TAS

Fresh country air, sprawling hillsides, bloody good wine and 14 of your closest friends. Here, unique country houses perfect for group getaways. By Alissa Jenkins and Megan Arkinstall Skylark Homestead, Huon Valley, Tas Where: 34 kilometres south-west of Hobart What we like: This 1860s Skylark Homestead has been beautifully restored for modern living, yet the original stained glass windows and doors, original fireplaces and mantels pay homage to its 19th century roots. Set in the heart of Huon Valley, the property is quiet and tranquil, surrounded by mountains, waterways for swimming, valleys and local wildlife. For those who want to...

 The world’s cleanest air? Arthur River, Tas In Tasmania’s north-west corner, Arthur River meanders through some of the most pristine and untouched landscapes, through tall eucalypt forests, rainforests and out to the sea. Unsurprisingly, nearby Cape Grim is said to have the freshest air on earth. “It feels like there’s nowhere else in the world because you’re in this wilderness that goes on forever, taking a day to get in, a day to get out – it’s pretty unique,” says Brown who scored it 9. “It’s supposedly big Tasmanian Devil country too.”

An untouched Tassie town Evandale, Tas This Georgian village town is on the National Trust for its traditional heritage buildings. But Ritchie scores “the cute town” a 9, particularly for the affordable produce, admitting “I think I’d have to take up jam making if I lived in Tasmania.”

A century-old homestead nestled under shady trees, this isn’t just a beachside break – it’s an island paradise. Three Hummock Island has no shops and no traffic; in fact the local environment is so pure here, Three Hummock Island is said to have the cleanest air in the world. The house itself has been newly renovated, but maintains a rustic charm. Using solar and wind power, it has its own organic vegetable garden and comfortably sleeps up to 14 guests in five bedrooms. But our favourite feature is the large sundeck – where you can barbecue the day’s best catch,...

Robert Forsyth takes a road trip across Tasmania and finds hidden in the lost valley of Loongana in the north west, a haven for humans and devils alike... “It's a big place, if you laid it out end to end”, Tasmanians regaled us with this gnomic homily wherever we travelled. Five hours into our three-hour drive from the east coast to Mountain Valley Wilderness, weaving and bobbing in solitary along highland tracks under a bull-black night sky, I finally began to see its sense. "So, we’re really the only guests?" my wife Laura asks. I detect nervousness in her voice....

  OK, getting to Flinders Island would be a pretty expensive daytrip, but if you really want to get off the beaten track, it’s the place to go. Outside of the main town, Whitemark (think pub, supermarket, newsagent and bakery and you’ve pictured the whole town), you can drive the length of the island and probably not see another soul.  Flinders is the largest of the Furneaux island group in eastern Bass Strait – 52 islands that once formed a land bridge between Tasmania and mainland Australia. Its spine of steep granite mountains is part of the same range that...

Elspeth Callender steps back in time on a walking tour of an iconic Tassie property One summer holiday, my parents paid a small entry fee to a marine museum on the NSW Central Coast. Except it wasn’t a museum; more a bunch of shells stolen from the local beach, sorted rather anally into trays and displayed in the carport. We learnt nothing, left in tears and never forgot the Don’t Touch Lady in the Don’t Touch Shop.  The historic property of Shene in Tasmania is no such museum, and custodian Anne Kernke is no such lady. “We want people to...

When Tom Corra took a road trip with his mates he had a blast – literally, from a brutal Tassie wind. But he also stumbled across some of the most beautiful spots in Australia  Going to Tasmania in May might not be the wisest choice I have ever made. The idea had been up in the air for a while, but nobody had actually jumped at it until one Saturday night when I was out with friends. It was brought up and agreed upon, and boat tickets where purchased the next day, for a departure in one month’s time. Being part...

Where is it?  The Western Arthur Range, 90km south-west of Hobart in SouthWest National Park How to see it for yourself? This picture was taken looking north-west in the 15km-long, 22-peak Western Arthurs, south of Lake Pedder in the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. You access the range from Scotts Peak Dam on a challenging walk of two to three days, or longer to traverse the whole range. Tasmanian Wilderness Experiences offers guided walks through the Western Arthurs. Why I love it “I love the breathtaking scenery in this magical part of the Tasmanian wilderness. I can easily spend time watching the wildlife, admiring the scenery and taking a few leisurely walks along the...

Where is it? 270km from Launceston, on Tasmania’s North-West Tip How to see it for yourself? Here, you see Woolnorth Point in the foreground, Cape Grim facing to the right and Mt Cameron and Marrawah in the distance. To see it, book a flight with local helicopter operator Osborne Aviation Services or experience it on foot with Woolnorth Tours. Why I love it “Cape Grim was shot on a perfect day – at midday on a full tide, with no wind, smoke or heat haze, and the grass was green after recent rain.” – Peter Bellingham, photographer Image by Peter Bellingham...

One of the things travellers love about Tassie is its food culture – best described as laid-back gourmet. Elspeth Callender visits one of Hobart’s newest taste sensations. Hobart’s oldest plumbed toilet is on display in one of the city’s newest restaurants. As I order dinner leaning against a lavvy wall, I wonder what the last person to lower their cheeks onto its wooden seat around a century ago would think of us now – our clothing, our conversation and, most importantly, our cuisine. My first experience of Ethos was as a place to drink coffee and read in a sunny...

Tasmania's Sawyers Bay Shacks provide a scenic stay on Flinders Island. The same Melbourne family has owned this 200-acre plot of wild and wonderful Tasmanian beachfront for over 50 years. Three generations have spent their holidays shacked up in their summer retreat – the property’s original farmhouse, which still has no electricity or telephone. Forgoing Facebook, they’ve spent their days fishing, diving, bushwalking and boating. Recently, the family generously decided to share their little patch of paradise with strangers who crave a similar rustic escape, so they built two brand-new solar-powered beach houses, which are set to open this December....

This multi-day walk through World Heritage-listed landscapes should be on every Australian’s must-do list. But if you want to collapse into a real bed each night, there’s only one way to tackle the track, as Bruce Holmes discovers. Striding out purposefully, our group of ten hikers begins our trek along Tasmania’s iconic Overland Track, which covers 65km over six days through magnificent World Heritage-listed wilderness. We’re accompanied by two guides from Cradle Huts, the only company allowed to use the eco-huts that are scattered along the path through this pristine environment. On a hike graded moderate, the steepest main track...