APPLE OF THE ISLE
WITH ITS RUGGED BEAUTY AND HISTORIC CHARM, TASMANIA’S NORTHERN COAST IS PACKED WITH NOT-TO-BE-MISSED MAGIC.
A road trip along Tasmania’s beautiful north coast.
Explore the glorious coastline of the Bass Strait.
DAY 1 LAUNCESTON
Begin your drive along the Apple Isle’s north-west coast in Launceston, one of the country’s oldest cities. Cataract Gorge is the classic tourist stop, and familiarity doesn’t dull its beauty. Shop up a storm at Tullochs Auctions, and explore the history of the area at the Queen Victoria Museum & Art Gallery. Hopheads shouldn’t miss Saint John Craft Beer Bar, while the wine list at Geronimo Aperitivo Bar & Restaurant will satisfy the choosiest oenophile.
Where to stay: A heritage-listed 1830s flour mill overlooking the Tamar River that’s been reborn as an award-winning restaurant and hotel, Stillwater Seven has all the atmosphere and character you could ask for (age-worn timber beams, raw stone walls, 19th-century machinery) plus all the modern luxuries you could imagine (dreamy soft beds, smart TVS with Netflix and Spotify, modern rustic decor). Best of all, breakfast at Stillwater Restaurant is included. stillwater.com.au
Where to eat: Stillwater Restaurant is not only convenient (being just downstairs) but also award-winning, focusing on local, farm-to-fork produce that’s reliably excellent. DAY 2
LAUNCESTON TO SIDMOUTH
Meandering north beside the Tamar River will see you tracing the Tamar Valley Wine Route. First stop: Vélo Wines, which serves up classic cool-climate pinot noir. Head on to Moores Hill Estate for superlative bubbles, and Stoney Rise Wine Company for crème-de-lacrème chardonnay.
Where to stay: You’ve spent the day in the vines – why not spend the night there, too? At Swinging Gate Vineyard, Domescapes’ luxuriously fitted-out geodesic domes are fully insulated against winter chill and summer sun, and two of them come complete with an outdoor bath on your own (very private) deck. domescapes.com.au
Where to eat: Your hosts can supply a local cheese platter, or you can pick up the makings of one in your travels during the day. Or head back to Vélo Wines to dine at its award-winning Timbre Kitchen. >
DAY 3 SIDMOUTH TO PENGUIN
Exploring the glorious coastline of the Bass Strait will send your camera into overdrive. But first: brunch or morning tea at the Tasmanian Food and Wine Conservatory, whose exclusively local produce will have your tastebuds in overdrive, too. Tour the Bass Strait Maritime Centre in the coastal city of Devonport, which occupies the old Harbour Master’s House and tells the stories of the wild Strait, and revisit the world of steam at the Don River Railway. Lunch at Laneway cafe and ease into the afternoon with a nip at the Southern Wild Distillery. Then stop off at Turners Beach and Ulverstone on your way to the pretty town of Penguin.
Where to stay: The serene, pared-back styling of the timber-clad Barn House, just outside Penguin, will have you taking notes for your own home. Sip a glass of wine by the firepit or in the bathtub on the deck, or head – fully kitted-out – into the wide blue yonder, thanks to the gear room that’s stocked with hiking backpacks and surfboards for you to borrow during your stay. airbnb.com/h/barnhousepenguin Where to eat: Tuck into tapas at El Perro in Penguin – local produce served tapas style (or on pizza).
DAY 4 PENGUIN TO STANLEY
The Makers’ Workshop in Burnie will get you fed, caffeinated and stocked up on cheese for the day – as well as informed about the work of local crafters – all from its base in a strikingly modern building. Further west along the coast at Wynyard, marvel at the dramatic Table Cape, and, if you’re there in
October, enjoy the sight of fields of blooming tulips spreading away in front of you. Spend the afternoon in tiny but spectacular Rocky Cape National Park, exploring its caves and secluded beaches. Once at Stanley, don’t miss the walk (or chairlift) up The Nut, the volcanic rock formation that towers over the town, or a visit to Highfield Historic Site, where the 1830s heritage homestead is just as lovely as the views.
Where to stay: Where else but the Ship Inn Stanley? The sensitively restored, elegant inn has a selection of rooms, each with its own stylish decor and its own story to tell of a notable local. shipinnstanley.com.au
Where to eat: For great pub food and a great outlook over the bay, the Stanley Hotel’s bistro ticks all the boxes.