Tasmania’s northern gateway town blends windswept Bass Strait beauty with farmgate flavours, coastal charm and a cool creative spirit. Here are the best things to do in Devonport.
Surrounded by paddocks atop rich volcanic soils and flanked by the Bass Strait, the industrious port town of Devonport – also home to Tasmania/Lutruwita’s only prime minister, Joseph Lyons – is the main sea gateway for travellers arriving to the island on the Spirit of Tasmania ferry from the mainland.
Technicolour roses bloom tall in front yards of Art Deco homes and locals enjoy frequent sightings of little penguins, who reside in rookeries along the Cradle Coast.
“It’s unlike anywhere else in the world, really," says Alicia Peardon, co-owner of Ghost Rock Wines and co-founder of Devonport’s Tasting Trail, which connects culinary and farmgate experiences across the north-west. Explore this gem of a town with our pick of the best things to do in Devonport.
1. Ghost Rock Wines & Eatery
View of vineyard from Ghost Rock Dining Room. (Credit: Dearna Bond Photography)
The team at the family-owned Ghost Rock Wines & Eatery know their wine – and they’ll happily share 14-odd varietals with you at the cellar door – but leave space for thin slices of heirloom tomatoes dressed with citrus oil and agrodulce, plates of grilled Stanley octopus curls and crackling-topped miso-glazed Scottsdale pork at lunch – all artfully explained by passionate wait staff while you overlook the vines and glittering coast.
2. From Sky to Sea
The creation of From Sky to Sea celebrates the local area on an immersive stage.
Settle in at dusk at the riverside Waterfront Park amphitheatre for 14 minutes of high-octane storytelling as this immersive nightly light installation comes to life. From Sky to Sea covers the region’s Indigenous Creation story, oceanic influences and surrounding forestry, with help from Mandylights (the team behind Vivid Sydney), local Palawa man David Gough’s voiceover and the sonic splendour of the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra.
3. Tasting Trail
Visit a truffle farm as part of the trail. (Credit: Ness Vanderburgh)
Pick up a map for this 40-plus-producer Tasting Trail of growers, makers and at the visitor centre, then follow it between farmgates, rural gems and local favourites. “Sometimes they’re so tucked away, or they’re small mum-and-dad producers, you don’t really know they’re there," co-founder Alicia Peardon says. “It’s helping take people off the beaten track." The trail can be explored year-round, with seasonal produce and farmgate tastings along the way. Or in April, when TrailGraze festival adds a weekend of special events, from vineyard talks and truffle-farm experiences to hazelnut harvesting and coffee-roasting classes.
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4. Mrs Jones
The eatery peers over the swelling waves of Bass Strait.
Mrs Jones serves up
top-notch oysters. (Credit: Tourism Tasmania/S.Group)
A decadent dining spot for surfers and foodies alike.
This eatery shares perhaps the most commanding spot on Bluff Beach with the local surf life-saving club and angular two-storey pavilion clad in hearty aluminium to withstand the salt spray. On one side sits Mrs Jones, where your attention to the surf may be briefly interrupted by the vanilla-cured ocean trout topped with zesty yuzu curd or the butter-soft duck legs in lychee-studded red curry.
5. Savu Saunas
Unwind and connect with other guests at Savu Saunas.
Opposite the caravan park on Mersey Bluff and decorated with a flora-centric mural by Tassie artist Jennifer Tyers, the unassuming Savu Saunas is community wellness at its finest and one of the top things to do in Devonport for those wanting to unwind. Book in for a 50-minute communal session in the accessibility-friendly container and BYO towel, then sink into relaxation on accoya timber seats as you overlook Bluff Beach. Final session is at 9pm and festoon lights twinkle to guide the way.
6. Devonport Antique Emporium
A wonderland for vintage collectors. (Credit: Riley Wilson)
There are wall-to-wall gems starring at this multi-storey treasure trove for the vintage-minded traveller. At Antique Emporium, wander hidden warrens stocked with forgotten kitchen utensils, heritage timber, antique sport pennants, glittering jewellery and toy cars, or scavenge for the perfect souvenir. Prices are reasonable and there’s parking out front.
