Tasting Tasmania & Flinders Island

Begin your northern Tasmania and Flinders Island adventure in the fertile Tamar Valley, with a visit to “FORK it FARM,” whose ethical animal husbandry practices are the foundation of their small-batch products. Here, surrounded by bucolic farm views, your host will share their farming philosophy and stories of life on the land, while you enjoy a charcuterie platter of house-cured meats and accompaniments, matched with local Clover Hill wines. This afternoon, explore the historic town of Launceston and the stunning Cataract Gorge, with free time this evening to try one of the city’s many fine restaurants.

After an early morning transfer to Launceston Airport, board a private chartered flight to Flinders Island. Your time on this unique island, part of the Furneaux group, includes a tour of Settlement Point and Wybalenna historic site with a knowledgeable local guide. Following morning tea at Allports Beach, you’ll visit the Furneaux Museum, then the island’s small main settlement, Whitemark, before a stop at Walkers Lookout for the spectacular 360-degree view of the island and Bass Strait. Lunch is served with a menu promoting the finest island produce, including the famed local seafood. Later, enjoy a wine-tasting meeting with the passionate owner of the unique Unavale Vineyard. After lunch, you’ll travel to Trousers Point in the Strzelecki National Park. Fly from Flinders Island down the east coast, passing over the stunning Bay of Fires and scenic Wineglass Bay before landing at Friendly Beaches. After disembarking, travel on to Freycinet National Park, your home for the next two nights.

Cruise from Coles Bay to Wineglass Bay, renowned for its limpid turquoise water and silver beach, scattered with pink granite boulders. This MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience contributes to the preservation of wildlife, such as penguins and short-tailed shearwaters. Keep an eye out on the way for wildlife and natural formations such as caves and cascading waterfalls. On board, lunch in the Sky Lounge includes plump local oysters, and smoked meats and cheeses served with the East Coast’s renowned wines and artisan brews. Back on land, you’ll have free time to discover more of Freycinet National Park. You might choose to take the 90-minute round trip hike to the lookout for one of the region’s most celebrated views of Wineglass Bay. For a slightly more relaxed afternoon, join a guided walk to the lookout and lighthouse at Cape Tourville. Later, you may want to take a gentle stroll along the crescent beach or have an invigorating dip at Honeymoon Bay. This evening, your time at the lodge is yours to spend at your leisure.

After breakfast, journey north to the glorious Bay of Fires, with its crystalline water and orange lichen-covered boulders. Visit the tranquil “big lagoon,” before heading to the southern end of the bay, to “The Gulch” and the charming hamlet and sandy beach of Binalong Bay. Here you might choose to just sit and admire the view while savoring some of the best freshly shucked oysters Tassie has to offer. From here it's on to the Northeast Coast, stopping to admire the photogenic “Little Blue Lake,” a former tin mining site, before arriving at the iconic Barnbougle Lost Farm Golf Resort. An afternoon arrival will give you ample time to take a walk over the dunes, inspect the fairways, wander down to the beach or even get in 9 holes of golf! (Be sure to make a booking directly before your tour). Dinner tonight is at The Lost Farm’s restaurant, with its elevated perch on the dunes offering an uninterrupted panorama of Flinders Island and Bass Strait.

This morning, step back in time at the UNESCO World Heritage listed Brickendon Estate, a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience, with a unique guided convict farm village tour, provided by a member of the Archer family, the original owners of the estate. Join them for tea and steaming hot scones baked in the original old cookhouse. Working up a thirst, experience some of the locally crafted spirits at the Western Tiers Distillery, a range that includes “poitín” (Irish spirit), whisky, vodka and gin. From here, visit Deloraine, the capital of the Meander Valley before savoring some fine, local wines. Next, it’s just a short drive to the seaside city of Devonport for a two-night stay.

Your first stop of the day is Turner’s Beach Berry Patch, where we’ll learn about berry farming and, depending on the season, you can even pick your own berries. Then it’s off to Tasmanian Pickled Onions to hear how these moreish salty treats are made. Lunch is at Mrs Jones Restaurant Bar Lounge in Devonport, expect lofty views of the waves crashing onto the beach below and an open-plan kitchen to observe the chefs at work. After lunch, take a post-prandial wander up to Mersey Bluff for more magnificent views, before you depart for another tasting, at Devonport’s Island State Brewery. Learn something of the fascinating world of brewing and of course, sample a brew or two from their range. Tonight, dinner is at your leisure, to enable you to experience one of Devonport’s many dining options.

After breakfast, visit the award-winning Spreyton Cider Co. Hear about the history, and trials and tribulations of apple-growing, the science of cider making, and of course, taste some of this family-owned cidery’s wares. Travel to historic Evandale for lunch, where you’ll have a relaxed gourmet barbecue at the Tasmanian Gourmet Sauce Company. We’ll also taste a selection of the company’s jams, sauces, chutneys, and mustards. Afterwards, have a stroll among the unique topiary gardens before your transfer to the airport for your homeward journey.