Australia’s southernmost state provides pristine conditions for some of the world’s best food and wine. A place of goodness and rugged beauty, Tasmania fixes itself in the traveler’s sensory subconscious. Visitors wine and dine, then wander the vast temperate wilderness. Ancient rain forests, glacial tarns and surging river gorges exert a profound attraction.
Plan Your Trip. This day-by-day guide lists details for the lodging, restaurants, sports & recreation and sights described in Tasmania: Pristine and Primordial. Use the websites, phone numbers, maps to plan your trip.
Learn More. Browse through the attractions at Discover Tasmania, the official visitor website. From December through February expect summertime weather. The average temperature around Launceston is 75 °F. You’ll want to pack for changeable weather in the Tasmanian wilderness. Research day hikes in Cradle Mountain National Park. You can also pick up a copy of James Halliday 2011 Wine Companion which contains a comprehensive guide to Tasmania’s wineries. The website lists 30 wineries in northern Tasmania.
DAY 1–2 Travel Day
ALL DAY
Take an evening flight and arrive in Sydney the second morning.
Check the happy-hour flight sales online. LA to Sydney is often on sale. The maximum weight allowed for your carry-on bag is 15.4 lb. A flight that departs at 8 p.m. arrives in Sydney on the second day at 6 a.m.
Getting There
800.444.0260
DAY 3 Sydney
DINNER
Dine at this rooftop restaurant overlooking Sydney Harbour.
Choose a wine then ask the sommelier to suggest an entree. The wine list has Jansz Tasmania Premium Cuvée and other wines from wineries on the northern Tasmania wine route such as the Josef Chromy ‘Zdar’ Riesling or the Devils Corner Pinot Noir from Tamar Valley.Restaurant
31 Alfred Street
Sydney, NSW, Australia 2000
61 2 9251 8683
DAY 4 Pipers Brook, Rosevears
MORNING
Fly to Launceston.
Flight time from Sydney is 90 minutes. Jetstar has daily direct flights and is Qantas’ low-cost carrier. Virgin Blue also flies to Launceston.
Getting There
61 3 9092 6500
866.397.8170 U.S. toll free
MORNING
Follow the Tamar Valley Wine Route to Jansz.
A fifteen minute drive from Launceston, Tamar Valley has rolling hills, award-winning wine and cheeses, farms and heritage hotels and sites. Begin at the Jansz Interpretive Centre.Sight
1216B Pipers Brook Rd
Pipers Brook
Tasmania, Australia TAS 7254
03 6382 7066
LUNCH
Visit Pirie Winery on the Tamar River.
Produced by the legend of Tasmanian wine, Dr Andrew Pirie earned the first Ph.D. in viticulture in Australia. Pirie’s 30 consecutive vintages at Pipers Brook Vineyard culminated in Pirie Tasmania. The Rosevears Vineyard Bistro is open for lunch Wednesday to Sunday.
Sight/Restaurant
1a Waldorn Dr
Rosevears
Tasmania, Australia TAS 7277
03 6330 0300
AFTERNOON
Check into a chalet at Rosevears Vineyards.
Rosevears Vineyard Retreat features 16 apartments in a stylish, eco-chalet. A combination of one bedroom, studio and two bedroom apartments means you have several options if you are on a getaway with friends.Lodging
1a Waldorn Dr
Rosevears
Tasmania, Australia TAS 7277
03 6330 0300
DAY 5 Kayena, Rosevears
MORNING
Follow the yellow and blue signs and visit the route’s 14 wineries.
Taste the Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir at Tamar Ridge. Located on the western banks of the Tamar River, this winery ranks as one of Australia’s finest wine producers of Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. James Halliday gave the Tamar Ridge Pinot Noir 96 points.
Sight
653 Auburn Rd
Kayena
Tasmania, Australia TAS 7270
03 6394 1111
LUNCH
Dine at Daniel Alps at Strathlynn.
Drive in along an avenue of century-old oaks to the restaurant in the Ninth Island Vineyard. Tasmania’s leading chef, Daniel Alps develops his menu from the area’s freshest produce. Stop by the gift shop and wander around the vineyards after lunch.
Restaurant
95 Rosevears Drive
Rosevears
Tasmania, Australia TAS 7277
61 6330 2388
DAY 6–7 Cradle Mountain
MORNING
Drive to Cradle Mountain Lodge and check in for two nights.
For an invigorating mountain retreat, Cradle Mountain Lodge has cozy cabins and the Waldheim Alpine Spa with whirlpools overlooking the rain forest. The Lodge is a two-hour drive from Launceston.Lodging
4038 Cradle Mountain Rd
Cradle Mountain
Tasmania, Australia TAS 7306
61 3 6492 2100
1300 806 192 Australia toll free
MORNING
Hike in Cradle Mountain National Park.
Ask for a map at the concierge for the best day hikes. This primordial eden extends for miles from a dozen trailheads. One staircase hugs a river gorge, ascending to the top of a waterfall. Other trails lead through dark, mossy rainforest, then onto boardwalks across bogs. Above Dove Lake, the island’s landmark, Cradle Mountain, comes into view.Sight
Cradle Mountain
Tasmania, Australia TAS 7306
61 3 6492 1110
— CT Editors. Photography by Donna Peck and Discover Tasmania.
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