playffull 4 QUARTERS Come for the footy but stay and play the full four quarters. Don t pull a hammy reaching for your massive guidebook, slice and dice our off-the-field antics to create your ultimate game plan around the Apple Isle. DAY ONE: LAUNCESTON Start your holiday in Evandale, classified a National Trust village. The tree-lined streets, dotted with Georgian cottages and pubs, beer gardens and antique stores host the world s most competitive Penny Farthing race. Then take the hairy drive up Jacobs Ladder to the top of Ben Lomond National Park it s a ski field in winter, so be sure to heed the warnings if it s snowing. On the way back into town, stop at the Josef Chromy Wines cellar door. The long-time Tamar Valley winemaker is a bit of a local hero in these parts. Stay for an à la carte lunch overlooking the 60-hectare vineyard and taste a few of his classic vintages. Check in to your Launceston accommodation. MAP YOUR TASSIE GAME YPLANZ CAPE GRIM THE NUT STANLEY TABLE CAPE SMiTHTON NARAWNTAPU BRiDPORT BURNiE SCOTTSDALE DEVONPORT TAMAR VALLEY ST HELENS DIAL RANGE LAUNCESTON UTAS STADIUM WEST COAST CRADLE MOUNTAIN WILDERNESS RAILWAY WALL IN THE STRAHAN QUEENSTOWN WILDERNESS GORDON RIVER LAKE ST CLAIR STRATHGORDON BLUNDSTONE ARENA HOBART POATINA BiCHENO COLES BAY WINEGLASS BAY MARIA ISLAND ORFORD Cycling down Jacobs Ladder You re meeting the locals tonight and they might not like it! The Launceston City Ghost Tour departs at dusk and weaves through alleys and laneways, to uncover a dark convict history punctuated liberally by hangings and murders. Calm your nerves with a cheeky local Tamar Valley Pinot Noir at Black Cow Bistro alongside free range, grass fed, straightfrom-the-paddock Cape Grim beef in an historic Art Deco exbutchery shop. Pop into Tandy s Alehouse for a tastebud tour of our craft beers and ciders from the barstool before bed. Launceston City Ghost Tours
Bass Strait Maritime Centre Hellyers Road Distillery DAY TWO: LAUNCESTON TO DEVONPORT Early risers will love dawn peak hour at Narawntapu National Park (allow driving time to get there, yawn). It s feeding time for the Forester kangaroos, pademelons and wombats populating the 10,746-acre wilderness between the Tamar and Rubicon rivers. On the way to Devonport, leave time to stop and smell the roses in this case, to taste raspberries, cheese and chocolate along the way. Once in Devonport stroll the pretty riverfront (you might spot a few dolphins or surfers in the Mersey River) and visit the Bass Strait Maritime Centre. It shares the fascinating stories of this infamous stretch of water from shipwrecks to timber traders and poet sailors. Check in to your Devonport accommodation. Book in to see Mrs Jones for dinner tonight. She ll treat you to Bass Strait views, regional wines and local produce like the well fed and very spoilt wagyu from Robbins Island. These lazy cows spend their days on the beach, grazing on seaweed before their exercise of swimming through the saltwater channels between paddocks. DAY THREE: DEVONPORT TO BURNIE If you re into mountain biking (and have access to a bike) head to the Dial Range behind Penguin it s a short singletrack, but with a few techy sections to dial it up (see what we did there?!). Like the idea of a single-malt distilled from some of the world s purest water? Then Burnie s Hellyers Road Distillery is your next stop. Join a Whisky Walk to pour and wax-seal your own bottle, and don t forget Tasmanian Whisky Week, a chance to celebrate our award winning whisky across the state. Wind along the pretty coast road through Table Cape and Boat Harbour to your destination, Stanley. Check in to your Stanley accommodation for the next two nights. Feast tonight at the Stanley Pub, with beautiful sunset views as your backdrop. It can get busy so book ahead to enjoy Cape Grim beef, seafood and pub banter with the locals (especially in the front bar!). DAY FOUR: STANLEY AND SURROUNDS Breathe it in, it s some of the world s cleanest air right there! Welcome to Woolnorth, on Tasmania s windy North West Coast. Jump on a tour of this impressive property to experience Cape Grim the home to some of the best Tassie beef there is, Tasmania s largest wind farm and a beautiful cedar Directors Lodge. The Tarkine is the second largest cool temperate rainforest in the world and is right on your doorstep this morning. Tarkine Forest Adventures is set on a spectacular 600-hectare blackwood forest sinkhole, harbouring an ancient eco-system of caves, springs and streams. Travel over the forest on a suspended treetop walkway or ride a 110-metre slide straight to the swamp floor. Kauri Bistro in the Tall Timbers Hotel in Smithton has your dinner tonight, courtesy of Bass Strait, the farmlands of the North West and the bistro s own veggie patch. Woolnorth Tarkine Forest Adventures Dismal Swamp
