Hobart and Beyond - Business Events Tasmania

HOBART & BEYOND 7 Day Self-Drive Discovery Tour
Buckle up tight. From jet boats to ten-million-year-old caves,
you never know where a road trip might lead.
DAY 1
Hobart and Richmond
Head north and start your trip as you mean to continue – with
some good Tasmanian wine. The Coal River Valley wine region
includes more than 16 vineyards dotted throughout the valley
surrounding Richmond. Sample some award-winning coldclimate wines at one (or many) of the cellar doors.
Wicked Cheese Co is the place for accompanying snacks.
Chief cheesemaker Ashley McCoy can stock you up with his
triple-cream brie, cheddar and camembert, as well as locally
grown olive oil and Tasmanian whisky (the same one, in fact,
that goes in the whisky cheddar). The village of Richmond
is known for its Georgian architecture, big and small. Track
down the Old Hobart Town model village to see the city as it
was in 1820 (though obviously smaller).
A lunch of Pacific oysters awaits you at Barilla Bay. Catch some
pearls of wisdom on a tour of the farm before hitting the road
back to Hobart.
Alternatively, get on board the Pennicott Wilderness Journeys
Seafood Seduction cruise departing Hobart’s waterfront. You
won’t be sorry if you take this all-day option. You’ll anchor in a
Pennicott Wilderness Journeys Seafood Seduction Cruise.
bay off Bruny Island and enjoy a feast of oysters, rock lobster,
abalone, sea urchin and salmon plucked straight from the sea,
along with gourmet local produce and Tasmanian beverages.
Check into your Hobart accommodation.
If you’re not tired of seafood, the Blue Eye Seafood Restaurant
is a local favourite on the Salamanca strip.
BYO wine is welcome so you can crack the bottle you picked
up today, to accompany your seafood platter or chargrilled steak. Or you may prefer dinner at one of
the other Salamanca restaurants.
Visit flightcentre.com.au/tasmania or call Flight Centre on 131 600 to book.
Drill Hall Emporium, antique store New Norfolk.
DAY 2
Hobart to Derwent Valley
Turn the compass northwest to Brighton and start the day
with some furry friends at the Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary.
The orphaned and injured residents – some of whom are
no longer found in the wild – include Tasmanian devils, two
unique species of quoll and an albino possum.
Down the river at New Norfolk, there’s plenty of opportunity
for antiquing. Visit any (or all) of the town’s antiques
authorities to pick up unique souvenirs – from Art Deco snuff
boxes to Charlie McCarthy ventriloquist dummies.
Before you leave town, don’t miss Willow Court, a convictera asylum. Despite rumours of ghosts, the grounds are a
good-looking spot for a lunch stop. Visit the Patchwork Café
for a country-style lunch and a leisurely browse through their
quilts. Then on to Hamilton, and the beautifully restored
Prospect Villa & Garden. Call ahead from the road to book a
tour of the grounds.
Check into your Derwent Valley accommodation.
For the next two nights you’ll be enjoying the hospitality
at Curringa Farm. Organised farm tours occur daily of the
working sheep station or you can stop in for coffee and gift
purchases at the Home of the Royal Danish Sweetheart Cake.
See the day out in the spa at your lakeside cottage.
Curringa Farm.
Curringa Farm.
DAY 3
Derwent Valley and surrounds
Enjoy a sleep-in before taking off for a bushwalk through
Mount Field National Park, Tasmania’s first nature reserve.
You can choose short, medium or long walks across
varying terrain. The 20-minute forest track to Russell Falls
is a gentle one if you’re still waking up.
The next stop is a treat for lovers of agriculture, or a
good story, or both. Established in 1819, Redlands Estate
harbours tales of royalty and bushrangers, all of which
can be heard on their daily tours. Renovated recently, the
buildings and grounds are home to one of only a handful
of ‘paddock to bottle’ whisky distilleries in the world, as
well as an operational farm and bakery.
At the neighbouring Salmon Ponds you can feed the
appreciative fish, stop for a picnic by the Plenty River or
try a European-style crepe for lunch at Pancakes by the
Pond. Alternatively you can take a quick 30-minute drive
to Glen Clyde House in Hamilton, a restored convict-built
1840s coach inn. Here you can enjoy the gallery, gardens
or dine alfresco on the broad verandah with a glass of
fine Tasmanian wine.
If you choose to have dinner at your accommodation
in Curringa Farm you can prearrange with the owners to
pick up a BBQ pack or bring your own food to cook.
All the cottages have decks, gas BBQ’s and fully
equipped kitchens.
Visit flightcentre.com.au/tasmania or call Flight Centre on 131 600 to book.
MONA.
Ethos Eat Drink.
DAY 4
Derwent Valley to Hobart
Today it’s time to get stuck into Hobart, starting with a
visit to the World Heritage-listed Cascades Female Factory.
