Frosty’s List Tasmania
“The land of rainbows and wombats”
Tasmania has always been a mystical place to me - somewhere far far away. It definitely is far from a lot of the world, but I can guarantee you it is 110% worth the journey! It is the land of wombats and rainbows; filled with hidden gems in the form of distilleries, wineries and restaurants; the home of the Tasmanian devil and never ending breathtakingly beautiful sceneries to keep you captivated for ages!
Here is how I would recommend spending four nights in Tasmania. Full disclosure - four nights in Tassie will only give you enough time to see and do a fraction of the amazing things Tasmania has to offer, so you will have to plan to go back again!
Day 1 - Settling in - Hobart, gin & fireplaces
We had two locations as our must visits for this trip: Hobart & Cradle Mountain. We booked return flights to and from Hobart. The main reason was to get the car rental at an ‘ok’ rate. Heads up, car rental in Tasmania is EXPENSIVE! They have limited cars available so prices seem unjustifiably high. You cannot get the full Tasmania experience without a car though, so it is an unavoidable cost.
Make sure you are in Hobart over the weekend (we weren’t)! One must see attraction MONA (see Day 3) is open Friday to Monday and Salamanca Market is a must visit on Saturdays by locals and visitors alike!
A selection of gin at 7k Distillery
We boarded an early flight into Hobart, so we took advantage of the morning and headed to BAKED Gluten free in Moonah straight from the airport. It is a 100% gluten free bakery and café. They do not only have the best GF baked goods, but also supply their gluten free goodness across Hobart - so keep an eye out for their gluten free buns and breads around the city! BAKED is a ceoliac’s dream!
Not far from BAKED is, 7K Distillery - a creative distillery in a warehouse area just outside of Hobart. You should book ahead for tastings, however we called on our way there and were lucky enough they had time to sit down with us and show us their creations! Starting as a hand made distillery out of a shipping container, now scaling up into a small warehouse.They source local ingredients and have a sustainable mindset - which has given birth to delicious gins and whiskey! We fell in love with their Aqua Vitae Gin and Dry Chilli Gin - we bought a bottle of each and got them shipped home to Sydney with no shipping fees!
A little nook at MOSS Hotel
Our first home away from home in Hobart was MOSS Hotel - opened in 2020, this gorgeous hotel is everything you would hope for from a central Hobart location. Picture warm green and natural elements throughout the hotel, with attention to detail around every corner. They have succeeded in creating a welcoming and comfortable hotel in an unassuming setting. The 41 rooms of the hotel are across two converted buildings on Salamanca Place, right on the water and among bars and restaurants. It felt like our own home in Hobart with a lot of character! If you do have a car while visiting, make sure to book ahead as they have limited spots available at the neighbouring carpark.
We really miss proper old pubs from the time we lived in London, so when we found The New Sydney, we were so happy! It is a simple good old pub with a massive log fireplace and live music on multiple nights of the week. It is the best spot to soak up the atmosphere and chat with the locals with a cold beer or glass of red in hand.
Day 2 - Wind, wine and indulgence
Kunanyi - Mount Wellington
What better way to start the day than with a big brekkie and a brisk walk?! We went for breakfast at 100% gluten free and vegetarian Straight Up Coffee + Food. You will want to order everything on the menu, my recommendation is their Brekkie Burger! With our tummies filled with food, we drove up Kunanyi/Mount Wellington. Once you arrive at the car park at the top of the mountain, you will be hit by the strongest wind you can imagine! Do not let it prevent you from walking to the viewing decks where you will have the best view of Hobart and beyond.
MOSS Hotel is very sought after and was fully booked for our second night in Hobart, so we moved to Maylands Lodge. When we arrived, we wished we were staying for longer! Located in New Town, about 10min drive from Salamanca Place, Maylands Lodge is an impressive Heritage building, an urban luxury lodge. We were given an upgrade to one of the Hunter Suites with a gas fire and a private terrace, not to forget the large bath! We felt like the lord and lady of the manor. Such an understated luxurious boutique property - giving tribute to the rich history of the building and while implementing sustainable. Think grand building, warm interiors and honesty bar in the lounge.
The location was perfect for our plan to visit Frogmore Creek Winery on our second day in Tasmania, 15-20 min drive from central Hobart. We started with a tasting before sitting down for lunch. Frogmore’s restaurant is top notch and well worth booking in advance! With views over the vineyard, quality wines and exquisite food, I would claim that it is a must-do when in Hobart! Although not cheap, it is extremely good value for money for the level of service and quality of food.
