Southeast

A visit to this region is a must if you want scenery, wildlife, heritage and adventure. Northeast first, and then south of Hobart is the Tasman Peninsula (90 minutes driving) and home to the historic and haunting Port Arthur penal settlement. There are charming towns along the way (including Richmond).

Sorell is the gateway to the southeast, about 30 minutes from Hobart, and it’s worth a stop to explore the heritage buildings and antique shops. South of Sorell is Copping where there is a terrific collection of artefacts in the Colonial and Convict Exhibition.

You can see that famous ferocious marsupial at the Tasmanian Devil Park or reptiles at the World Tiger Snake Centre at Taranna.

There are also many stunning sculptured rock formations and caves nearby: Tessellated Pavement, Blowhole, Devil’s Kitchen, Pirates Bay Lookout, Tasman Arch and Remarkable Cave.

At Eaglehawk Neck there are the Officer’s Quarters and the Dog Line where savage dogs once guarded the isthmus to prevent convicts escaping from Port Arthur.

From Eaglehawk Neck you can also surf, go game fishing or scuba dive, and there’s an excellent chance of dolphin spotting.

There are plenty of spots to stop and savour local produce including Bream Creek and Orani Vineyards, the Sorell Fruit Farm and restaurants offering local venison, quail, Pirates Bay octopus and Barilla Bay oysters.

Tassie oysters are a gourmet’s delight – large, plump and juicy. Near Port Arthur is the Bush Mill pioneer settlement, which has Australia’s steepest steam railway.

You will need to allow at least half a day for Port Arthur itself. This historic site is dramatic, haunting, yet eerily relaxing. It’s a piece of living history where every hand-hewn, thumb-marked brick tells a story. You can take the Isle of the Dead cruise or an evening ghost tour (even some sceptics have heard the clinking of chains and the tap of hammer on stone). Away from the ruins, the rolling lawns and graceful, shady trees offer a great spot for a picnic. You can explore the coast around Port Arthur in a sea kayak through the Baidarka Experience. There are also seaplane flights and horse rides nearby at Koonya.

The Huon Trail…

Heading the other way from Hobart, the Huon Trail heads south to the Huon Valley, D’Entrecasteaux Channel and Bruny Island. It’s an extremely pretty area with pine-fringed rivers, dark forests and sparkling seas. Personally, the only thing I would change about this area, for pronunciation and typing purposes, is to have had the channel discovered by someone called ‘Smith’.

Take the coast road south to the Huon Valley (40 minutes) through Taroona, for spectacular views, apple orchards, pristine waterways and salmon farms. Taroona has the world’s oldest, round, shot tower. There are great views for those willing to climb the 318 steps (whose job is it to count these things?).

Kettering, on the shores of the Channel south of Kingston, has a delightful sheltered harbour full of fishing vessels and cruising yachts. ‘Do you like Kettering?’ ‘Oh, I haven’t kettered for years!’

Take the car ferry across from Kettering to Bruny Island to discover gentle countryside and wild coastlines, farmhouses, lighthouses and a history of sealers, whalers and explorers. There are penguins at The Neck Reserve and you can hop on a camel to explore the beaches from Great Bay. The Alonnah History Room and the Bligh Museum show off the island’s rich maritime heritage and a trip into South Bruny National Park is worthwhile, especially for the Cape Bruny Lighthouse.

The Channel Highway loops around back to Huonville, where you can discover more about the island’s apple-growing heritage at Grove’s Apple and Heritage Museum.

There are many delightful art, craft and antique galleries, studios and shops in the region, including The Deepings Woodturner at Nicholls Rivulet (Cygnet) and Frogmouth Gallery in Franklin.

Geeveston is the base for Arve Road Forest Drive and Hartz Mountains, and the Forest and Heritage Centre features specialty timbers and woodcraft information.

Hartz Mountains National Park offers mountain scenery (ice-carved crags, lakes and alpine moorlands) and memorable walks.

You can cruise from Port Huon and Dover to see salmon farms or visit the Snowy Range Trout Fishery to try and hook your own fish. There are vineyards en route where you can sample cool-climate wines and fruit liqueurs, as well as roadside stalls selling berries and apples in season. The waterways are accessible with the option of jet boats, rafts, historic yachts, kayaks, runabouts and cruise boats. Take an underground cave tour at Hastings Caves and swim in a thermal pool.

Cornwall has Land’s End, Tasmania has Cockle Creek, the southernmost part of Australia.

It’s a tiny settlement from where you can take a walk for a couple of hours and stand at the edge of Australia looking out to the blue expanse of the Southern Ocean. There is also a four-hour walk to South Cape Bay overlooking the ocean.

More Information

For more information about Tasmania:

• Events And Festivals
• Accommodation
• To See And Do
• Hobart
• Derwent
• Midlands and North
• East Coast
• North-West
• South-West Wilderness
• The island's Other islands

Tasmania Tours With Tours To Go