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off to tasmania on holiday - what to see and do?


RobertBurns

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me and a mate are heading to tasmania next weekend for a week or so... have booked to stay a few days in Hobart but have no idea what to do after that.

 

Looking for suggestions of places to go, things to see. Dont mind hiring a car and seeing a bit of the island. What beaches are good to go to?R

 

Really poorly prepared for this trip so hoping some of you lot can give us some ideas of what to see and do down there. What kind of weather will it be like this time of year Ive heard its cold but even in summer?

 

Cheers!

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Have a look at Discover Tasmania..............http://www.discovertasmania.com.au/

 

I would recommend a car as public transport isn't great.

 

The weather is very varied at the moment but it has been sunny most days and usually early to mid 20's.

 

Haven't done a ghost tour but I know there is one that goes around Hobart and there is one out at Port Arthur too.

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First the weather: completely unpredictable in Tasmania. Already this month we've had 32 degrees in Hobart and snow falling on the mountain behind it - about 30 minutes drive from the CBD. So be prepared for anything and everything.

 

I don't know where your interests lie so I will mention anything which comes to mind.

In Hobart a few suggestions - top of Mt. Wellington (either drive, bushwalk if you are very fit, of if you are into cycling there is a company which will drive you to the top and escorts you down on bicycles), MONA museum and art gallery at Berriedale (runs its own ferry from the CBD wharf area) and also has a vineyard, winery and microbrewery at the same location, Salamanca Market on Saturday, the general Salamanca/wharf area for dining, cafes, pubs, fresh fish and chips from the fish punts, and general chilling out, North Hobart also has a strip of great restaurants and cafes, also if you are in the mood to take in a film a great private cinema with 5 little "cinemarettes" with great coffee and beverages which you can enjoy while watching films free of hordes of kids!f you are into gardening the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens are lovely (including a special Macquarie Island house) and has a nice cafe/restaurant, there's a cafe with great views at the old Signal Station on top of Mt. Nelson, the Cascade Brewery (oldest in Oz) does tours and has a cafe/tasting area - with a nice garden to sit outside in if the weather is good, Louisa's Walk which starts from just near the brewery (a dramatised historic walk about convict history), the old Shot Tower at Taroona is interesting with great views, for a stroll along the beach - Sandy Bay, Taroona, Kingston Beach, Blackmans Bay, Bellerive and Howrah, the Bellerive Oval has a cricket museum which I am told is very good (and a statue of local lad, David Boon). Don't know about the Penitentiary Chapel ghost tour - I think it is fairly new - but the ghost tour at Port Arthur (about an hour and a half from Hobart) have had some interesting occurrences. The Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery has some interesting Antarctic based displays as Hobart is a base for Antarctic research and exploration but it is being redevelopped at the moment and I don't know how much is open. The Lark Distillery just over the road - Tasmanian malt whiskey distillers. Battery point is great for wandering around and eating and drinking. A cruise down to Peppermint Bay with food either on the boat or at the cafe/ restaurant there. You might just catch the last day of two of the MonaFoma music festival: http://mofo.net.au/

You can do charter flights over the south west wilderness area if the weather is right and you don't mind small planes.

Force 10 fishing charters also operate from Bellerive in Hobart. I think they have a good reputation but I'm not really au fait with the fishing world here.

 

South of Hobart - Bruny Island and Rob Pennicott's tours of wildlife watching from the sea

Snowy Range Trout Fishery

 

Bonorong Park Wildlife Park

Coal River Valley - Richmond - wineries with cellar doors

Barilla Bay - near the airport - restaurant and shop where you can buy great oysters

Sorell Fruit Farm - berry farm - pick your own if you want - this is the best time of the year to go

Port Arthur Convict settlement - Tasman Peninsula

Tasman Island Cruises - Tasman Peninsula - spectacular coastal scenery

Coles Bay and Freycinet National Park - good beaches and nice walks

Bicheno - East Coast Natureworld Park

St. Helens - fishing port - more fishing charters from here.

North of St. Helens - Bay of Fires - great beach and coastline

Barnbougle Dunes golf course, Bridport - if you are into golfing. Been called Australia's best golf course.

