tasmania - Go Behind The Scenery
Transcription
tasmania - Go Behind The Scenery
AY 355 ITINERARY ho 299 n 1,025 ITINERARY TASMANIA ITINERARY H from 14 Day LAUNCESTON ds 7 DAY ADVENTURE 7 DAY C EAST OAST 1,025 ITINERARY ADVE N TU 1,989 ITINERARY from Day 1 n esto ADVEN nc 14 DAY ITINERARY RE TU 14 DAY lau ART from RE H from OB n to s RT & ur rou es INERARY from A OB 3 DAY IT 1,849 from Launceston and Surrounds Who doesn’t like hopping off the plane and driving straight to a vineyard? Touch down and within record time, you can be pulling up a seat at Josef Chromy Wines a few minutes’ drive from Launceston airport. The cool climate vineyard opens its doors at 10am daily – is that too early for an elegant 2009 vintage sparkling? You be the judge. Prepare for a seasonal, locally sourced menu – think Rannoch farm quail, pork from nearby Scottsdale and hops from down the road. Boutique shopping, Launceston Follow the rolling hills of Relbia Road into the city of Launceston – Australia’s third oldest city. Boutique shopping, lush green parks and historic facades are hallmarks of a town dating back to 1806. If you’re committed to the history of northern Tasmania, you’d better pop in for a tour of the James Boag’s Brewery. Loyalty to this local brew dates back to the 19th century. In fact, one could say the amber liquid is in a northerner’s blood, still referring to a ‘Jimmy’ when ordering at their local. As the classic advertisement asks, ‘Who is James Boag?’. By the end of this brewery tour you’ll feel like he’s your great grandfather – committed to creating the Josef Chromy Wines, Relbia best beer from the purest waters in the land. Venture deep inside the brewing process and follow this up with a tasting paired with King Island cheeses. Be sure to sample Wizard Visit flightcentre.com.au/holidays/tasmania or call Flight Centre on 131 600 to book. Ghost Rock Vineyard, Port Sorell Boag’s Brewery Tour, Launceston Kangaroos, Narawntapu National Park Low Head Penguin Tour Smith’s Ale, a special drop that has remained a Tasmanian exclusive. You won’t find it on Australia’s big island. Check into your Commodore Regent Hotel Launceston accommodation. Grab an early bite in town then make tracks for Low Head in time for a penguin tour at sunset. Born and bred George Town local Shirley Lincoln or another experienced guide will introduce you to these 30 centimetre high lovable locals. For about 60-90 minutes, watch as Little Blue Penguins pitter-patter up from Bass Strait into their Box Thorn bush burrows. Expect anywhere from 10 to 200 depending on the time of year and bring cosy clothes. Day 2 launceston to devonport Get on your way to Devonport early, just along the highway stop at Christmas Hills Raspberry Farm for a scrumptious breakfast, whether it’s pancakes with bacon, grilled banana and raspberries, or berry crepes – your mouth will water with any of the options. This interpretation centre and winery allows Ghost Rock to distill award-winning wine onsite and take visitors through the whole production story – from vines to wine glass. And they’ll share the legend of Ghost Rock with you. Stay for lunch. In the afternoon, visit Narawntapu National Park. Take a long walk along Bakers Beach or one of the many trails on offer. The wombats and Forester kangaroos are a highlight in these parts. Head for the beach come dinnertime. Mrs Jones restaurant is perched above the Devonport Surf Life Saving Club with spectacular views across Bluff Beach. Settle into a comfy leather couch for pre-dinner wines beside Bass Strait followed by a menu celebrating seasonal north west produce. Day 3 devonport to stanley You’re about to embark on a drive up the north west coast. Today, you’ll hug Bass Strait all the way to Stanley and over the coming days you can venture out to where some of the cleanest air on the planet is measured. Next stop is South America. Check into your Edgewater Devonport accommodation. After a walk along the waterfront head to Port Sorell. Here you’ll find Hundred Acres at Ghost Rock Vineyard – a new paddock to plate experience in north west Tasmania. Some of the richest red paddocks hail from here, and Ghost Rock is celebrating with the opening of Hundred Acres. Table Cape, Wynyard Visit flightcentre.com.au/holidays/tasmania or call