MASTER YOUR OWN DOMAIN
Birthdays, family reunions, weddings – any occasion is the perfect one for hiring a whole fantasy estate in country Tasmania. Get the keys and do as you please...
As you pass through the gates of Vaucluse Estate, about 60 kilometres south-east of Launceston, the 19th-century grand manor announces possibilities right away. Its high walls, trimmed with intricate iron lacework, are flanked by willow trees and sprawling lawns that beg for rounds of croquet. It’s a scene straight out of Bridgerton. And it’s all yours. Weddings couldn’t be had in a prettier spot but any get-together will do. The property sleeps up to 24 people across suites inside the main hotel and a smaller three-bedroom coach house. Your host, Elizabeth Smith, will arrange all the feasts and country jaunts your group could ask for. Have a garden-party-style picnic with flavours sourced from local boutique farmers. “There’s a beautiful spot in our orchard, under a 100-year-old almond tree that sits inside a ring of daisies,” says Smith. A minibus can then whisk everyone off to taste vibrant Tasmanian cuvée at Josef Chromy Wines or to raise hearty ales by the fire at the Clarendon Arms in Evandale. Be back at the estate for sundown to watch the crimson rays sinking behind the summit of Ben Lomond in the near distance. Long-table dinners can be set up on the verandah or the lawns. Feast on grilled lamb shoulder over garlicky tomatoes and aromatic mash. “Our local chef can play it by ear to create something special,” says Smith.
Once the stars start to dot the sky, pull on your Hunter wellies (there are loan pairs for guests), tuck a tartan rug across your lap, pull up a seat in front of the outdoor firepit and sip Tasmanian whisky – made from barley grown on the surrounding working farm. Stay up chatting as late as you like. The kitchen serves recovery breakfasts of flaky croissants and cooked-to-order bacon-and-egg rolls beside the pool in the morning.