Wine and wildlife

See water before you see wine, with a visit to the Tamar Island Wetlands Centre and Reserve. A 500m boardwalk leads through estuarine wetlands, where about 60 bird species have been recorded.

Follow the Tamar Valley Wine Trail along the west bank of kanamaluka / River Tamar. Cellar doors along the way include Moores Hill Estate, Small Wonder, Tamar Ridge Wines, Waterton Hall Wines and Holm Oak Vineyards. Call ahead to check cellar-door opening hours.

Explore Beaconsfield's golden history at the Beaconsfield Mine and Heritage Centre, which includes a display on the 2006 mine collapse that trapped two miners below ground for two weeks.

Go from gold to amber at the taproom in Miners Gold Brewery, next door to the heritage centre.

The West Tamar region has two great glamping options. Sleep among the grapes at Domescapes in the Vines, or find equally luxurious facilities – complete with antique steamer trunks and Persian-style carpets – at Wingtons Glamping.

Curious creatures abound at Beauty Point’s Seahorse World, Australia's only working seahorse farm, which features tens of thousands of seahorses, and a breeding program for the rare spotted handfish. Visit neighbouring Platypus House to see Tasmania’s monotremes – platypuses and echidnas – including Big Jupiter, the largest platypus in captivity, and the resident echidnas that wander among visitors’ feet.

To appreciate Tasmania’s wildlife in the wild, head to Narawntapu National Park. Spot Forester kangaroos and wallabies in the Springlawn clearings, spend half a day hiking to Archers Knob for the park's best view, or stroll along the sands of Bakers Beach.

While away the rest of the afternoon with glass in hand at Ghost Rock Wines, looking over the vines to distant Bass Strait.

Overnight in Port Sorell, where options include Shearwater Resort, home to a nine-hole golf course, and Hawley House.

Chocolate calls. On the Bass Highway outside Latrobe, House of Anvers has tastings and sales of its Belgian-style chocolates, plus viewing areas into the factory. The Dark Fortunato No 4 Peru chocolate is made from Nacional Cacao, certified as the world's original cacao and thought to be extinct as recently as 2009.

Pedal off the calories at Wild Mersey, one of the state's newest mountain-bike trail networks, with more than 45km (and counting) of trails near Latrobe, Railton and Sheffield.

Roll into topiary-themed Railton to find Seven Sheds Brewery Meadery and Hop Garden. Check out the source – the hop garden – and take a tasting or brewery tour.

In the 1980s, the people of Sheffield decided to paint the town onto the tourist map by covering it in murals. Today there are more than 200 murals – wander the streets for an outdoor gallery experience.

Stay the night near Sheffield. Glencoe Country Bed and Breakfast and Eagles Nest Retreat are good options.

In Promised Land – yes, it's a place – comes the promise of fun at one of the world's largest maze complexes, Tasmazia and the Village of Lower Crackpot. Choose among eight mazes, then wander the Village of Lower Crackpot, with dozens of model buildings representing more than 40 countries.

Find Spreyton Cider Co. deep among Spreyton’s century-old apple orchards. The cellar door has tastings and views into the production and bottling room.

Swing onto our Heartlands’ Meandering in Rivers and Caves itinerary in Deloraine.