Tasmanian Wonders

The Tasmanian capital of Hobart may be small in size, but
it’s big in attractions, as you’ll discover this afternoon. Put
your destination into perspective from the summit of Mt.
Nelson, offering endless vistas over Australia’s
southernmost city. View the charming Georgian cottages of Battery Point and convict built warehouses along
Salamanca Place, the backdrop of epic Saturday markets.
Gaze over boats at Constitution Dock – this is where yachts finish when competing in the annual Sydney to Hobart race, and take a stroll in the second oldest Botanical Gardens in Australia with its amazing collection of plants from around the world. Tonight, join your Travel Director for dinner.
Meals: Dinner

Western Tasmania is like nature amplified, a place where
the wilderness rules and people are few and far between.
Visiting Mount Field National Park is a humbling experience,
not only for the fact it’s part of the Tasmanian Wilderness
World Heritage Area, but also because it’s home to some of
the tallest eucalypts and flowering plants on Earth. Wander
amid these giants to reach Russell Falls – take a deep
breath; you’re officially on holiday. Records continue to be
broken at Lake St. Clair, the deepest freshwater Lake in
Australia, before you arrive in Strahan, gateway to World
Heritage listed Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

The inky waters of the Gordon River – given its colour by
amber buttongrass tannins – are as eery as they are
beautiful, the mirror-like surface only broken by your chariot out to Sarah Island. It’s hard to reconcile the beauty of this part of the state with its grim history as a penal colony; a place where convicts would fell Huon pines for boat building. Thankfully, they didn’t get to the 2,000-year-old pine that still stands proud at Heritage Landing. Early settlers didn’t mince their words when they called the treacherous entrance to the river’s harbour Hells Gates. You’ll understand why when you drift past. Cradle Mountain awaits to the north. We’re sure you’ll be content by the fire perhaps with a glass of wine.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today your journey reaches new heights – quite literally
with a visit to the 1,545-metre Cradle Mountain, your
backdrop as you explore Dove Lake on your Cradle Mountain
tour, the wild alpine moorlands here are natural magnet for
lovers of the wilderness. The spectacular and pristine
wilderness of Cradle Mountain is home to the mysterious
and secretive Tasmanian Devil. You’ll love the next
adventure today, a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience. A Day Keeper tour at Devils @ Cradle will lead you through the sanctuary and provide you with a thorough insight into its operation. When joining this tour you will be directly
supporting these animals and threatened species
conservation. Leave the Central Highlands after an uplifting day and head towards the scenic north-west coast for your overnight stay.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Table Cape is by far Wynyard’s most remarkable natural
wonder, at 180 metres high, ‘The Cape’ – as locals refer to it offers spectacular views of Tasmania’s coastline. As you
drive to the top of the remains of a 12-million-year-old
volcano you’ll reach Table Cape lookout where, on a clear
day, you can see mountain ranges over 175 kilometres
away. If there’s a town with a cuter name than Penguin,
we’re yet to find it. Locals embrace its appeal – there are
penguin sculptures at every turn, including one measuring
over 3 metres tall. Your journey along the northwest coast
also passes through Ulverstone and Sheffield, The Town of Murals, boasting over 100 large paintings depicting the
area’s rich history and local characters. All this exploring
builds an appetite. Refuel at Ashgrove Tasmanian Farm,
where happy cows contribute to award-winning cheeses
everything from cheddar and red Leicester to creamy
Tasmanian blue. For lovers of sweeter delights, why not
treat yourself to a delicious locally made ice cream.
Meals: Breakfast

Few places in the world let you leave the city behind and,
within minutes, be immersed in nature. Launceston is one.
In the blink of an eye you arrive at Cataract Gorge, a
dramatic chasm carved by ancient rivers. This rare natural
setting blends rugged bushland with elegant Victorian
gardens, rich with ferns and exotic plantings. Consider
joining one of our Optional Experiences*. Take in sweeping
views over the gorge from the scenic chairlift as it glides
above the water to a lofty lookout. Or choose to visit
Beaconsfield Mine, Seahorse World or Platypus House. The
choice is yours!
Meals: Breakfast

You’ll smell Bridestowe before you see it, this enormous
lavender farm perfuming the Tasmanian countryside
(bloom late Spring to early Summer). The flowers grown
here aren’t just used in fragrances – they’re also infused
into ice-cream, teas and jams. It’s a tasty entrée to the
Legerwood Carved Memorial Trees, sculpted into World
War One soldiers. Little penguins come out to play in
Bicheno; sign up on an Optional Experience* to spot them
after dark as they waddle to shore from the water.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Soak in the beauty of the breathtaking Freycinet Peninsula
on your Tasmania tour that contributes to the preservation
of its wildlife. Nothing quite prepares you for the drama of
Freycinet National Park – the colours here seem more vivid, the air crisper, the water cleaner, the skies wider. A
patchwork of ocean blues lap Coles Bay, framed by pink
granite cliff faces. There’s a reason why this place stars on
postcards! The other destination on postcards is Richmond, its grand 1820s Georgian buildings today home to bijou boutiques, galleries and cafes that appear to be lost in time.
Your last stop for the day is to the shores of the Derwent
River where local palawa will welcome you to country and
show off some local bush tucker.
Meals: Breakfast

The Isle of the Dead, Devil’s Kitchen, Blowhole… the
attractions at and around Port Arthur nod to the region’s
notoriously grim history. This is the best-preserved convict
site in Australia, and among the most significant convict
era destinations worldwide. The stories these walls could
tell. Enjoy dinner tonight at a historic waterfront pub.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

It took early explorers months to circumnavigate Tasmania.
You’ve done it in 10 days. What a wild ride.
Meals: Breakfast