After Frogmore, we visited Pooley Wines where we discovered their Butcher’s Hill range, including the delicious Butcher’s Hill Pinot Noir! On the way back to the hotel we stopped off at The Wicked Cheese Company where we spent way to much money on cheese, crackers and other nibbles to enjoy in our suite at Maylands Lodge accompanied with a bottle of Pooley wine.
Day 3 - Art, road trip and farm living
After our breakfast at the hotel, we checked out and headed to Mona. You need to pre-book your tickets at a set entry time to ensure you gain access to the controversial and thought provoking collection of art. I thoroughtly enjoyed the immersive installations! No matter what you think about the collection, I would claim it is worth the visit to witness the museum setting in an architecturally impressive building multiple floors underground.
After a morning of art, we started our drive towards our accommodation in the Central Highlands. We chose the scenic route (A5) and found ourselves on winding roads with stunning mountain landscapes and lake vistas. With a couple of pitstops, including a delicious home-made lunch at Sealy’s Store in Bothwell, the drive took us about 3,5hrs.
The veggie patch at Blackwood Park Cottages
Blackwood Park Cottages are located close to Mole Creek on a farm owned by Shane and Yuko and their young family, nestled perfectly in between Launceston and Cradle Mountain. They have created a special and warm setting for their guests with a selection of thoughtfully curated cottages surrounded by stunning gardens and fields with animals. Shane and Yuko have captured their location with seasonal ingredients in breakfast baskets, firewood from fallen trees and hot tubs with views over the valley.
We stayed in one of their newly built Ariel Cottages which we thoroughly enjoyed. One of our highlights was helping Shane feed his chooks (Australian for ‘chicken’) with his son - country living at it’s best!
Looking down over Crater Lake at Cradle Mountain National Park
Day 4 - Fresh Mountain Air
Cradle Mountain was on top of the list of places we wanted to explore while in Tasmania. We left early from Mole Creek and drove about 1hr20min to Cradle Mountain Visitor Centre. Cradle Mountain National Park is off limits for private cars, so you will need to catch one of their free shuttle busses from the Visitor Centre (they leave every 15 mins) to the start of the walking tracks. You also need to have a valid Parks Pass to enter the National Park, you can buy it at the Visitor Centre when you enter.
The weather and visibility wasn’t great so we didn’t venture to the top of Cradle Mountain, instead we did the Crater Lake Circuit counterclockwise from Ronny Creek. For those looking for wombats, Ronny Creek is where you are guaranteed to find them and a ton of their cubed poo. The Crater Lake Circuit was ideal for us. Although it was raining and visbility was poor, we thoroughly enjoyed the fresh mountain air and stunning scenery including waterfalls, mountain tops and lakes. The weather changed multiple times from pouring rain and wind to moments of sunshine and rainbows. Cradle Mountain National Park is a magical place - if you are dressed appropriately with the right amount of water and snacks you will have the best day out hiking! Top tip: There aren’t any water refill stations en route, so make sure you pack plenty from the Visitor Centre.
We decided to head back to our cottage around 4pm to make it back to enjoy sunset in the hot tub!
Day 5 - The Journey Home via some pit stops
Our last day in Tasmania was our journey back to the airport. We made the most of it by visiting a handful of off the beaten track Tasmanian gems, starting off with the scenic lookout of Alum Cliffs, a short walk close to Blackwood Park Cottages. From there we drove through Chudleigh where we stopped at Melita Honey Farm for honey tasting and some honey bee watching! We also visit the local general store and had a great chat with the new owner! Our last stop before the airport was Ross Bakery where we grabbed some gluten free and vegetarian baked goods!
We cannot wait to head back to Tasmania when we can travel again! There are so many places to see and things to do there - a true place of beauty in this world!
How to get there and when to visit
For those who want to take their car onto the island state of Tasmania, catch the overnight ferry ‘Spirit of Tasmania’ from Melbourne to Devonport, on the Northern coast of Tasmania. If you are short on time, the flight from Melbourne to Hobart or Launceston is just over an hour. From Sydney you will fly to one of the two major Tasman hubs in about two hours.
One thing to keep in mind is that Tasmania’s climate is considerably cooler than mainland Australia and weather can be unpredictable. Warmest is in the Australian summer months December to March (11-22 Celsius), however if you are equipped appropriately, I would recommend Autumn, March-May (9-18 Celsius)! You will get beautiful autumnal colours in the trees and stunning sunsets to enjoy while you are cosied up in front of a fireplace!
For those who enjoy performing arts and music, go for Dark Mofo - an annual winter festival organised by the people behind MoNa.
You can find all my Tasmania favourites through Google Maps: Frosty’s List Tasmania*
*all spots still operating at the time of publish of this posting. I do hope it stays that way! So many amazing businesses have had to close their doors!
