In Launceston
and the North

Seeking winter wine, historical accommodation and snow sports? The north’s where it’s at.

From secluded stays in the rural north to inner-city epicurean feasts, read on to ignite your Off Season spark.

Eat

Launceston is a UNESCO City of Gastronomy for a reason.

This productive northern region hosts a community of growers, makers, innovators and sustainable businesses capable of remarkable results.

Heat up with a mulled libation at Brady’s Lookout Cider or the Barrel Collective. Discover your new favourite wine at Love Lucy Boots, a funky Westbury wine room. Or go straight to the source: Tamar Valley Wine guides you through the renowned cool-climate wine region – from a Delamere Vineyard pinot noir to a rich Holm Oak chardonnay.

Then there’s the food: feast on fresh pork at Fork it Farm (it’s as ‘paddock-to-plate’ as it gets). Up the stakes with urban fine-dining at Italian-leaning Stelo at Pierre’s and Asian-influenced Mudbar Restaurant. Chew into gooey winter goodies at Bread + Butter. Or take matters into your own hands: rifle through the winter bounty at Harvest Launceston Community Farmers’ Market or tackle a hearty winter cooking class at Hinton Bay Kitchen.

Stay

From historical Launceston townhouses to wild Derby cabins and luxe Longford estates, the north has some of the best places to stay in Tasmania in winter.

Embrace heritage in the heart of Launceston at Alice’s Cottages, with all the romantic add-ons this winter: soft bathrobes, a bottle of wine and a hot fire. Or stay at Wombat Lodge, a rustic-chic farmhouse on Flinders Island. Cosy up for wintry romance in a hideaway with a hot tub: contemporary Deviot Boat House provides panoramic Tamar River views while Quamby Estate offers fireside whisky. More luxury awaits at splurge-worthy Stillwater Seven, a flour mill turned lavish hotel, and elegant country homestead Chatsworth Tasmania.

Craving the winter wilds? Choose a northern stay with an outdoor bath, such as Derby Bank House B&B or Lilydale’s eco-luxe studio the Trig on Mount Arthur. Glamp under the stars at Wingtons Glamping Clarence Point or Domescapes in the Vines and get the off-grid experience at the River Studio in Legana.  

Play

In northern Tasmania, winter weather is no dampener for the spirit.

Ben Lomond National Park is your go-to for skiing, snowboarding and tobogganing: climb skyward to reach Ben Lomond Alpine Resort, hire the bits and bobs from Ben Lomond Snow Sports, and away you go. Keep your head in the clouds at Quamby Bluff and scale the misty peaks of Devil’s Gullet and Strzelecki National Park. Or take the opposite approach with a Wild Cave Tours journey deep underground.

Feel the rush of nature on a deserted beach: think Narawntapu National Park, Bridport and Flinders Island for meditative strolls and icy dips. A dose of heat will take the edge off your cold plunge at Floating Sauna Lake Derby.

Warm up with golf at Barnbougle Dunes, or wind down at Silo Day Spa. Walk to a waterfall, such as Liffey or Lilydale Falls; dip into arts and culture at QVMAG and Design Tasmania; or wander into a wondrous antiques trove in charming Evandale. From Midnight Rambler speakeasy in the centre of the city to Mount William National Park at the edge of the island, find your own fun.