Tasmania’s capital makes a strong first impression. Hobart blends harbour views, heritage streets and a food scene that punches well above its size. You could wander the waterfront, sample the local seafood, browse galleries or find a cosy wine bar tucked into the city’s laneways. This evening, join your fellow travellers for dinner featuring Tasmanian produce and a warm welcome to the journey ahead.
See Hobart from above at Mt. Nelson Lookout, where views stretch across the city and the Derwent River. Pass the landmark Cascade Brewery and explore the historic charm of Battery Point before visiting the Botanical Gardens for a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience that celebrates Tasmania’s native plant life. Then head to Salamanca Market, where more than 300 stalls bring together local makers, growers and artisans. It’s the perfect place to pick up something handcrafted, sip a coffee and ease into Hobart’s creative spirit.
Trade the city for Tasmania’s west, where the landscapes shift from quiet beauty to big wilderness. Walk through Mt. Field National Park and see Russell Falls spill through a forest of towering trees and fern-lined paths. Stop at Lake St. Clair, Australia’s deepest natural freshwater lake, before travelling through the Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park. Your day ends in Strahan, a peaceful harbour town on the wild West Coast, set beside vast Macquarie Harbour.
Cruising the Gordon River is one of those Tasmanian experiences that stays with you. Drift across still waters framed by ancient rainforest and head for Sarah Island, the site of Tasmania’s oldest convict settlement. Its ruins tell a hard story, softened now by the forest that has grown around them. From here, continue through rugged country and old mining towns on your way to Cradle Mountain-Lake St. Clair National Park, where a fresh chapter of Tasmanian wilderness awaits.
Cradle Mountain reveals Tasmania at its most elemental. Snow-dusted peaks, glacial lakes and rainforest come together in a landscape that feels both raw and deeply peaceful. Visit Dove Lake, where Bennetts wallabies, echidnas and pademelons are often spotted among the native bush. Stop at Waldheim Chalet, once home to Gustav and Kate Weindorfer, whose vision helped protect this remarkable place. The rest of the day is yours to shape. Stretch your legs on one of the walking trails, meet a Tasmanian devil at your own expense or settle in by the fire and let the mountain setting do the rest.
The journey north reveals another side of Tasmania, where rich volcanic soil and cool conditions have shaped a thriving farming region. Stop in the coastal town of Penguin before visiting Mount Gnomon Farm, where Guy Robertson grows fruit and makes cider with a strong connection to the land. Over lunch, you’ll taste the region in dishes that bring paddock-to-plate dining to life. Continue to Sheffield, known for its striking murals, then travel through the Meander Valley to Launceston.
Launceston’s food story starts with the land, the water and the people who know how to make the most of both. Start your day with a guided city circuit tour, uncovering Launceston’s key highlights and local character. Then explore Cataract Gorge, a striking natural reserve where rugged bushland meets elegant Victorian gardens, all just moments from the city centre. Though your tour concludes this afternoon, there is still time to make the most of your final hours in Tasmania. You may choose to join an optional experience to the Tamar Valley, visiting the historic Beaconsfield Mine, encountering unique marine life at Seahorse World, or learning more about the elusive platypus at Platypus House. Prefer to stay local? Wander Launceston’s heritage streets, admire its well preserved architecture and relax in its inviting cafes. However you spend your time, it is a fitting and memorable end to your journey.
