IF YOU’RE IN HOBART
Huon Valley
The southernmost part of the southernmost state is a world-class food and wine destination.
Stay
The Cygnet Old Bank bed and breakfast (cygnetoldbank.com.au) sits inside a 1909 heritage building and contains three tastefully updated suites. Downstairs, the
Conservatory Café brims with greenery and serves homemade pastries, hearty breakfasts and delicious tasting plates.
Eat
In Cygnet, former MasterChef finalist Sarah Clare's Ilha
Restaurant (2/23 Mary Street; 0404 365 815) is a South American-accented eatery that makes the most of local produce. Nearby, Fat Pig Farm (fatpig.farm) is home to intensive cooking classes and regular events, including Fat Pig Farm Afloat lunch cruises along the Huon River aboard a Scandinavian tall ship. Or book a seat at the weekly long-table lunch, where partners and hosts Matthew Evans and Sadie Chrestman will guide you through a leisurely feast straight from their farm.
Drink
When the house red and white are from neighbour and boutique producer Sailor Seeks Horse, it’s clear the people at Port Cygnet's Cannery Kitchen and
Bar (portcygnetcannery.com) know their stuff. Drop in for a drink and one of the woodfired pizzas if you’re peckish.
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The crew at The Wooden Boat
Centre (woodenboatcentre.com) on the banks of the Huon River in Franklin are passionate about preserving the traditional art of boatbuilding. Call in for a tour or to book a river cruise. Staying for a week or more? Tackle a short course – they’ll help you build a kayak in just six days. For something more sedate, wander the main street of Huonville to seek out hidden gems in the bric-a-brac and antiques stores.
Launceston
Tasmania’s second city gets edgier by the day, with a socially conscious hotel and an artist’s hub showcasing some of the Apple Isle’s finest design.
Stay
The motto of the 18-room
Change Overnight hotel (changeovernight.co) on York Street is “a better night’s sleep” and it’s easy to see why: funds from every booking go to one of eight causes, including Tasmanian wilderness preservation.
Eat
The always elegant Stillwater (stillwater.com.au) on Bridge Road has recently added guestrooms so you can dine at night, pause to sleep then wake to rye hot cakes with Huon smoked salmon and mustard crème fraîche for breakfast. Also on the waterfront, Rupert &
Hound (rupertandhound.com.au) specialises in seafood, including local oysters and kingfish crusted in Tassie hemp.
Drink
With a wine list that namechecks coveted producers from around the globe, Geronimo Aperitivo
Bar and Restaurant (geronimo restaurant.com.au), on the edge of the CBD, is a cosy spot for a lazy afternoon – particularly if you can secure a seat by the open fire.
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Art-lovers, make your way to
Design Tasmania (design tasmania.com.au), in the centre of town, which displays and sells the works of prominent and upcoming local artists. Pack a picnic and go to Cataract Gorge and keep an eye out for wandering peacocks and wallabies.