Hobart

Friends don’t let friends miss a road trip in Tasmania. Grab the crew for a whole lot of fun and feasting in the island state.

DERBY DAYS

Surrounded by 125 kilometres of custom-built trails scribbled through rainforest and bush, the former tin-mining town of Derby is mountain-biking magic. Plummet off the Blue Tier through dense forest to Weldborough and beyond, or descend the Tier’s other side on the 42-kilometre Bay of Fires Trail, finishing on the cloud-white sands of Swimcart Beach. Finish the day with a restorative session at the Floating Sauna Lake Derby, alternating between the heat of the sauna and plunges in the chilly water – a bake and a lake.

BOOTS ON BRUNY

Take the car ferry to Bruny Island for superb scenery and walks, whether heading past a beachside arch of rock at Mars Bluff on the way to Cape Queen Elizabeth, or wandering the wild shore of Cloudy Bay to East Cloudy Head. Then satisfy the resulting appetite and thirst at Bruny Island Cheese and Beer Co, Get Shucked oyster farm, Bruny Island Premium Wines and the Bruny Island House of Whisky.

IN THE SPIRITS

Tasmania’s whiskies are world-beaters – in recent years they’ve been named world’s best single malt and world’s best single cask single malt. Appoint your designated driver and follow the Tasmanian Whisky Trail to more than 14 distilleries, including Shene Distillery, a grand 1819 colonial estate where you can craft your own single malt. Gin lovers should head to Southern Wild Distillery, the Devonport maker of premium Dasher + Fisher gins.

WILD WALKS

Set out by car and foot to discover some of Tasmania’s wildest natural scenes. Ferry across to Maria Island National Park to climb Bishop and Clerk – bristling dolerite towers at the island’s northern tip – or to stroll between the contrasting coastal wonders of the Fossil Cliffs and the Painted Cliffs. A former logging tramway near Rosebery on the west coast leads to the state’s tallest waterfall: 104-metre Montezuma Falls. Nearby, stride out on a series of rainforest walks from Corinna Wilderness Experience in the takayna/Tarkine – the short Huon Pine Walk will introduce you to Tasmania’s most cherished tree species, while the Savage River Walk heads to Australia’s furthest inland shipwreck.

TOUR THE TAMAR

The Tamar Valley Wine Trail connects more than 30 cellar doors through Tasmania’s oldest and largest wine region. Appoint your designated driver and head to Pipers River for bubbles at the likes of Jansz Tasmania, Clover Hill Wines and Delamere Vineyard, and call ahead to Glendale Vineyard, with its cellar door inside an old apple shed, to arrange a picnic among the vines or on the shores of its lake.

TEE TIME

With four courses that have been rated among the top 10 in Australia, Tasmania is prime territory for a round of golf. Barnbougle combines two stunning, dune-top links courses – Lost Farm and The Dunes – plus a new 14-hole short course on a potato farm in the island’s north east, with a luxury lodge, restaurant, bars and day spa. Just an hour’s drive north of Hobart, Ratho Farm is Australia’s oldest golf course, and the oldest remaining outside Scotland, with accommodation sprinkled among convict-era farm buildings.

HUON HEAVEN

These days the Huon Valley’s orchards turn out as much cider as eating apples. Settle in for a session in the cider garden at Willie Smith’s Apple Shed and keep an eye out along the way for roadside stalls selling local produce, including those apples. The Little Black Fridge is a roadside stall in Geeveston selling freshly baked goods.

LUNCHES WITH A DIFFERENCE

Forage and then feast with Sirocco South, harvesting the likes of seasonal wild asparagus, mushrooms and saltbush, which are then teamed with Tasmanian meat and seafood for a long-table outdoor lunch. A foraged lunch is also the reward after a hunt for rare black truffles with Doug the truffle dog at Tasmanian Truffles. And prep in style at the cooking school at beautiful Red Feather Inn.

OUTDOOR ADVENTURES

Welcome to adventure island. Squirm through a canyon in the shadow of Cradle Mountain with Cradle Mountain Canyons. Take the challenge of the world’s highest commercial abseil from the Gordon Dam with Aardvark Adventures. Kayak across Coles Bay to the foot of the Hazards with Freycinet Adventures. And slow things down as you paddle in search of platypuses in the River Derwent with Tassie Bound.