7. Tasmanian Food and Wine Conservatory
The ‘General Store’ is a one stop shop showcasing the best of Tasmania.
Stocking exclusively Tasmanian produce, Tasmanian Food and Wine Conservatory is where you’ll find premium perishables and keepsakes. Scan the shelves for pickles and preserves, tinned smoked mussels, cheeses, local pottery or Waverley Mills blankets, then visit the counter – clad with ornate pressed tin – to pick up a toastie to go.
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8. Bass Strait Maritime Museum
This creatively curated museum brings maritime history to life. (Credit: Tourism Tasmania/Stu Gibson)
At this interactive museum dedicated to the state’s rich maritime heritage, built within and off the side of a former harbour master’s cottage, you can steer a virtual brig through the rough waters of the Bass Strait. Marvel at model ships, explore the ingenuity of First Peoples sailors and discover the origins of Tassie’s modern shipbuilding industry to discover why this is one of the best things to do in Devonport. Be sure to try your hand at a bowline before you leave.
9. Stay at The Cove
Sweeping vistas at The Cove. (Credit: S. Group)
View from the deck of the new Lilico Suites. (Credit: Helen Ward)
Basalt Restaurant
comes with a side of sea views. (Credit: Helen Ward)
Set on 140 hectares of farmland, The Cove Tasmania enjoys dramatic panoramic views over the northern coast in one direction and endless hillside on the other. In the Lillico Soak Suites, which opened in 2025, floor-to-ceiling windows frame the sunrise and an outdoor steel bath – crafted in New Zealand and set at a cosy 37.5°C – is where to watch it set. Don a red light for a penguin tour or devour dinner at onsite restaurant Basalt.
10. Fundamental Espresso
Fundamental Espresso serves the finest coffee and bagels. (Credit: Supplied)
This funky, minimalist cafe is humming from 6am, catering to the town’s tradespeople, creatives, run clubs and local families alike with punchy coffee pulled by the owners on a gleaming La Marzocco. The bagels are next level, stacked with – depending on the day – robust lox, gyro-style lamb, fresh local peaches or gochujang chicken.
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Riley Wilson is a journalist and editor based between Sydney, Tamworth and Tasmania. She grew up in Australia and the United States, with extensive travels throughout Europe and Asia along the way. A former newspaper editor, she currently contributes to publications in Australia and abroad, covering travel, food, agriculture, sustainability and architecture. When she's not playing with words or chasing adventures, she spends her time fishing, bushwalking and sipping hot cuppas in far-flung places.
Hobart has quietly become our coolest capital, but the real wonder lies just beyond the city limits.
In the cool shade of Kunyani/ Mt Wellington, Hobart has earned a reputation. Home to culture-defining Dark MOFO, the city blends rugged, raw wilderness and rule-breaking galleries. But, step beyond the thrumming capital’s border and you’ll find a new perspective: historic towns, Jurassic-era cliffs and a UNESCO City of Gastronomy. Fill your days with epicurean odysseys and wild scenery on the best day trips from Hobart.
Where to stay
Elevate your Hobart stay with sleek style at Mövenpick.
Behind every good road trip is the perfect home base. Somewhere central to review your camera roll, make the most of Hobart’s dining scene and relax before setting off again.
For modern, Tasmanian-inspired design, book a stay at the Movenpick Hotel Hobart. Standing at the Salamanca Markets, look to the Hobart skyline, and the award-winning hotel will catch your eye. As the third-tallest building in the CBD, the views across the harbour toward Antarctica are totally unique from your room. Here, end each day at the daily free chocolate hour (plus a free Movenpick ice cream for the little ones).
For a more budget-conscious option, head to the picture book, sandstone buildings of Macquarie Street. Nestled along the buzzing, historic streetscape, you’ll find Tasmania’s biggest hotel: the Ibis Styles. Return home each day to defrost in one of the hotel’s two saunas. Make use of the proximity to MONA, or take an easy stroll to the candy-coloured cottages of Battery Point between your adventures.
