The shortest travel story ever? Think again!

Braced for an arctic adventure in Australia’s southern-most state, David Hull instead found himself basking in sunshine and savouring local hospitality

Mainlanders who have yet to make the hop across Bass Strait tend to think of a Tasmanian holiday and shiver. Sure, images of lush green wilderness and ruggedly attractive coastline will also come to mind, but the foremost consideration is likely how many layers of wind- and rain-resistant clothing they’d need to pack.

If it’s sun-and-sandals tourism you’re after, The Apple Isle is no threat to, say, tropical Queensland. However, it’s a myth that Tassie’s overall climate is dreadful compared to the southern and eastern mainland. What’s more, many parts seldom receive rain; locals are quick to point out Hobart is the second driest state capital after Adelaide.

Travelling in early August and ignorant to the facts, I was prepared for the worst. As it turned out, Tassie’s winter sun was surprisingly strong and I shrugged off my heavy, weather-proof jacket a couple of hours after arriving in Hobart. The jacket remained in my bag for the duration, and I soon rued not saving this luggage space for local produce, which – along with colonial heritage and dramatic and varied landscapes – stands out as Tassie’s primary draw card.

Tasmania truly is a smorgasbord of gastronomic delights. As well as providing the twin attractions of the Cascade brewery and the Cadbury chocolate factory (which feed the insatiable Australian appetites for alcohol and sugar), the state is also a bountiful source of more substantial fare, from fresh seafood, fruit and vegetables, to gourmet cheeses and high-quality wines. Visitors will find rich pickings in a natural larder of farms and vineyards, especially in regions such as the Huon Valley inland from Hobart, the eye-catching east coast and the Tamar Valley near Launceston.

Linked by direct flights to and from Sydney, Hobart is the obvious starting point – and as I discovered, there are plenty of flavours to savour in the city’s immediate surrounds. In fact, you could get started just five minutes drive from the airport at the Barilla Bay Oyster Farm Gate and Restaurant. However, if you’re a big fan of shellfish, my tip would be to make this your final port of call; given sufficient notice, the Barilla staff will happily package fresh-out-of-water oysters in a special insulated container with an ice pack that can go straight into cargo on your flight home.

As someone who regularly braves inner Sydney roads, it was a real pleasure to drive in and around Hobart, where traffic congestion is minimal at worst, and most destinations can be reached within 15 minutes. Cascade, for instance, is located on the doorstep of 1270-metre Mount Wellington, just a 10-minute drive from the city centre. The town centre itself is a perfect size for casual strolls, during which you can take in well-preserved colonial architecture and an historic riverfront lined with fresh seafood outlets, including Mure’s, a Hobart icon. On Saturdays, locals and visitors flock to Salamanca Place where open-air markets showcase the finest local arts and crafts, surrounded by cafés and restaurants.

Across the Derwent River, nestled in the Coal River Valley, lies the pretty village of Richmond. The infamous Port Arthur settlement (1.5 hours south of Hobart) is the best known convict heritage site, but Richmond has its own claims to fame in Australia’s oldest freestone bridge, built by convict labour in 1823, Australia’s oldest Roman Catholic Church (mid-1830s) and a jail (1825). There’s also a broad selection of art and craft galleries, restaurants and shops, some housed in Georgian sandstone, while the valley is also home to a large number of highly regarded wineries, such as Meadowbank.

It’s difficult to avert your eyes from Hobart’s imposing Derwent River – so conveniently there’s a range of boating options. The jewel among these is the Peppermint Bay Cruise, a 75km half-day affair that carries you down the southern Derwent and through the D’Entrecasteaux Channel. It provides fascinating sights and scenery, from nesting white-bellied sea eagles and leaping salmon, to ancient cliff faces and underwater kelp forests.

The boat is a high-speed catamaran catering for 140 guests, and the cruise provides lunch either on board or on dry land at beautiful, secluded Peppermint Bay in Woodbridge. The restaurant complex, redeveloped in 2003, offers a terrace bar, bistro and dining room with a quality selection of dishes made from the pick of local produce, as well as a gift shop for those seeking a souvenir.

A short drive from Woodbridge you will find Grandvewe vineyard, which doubles as Tasmania’s only sheep cheese factory. There are some 15 varieties on offer to taste alongside the wines. There are only half a dozen sheep cheese factories in Australia; this may not be the case much longer if people find out sheep cheese can reduce cholesterol!

I could well have undone this heart-saving work at the next day’s first stop, the Cadbury factory in Claremont, but

I was almost alone in resisting the temptation to spend my daily budget at the discount-priced shop. Following that, I dropped in to another acclaimed vineyard, the Moorilla Estate, where – in addition to a top-class restaurant and accommodation with river views – the on-site Museum of Old and New Art is undergoing a major redevelopment.

At lunchtime I hit the road for a three-hour drive up the east coast along the A3 highway, with Freycinet National Park my destination. The highlight was cruising close enough to the coastline to see waves breaking on the sandy shore.

Surrounded by the ocean and rich in wildlife, Freycinet Lodge at Coles Bay (Australia’s first plastic bag-free town, no less) offers deluxe cabins, plus a luxurious bar, dining room and terrace.

Depending on your energy levels, you can either relax, put your feet up and soak in the serenity, or use the Lodge as a launching pad for bushwalks through mountain trails that lead to spectacular, remote beaches. I chose the latter, unable to resist another sunny winter’s day, and drove a few minutes to begin a 2.5-hour round trip to Wineglass Bay.

The hike proved captivating and exhausting in equal measure (I soon wished I’d left my jumper in the car), at least until I caught a glimpse of the white, arc-shaped beach from the lookout. Wineglass Bay isn’t rated one of the world’s top 10 beaches for nothing.

It’s fair to say Tassie punches well above its weight in unique attractions – they’re everywhere, from the snow at Cradle Mountain to the wild west coast, where at Strahan you can snake through the King Valley gorge on the Wilderness Railway. It can all be enjoyed without large crowds, and the friendly locals reflect Tasmania’s slower pace.

My hunger for fine foods and scenic sights more than satisfied, I bid a sad farewell to Tasmania.

A couple of hours later I landed in Sydney on a cold and wet evening.

My weather-proof jacket would come in handy after all.

Open Road September/October 2008