Tasmania 2022

Tasmania is widely known for having the cleanest air in the world, beautiful scenery and unique wildlife. To cover Tassie’s best natural attractions, diverse wildlife, culture and art scene, I decided to do a road trip with my friends - Justin and Manmeet. When I was looking for ideas online, I came across Andrew's (thanks!) amazing itinerary and it was exactly what I wanted. It made planning for my trip much easier.

We had a early morning flight from Sydney, so we rocked up to the airport still half asleep. After getting our boarding passes, some coffee and breakfast, we started to feel the excitement and were still coming to terms with the fact that the trip was actually happening. What followed, was the most aptly timed, scary and funny thing that you can imagine. We got a notification on our phones saying our flight was cancelled! We all looked at each other and started to laugh. Once we overcame the shock, we started to look at other flights during the day. As we were doing that, we got another notification informing us of a replacement flight that had exactly 3 seats remaining! This meant we had to lineup to get our luggage back, rush to a different terminal than our original flight and then queue up again to check-in. On the plus side, this whole shenanigan only pushed us back an hour, and we ended up flying a better airline (with Qantas) for the same price. I took a big sigh of relief as our plane landed in Hobart. After getting off to a rocky start, we were ready to drive off to a campground in Cradle mountains. Or, so I thought... When we rocked up to the car rental at the airport, they denied us the corporate discount rate for the car rental at first. In retrospect, it makes sense that I need a full license to get a discount. Provisional license does not cut the deal. Some polite requests, a system loophole and a kind lady at the counter was all it took to eventually secure the hefty discount and get the keys to our Toyota Camry Hybrid. Side note: The first time driving a hybrid electric car can be scary, smooth, interesting and strange at the same time. I couldn't tell if the engine was on when I first drove it.

Russel Falls, Lake St Clair, Iron Blow Lookout

Our first stop was at Woolworths, obviously. We loaded the car with supplies for the next 8 days. From there, we drove to Mt Field. Mount Field is part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area and home to some of the world’s tallest eucalyptus trees. Among the many different cascading waterfalls, we witnessed the breathtaking, three-tiered Russell Falls - arguably one of the most impressive waterfalls in Tasmania.

Writing about a trip that happened more than 18 months ago is bound to make recollections slightly inaccurate in many different ways. But, there is a moment that I can remember (today, and likely forever) as if it happened yesterday. When we drove up to Lake St Clair, the view was that of a Monet or a Van Gogh. The sun was shining bright, the water crystal clear, the sky was blue and the mountains in the distance made the perfect backdrop. The temperature held up at a magestic 25 degrees and the air was the purest on the planet, literally! There was not a single other soul and it was like walking into a live meditation. The calm and serenity of resonated in every element of nature. We simply lied down on the boardwalk, closed our eyes and let ourselves become one with the Earth. If utopia is real, this was it.

Once we spawned back to reality, we continued to drive towards Nelson Falls. Nelson Falls is another picturesque waterfall, surrounded by lush rainforest including at least 7 different types of ferns and many ancient plant species, some of which can only be found in Tasmania now.

Our next stop was The Iron Blow Lookout. The lookout gives a vertigo-inducing view of a landscape scarred by historical mining activity. After a drive up the winding road, when we got to the top of the mountain, we did not expect there to be anyone else. There was however, a single strange Jimmy Brings car. Not knowing what Jimmy Brings actually meant, we were quite confused. It is a Liquor delivery company. Okay, so what was someone doing delivering alcohol to nobody in the middle of nowhere? I was so convinced about the liquor delivery that I told Justin I'd like to buy an overpriced beer for the sake of a travel story. Well... what happened next is likely one of the best travel stories. We rocked up to the van to ask for a beer and when we did, we were greeted by Ryan - a high school English teacher from Brisbane, Queensland and his dog - Ruby, an absolute goofball! Ryan had a 24-pack, and he did actually share his beer with us. We then spent an hour learning about Ryan's long trip from Brisbane, down the east coast of Australia. Having already driven across 4 different states - QLD, NSW and VIC and SA - Ryan had taken his van on a ferry to Tasmania and was now doing a west coast trip of Tasmania. Ryan had entirely modified his van to include a bed for himself and ruby and carry all his supplies efficiently, so he could sleep whenever, wherever! The Jimmy Brings advertisement was simply a way for him to make extra cash when he is on the road. We exchanged numbers to stay in touch and bid farewell to Ryan and Ruby.

After then sun set at Iron Blow Lookout, we continued to Strahan, where we spent the night.