Flight Centre on 131 600 to book. Table Cape Lighthouse Tour, Wynyard Boat Harbour Harvest and Cater, Boat Harbour The Nut, Stanley But first things first, drop into Laneway Café for breakfast in Devonport. Next stop for the day is Table Cape, formed about 13.3 million years ago and now hosting lighthouse tours. Fire and ice are the reason the landscape is so rich up here, plus it looks amazing in the springtime when it’s flooded with bright tulips of all different colours. Check into your @ VDL Stanley accommodation for the next two nights. Read about the original 1900s school, where children had a favourite pastime of rolling large rocks off the cape and hearing them tumble 300 feet down to the sea below. Day 4 A little further along, head down to the Bombay-sapphire waters of Boat Harbour. Sprinkled with shacks, you’ll understand why this has remained a local favourite, hidden down a hillside. Eat lunch right on the beach at Harvest and Cater and enjoy the view. Drive down to the historic village of Stanley, wandering its streets on foot before dining in a former customs bond store, Stanley’s on the Bay. Finally returning for a restful evening at your accommodation. stanley and surrounds After breakfast, explore the township and its curious looking volcanic plug, rising from Bass Strait. Referred to as ‘The Nut,’ take a chairlift ride to the top or get those legs moving and take the zig-zagging route via foot. On arrival back at town level, you’ll understand why Hollywood transformed Stanley for a blockbuster – the streetscape feels trapped in time – complete with the cottage of Tasmania’s only Prime Minister, Joseph Lyons, born in Stanley back in 1879. Drop a few donation coins in and walk the hallways of a man the country coined ‘Honest Joe.’ Table Cape Tulip Farm, Wynyard Head up to Highfield House, considered the birthplace of European settlement in Tasmania’s north west. Head inside and learn about the Van Diemen’s Land Company or return at nightfall for a chilling ghost tour. Take a look at Visit flightcentre.com.au/holidays/tasmania or call Flight Centre on 131 600 to book. Main Street, Stanley The Nut chair lift ride, Stanley the convict barrack ruins just along the road, built back in 1834 overlooking pretty views across to The Nut. For lunch, why not forage for your own picnic? Drop into Providore 24 on the main street and in amongst stylish fashion, books, quirky tea towels and handmade jewellery, you’ll find a range of freshly baked breads, chutneys, boutique wines and more. Owners Max and Patricia will happily direct you to other picnic supplies that you can enjoy down on the beach or at a picnic table near the fisherman’s wharf. In the afternoon, get a feel for the Tarkine wilderness. Fly over one of the world’s second largest remaining tracts of temperate rainforest by helicopter for 30 minutes or venture along part of the Tarkine Drive, and wind your way through spectacular rainforest, mountain and heath country on four wheels. Tonight, dine at the historic Stanley Hotel Bistro made famous by Masterchef Australia. Day 5 stanley to cradle mountain You’ll need an early start this morning, but first, breakfast in Stanley before heading to the Makers’ Workshop in Burnie and on to Penguin. Take a snap with the giant fibreglass penguin and pop your nose into the gorgeous Cocoon Design’s homeware store on the main strip. Trowutta Arch, The Tarkine Next stop is Spreyton. Rows of Pink Lady, Sundowner and other apple varieties are a good indication of what is to come. The orchard-lined road out to Spreyton Cider Company is a fitting tribute to the crisp bite within each lightly fermented bottle. Open from noon, it’s the ideal spot for an afternoon cider. From here, drive through to the Promised Land (we’re not kidding) where you can enjoy an afternoon pancake feast at Tasmazia before continuing to Cradle Mountain. Check into your Cradle Mountain Hotel accommodation for the next two nights. Tonight, keep things relaxed and dine onsite at Quoll’s Restaurant, followed by a quiet Tasmanian single malt at Brushtail’s Bar. Your pillow isn’t far away. For lunch head to the multi award winning Pier01 Restaurant and Café in Ulverstone located on the Ulverstone Wharf overlooking the Leven River and inland to the Dial Range. Enjoy