DAY FIVE: STANLEY TO CRADLE MOUNTAIN Start the day with an invigorating hike up The Nut, the massive volcanic plug that punctuates this seaside town. Recharge afterwards at Moby Dicks Breakfast Bar on Church Street or stroll down to see the wharf and enjoy homemade slice and coffee at the cute blue and yellow Dockside Cafe. Head south toward the historic tin-mining town of Waratah. Check out the spectacular waterfall in the main street or admire it over lunch, at the appropriately named Scenic View Café. Drive on to Cradle Mountain and check in to your accommodation for the next two nights. Get your bearings then make your way to the Tasmanian devil sanctuary, Devils@Cradle for the nightly feed. Then it s your feeding time, with dinner at the renowned Highland Restaurant at Cradle Mountain Lodge. Or keep it casual and enjoy a pub meal in the Tavern. DAY SIX: CRADLE MOUNTAIN If it s epic, epic adventure you re after then today you re heading out with Cradle Mountain Canyons, to jump, swim and abseil your way down the ancient canyons of this area. If walking is more your thing, your only decision this morning is how far. For a short walk, try the Enchanted Walk through Pencil Pine Forest (1.1km) or the beautiful Dove Lake Circuit (5.7km), past the historic boatshed built by Cradle s first ranger in 1840. The adventurous will love the challenge of the Summit, a day-long walk and boulder scramble. Alternatively, walk to the tavern and sit by the fire. All options are encouraged! This afternoon cruise across the wind-swept Speeler Plain on a quad bike with Cradle Country Adventures. Travel through the alpine eucalypt forest to the buttongrass plains to enjoy a hot billy tea, but only if you don t scratch the bike. Having conquered the Cradle Mountain wilderness, conquer a wine or two with dinner at Hellyers Restaurant in the Cradle Mountain Wilderness Village. Devils @ Cradle, Tasmanian Devil Sanctuary Lake Dove and Cradle Mountain DAY SEVEN: CRADLE MOUNTAIN TO STRAHAN Head toward Strahan this morning, with time for some detours up your sleeve. Stop in to explore Queenstown, once the world s richest mining town, and hop aboard the West Coast Wilderness Railway steam train. The spectacular journey will take you deep into the heritage of the wild West Coast, listening to tales of deception and resilience along the way. Refuel the tank at Tracks Cafe before making your way to Strahan. Check in to your Strahan accommodation for the next two nights. Dinner tonight is at Risby Cove, a little touch of fine dining by the quaint marina. You can also stay here, to make the wander home even shorter. DAY EIGHT: STRAHAN AND GORDON RIVER Join Gordon River Cruises bright and early this morning aboard the Lady Jane Franklin II. You ll head out across Macquarie Harbour (it s six times bigger than Sydney Harbour!) and over to the Sarah Island penal colony for a tour of the notorious convict shipbuilding site. Then head down the glassy Gordon, fringed by the ancient rainforests of the Gordon-Franklin Wild Rivers National Park. Dinner tonight at Hamers Hotel, serving up pub dinners since 1936. These days they put a modern, local spin on the classic bistro menu, with most produce sourced locally like the Macquarie Harbour ocean trout. West Coast Wilderness Railway (formerly ABT Railway) Entrance Island Lighthouse Gordon River Cruise
DAY NINE: STRAHAN TO HOBART Today has been two million years in the making carved by glaciers, Lake St Clair is the deepest in Australia. Camerafriendly walks include the trail to Watersmeet, the Aboriginal heritage walk or the riverside route to Platypus Bay. At Derwent Bridge call in to the no-frills, but friendly Hungry Wombat Café. Get into something hearty the pepper steak pie is a favourite and stock up on snacks for the afternoon drive. Make a stop at the Wall in the Wilderness to check the progress of artist Greg Duncan s 100 metre long wood carving. Drive the two hours to Hobart and check in to your accommodation for the next two nights. Tonight join the Old Hobart Pub Tour to soak yourself in 200 years of alcohol-fuelled shenanigans, with tales of whalers and brothels, smugglers and convicts, all while exploring some of our best pubs. Or head to T-Bone Brewing Co and Shambles Brewery in North Hobart to see how far our beer industry has evolved. DAY TEN: HOBART AND SURROUNDS Start the day with a lesson on Hobart s harsh colonial past at the Cascades Female Factory. Arrive by 11am for the Her Story tour a dramatisation of the daily life endured by female convicts in the colony. Pit stop at nearby Cascade Brewery (or join a tour, but book ahead) if you need a quiet ale to digest the stories of the past. Pit stop for lunch at Brooke Street Larder, at the end of the Brooke Street Pier. This afternoon is for art and exercise. Hire a Dutch-designed Vanmoof ArtBike, complete with helmet, lock and maps to discover the perfect way