Cradle Mountain - Camping, cooking and the Tasmania Devil!

The next day was only 2 hours of driving, but we wanted to get to Cradle Mountain early. Cradle Mountain is a haven for hiking and camping and offers panoramic views of nature including lakes, peaks and wildlife.

After securing our camping site, we headed on over to the Dove Lake loop where we walked for a few hours taking in the pristine nature and exercising our hiking passions, albeit, on a small scale. At some point, I'd love to come back to Tassie and do the 65 km Overland Track!

Once back, we set up our tent and went out for a walk to see some nearby waterfalls. Just before dark, we got back to the campsite and headed to the common kitchen to make some sausages and enjoy the campfire set up by folks before us. We then stayed in the common area to read and charge our phones.

Wildlife is in abundance in this spectacular national park, giving opportunity to encounter Tasmanian devils, quolls, platypus, echidna, wombats and the highly inquisitive black currawong. The “Tasmanian Devil” is only found in Tasmania and is the world’s largest surviving carnivorous marsupial. My closest encounter (luckily) with a Tasmanian Devil was much closer than I could/would ever wish. Well after dark, I was still reading and when I looked outside the window of the common area, a devil was sitting on the wedge next to the window pane, staring towards the light. For a few seconds, my whole life flashed in front of my eyes and my walk back to the tent was the longest walk ever.

After a cold, cosy sleep in our tent, we woke up to many wallabies and a wombat next to our tent.

Chocolates, Cheese and Ice Cream

Another big day of driving followed. 410kms to Launceston - a coastal drive through Burnie, Penguin and Devonport. The only stops we made on this day were to taste local delicacies. At Anvers Chocolates, we had delicious chocolate fudge and learn about the inception of chocolate making in Australia. Ashgrove Cheese was a industrial scale, family operated dairy with a modern tasting experience and educational tours around the farm. We ordered a cheese platter and demolished it quite quickly. To wrap things off, we queued up at Van Diemens Land Creamery to taste some delicate and novel flavours from their seasonal selection. Unfortunately, the raspberry farm was not in season at the time, but they let us pet some Alpacas which I think was a win!

After a rough camping night, we were glad to stay at modern cabin in Hadspen where we cooked some noodles and watched a movie before getting a decent sleep.

Cataract Gorge Reserve, Tamar Valley Wines, Bridestowe Lavender Farm and Pub in the Paddock

We started Day 4 with a nice brunch at the Basin Cafe at Cataract Gorge Reserve, surrounded by walking tracks, a swimming pool and the world's longest single-span chairlift. We walked over the suspension bridge looking at spectacular views, and we also witnessed some peacocks and native wildlife.

After a short walk around the river, we drove on to the Tamar Valley wine region where we tried a wines from a few different cellar doors. The Tamar Valley produces about 40 percent of Tasmania's wine. The Pinot Noir and Riesling were my favourites along this trail.

On the way to the Bridestowe, we stopped to practice our pony-calling skills and Manmeet was really proud of her mystical powers.

Bridestowe lavender farm, Tasmania, is the largest lavender plantation in the Southern hemisphere and the world’s largest privately owned lavender farm. The story of CK Denny is an interesting one and best summarized here. We were lucky enough to visit in the only month of the year when the farms are blooming with purple in all directions, and we also got a chance to learn about how lavender is sown, grown and made into the beautiful fragrances that people wear around the world.

Our last stop for the day was the Pub in the Paddock - the only pub in miles on either side. This is also where we met Priscilla - the beer drinking pig. If you happen to do the scenic drive between Bridestowe and Pyengana, you must stop here and have a beer with the pig!