a light lunch prepard to highlight the region produce including; fresh seafood, Wagyu beef burgers, farm fresh salads, tasting platters, or a coffee and cake as you watch the world drift by. The Giant Penguin, Penguin Tasmazia, Promised Land Visit flightcentre.com.au/holidays/tasmania or call Flight Centre on 131 600 to book. Dove Lake, Cradle Mountain National Park Waldheim Alpine Spa, Peppers Cradle Mountain Lodge Spray Tunnel, Zeehan Day 6 Day 7 cradle mountain wilderness cradle mountain to strahan Fuel up on breakfast, followed by the Day Keeper’s Tour with Devils@Cradle. The 10.30am experience takes you through the sanctuary checking out what Tassie devils do during daylight hours. You might find them fast asleep in dens, having a bake in the alpine sunshine or fossicking about for morsels of last night’s dinner. The keeper’s tour runs around 45 minutes (also available at 1pm and 3pm daily). After your devil visit, walk the Dove Lake Circuit; a sixkilometre sojourn that leads through the Ballroom Forest with its ancient myrtles and continues beneath the crags of Cradle Mountain and Little Horn. It’s relatively flat and is often complemented with a wombat or two. Head back indoors for lunch and laze away the afternoon at the Waldheim Alpine Spa at Peppers Cradle Mountain Lodge. There’s something invigorating about slipping deep into a hot spa while mountain air nips around your shoulders, a reminder of where you are. Known as The Sanctuary, here you can move between the steam room, sauna, hot tub and plunge pool – all the while keeping an eye on those ancient king billy pines beyond. Tasmania’s rugged west coast beckons today. Before heading off, enjoy a hearty breakfast and take some time to enjoy the 20-minute Enchanted Walk circuit. Meander along the banks of the Pencil Pine River, passing through a diverse array of vegetation, from buttongrass plains to teatree thickets, eucalypt woodlands and mossy myrtle forests. Then hit the road for Strahan via mining towns Roseberry and Zeehan. Stop in at Zeehan, once Tasmania’s third largest town. It was also called ‘Silver City’ in the late nineteenth century – and a visit to the West Coast Heritage Centre takes you through this mining history. Head out to the Spray Tunnel, a 100-metre-long train tunnel once used to transport ore from the Spray Silver Mine. It’s about a 10-minute drive from the main street and if you have a torch and are game, walk inside and look for glow worms. Take a look at the grandly restored Gaiety Theatre before leaving town, rumoured to have hosted Dame Nellie Melba, Australia’s first opera star. Lunch is at The Pit Stop in Zeehan. When you’re done with pampering, venture across to Highland Restaurant. The menu has a delicious Tasmanian bent – Macquarie Harbour Atlantic salmon or a rack of Tasmanian lamb might appeal. For those who are up for a real adventure choose to spend the day with the guys at Cradle Mountain Canyons. Climb, jump, abseil and swim through Cradle Mountain’s ancient canyons. Call ahead for availability. Blacksmith Shop – West Coast Heritage Centre Visit flightcentre.com.au/holidays/tasmania or call Flight Centre on 131 600 to book. Gordon River Cruise, Strahan Sarah Island, Gordon River Cruise Time to make your way to Strahan, take the drive along a picturesque road and check into your accommodation. Check into your Strahan Village accommodation for the next two nights. Come dinner, enjoy freshly caught mussels or a pub-style steak at Hamers Hotel Bar and Grill along the waterfront. Day 8 strahan and the gordon river Hop aboard the Lady Jane Franklin II for the Gordon River Cruise, departing at 8.30am this morning. Your atrium seating includes lunch, returning to dry land five-and-a-half hours later. Cross Macquarie Harbour (six times the size of Sydney Harbour) and gain a sense of the Southern Ocean’s power at Hells Gates before venturing up the Gordon River. Here, ancient forest tumbles down to the river’s edge where it meets glass-like reflections. The cruise includes river stops where you’re invited to explore on foot. At Heritage Landing there is a huon pine believed to be 2,000 years old set amongst rainforest species of sassafras, myrtle and blackwood. Enjoy a chef prepared lunch on board before the next stop – Sarah