, Enchanted walk, Knyvet Falls walk or the Cradle Valley Boardwalk or Dove Lake Circuit for a longer walk. There are over 20 different self guided walks.
Enjoy a picnic at Dove Lake

Eat:

Xanders restaurant, Stanley
Stanley Hotel and Bistro.
Highland Restaurant in Cradle Mountain Lodge.

Stay:

The Ship Inn, a luxury boutique hotel.
Pepper’s Cradle Mountain Lodge.

3. Bruny Island

Bruny Island is on the rugged coastline of Southern Tasmania and is an absolute heaven for foodies. From Kettering, just over 1/2 an hour south of Hobart, you can catch the ferry over to explore this gorgeous place. The island has a huge range of local produce, from oysters and whisky to honey and wine and beautiful coastal views.

Do:

Go on a cruise in Adventure Bay and have the chance to see dolphins, whales and seals as well as sea caves and blow holes.

The Neck Lookout - joining the North and South Islands.

Eat:

Bruny Island premium wines for winetasting and
lunch.
Experience true paddock to plate - Bruny Island Cheese Co, Get
Shucked and Bruny Island Chocolate.

Stay:

43 degrees, Bruny Island
Blythe Retreat

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4. Tamar Valley + Launceston

The Tamar Valley is the centre of Tasmania’s wine industry and also one of the prettiest areas of Tasmania. Located in the heart of northern Tasmania and with 32 wineries it produces 40% of all Tasmanian’s wine and is the oldest wine producing region in Australia. With the same cool climate characteristics as the Cote d’Or in Burgundy , it’s no surprise that the Tamar Valley produces some really high-quality Rieslings, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir as well as some delicious sparkling.

Do:

Go on a cruise on the Cataract Gorge
Explore Launceston on foot - there are 3 heritage trails that lead you past colonial buildings dating back to Convict times.
Go wine tasting in the Tamar Valley
Visit a Swiss Village at Grindelwald.

EaT:

Josef Chromy Wines - delicious wines and amazing food.
Janz Wines - Wine tasting + cheese platters
Stillwater, Launceston

Stay:

Peppers Silo, Launceston
The Florance, Launceston.

5. Freycinet National Park and Wineglass Bay

Do:

Wineglass Bay Cruise with Pennicott Wilderness Cruises. A 4 hour cruise with lunch and a perfect opportunity to see lots of wildlife, dolphins, whales, seals and penguins.
A small group 1/2 day guided kayak adventure exploring the most scenic parts of the Freycinet coastline.
Hike to Wineglass Bay Beach and do the Freycinet Peninsula circuit.
Watch the Sunset at Coles Bay.

Eat:

The Bay Restaurant, Freycinet Lodge.
Geographe Restaurant and Expresso Bar, Coles Bay.
Freycinet Marine Park for Oysters, RockLobster + Mussels
Stay:
Freycinet Lodge
Saffire, Freycinet

6. Port Arthur

Port Arthur is one of the most famous destinations to visit in Tasmania. It is a 19th Century penal settlement is a UNESCO World Heritage site and has over 30 18th and 19th Century buildings and ruins on the idyllic Tasman Peninsula which once housed over 12,000 convicts.

It is an amazing but sobering experience learning all the history of this incredible area. Set over 40 hectares you’ll see ruins of the huge penitentiary, the Convict Church built by the inmates and the isolation cells of the Separate Prison mixed with the homes of the free settlers and soldiers.

Do:

Tour of the Dead
Go on an after-dark tour to meet the ghosts of Port Arhur
Escape from Port Arthur Tour
Remarkable Cave - an ocean carved tunnel. Walk 115 steps to the lookout platform and peer through the tunnel to it’s opening into the Southern Ocean.