Ironhouse Brewery, Binalong Bay, Lobster Shack

Day 5 was a small day of driving with only 120kms so we decided to spend a lot more time relaxing in a small number of locations. First, we got an amazing brunch at Meresta Eatery in Binalong Bay. We ordered a few different things to share including the iconic Avo Toast, a Chicken burger and a decadent perfectly warmed up carrot cake with some coffees. The conversations flowed with a scenic back drop of the ocean waves and plenty of laughs and giggles. After brunch, we explored the Bay of Fires beaches. The orange lichen-cloaked boulders there are spread across 50kms of coastline and blend in magically with the deep ocean blue. There was a mesmerizing mild breeze, so we found some cosy spots between bigger rocks and spent a few minutes talking about tennis players and mimicking their service routines, sorry Tiafoe 😉. One thing lead to another, and we had a mini pushups competition to work off the carrot cake. After an hour or so, we continued our drive, making our next pitstop at Ironhouse Brewery. Ironhouse Tasmania is a Brewery, Vineyard and Distillery family-owned business situated on Tasmania’s gorgeous East Coast. They began business 15yrs ago, with the creation of the Vineyard, the Brewery being installed soon thereafter. After 8yrs, a hybrid still to produce spirit was installed. The first whiskies were produced only half a decade ago so the whiskies are still quite sharp but the future is filled with dramtastic vision. We enjoyed walking around the large estate and tasted a variety of beers and whiskies and relaxed on the couches and bean bags for a few hours. As the late afternoon hit, we started to feel hungry and remembered a local mentioning the Lobster Shack for dinner! The Lobster Shack was a few kms away and was strict with their opening hours because of the rush and limited supply of high quality seafood. So we got there early and got in queue eventually getting a few lobster burgers and side dishes. The food was worth the hustle and I still dream about those juicy (and very expensive) burgers sometimes. Overall, Day 5 was quite relaxing and much-needed after a few days of action-packed agenda and 4+ hours of driving per day on an average.

Bangor Vineyard Shed, Tasman's Arch, The Fox and Hounds

Keeping up with the tasting trail momentum, we started the next day at Bangor Vineyard Shed, another beautiful vineyeard surrounded with vast spans of greenery and vines in all directions. We ordered plenty of food here and walked around the estate taking many photos before also doing a tasting session. The sommelier there were quite receptive of my questions and did a great job at explaining the reasons behind Pinot Noir being the most popular varietal in Tasmania. This red grape dominates the landscape, making up nearly half the state’s wine production, and it is also used in its excellent sparkling wines. This article does a great job of explaining the history of Pinot in Tasmania and how the soil and cool climate make the perfect combination for this grape to thrive.

In the afternoon, we decided to take detour before heading to Port Arthur - this detour lead us to quite a different coastal scenery. The most remarkable of them all being the appropriately named Remarkable Cave. It is remarkable not only for its unique form, but also because its opening, when viewed from the observation platform, is the shape of Tasmania. Unlike most sea caves, Remarkable Cave has two entrances on the ocean-side, which were created by erosion along fractures created by ancient earthquakes.

We also took the time to walk to the nearby Tasman Arch and Devil's Kitchen. Tasmans Arch is a tall natural bridge in the sea cliffs and Devils Kitchen is a deep trench without an arch that has also been carved out by the Tasman Sea. Both these rock formations are unbelievably interesting and left me curious as to how such formations come into being. The answer is, some combination of wave action, wind and boulder movement over thousand of years!!

Port Arthur, Wicked Cheese, Hobart

After staying the night at The Fox and Hounds Historic Hotel, a rustic old laid-back inn, we started early in the morning to head to the Port Arthur Historic Site. There we got a full set of experiences including more than 30 historic buildings, ruins, restored houses, heritage gardens and walking trails. My favourite buildings were the Convict Church and the Separate Prison. Our day pass also included a a 20-minute Harbour Cruise which was a great way to learn the fascinating story of this convict settlement to get an impression of what life bust have been like for prisoners in Port Arthur. After walking almost continuously for a few hours, we got a window table at the On the Bay. On the Bay by Stewarts Bay Lodge is Port Arthur’s only fully licensed waterfront restaurant and it offers stunning views of the historic site. We took this chance to order three Full English Breakfasts and their signature Torched Pear.

In the late noon, we continued driving back to Hobart and stopped at Wicked Cheese to try some really infused cheeses. I was pleasantly shocked by their Whiskey Cheddar and Chilli Cheddar. I was also intrigued about their funky whiskey experiments and ended up buying their Mellifera made with Tasmania’s Lake Pedder honey, citrus zest, cinnamon and other spices. It was a bit too sweet for my liking but it was interesting.

We got to our hotel in Hobart just before dark and decided to drive to the top of Mt Wellington before heading into the city. It was freezing and dangerous to go up the slippery rocks without shoes. I can now say that I have been to the pinnacle of Mt Wellington at 1270 metres but I would not recommend repeating this stunt at home. After we got to the city, we spent a couple of hours walking around the port and the European-style alleyways.

We ended the night with a few beers at an old institutional pub, bento for dinner and a delicious basque cheesecake at Honey Badger Dessert Cafe.

8 days in Tasmania is definitely not enough and I know that I will be back for more. There were countless moments during the trip that will be forever impossible to replicate (except Manmeet's napping in the backseat 😁). But, the opportunities to create bigger, better, more memories are unlimited. I cannot wait to be back!