Island. View Over Queenstown from Spion Kop hill This island was the largest boat building settlement in the British colonies and also said to be the most feared penal colony in Australia. Find out why on your Sarah Island wanderings. Be back in Strahan with plenty of time to enjoy ‘The Ship That Never Was’ performance at 5.30pm depicting a true story of convicts hijacking a vessel built on Sarah Island. If you’re in the front row, don’t be surprised if you become part of the cast. Tonight, enjoy á la carte dining by the water’s edge at Risby Cove. Freshly caught seafood is a must! Day 9 strahan to hobart On your way back to Hobart call into Queenstown where you’ll find a heritage listed football field – made from gravel. Little wonder visiting teams fear playing here. Venture up Spion Kop hill for a full view of the town (including the football field) or take an above ground tour of the old Mount Lyell Mine. Grab a coffee at Tracks Café and if you’re in town on a Thursday, listen out for the lone bagpiper on the main street. Once back in the car, head to Derwent Bridge to visit the Wall in the Wilderness. Local artist Greg Duncan is carving his way through the Central Highland’s history The Ship That Never Was performance, Strahan Visit flightcentre.com.au/holidays/tasmania or call Flight Centre on 131 600 to book. Wall in the Wilderness, Derwent Bridge Road into Queenstown with 100 metres of rare huon pine as his canvas. And if you have time and are feeling peckish, stop in at the Derwent Bridge Hotel for a quick bite for lunch. Drop into New Norfolk a haven for antique hunters. Have a poke through stores dotted around town – don’t be afraid to explore Willow Court. Beginning as invalid barracks for convicts, today, although now disused, it stands as the oldest mental asylum in Australia on its original site. You’ll find more antiques in these quarters. If you’re passing through Granton before closing time of 4pm, make Stefano Lubiana your final stop for the day. Enjoy a cellar door tasting and perhaps a sneaky afternoon Italian bite – the menu is prepared with seasonal produce from their bio-dynamically run vegetable garden. Oh, and the award-winning NV Brut Reserve sparkling matches the menu beautifully. Small Fry, Hobart simultaneously load up your omelette with mushroom and gruyere cheese on chestnut toast. If a Small-fry-up isn’t your thing, the rolled oat vanilla porridge with mulled wine poached pears and lemon curd is a delicious alternative. Wander down the sandstone warehouses of Salamanca Place after brekkie. There are galleries, artist studios and shops specialising in local product, so it’s a great place to pick up some handcrafted wares. Wander up Kelly’s Steps into the historic village of Battery Point for morning tea at the Pollen Tea Room. It’s time to get your heritage on with a visit to the Cascade Female Factory. Heritage tours start at 10am with Her Story, a 45-minute roaming theatre show kicking off at Check into your Woolmers Apartments, Hobart accommodation for the next two nights. Tonight enjoy a seriously good burger at Jack Greene in Salamanca, served up with local ale. Day 10 hobart and surrounds Start your morning at local favourite Small-fry – a small hole in the wall eatery on Bathurst Street. Head Chef Rhys has enough enthusiasm to light up the entire street, and The Maker, Salamanca Arts Centre Visit flightcentre.com.au/holidays/tasmania or call Flight Centre on 131 600 to book. Brooke Street Pier, Hobart Day 11 hobart to coles bay Grab an early breakfast at Tricycle Café and Bar in Salamanca. You are off to experience the Great Eastern Drive today. Great Eastern Drive Mona Museum roof during MoMa market noon. Through just two actors, the stories of incarcerated women are brought to life – including the poor matron who had to take care of twelve pregnancies, one thousand convict women and a husband best described as incompetent. Get in the mood for what’s to come. Barilla Bay has fresh from-the-water oysters at the ready. The oyster and candy abalone tour starts at 11am, including a walk to the oyster farm and six freshly shucked goodies. Tuck a few bottles of Barilla Bay Oyster Stout under your arm for later – a velvety Irish recipe containing oysters. Less than an hour into your journey you