Bridestowe Lavender Farm at Lilydale

Brickendon Estate and Woolmers Estate and National Rose Garden at Longford

 

Launceston - Cataract Gorge Reserve, Tasmania Zoo, Tamar Valley - lots of wineries

Cradle Mountain National Park

Strahan (West Coast) - Gordon River Cruise, Wilderness Railway.

 

I've run out of steam.

You can find more info about these and others at

http://puretasmania1-px.rtrk.com.au/home.html?utm_source=ReachLocal&utm_medium=PPC&utm_campaign=Pure_Tasmania

http://www.discovertasmania.com.au/

http://www.tripadvisor.com.au/Tourism-g255096-Tasmania-Vacations.html

 

If you want to hire a car it might be a good idea to do so in advance. I know there was a shortage over the Christmas-New Year period.

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amibovered's mention of Oatlands (on the Midland Highway about an hour north of Hobart) reminds me that the 1837 Lincolnshire style tower mill there has just been restored and now has a delicious bakery using flour milled on site. Worth a visit.

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Guest guest57545

There is the famous campbelltown sign thats worth a look if you drive through it on the launceston to hobart road, cracks me up every time

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Guest guest57545
Which sign is that, leapingsalmon?

 

Its mentioned in lonely planet as well as a sign which possibly over emphasises the importance of the town given it has a population of only a few hundred people. "Reaching out across the land, over the sea, through the air, towards the stars, Campbell town is reaching out to you."

 

nz_oz_fiji_08.1208401380.campbell-town.jpg

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Have to confess I've never looked at that sign! Probably too busy feeding my face at Zeps, the cafe opposite, which has some yummy treats.

I can understand the historical references - especially to Harold Gatty who navigated the first round the world plane trip and designed the navigational system used by the American air force in WW2.

It's good that they remember their history.

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Guest guest57545
Just a point. There is life in Tassie north of Launceston. A lot of really good places to visit on the North West coast.

 

Indeed, that's where my girlfriend is from. I'm a nut nut for sure and table cape, boat harbour, sisters beach all good!

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Indeed, that's where my girlfriend is from. I'm a nut nut for sure and table cape, boat harbour, sisters beach all good!

 

They are all just beautiful. I lived on 5 acres just behind Boat Harbour. (Was heaven, except for the bloke I was married to at the time!):biggrin:

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We had a fantastic holiday in Tassie. old Hobart is lovely to see old buildings again and definitely Mt Wellington - the views are wonderful. Go across the tasman bridge as many times as you can, we just loved the views and the Botanic Gardens are really pretty. New Norfolk is lovely and you can do jet boat rides on the river and swim in the river.

 

If you go to Port Arthur go really early as there are lots of places along the way to take photos. It took us over 2 hours to get there because we were stopping so much. Port Arthur itself is really interesting and it is worth going on the extra boat trip - more views and it is so beautiful it seems wierd thinking this place was considered one of the most horrible places on earth.

 

When you are done don't just rush off back to Hobart. If you turn left when you come out of Pt Arthur the road takes you to a blow hole and wierd rock/cliff formations and a small town called "Doo town: where every house/shacks has Doo in their name. Some of them are really funny and rude too

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doo_Town,_Tasmania

 

Bruny island and the sea boat tour to see the seals, wildlife and race along the cliffs (not like the Italian cruise ship) is fun and worth it. We didn;t take th car with us on the ferry as we thought it woudl be too much hassle but i would recommend soign so...and eat as many cherries as you can - they are gorgeous.

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When you are done don't just rush off back to Hobart. If you turn left when you come out of Pt Arthur the road takes you to a blow hole and wierd rock/cliff formations and a small town called "Doo town: where every house/shacks has Doo in their name. Some of them are really funny and rude too

 

 

There's another little settlement in the middle of a forest, nestled on a lakeside which also has the same, all incorporating "doo" into the shack names.................good trout fishing there but I forget the name. Just shacks but used as permanent residents by some. It used to be used by foresters years ago and all the old equipment is still there............rail ramps leading down to the water etc

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And they are at their peak right now - I am living on big, juicy, sweet cherries at the moment. Yum!!

 

Yep, we were over at this time and were buying 'em at $6 a full tray...................you could follow our travels from the kids spitting stones out of the campervan window.

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