to zip between the various outposts of the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery (TMAG). Or have someone else do the riding and join a Trikemania Adventure Tour to take in the sights. Get off your bike but stay on Elizabeth Street for dinner. Ettie s is the cute Euro wine bar with excellent food you ve always longed for, or try Pancho Villa for fun Mexican fare and cocktails. The Wall in the Wilderness Narcissus Landing, Lake St Clair with Mt Olympus DAY ELEVEN: HOBART TO COLES BAY Head out of Hobart via Barilla Bay to enjoy freshly shucked oysters or a tour of the stacks. Alternatively head toward Richmond to see the quaint sandstone laden town boasting Australia s oldest working bridge and nearby Coal River Valley wine region. By the time you hit Orford, you might like a little local tipple. Darlington Vineyard is named after the doomed 19th century attempt to plant grapes at the Darlington settlement on Maria Island. The cellar door has beautiful views of its namesake. Stop in at Triabunna to see the busy marina and enjoy the freshest of fish and chips at The Fish Van. It s also the launch pad to visit incredible Maria Island, and boasts a rich convict and colonial history itself. Check in to your Coles Bay accommodation for the next two nights. Enjoy local seafood served with a side of views tonight for dinner at The Edge Restaurant. But rest up team, you ve got a physical day tomorrow! Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery Cascade Brewery Pancho Villa Restaurant and Bar
DAY TWELVE: COLES BAY AND FREYCINET NATIONAL PARK Start the day with an invigorating morning kayak on Coles Bay with Freycinet Adventures. You ll paddle through the stunning granite rock formations and enjoying morning tea on a remote beach. No rest for the wicked though, next up is one of the great Tasmanian walks up to Wineglass Bay lookout for THAT view. You ve really earned your lunch at Tombolo Freycinet today. Devour wood-fired pizzas in the café, having one of the most scenic views in the region looking out over the water and the Hazards. The pace drops now as you sink into a comfy chair for a whisky tasting at Freycinet Lodge. Tour the world s best whiskies from your seat including a fascinating comparison of Scottish and Tasmanian drops. Wind the day up with a pub meal at Iluka Tavern great for a parmy, a porterhouse and a game of pool. Tombolo Freycinet at Devil s Corner Freycinet Adventures Wineglass Bay from Wineglass Bay Walking Track DAY THIRTEEN: COLES BAY TO LAUNCESTON Get ready for some natural beauty this morning. Call into Lake Leake (it s ok, there s still water in there) a trout fishing hotspot or enjoy some country hospitality at the Lake Leake Inn. Then down the dirt road to Meetus Falls Forest Reserve to walk to the lookout. Detour a little further to paddle in the rock pools at the top of the falls. For some feel good tourism, take a look at Poatina Village. Built by the community, it supports homeless and unemployed youths. There s plenty to browse in the general store, hot glass studio (with live demos), metal workshop and gift shop. Check in to your Launceston accommodation. And tonight, your last night, we feast! Treat yourself to the best seasonal produce our region has to offer with a fancy pants degustation at Stillwater before falling into bed, full and happy. DAY FOURTEEN: LAUNCESTON Red Tag Trout Tours, Lake Leake On your last day in Tassie, start with a bit of Launceston history at Inveresk. What was once Tasmania s main railway workshop has been converted into a home for the Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery s natural science and history collections. And rail-buffs will be pleased to find the Launceston Tramway Museum next door, where work is underway on rebuilding the city s very first tram. Art buffs will enjoy some time at the Royal Park outpost of QVMAG, housing decorative arts and colonial painting. Nip into Inside Cafe for local produce whipped up into delicious cafe fare or Sushi to Go for something light. Squeeze in some last minute shopping (pressies!!) at Waverley Woollen Mills, for the finest wool products, made in the same location since 1874. Or for one final adventure, join a Tasmanian Expeditions rockclimbing and abseiling tour of the dolomite crags of Cataract Gorge, five minutes from the city centre. Cataract Gorge QVMAG at Inveresk PLEASE NOTE: Availability of experiences in this itinerary may be subject to opening times, seasonal operation or booking requirements, please call ahead to plan each day. Photo Credits: All rights reserved Tourism Tasmania and Rob Burnett, Nick Osborne, Lynette Graham, Brendan Williams, Kraig Carlstrom, Graham Freeman, James Burke, Andrew Harris, Kathryn Leahy, Warren Steptoe, Andrew McIntosh, Ocean Photography, Frederic Courbet, Joe Shemesh, Brian Dullaghan, Dale Baldwin and Simon Cuthbert.