The vast wilderness of Tasmania is unbelievably beautiful. I fell deeply in love with its mountains, dazzling beaches, fresh seafood and amiable people. It is undoubtedly a place I will travel to, again and again. Though we did not spend a lot of days in Tasmania due to our tight schedule, we made full use of our time there.
A car is needed to travel around Tasmania with ease. It will be wiser to get a rental car online before you set foot in Tasmania as the rental cost is way more expensive at the airport than online.
Taking the early morning flight is always a good choice. We had more time on our hands to relax, enjoy and explore. It felt surreal cruising along the highway with the windows rolled down and singing along to the tunes of the 90’s compilation.
Mount Wellington
We planned the places to go with careful consideration of time and distance. We started our journey towards Mount Wellington as it was near our Airbnb.
We followed this bush walking guide rovided by the Wellington park organisation and found it very useful in helping us to navigate around.
Ill-equipped with proper hiking gears, the supposedly easy hike had turned into a real climb. The ascent and descent were extremely difficult as the ground was muddy and slippery. The steep stretch of muddy pathway seemed to go on forever. I had to constantly remind myself that the view at the peak would be worth it. The only comfort was the occasional glimpse of the panoramic city view hidden between tall trees and bushes.
After a 3-hour climb, we reached the peak (almost). Due to the adverse weather condition, the view was hidden by thick fog. It was then we decided to make our way down without ascending further.
During our climb, we came across a small, dainty cafe, Lost Freight. We decided to take a breather here and drink some healthy Kombucha before continuing our journey (It is important to take this break as the journey up and down the mountain is quite tough). Quite a handful of people drove and parked their car at this checkpoint before climbing to the peak. We only realised the reason for their action when we descend.
As the sky was darkening rapidly on our way down, we panicked. It dawned on us that it was impossible to go down any further without the necessary equipment such as torchlights and hiking gears.
Left with no choice, we decided to hitch a ride from a young couple down the mountain. It is true that in times of crisis the wise build bridges. We did just that to survive.
Do learn from our mistake and park your car at the midway check-point before ascending to the peak!
All in all, our journey up and down Mount Wellington was poorly equipped with the right gears and mindset. We had underestimated the distance and overestimated our physical ability. In this situation, the catalyst to move forward was purely fear.
Fern Tree Tavern
You could not imagine how glad we were when we saw Fern Tree Tavern at the foot of the mountain. The place was great for a meal after a long day exploring the mountain. The food might not be the best but what was important was; it provided us with heat and comfort food to warm our body and tummy!
We ordered a lot of dishes for our growling stomachs and cleaned our plates before we even took photos.
We drove back home tired but satisfied that evening.
Bruny Island
Bruny Island is truly beautiful. We had such a great experience spotting white wallabies (rare) along the way, shucking oysters by the beach and tasting authentic Bruny brewed cider at a restaurant overlooking the sea. It was fantastic!
We booked a Bruny Island: Full-Day Food, Lighthouse & Sightseeing Tour from Get Your Guide. Albeit the steep cost at $148.38/pax, it is worth the money as everything (transport, food, lighthouse entrance fee, oyster tasting, lunch, cider tasting) is included.
Bruny Island has a large population of white wallabies. They are unique to the island and easily recognisable due to a rare genetic mutation that gives them white fur. Though they look stunning in their white coat, they are more sensitive to sunlight and are likely to contract skin cancer.
Our van made several stops along the way for us to enjoy the view and sea breeze. The best thing was to savour some succulent oysters and cottage cheese by the beach.
Cape Bruny Lighthouse
Nestled peacefully on the sea-cliff in the South Bruny National Park, Cape Bruny Lighthouse is the most iconic landmark of Bruny Island. Constructed in 1835, Cape Bruny is one of the oldest
From the lighthouse balcony, the breathtaking view of the sweeping Southern Ocean, South East Cape and Whale Head can be seen. We could even spot the small islands dotting the coastline.
We were starving after the lighthouse tour. Fortunately, we had our lunch all planned by the guide/driver. The bonus of this tour was an unexpected cider tasting session at our lunch place – Hotel Bruny
Hotel Bruny Bistro + Premium Cider Tasting
Though I have already sworn my love to beer, I gave the cider tasting session a try. The tasting session was interesting as different types of ciders from Tasmania and Bruny Island were introduced.
Cider flavours are divided into twelve classes with each split out into a range of first-tier and second-tier terms. With an apple-growing history dated back to the 18th century, Bruny Island ciders are made using centuries-old methods. Even though the taste of ciders is light, the drink is complicated to make as it showcases the richness of the natural fruit flavours.
Naturally, a less sweet cider sits better on my taste buds. After the session, we bought 4 bottles of Bruny Island Vintage Apple cider back to enjoy in the comfort of our temporary home. What we love about this cider is the fullness aftertaste that it gives us. It is a cider that I would second to beer.
Brooke Street Pier
Searching for good brunch spots is definitely the number one priority on our list when we are on vacation.
Brooke Street Larder is a waterfront café located at the end of Brooke Street Pier. Choose the outdoor seats if you want to have a view of the great harbour and unafraid of the cold sea breeze. After our meal, we braved the strong wind to enjoy a hot cuppa by the bay. The fresh air and sea view were indeed invigorating to our tired soul.
On our last day in Tasmania, we drove to the Tasmania Old Town
We visited the Old Hobart Town Model Village to learn more about the history of Hobart. The historical model village accurately and impressively replicated in miniature the life and history of Hobart, making the learning of its history more interesting. However, if you are not a fan of history, this place may be too dull for your liking. So do make wise choices of where to spend your money!
Tasmania left a deep impression on me and I will definitely go back again to explore more places.
