ESCAPE FROM THE CITY

Find ancient RAINFORESTS, living HISTORY and roadside CHOCOLATE shops a short MEANDER from Hobart.

NEW NORFOLK

Can’t go on a long-haul trip to Old Blighty? No matter as the landscape around New Norfolk, just over half an hour’s drive from Hobart could feasibly pass for the countryside of England. Situated as if in a painting on the banks of the River Derwent, there is plenty to see and do in the area. Kayaking the dark waters of the river is one idea or for pursuits more languid in nature, browse the antiques shops in town – special mention needs to go toThe Drill Hall Emporium and Flywheel – before heading to The Kiosk at The Agrarian Kitchen for lunch.

GEEVESTON

An hour’s drive south of Hobart will deliver you to Geeveston, a character-filled country town in the Huon Valley that has a lot to recommend it. Explore its quaint cafes, bakeries and stores selling creations by local artisans, its forestry heritage commemorated in wood carvings of local historical figures, and roadside stalls selling crisp Granny Smith and Pink Lady apples during autumn.And head into the surrounding forest to test the kids’ head for heights at Tahune Adventures.

MOUNT FIELD NATIONAL PARK

It’s a scenic 1.5 hours’ drive from Hobart to Mount Field National Park where, blanketed by ancient rainforest, the star attraction is the three-tiered Russell Falls. Also make time for the Tall Trees walk , flanked as it is by giant swamp gums, which – at up at 30 metres in height – are the tallest flowering trees in the world. At Lake Dobson, walk the hiking trails in summer and ski during winter.

BOTHWELL

A living history lesson that the kids will be none the wiser about, the town of Bothwell, the gateway to the state’s Central Highlands, has more than 50 heritage-listed buildings including everything from cottages to grand churches to a water mill. Having first been settled in the 1820s mostly by those of Scottish descent, the town retains a Celtic flavour, with the country’s first and oldest golf course, a number of whisky distilleries, Australia’s first Aberdeen Angus stud and fly fishing.

BRUNY ISLAND

Take a 30-minute drive from Hobart to Kettering, followed by a 15-minute ferry ride and you will arrive on windswept Bruny Island, a gourmet paradise that you can spend the day eating your way around. While you will love the craft distillers and breweries and the local wineries, the kids are going to be much more interested in picking their own berries at Bruny Island Berry Farm (closed during winter months), which has been owned by the same family since the 1880s, seeing the live beehives at Bruny Island Honey, and deciding what to choose from at Bruny Island Chocolate Company’s cute roadside shop.

It’s a 30-minute ferry ride off the east coast of Tassie to Maria Island National Park , but it’s a world away from the everyday, filled with a wondrous array of animals and birds, from wombats to seals to wedge-tailed eagles, stunning scenery and evocative convict sites.