1. Bruny Island
Begin your adventure with a climb and a view. (Credit: Elise Weaver)
Craggy cliffs and tropical-hued, white sand beaches signal your arrival to Bruny Island/ Lunawanna-Alonnah.
Start your day trip at the island’s most iconic spot, the Neck Game Reserve. Scale the Trunganini steps to gaze out over the teensy stretch of land that juts through the sea connecting the two ends of the island.
Catch a rare glimpse of the white-furred wallabies that call Bruny Island home at Adventure Bay. Then, for ocean-fresh oysters, pull into the drive-thru window at Get Shucked. Sample Bruny Island cheese at the cellar door before catching the ferry home with an esky full of local produce.
2. Mount Wellington
Climb through alpine forest to the summit. (Credit: Samuel Shelley)
At 1271 metres, Mount Wellington watches protectively over Hobart. Follow the winding road to climb through alpine forest and tufts of snow to reach the summit. Gaze down over Hobart and out to sea, or over your shoulder to the southwestern wilderness.
Reset your adrenaline with a mountain bike ride back down. Or, make like the locals and head into the mountain on foot. Try the hike to the Jurassic-period Organ Pipes, which slips under the mountain’s magnificent dolerite cliffs (perfect for families thanks to the trail’s minimal incline).
For a view of Mount Wellington itself, hike nearby Cathedral Rock.
2. Port Arthur
Wander through convict-built grounds and gardens. (Credit: Alastair Bett)
Constructed entirely by convicts, the manicured gardens and penal buildings of Port Arthur offer a day trip that practically hums with history.
The rugged, seagirt location was chosen for its difficult escape conditions. Now, you can cruise the coast below the towering, jagged cliffs of the Tasman National Park or wander the sloping fields of fragrant lavender.
Tickets to Port Arthur include a walking tour and harbour cruise. See the Isle of the Dead where 1000 men are buried in marked and unmarked graves. And Point Puer, Britain’s first prison for children.
3. Launceston
Walk the sunlit paths of Cataract Gorge. (Credit: Nick H Visuals)
You’ll find Launceston at the confluence of three rivers after an easy 2.5-hour drive from Hobart. Launceston is a patchwork of old and new. Here, heritage streetscapes meet modern architecture.
Visit Cataract Gorge, the green, sun-dappled heart of the town and sacred meeting point for Tasmania’s indigenous communities. Pull up at roadside produce stalls that dot the Tamar Valley, or dine out. Launceston is, after all, a UNESCO City of Gastronomy.
Should the local wine scene persuade you, simply extend your time in Launceston at Peppers Silo (but definitely at least stop by the onsite restaurant, Grain of the Silo, for a farm fresh menu) or Mercure Launceston before heading back to Hobart.
4. Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary
Snap a cuddle-worthy encounter. (Credit: Tourism Australia)
Take a 35-minute drive from your hotel and you’ll find Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary. This social enterprise is run by a team of extremely passionate Tasmanians with a mission to look after critically endangered species who have found sanctuary here after facing extinction on the mainland.
Choose to wander the sanctuary at your own pace or join a guided tour (free with your ticket) to come face to face with Tassie’s most iconic species. Tasmanian Devils, wombats and echidnas are part of the free tour. You can book up close encounters with your favourite animals, too.
5. Richmond Village & Coal River Valley
Trace the river through history and wine country. (Credit: Alastair Bett)
Richmond is a town that belongs in a snow globe. Fifty colonial-era, Georgian buildings have been painstakingly restored and turned into cafes, cosy restaurants and galleries. Visit Richmond Gaol, said to be the home of a prisoner so vile he inspired Charles Dickens to pen Oliver Twist’s Fagin.
Then, follow the Coal River as it flows past grassy, duckling-dotted knolls and under the iconic Richmond Bridge, the oldest bridge in Australia. From the crest of the bridge, see the oldest Catholic Church in Australia. The river crawls past many cellar doors, perfect for a day of wine tasting.