Credit: DiscoverTasmania

From historic Richmond to the Tasman National Park, Eaglehawk Neck and Port Arthur Historic Site, this fascinating trail is rich in convict history and natural beauty. The Tasman Peninsula is a place of breathtaking seascapes, some of the tallest sea cliffs in the world and wild ocean views.

HOBART - RICHMOND 25 MIN (27 KM)

Day 1

• Drive to the village of Richmond with its colonial past, antique shops, art and craft galleries, restaurants and tea rooms.
• On the way you'll pass through the Coal River Valley wine region with more than 16 vineyards dotted throughout the valley surrounding Richmond.
• In Richmond, learn about Tasmania's rich colonial heritage and take in Australia's oldest bridge, oldest still-standing Catholic Church and oldest gaol.
• Visit Old Hobart Town, a carefully constructed outdoor model of Hobart as it was in 1820.
• Stop at Sweets and Treats for a large selection of traditional sweets, or indulge in award-winning ice cream from the Coal River Creamery.
• Close by is the artist co-op Peppercorn Gallery, which represents over 50 local artists and artisans and boasts a variety of pieces in a wide range of mediums.
• Take a walk along the riverside and have a picnic by the bridge.
• Overnight Richmond.

RICHMOND - PORT ARTHUR - 1 HR 11 MIN (83 KM)

Day 2

• From Richmond or Hobart head towards the Tasman Peninsula and Port Arthur.
• Enjoy lunch in Dunalley, a quaint fishing village built around the man-made Denison Canal, with a swing bridge for road traffic. Sample local produce, including fresh seafood from the Dunalley Fish Market or Bangor Vineyard Shed.
• Continue to Eaglehawk Neck and the many attractions of the Tasman Peninsula including the Port Arthur Historic Site.
• Stop at the lookout over Pirates Bay - a magnificent beach bounded by dramatic coastline. Pick up coffee from Cubed Espresso and then follow the road down to the water's edge.
• Visit the Tessellated Pavement, an expanse of rock 'tiles' that look as though they've been neatly installed rather than naturally formed.
• Once down at Eaglehawk Neck  itself, walk the 'dog line' near the Officers' Quarters, now restored as a museum interpreting the history and life of the region. Built in 1832, it's reputed to be the oldest wooden military building remaining in Australia.
• A short drive south are the impressive coastal rock formations of the Devil's Kitchen, Tasman Arch, the Blowhole and Remarkable Cave.
• From here, take the walk to Crescent Bay, a secluded curve of striking beauty backed by huge sand dunes.
• Overnight Port Arthur and surrounds.

PORT ARTHUR - HOBART - 1 HR 27 MIN (100KM)

Day 3

• Allow a day to explore the UNESCO World Heritage listed Port Arthur Historic Site with more than 30 buildings, ruins and restored period homes, dating from the prison's establishment in 1830 until its closure in 1877. During this time about 12,500 convicts served sentences.
• Afterwards, if there's time, drive to the convict ruins at the Probation Station and the World Heritage listed Coal Mines Historic Site, where only the worst convicts were sent to work.
• In the evening, take a ghost tour and experience Port Arthur Historic Site by night; it will seem a very different place after sunset.
• Overnight Port Arthur and surrounds.

Day 4

• Before leaving the Tasman Peninsula, take an unforgettable sea journey with Pennicott Wilderness Journeys. Keep a look out for dolphins, seals and migrating sea birds as you pass the dramatic coastal cliffs and rock formations of the open eastern side of the peninsula.
• There are walks of varying lengths and difficulty, including Waterfall Bay (60-90 minutes) and Bivouac Bay (3 hours). And for those with more time, the correct equipment and bushwalking experience, there are the three capes - Cape Hauy, Cape Raoul and Cape Pillar - which pass through heaths and coastal woodlands to dramatic sea cliffs.
• On your return to Hobart, stop off at the Tasmanian Devil Unzoo for a closeup encounter with a Tasmanian Devil.