IMMERSIVE. INDULGENT. UNEXPECTED.

Take the vibrancy of a capital city, and add stellar bush walks and beaches. Magic.

Hobart

Seafood Seduction Cruise, Bruny Island

Watch your guide snorkel for abalone and sea urchin, then team the feast with local beer, cider and wine on a Seafood Seduction cruise from Hobart

Leave the docks of Hobart behind on a Tasmanian Seafood Seduction cruise for an ocean-fresh feast. Visit a salmon farm, taste oysters straight from the oyster farm, and watch as your guide gathers abalone and sea urchin to cook and serve onboard. Wander Salamanca Market on a Saturday morning, while away a few hours tasting local spirits at Gold Bar, or enjoy fine wines with spectacular water views at The Glass House. If you’re looking for a story behind your stay, the Storytelling Tour at MACq 01 Hotel offers an introduction to the area’s most colourful historic characters.

Mona

Adam Gibson

Ride a sheep aboard the ferry to Mona

Head to Brooke Street Pier for your ferry ride to Mona, a museum designed to be reached by river. Choose the Posh Pit for a luxe ride, or sit in cattle class - atop a sheep or tiger - for the 25-minute cruise. Make sure you allow plenty of time to explore this underground museum of contemporary art, a labyrinth of galleries and darkened halls filled with mind-blowing works. Drop into Faro and order a Black Margarita - it’s eye-opening.

kunanyi / Mount Wellington

Luke Tscharke

The roots of the Octopus Tree on kunanyi / Mount Wellington are wrapped around a massive boulder

How many cities are lucky enough to have a network of mountain-biking and walking tracks within easy driving distance? The spectacular rock formations of kunanyi / Mount Wellington are visible even from Hobart’s CBD, but it’s worth making time for a closer look. A drive or walk to the summit offers incredible views, but there are natural wonders to be found further down the slopes, too. Try the short walk to Sphinx Rock, or search for the aptly named Octopus Tree. And make time for the North-South Track, a downhill run from The Springs, with some of Hobart’s best riding.

Bruny Island

Adam Gibson

Taste oysters fresh from the ocean at Get Shucked on Bruny Island

A short ferry ride from Kettering, Bruny Island is a paradise for hikers, history buffs, and food lovers. Visit Australia’s second oldest lighthouse, or seek out a secluded beach along the Cape Queen Elizabeth Trail. Stock your picnic basket with island produce, including oysters by Get Shucked and cheeses and beers by Bruny Island Cheese and Beer Co.

Huon Valley

Courtesy of Esperance Adventures

Enjoy the tranquillity of a paddle along the Lune River

Take a scenic drive from Hobart through the Huon Valley and further south. Head underground and explore the remarkable subterranean formations of Hastings Caves. For full immersion in nature, join a Lune River kayak tour with Esperance Adventures. Listen to the birds while you’re drifting downstream to the ocean.

Tasman Peninsula

Luke Tscharke

The Tessellated Pavement is one of the stunning rock formations on the Tasman Peninsula

Don’t make the mistake of rushing the drive from Hobart to the Tasman Peninsula en route to Port Arthur. Instead, break the 90-minute drive with stops to explore at a more leisurely pace. There are stunning rock formations around Eaglehawk Neck, including the Tessellated Pavement, Tasman Arch and Blowhole, and lovely panoramic views across Pirates Bay. For a leisurely lunch and a glass or two of sparkling, visit the cellar door at Bangor Vineyard Shed.

Coal River Valley

Alastair Bett

Handmade cheese and chocolate are a winning combination at Coal River Farm

The Coal River Valley, just 20 minutes’ drive from Hobart, is another good option for a scenic country drive, offering plenty of places to enjoy wine tastings and local produce. Coal River Farm is a lively restaurant and working farm where you can pick your own berries and watch cheese and chocolate being made by hand. Suppliers of cherries, flowers, honey and walnuts line the road as you wind through the valley to the historic village of Richmond.

Derwent Valley

Adam Gibson

Lunch in an old asylum? You’d be mad not to try the Agrarian Kitchen Eatery in New Norfolk

Follow the River Derwent downstream for 40 minutes until you reach New Norfolk in the Derwent Valley. This is the gateway to the Western Wilds, a journey through the human stories and wilderness landscapes of western Tasmania. The charming town of New Norfolk seamlessly blends old with new. Browse its antique shops, then enjoy lunch at the Agrarian Kitchen Eatery, a serene dining room in a former asylum, acclaimed for its inventive use of local seasonal produce. Further afield is Mount Field National Park; follow its Tall Trees Walk through a forest of giant swamp gums, the world’s tallest flowering plant.

For the diary

Alastair Bett

Cheer on the yachts at the finish line of the 75th anniversary of the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race

Upcoming events in Hobart and Southern Tasmania include:

• 75^th anniversary of the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race (26 December to 1 January)
• Taste of Tasmania (28 December to 3 January)
• Cygnet Folk Festival (10 January to 12 January)
• Ginuary (25 January)