Circus Key

A multi-award-winning adventure experience located within an hour's drive from Hobart's CBD. This half-day adventure can be best described as receiving a VIP backstage pass to the local region; combining breathtaking Tasmanian scenery, local guides, world-class produce with a little excitement! Commencing at the historic Hawthorn Lodge in Bushy Park the trip begins with a short scenic drive through the Upper Derwent Valley, offering views of Mount Field National Park, surrounding lush farmlands and iconic hop fields. Paddle downstream on the mighty River Derwent, take in sweeping views of the iconic Wellington Range, pass under historic railway bridges and perhaps even see a platypus, an active sea eagle breeding area or some acrobatic trout before stopping for a fresh gourmet riverside lunch by a local waterfall. An adventure that has it all; a relaxing start to build confidence, epic lunch spot, supportive and informative local guides and finishes with a few Grade 2 rapids which will get your adrenaline running. This tour includes morning tea and lunch prepared by a fully qualified chef, picked full of world-famous Tasmanian seasonal produce. All participants must be able to swim to participate.

Lake Meadowbank is between Hamilton and Ouse on the Lyell Highway, a one-hour drive north-west of Hobart. This is the most downstream lake in the Derwent River hydro-scheme. Like all Hydro Tasmania lakes, Lake Meadowbank is stocked with trout. Try your luck fly fishing, spinning or trolling for brown trout - the lake’s most abundant fish - or perhaps a big rainbow trout. Water-skiing, canoeing and swimming are popular here and you can pitch your tent by the shore for a few days and truly get away from it all. Boat launching facilities, toilets, picnic and barbecue areas are available on the lake’s eastern banks and there's easy access from most shores. You need a licence to fish for trout in Tasmania’s lakes. A free brochure - Fishing Code for Anglers - is available from licence-selling agents and the Inland Fisheries Service.

Best independantly rated Tasmanian tour 2018, 2020, 2022 "This experience goes down as one of the best experiences of my life." - Rosie Rees - Australian Entrepreneur Why not swap the steering wheel for a paddle for a few hours and jump on board Tassie Bound's multi-award-winning kayak adventure? Explore a little deeper below the surface of the Derwent Valley's idyllic countryside and you might find yourself catching a glimpse of our not-so-shy but still very wild local resident; the platypus. With "the bill of a duck, the body of an otter, and the tail of a beaver", this evolutionary relic has a long history of confounding humans and puzzling scientists. Unlike other iconic Tasmanian species like the pesky possum or the ever-present wallaby, platypuses are becoming increasingly difficult to spot. Active at sunset and living much of their lives underwater or within the comfort of their hidden riverside burrows, their habits are the opposite of their human observers. Here on the edge of Tasmania's Western Wilds is a stretch of protected river environment where; if we travel quietly and respectfully, we have an exceptionally good chance of spotting platypus.