Whisky, wine and wellness

Kickstart your day with a feel-good breakfast at Hamlet Cafe close to Hobart’s CBD (weekdays from 7.30am).

Then, select your designated driver and swing by Spring Bay Distillery cellar door in Cambridge. Tour the brewhouse and enjoy their winter exclusive offer: filling your own bottle of single-malt whisky.

From here, it’s a short drive to historic Richmond where you can peek into the convict past at Richmond Gaol – the oldest intact gaol in Australia.

Grab a bite to eat at Wattlebanks Cafe and Providore after a wander of the charming Georgian town. Richmond Bridge (c1825) is the oldest bridge in Australia.

Feed furry friends in their wintry coats with an afternoon visit to Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary. As twilight falls, you can rug up in your own coat to experience Bonorong’s bite-sized night tour.

Return to Richmond for an indulgent dinner at Prospect House Restaurant (book ahead).

End the day relaxing in eco-friendly comfort at Aquila Eco Retreat. Stargaze from a claw-foot bath on your private deck and check out their stress-busting hot-cold therapy with a wood-fired sauna and cold immersion.    

Watch the sunrise from your eco pod or glamping tent accommodation then head on your way, via a breakfast stop at Richmond Bakery.

Pop into Puddleduck Vineyard for a ‘wine tasting in reverse’ experience combining hands-on pruning, a winery tour and tasting.

Follow the highway south to Turrakana / Tasman Peninsula and marvel at the dramatic wintry seascapes, surf and scenery from Pirates Bay lookout.

Enjoy lunch with a view at Lufra Café and Bistro and, if weather and tides permit, a short walk to see the striking Tessellated Pavement rock formations.

Drive on to McHenry Distillery, Australia's southernmost grain-to-glass distillery, to warm up with an early afternoon tour and deep dive into whisky and gin-making. Drop your bags at the onsite cabin accommodation then head out for evening activities.

Just 10min down the road you’ll find sumptuous seasonal produce at 1830 Restaurant and Bar, overlooking Port Arthur Historic Site.

Stick around for a spine-tingling lantern-lit Port Arthur ghost tour before returning to your cosy cabin at McHenry Distillery.

Check out of your accommodation to grab a bite for breakfast (and maybe a lavender-infused souvenir) at Port Arthur Lavender Cafe.

Return to Port Arthur Historic Site to explore in daylight. Every building tells a story of 19th century life as a convict or free settler on the edge of the world.

Feeling hungry? Wend your way 30min to Bangor Vineyard where the fireside lunches are long and the grapes have gusto. Stay for a lazy winter lunch and a unique black-glass winter wine tasting.

Slowly head back to the capital for a relaxing aperitivo at Tesoro.

Cap off your trip with winter chills of a different kind, on a nocturnal outdoor glow tour to spot luminous fungi, pink-glowing possums and other curiously glowy delights.