hit the coast, and Orford, the much-loved shack haven for Hobart dwellers. This sleepy little beachside town is also a favourite local spot for a coffee break before you start the Great Eastern Drive. From here, the highway begins to hug the coastline. As you make your way, take in vast stretches of sandy white beaches, scrummy food, cool wines, and panoramic views that will have you pulling over to the roadside every few minutes. There’s good reason the Great Eastern Drive is one of Australia’s greatest road trips. Pull in to Swansea for lunch at Artifakt Café and Gallery. Order a burger with a side of art – anything from glazed cool ice porcelain to the works of a Tasmanian master potter. Aside from the wall hangings and friendly owner, Artifakt’s view from the main strip isn’t bad either. Keep the afternoon open for Mona, David Walsh’s Museum of Old and New Art that houses the largest privately owned museum in Australia. Take the ferry from Brooke Street Pier. Start your Mona experience with lunch at the Wine Bar. In the summer months, park yourself on a pink beanbag with a lunch platter and a glass of Moorilla bubbles a great pit stop after roaming the MoMa market held over the summer months. After your Mona visit, head back on the ferry and you’ll be delivered right to The Glass House dining bar at Brooke Street Pier, a great destination for an evening cocktail. Follow this up with dinner at Franklin Restaurant, within easy walking distance from the pier. Friendly Beaches Visit flightcentre.com.au/holidays/tasmania or call Flight Centre on 131 600 to book. ALL4Adventure Quad Bike Tours, Freycinet National Park Take your time rolling on toward Coles Bay. Just up from Swansea, after you turn off towards Freycinet is Friendly Beaches. Don’t expect to see any footprints, just staggering stretches of white sand. Get lost in salty breeze conversation, but remember, the walk back can always feel longer. From here, it’s an easy drive on to Coles Bay. A town that became plastic bag free before it was on-trend. Check into your Coles Bay accommodation for the next two nights. For dinner – Tombolo Freycinet awaits with yummy woodfired pizza to enjoy on an orange-lichen topped rock. Day 12 coles bay and freycinet national park Begin your day exploring the Coles Bay foreshore. Fuel up early on Villino coffee at Tombolo Freycinet, returning yet again at 10am for breakfast overlooking The Hazards. These dramatic pink granite peaks are a hint of what’s to come. Get your fill and make tracks for the Wineglass Bay Lookout for views across a beach regularly named among the world’s best. Freycinet Lodge, Coles Bay This two-hour adventure will have you back in Coles Bay by 3pm for a walk up around Cape Tourville Lighthouse. There’s a one kilometre loop that takes you around the lighthouse, one of Tasmania’s first, and from the boardwalk there are sweeping views down the coast. Dine at Freycinet Lodge this evening. If you’re feeling up for a drive, after dinner head for Devils in the Dark at Bicheno. Simon Plowright has been watching wild devils since the mid-80s and knows a thing or two about their behaviour. Tonight you’ll get up close with these nocturnal creatures. Day 13 coles bay to launceston Head back to Launceston this morning via the Lake Leake Road. At Campbell Town, drop into Red Bridge Café and Providore. The large dining hall out back was once home to boxing matches but today is far more relaxing for a coffee stop. Be sure to stock up on artisan supplies from the attached providore. Come 1pm, hop on a quadbike with All4Adventure. Cruise along bush tracks through native Eucalypt forest and pull up for sweeping coastal vistas. While you’re in town, pop your head into the antique shop or maybe even leave town with a nice new pair of leather shoes. On the main strip, be sure to look out for the bricks that share tales of convicts transported to Tasmania. Cape Tourville Lighthouse, Freycinet National Park Red Bridge Café and Providore, Campbell Town Visit flightcentre.com.au/holidays/tasmania or call Flight Centre on 131 600 to book. 259 375 from s RT & ur rou H ds 355 INERARY ba rt to launc launcestonIT3 DAY es 299 INERARY Stay around Launceston on your final day – a city which happens to be Australia’s third oldest. Soak up the architecture on your way to the Design Centre Tasmania. This from contemporary design space showcases Tasmanian craftspeople and those with a keen sense of smell may note a huon pine flavour to the air. Follow this up with coffee in the park next door. from Saint John Craft Beer, Launceston Do some boutique shopping – at Waverley Woollen Mills they’ve been making woven products since 1874 so they know how to s r RT & urmake ou snuggly blankets. Also worth a peek is the Old Umbrella A n OB T COAST Shop, for a taste of nineteenth-century style EASshopping. 