LOSE YOURSELF
From golf courses and wineries to rainforests and mountain biking, Tasmania’s North-East has something for everyone
FROM THE OCEAN TO THE HILLS, THERE’S PLENTY TO EXPLORE ON A WINTER DRIVE
The much acclaimed Barnbougle Dunes and Lost Farm golf courses attract golfers year round. But these are mainly interstate FIFOs, staying and playing at the stunning links courses near Bridport where the airstrip is just a short walk from both (no need to even hire a car). Mountain bikers on the Blue Derby trails have enlivened nearby Derby, too, with their need for accommodation turning dilapidated mining cottages into attractive Airbnbs.
But there’s more to enjoy about this part of the island for those who enjoy a driving adventure – not least its vineyards, highlands and coastal plains. There’s also the surprise of a string of white sandy beaches – from the tip of Cape Portland to Eddystone Point – that are just as glamorous as the Bay of Fires or Friendly Beaches, with views to the mountainous Bass Strait islands.
Take a longer drive from Launceston (it’s about 2.5 hours to Musselroe), over a long weekend at least, and you’ll find another facet of Tasmania not many see: the biggest trees on the planet, the tallest kangaroos and history older than Port Arthur in the shadows of the Musselroe Wind Farm.
Who knew the north-eastern tip even has its own vineyard and wine label in Musselroe Bay Wine? I’m reliably told that its pinot noir (made by Frogmore Creek) is a favourite choice for golfers at Lost Farm.
From Launceston, take the hairpin-bending road over The Sideling where you’ll experience your first taste of the more typical North-East: narrow roads lined with thick stands of tree ferns and endemic rainforest. From the top, stop at the lookout to take in the distant views over the chequered red-soil pastures of Scottsdale, Ringarooma and, on a good day, across Bass Strait to the Furneaux Islands. In summer you’ll find a pop-up barista in The Lookout car park, serving coffee with a view.
On the other side of The Sideling, in Scottsdale, country op shops never disappoint (kitchenalia always a favourite buy), a surprising number of homeware/interiors shops remind of the good old country retail store, and two bakeries (Cottage Bakery and Scottsdale Bakery) do a roaring trade in hearty pies and pastries. Good stop-offs for refreshment combined with experiences are the Scottsdale Art Gallery Cafe, and Little Rivers Brewing Co and cellar door (where packed-out concerts are held in the car park). Scottsdale is also home to North-East success stories Rhu Bru food and beverages, Pepper Bush Adventures wildlife tours and Red Dirt Cycle Company.
On to Derby and The Hub for pizzas and beer in front of an open fire – a hotspot during the World Enduro mountain-biking event – with all eyes now on the new chef. Check out the mountain bike tracks that have put the oomph back into this old mining town.
Stop over at the Weldborough Hotel (29722 Tasman Highway), a well-preserved country pub with rooms (from $90 to $140 a night) and grassy bush campground right in the middle of the rainforest. A Tassie co-op of friends bought the pub a couple of years ago, gave it a sensitive renovation, and it’s now a popular stopover, servicing the local mountain bike fraternity who use the pub as a base. Local beef and Tassie chips are on the menu along with a good range of local craft brewery ciders and beers.
Allow a couple of hours for the Blue Tier Giant or “Big Tree” Walk, saved by Friends of the Blue Tier. This gently sloping track descending through huge eucalypts, myrtle and ferns leads to the widest living tree in Australia, with a girth of 19.4 metres.
Travel on to Gladstone via Pioneer (either back along the Tasman Highway onto Gladstone Rd or, more adventurously, via the gravel road through Lottah and Gould’s Country) and continue to Musselroe Wind Farm. The country opens up here into magnificent coastal plains, home to a rich array of wildlife including Forester kangaroos, wombats, devils, bettongs and spotted quolls. It’s the largest of three Woolnorth wind farms, with two sides of white sandy beaches, coves and inlets.
Visit the Tebrakunna Visitor Centre, which tells the story of the wind farm, the traditional landowners, the history of the Cape Portland property and the maritime and mining history of the North-East region. From here, arrange to take a Tebrakunna twilight tour of the coastal heathlands through big roo country.
On the first weekend in December, Tebrakunna comes alive to celebrate Mannalargenna Day, an annual festival for Tasmanian Aboriginal families and friends, with patron Governor Kate Warner. You’ll find good seaside camp spots at Little Musselroe, wukalina/Mt William National Park or Petal Point. Non-campers can opt to stay in comfortable, revamped shearers’ quarters at Icena Farm Accommodation ($55 pp per night).
Return via Bridport for a round of golf at Barnbougle’s The Dunes or Lost Farm (both public access golf courses). Or indulge at the Lost Farm spa. The Taste of Vitality 60-minute spa for one to three people ($55, includes a glass of Jansz) is a popular choice for girlfriend groups: the view from the spa makes you feel like you’ve travelled to the other side of the world. And if you’re touring with friends, a fully self-contained four-bedroom, fourbathroom villa in the dunes at Barnbougle, with sunrise, sunset and ocean views, is a reasonable option when the $900 room price is shared.
The seaside town of Bridport is spoilt for foreshore walks, camping and good eateries including the Bridport Cafe (97 Main St, where everyone meets) and the Bridport Bunker (67 Main St, an ex-servicemen’s club that’s got its local seafood and produce menu just right). Darren at the Sugar N’ Spice Bakery (87 Main St) makes a delicious range of breads, cakes and slices.
Your return drive should include at least one of the Pipers River Valley vineyards: graze on a platter at the Jansz Wine Room (most glam wine shed you’ll ever see); meet the winemaker (by appointment only) Andrew Pirie at Apogee; stop off at the Lilydale Larder cellar door (1983 Lilydale Rd) and taste the first-release Pinot Noir 2016 from North Lilydale’s The Ridge, recently named Tasmanian Small Vineyard of the Year 2017; or toast your adventure to the North-East tip with a glass of sparkling at the new cellar door at Clover Hill (opening later this year).