Join the Her Story tour for a dramatised depiction of the
harsh working lives of Tasmania’s female convicts.
At lunchtime, make your way down to bustling
Salamanca Place. The shops within the historic buildings
specialise in local products so it’s a great place to pick
up some island keepsakes. Order a share-platter lunch at
Grape Bar & Tapas and choose from the 650-odd wine
varietals on hand in their cellar.
Keep the whole afternoon free for MONA – the
monolithic Museum of Old and New Art at Berriedale. A
completely unique gallery experience, MONA’s collection
includes enlightening and challenging works of ancient
and contemporary art. The drive takes 15 minutes from
Hobart, or ride the ferry from the Brooke Street Pier.
Willie Smiths Organic Apple Cider.
morning and a delicious lunch if you are hungry from all
that sightseeing.
You’ll pull back into town just as the sun sets, so there’s
time to venture home and wash the wind out of your
hair before heading to Smolt in Salamanca. The hearty
Mediterranean aromas here are about as satisfying as the
meals themselves.
DAY 6
Check into your Hobart accommodation for the next
two nights.
The Huon Valley
When night falls, head out for some seasonal paddockto-plate-style dining (and wining) at Ethos Eat Drink on
Elizabeth Street.
About 25 minutes south of Hobart lies the orchard-dotted
landscape of the Huon Valley. Drive for another hour
to experience the power of nature at the Tahune Forest
AirWalk near Geeveston, whether you are looking for a
peaceful forest ramble or are up for a more challenging
hike, one of Tahune’s trails is sure to fit the bill.
DAY 5
Bruny Island
You’re up extra early today, but for good reason: a trip
into Storm Bay and around the wild reaches of Bruny
Island. The Bruny Island Eco Cruise reveals the island’s
unique sea caves and sheer cliff faces, not to mention all
manner of wildlife in the surrounding waters.
The bays of Bruny are known to be favoured by fur seals,
sharks and dolphins, while sea eagles make their nests
on coastal crags and can often be seen gliding overhead.
The day tour includes hot muffins and coffee in the
For lunch, navigate through a maze of fruit vines to the
Home Hill Winery Restaurant and a meal picked from their
kitchen garden and surrounding Huon farmlands.
In the afternoon drop by Willie Smith’s Ciderhouse. As
if to prove the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, this
family has grown orchards in the Huon Valley for four
generations. Australia’s first organic cidery, Willie Smith’s is
now also a museum, so you can learn about apples as you
drink them.
Check into your Huon Valley accommodation.
Visit flightcentre.com.au/tasmania or call Flight Centre on 131 600 to book.
Hastings Thermal Springs.
The Apple Shed Museum, Willie Smiths Organic Apple Cider.
After a day exploring the Huon Valley let your tastebuds
finish the work at Sass Restaurant inside Port Huon’s
Kermandie Hotel. Pull up a seat overlooking the river
and order yourself a tapas plate full of local, seasonal
fare – from Tasmanian mussels to slow-roasted Huon
mushrooms.
DAY 7
Hastings Caves
Today, head underground and explore the caverns beneath
your feet at Hastings Caves State Reserve. Discovered by
timber workers in 1917, Newdegate Cave is the largest
tourist cave in Australia – and a rarity because it’s formed
from dolomite rather than limestone. Let a guide lead you
through its ancient chambers while you marvel at stalactites,
stalagmites, shawls and flowstones – and be reassured by the
excellent lighting and lack of narrow passages!
Emerge from the caves and submerge into natural hot
springs: the Hastings Thermal Springs pop out of fractured
bedrock across the cave system, heating local streams. Walk
down the Hot Springs Track and dip your hands into the
warm water, then pull out your bathers for a soak in the pool
next to the Visitor Centre – naturally heated to 28 degrees all
year round.
Dry off and grab lunch at the Visitor Centre café before
hitting the road back to Hobart. Or, if you’re visiting on a
Friday or Saturday, hold your belly ’til Geeveston and stop
in at Masaaki’s Sushi – known far and wide as the best sushi
restaurant in Tasmania.
Hastings Caves.
Valid for travel 1 Apr – 30 Sep 2015. On sale 22 Jan – 30 May 2015.
Includes car hire, Cascades Female Factory ‘Her Story’ Tour,
Bruny Island Full Day Eco-Cruise, 3 nights accommodation
in Hobart, 2 nights accommodation in Hamilton and 1 nights
accommodation in the Port Huon.
*Terms & Conditions apply
Availability of experiences in this itinerary may be subject to opening times,
seasonal operation or booking requirements, please call ahead to plan each day.
Photo Credit: Tourism Tasmania. All rights reserved @Tourism Tasmania and Maki Kawakita,
Rob Burnett, Tim Parsons, Kathryn Leahy, Sarah Williams, Joe Shemesh, Jonathan Wherrett.
Call Flight Centre on 131 600 to book.