King Stingray's Tassie day off

What happens when a band of Yolŋu surf rockers from balmy Arnhem Land runs wild around this little island at the other end of Australia?

Before we find out, let’s go back to the beginning – or rather, the triumphant finale of King Stingray’s electric live set at Party in the Paddock Festival in northern Tasmania.

The boys are cheerful, buzzing and soaring on cloud nine; much like the audience after experiencing their infectious blend of bellowing yidaki rhythms, lively bass grooves and feel-good harmonies.

“It’s good to be back in Tassie and sharing a couple of new songs,” lead vocalist and Arnhem Land local Dimathaya ‘Dima’ Burarrwanga says.

“What I love about coming down to Tassie, always, is the weather. Not too cold, not too hot. It's just balanced.”

And balance is what it’s all about. Their song Day Off from their latest record For the Dreams celebrates switching off in nature with a good group of friends. As the adrenaline of the festival subsides, the band of five – Dima, Cam Messer, Roy Kellaway, Billy Wanambi and Lewis Stiles – is ready to rejuvenate in nature on their very own Tassie day off.

First stop: eco paradise

The band bundles into their van, leaving behind them the heady throng of campers at the multiday Party in the Paddock music and arts festival, held every February. Their next mission? A nearly 2hr drive through the scenic Fingal Valley to the sun-soaked east coast.

Beloved eco resort Little Beach Co is their base for the next couple of nights. More than 1600 planted trees on this 22-acre property blanket the Chain of Lagoons headland, providing a haven for rare wildlife. The site’s mix of glamping tents, villas and exclusive Rockpool Residence incorporates locally sourced rammed earth, elegant architecture and jaw-dropping views of the property’s 400m coastal frontage, where a protected kelp forest draws carbon from the jewel-like sea.

“Oftentimes we stay in cities,” bassist Cam says.

It’s great having a place in nature to stay. You have wallabies jumping around, beautiful bird life and this epic natural landscape. Plus, you have really beautifully done infrastructure, perfect for relaxing in.

Speaking of relaxation, the band wastes no time filing into the on-site woodfired sauna for some laidback conversation and singing – a refreshing recovery for the mind, according to Dima. For guitarist Roy, entering the sauna is like “stepping into Arnhem Land”.

But the tropical illusion shatters when they hop from boulder to boulder down to a natural rockpool, chilled by the Tasman Sea’s steady flow of fresh waves.

“Whoa, crazy cold,” yidaki player and singer Billy says with a grin. “Once in a lifetime.”

A salty seaside adventure

Back on the road, the band drives about 30min south to serene surf town Bicheno and its famous natural landmark.

Bicheno Blowhole is the sweet spot where the east-coast swell hits the orange-lichen rocks at a unique angle, shooting salty sea spurts into the sky – often surprising (and sometimes soaking) the gaggle of onlookers. In the surrounding seascape is a mesmerising montage of seals, cormorants and seagulls. One friendly seal pops up mere metres from where the band is standing. Their first ever seal encounter is quite the spectacle.

“The water is so clear here, it just looks like freshwater,” Roy reflects. “It’s just got this clear-blue crystal colour. It’s beautiful.”

It’s also a stone’s throw from the Lobster Shack, a renowned hot spot for sumptuous seafood, including prized abalone from Bicheno’s own Yumbah Farm.

“I seem to always eat good seafood when I come to Tassie, quite big oysters,” Roy reminisces. “Something about that cold water.”

It’s time to tuck into their platter of lobster, oysters, prawns and the eagerly anticipated abalone. Their concentrated chewing is instantly followed by enthusiastic reactions.

“Oh my goodness, that’s insane, what the–?” Roy trails off. “That is next level.”

“It tastes like chicken when you steam it, or mushroom and egg,” Dima adds.

“It’s giving garlicky, butter, beautiful,” drummer Lewis chimes in.

“It’s just a beautiful meaty texture,” Cam concludes.

To finish, the friends sample unique desserts from Van Diemens Land Creamery – lavender white chocolate gelato for Lewis, a scoop of pepperberry and leatherwood honey with a scoop of lemon curd ice cream for Roy and indulgent whisky cream for Billy.

"Pepperberry and leatherwood honey ice cream – where else can you get that?” says Roy.

It seems like a little moment of Tassie. Really feeling like holiday mode now.

Next up, it’s time for the aptly named King Stingray to catch some sea creatures of their own, with fishing gear hired from Freycinet Paddle Boards.

Casting off into the Gulch – a haven of Bicheno’s marine life – the scene draws strong parallels to King Stingray's Day Off music video, fishing together and grinning in the sunshine. Dima explains the song is about making time to enjoy relaxing out in the elements with his friends. He goes fishing every weekend, so feels right at home casting a line in Tasmania.

“This is a good experience, fishing in a different Country,” Dima says. “Hopefully we catch something.”

Dima’s hopes are answered, reeling in a blue-striped leatherjacket fish. “Let’s measure him…”

No luck on this occasion, or for Roy who snags another fish, so the two catches are thrown back in. Billy reels in a shiny red fish, but it’s another throwback.

Freshwater reflections

As it turns out, one day off isn’t enough. After a blissful day of brews, bites and blowholes, the boys are blinking open their eyes to the sound of the ocean, ready to do it all again.

“It's a very moody day today and waves are crashing down,” Cam says.

Roy reflects as soft rain speckles the glass door of the accommodation behind him.

“We’re leaving [our] beautiful home of the last few days, Little Beach Co. [I’m] sad to leave, but another adventure awaits around the corner.”

This time, the group takes their van to Douglas-Apsley National Park, just north of Bicheno, to embark on the Douglas-Apsley loop track. This gentle 15min return stroll leads to a mystical blue waterhole, its surface wobbling with raindrops.

“Eleven of the 12 endemic birds in Tasmania reside in this beautiful national park,” Roy says as a wallaby passes.

You can feel how fresh and clean and beautiful this area is.

He and Cam can’t help but take one last adrenaline-pumping swim.

“Well, that’s the nicest water I think I’ve ever been in,” Roy says. “You just want to drink it.”

“One of the swims of a lifetime,” Cam adds, “[I] feel like I’m in Lord of the Rings.”

They soon warm back up with a special delivery from Salty Picnic Co, a local experience bringing produce-filled picnics to your east-coast location of choice. It’s a satisfying smorgasbord of local deli meats, cheese, pickled goods, fresh summer berries and fruits, heaped onto Tasman Sea Salt crackers.

“Just what the doctor ordered after a swim,” Roy says.

“Every cell in our body’s going to be Tasmanian,” Cam laughs.

The crisp air and soothing rhythms of rain spell the end of their adventure.

“What a nice thing to do after a gig,” Roy reflects on the trip.

Cam agrees, “being able to jump into the ocean just below the accommodation and have a true sauna experience where you light the fire and sit in with your mates and wait for it to slowly heat up – I’ll probably remember that the most.”

“And the seafood here!” says Dima, reminiscing on his first taste of abalone. “That’s a good memory for us.”

Roy adds, “music takes you to amazing places and we feel very lucky to be able to do that.”

“We met so many people,” Cam reflects. “When you’ve got a good combination of great people and great natural beauty, you can’t really ask for more in a place.”