7 DAY ds H Day 14 n to 3 DAY IT n ho A OB from 7 DAY 1,025 ITINERARGo Y industrial for lunch, surrounding yourself with the works of ITINER emerging artists at Blue Café Bar. The coffee is AR great Y and the ART TU 1,989 from Next stop is Longford (off the main highway). This historic village is home to Brickendon and Woolmers Estate – both of which are listed as World Heritage convict sites. You can purchase tickets to do the convict farm walk between the two estates, offering a taste of what life was like for convicts back in the 1820s and, when in bloom, the National Rose Garden at Woolmers draws international fans. After exploring both properties, enjoy a late lunch on the edge of the South Esk River in a café aptly named – River’s Edge Café. Head to Saint John Craft Beer Bar for a choice of the finest international and local craft brews – eight to fourteen beers on tap – with the option to bring your own food that you gathered earlier at Red Bridge Café. Or, line up out the back at Eats with Beats, a funky food van serving up crispy pork belly on brioche buns, haloumi burgers and other street food faves with complimentary beats. Check into your Commodore Regent Hotel Launceston accommodation. n esto ADVEN nc 14 DAY ITINERARY RE TU 14 DAY RE OB Complete your Launceston experience in the fresh air of the Cataract Gorge – Launceston’s urban reserve. Take a ride on the world’s longest single-span chairlift or pull up a patch of grass near the resident peacocks. After covering plenty of ground since arriving, ADVEN rest easy before your flight. ITINERARY QVMAG Inveresk Site, Launceston 1,025 wood-fired pizzas are a rail-yard treat in this former tram pay station. Follow this up with an afternoon exploring the Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery, fromestablished back in 1891. from lau QVMAG Inveresk Site, Launceston H Design Centre Tasmania 1,849 from VALID FOR TRAVEL 1 MAY – 31 AUGUST 2016 ON SALE 28 FEB – 16 APRIL 2016 Inclusions: Enjoy a Launceston City Ghost Tour, a Day Keepers Morning Tour with Devils @ Cradle, a Gordon River Cruise enjoying your upgrade to a premium window seat and a guided tour of Sarah Island, a Heritage Tour at the Cascades Female Factory Historic Site, and a Freycinet Paddle Morning Tour. One nights accommodation at Commodore Regent Hotel Launceston in a premium room enjoying free Wi-Fi. One nights accommodation at Edgewater Devonport in a courtyard room. Two nights accommodation at @ VDL Stanley, in a king deluxe room. Two nights accommodation at Cradle Mountain Hotel in a standard queen room, with a bonus $30 food and beverage credit. Two nights accommodation at Strahan Village in a hilltop standard room with a bonus $30 food and beverage credit per stay valid at Hamer’s Hotel. Two nights accommodation at Woolmers Apartments Hobart in a studio room. Two nights accommodation at Freycinet Lodge in a one room cabin with a full breakfast daily and a bonus $50 food and beverage credit. One nights accommodation at Commodore Regent Hotel Launceston in a premium room with free Wi-Fi. Self-drive with fourteen days car hire of a Toyota Yaris or similar (pick up Launceston, drop off Launceston) and a National Park Pass for your Vehicle. *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 Chris Crerar, Rob Burnett, Darren Rist, Paul Fleming, Peter Bellingham, Dave Roberts-Thomson, Graham Freeman, Andrew McIntosh Ocean Photography, Heidi Sze, Jason Charleshill, Adrian Cook, Brendan Williams, Garry Moore, Joe Shemesh, Scott Sporleder, Alex Beem, James Lauritz, Chris Young Photography, Peter Topliss, Geoffrey Lea, RACT Destinations, Kathryn Leahy, Nick Harwood. Visit flightcentre.com.au/holidays/tasmania or call Flight Centre on 131 600 to book.