With two new lakeside retreats and immersive experiences, Tassie’s Pumphouse Point is guaranteed to fill your cup.
Pumphouse Point sits on Lake St Clair at the southern end of Cradle Mountain National Park. (Credit: Adam Gibson)
The only sound I hear is the whisper of the wind and water gently lapping the shore. The silence is interrupted by a slap. Then another as something launches itself out of the water and dives back again faster than I can see with my naked eye. I’m searching Australia’s deepest lake for signs of platypus as the sun sets at Pumphouse Point – the award-winning wilderness escape in Tasmania/Lutruwita’s Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park.
Originally built as a hydro station in the 1940s and reimagined into accommodation in 2015, the Pumphouse is situated 240 metres out over the lake and features 12 guestrooms across three floors. Back on dry land, six more guestrooms, a dining room and lounge can be found at the Shorehouse, the site of the hydro scheme’s former substation – which to this day still features the walls, floor and door of the original toilet. But it’s the Retreats, hemmed in by bushland on the lake’s edge, that offer the most exclusive guest experience.
The new Retreats blend into their surroundings. (Credit: Nick H Visuals)
Elevated spirits are served in the Shorehouse each evening. (Credit: Katie Carlin)
The new Retreats offer views of the Pumphouse. (Credit: Katie Carlin)
The bedroom inside the new Retreats. (Credit: Nick H Visuals)
The sun sets over Lake St. Clair at Pumphouse Point. (Credit: Katie Carlin)
Resident wombats roam the property. (Credit: Katie Carlin)
The weir flows into the Derwent River. (Credit: Katie Carlin)
Heritage Shorehouse restaurant offers multi-course feasts. (Credit: Nick H Visuals)
Enjoy regional produce and freshly-baked bread. (Credit: Rachel Vasicek)
New all-inclusive retreats
Pumphouse Point gains two new luxury retreats (Credit: Adam Gibson).
Two of the three free-standing pavilions opened in August 2025 – a $2.25 million development led by owner-operators, member organisation NRMA Parks and Resorts (which acquired Pumphouse Point in 2022). I’m lucky enough to be one of the first guests to experience the new Retreats.
The two additions have been carefully crafted to mirror the original, designed by JAWS Architects and Cumulus Studio in 2017. From the outside, the timber-clad accommodation blends into its surroundings with the interior designed to welcome them in; light wells carved out of the bathroom corners offer a visual connection to the ground and sky, while the floor-to-ceiling glass wall in the living area delivers jaw-dropping views of the iconic Pumphouse on the lake framed by bushland – a vantage point enjoyed from every angle, including the bed and shower.
Room rates include breakfast and dinner in the Shorehouse restaurant. (Credit: Adam Gibson)
Each Retreat features an open-plan design with a king bed draped in premium linens, a lounge area, indoor fireplace and deep-soak bathtub. A communal-style buffet breakfast and seasonal three-course dinner at the Heritage Shorehouse restaurant are inclusive for Retreat guests, as well as an in-room larder generously stocked with Tasmanian craft beers, ciders, wines and the best local produce and gourmet treats – think salami, cheese, hummus, falafels, crudites and more. Fresh sourdough can also be hand-delivered to your door within 10 minutes on request.
New immersive experiences
Treat your senses to a whisky tasting, one of three new immersive experiences. (Credit: Nick H Visuals)
“Let us move in the way of the water," announces Ian Andersen Munoz, as he leads our small group along the 820-foot concrete flume that once pumped water from the lake into the higher lagoon east of the Pumphouse. While technically hired as an all-rounder, switching between roles onsite as needed, the Chilean is blessed with a level of enthusiasm for the decommissioned Art Deco Pumphouse I can only imagine is rivalled by the original architect himself, as he describes the connection he sees between its beauty and function. I follow, thoroughly engrossed in his storytelling, until we reach the weir east of the Pumphouse. I watch it spill into the Derwent River, where it will wind its way to Hobart/Nipaluna, as Ian tells us about the Big River Tribe who cared for this land before they were mercilessly forced off it, and how the cultural landscape they shaped over millennia still speaks to us today if we know how to read it.
The 45-minute guided Pumphouse Point History Tour is one of three newly added experiences. There’s also a chocolate tasting journey in partnership with renowned Tassie chocolatier House of Anvers, and a whisky tasting featuring a curated selection of single malts from Tasmania’s most awarded distillery, Sullivans Cove.
Moments of wonder
It’s my final night and increasing darkness forces me to concede defeat as I walk the length of the flume back to my room after another attempt at spotting platypus. My movement startles a pademelon, who promptly hops behind a shrub in front of me. I almost miss the outline of two others; one frozen with her head turned towards me, the other, her joey, unfazed by my presence. It’s not the elusive monotreme I’d hoped to see, but it’s moments like this that make Pumphouse Point – and Tasmania, for that matter – a constant source of wonder.
Details
Pumphouse Point is around 2.5 hours’ drive from both Hobart/Nipaluna and Launceston, winding through World Heritage-listed wilderness.
Rates for the Retreats start at $1950 and include all dining, drinks and minibar, as well as the new onsite experiences.
If travelling from Hobart, stop in at the Agrarian Kitchen in New Norfolk for lunch.
If you’ve ever tried to book accommodation in Cradle Mountain National Park, you’ll know the options are extremely limited. This is a deliberate decision to preserve the natural environment. The retreats, on the lesser-visited end of the National Park, offer the chance to enjoy the wilderness in total comfort.
Weekly travel news, experiences insider tips, offers, and more.
Katie Carlin is Australian Traveller's Head of Content and when she’s not travelling or behind her computer, she’s hosting a dinner party (likely cooking an Alison Roman recipe), at brunch, working on extending her running k’s, or has her nose buried in a book.
She joined Australian Traveller in 2018 and is responsible for leading the editorial team across print, digital, social, email and native content. Her job is to make sure we create content that connects readers to incredible experiences in Australia and beyond. In addition to sharing her expertise on travel through industry speaking engagements, Katie appears onToday, A Current Affair and various radio segments.
With a BA in Communications majoring in Journalism and a career that has spanned roles at Fairfax Media and Are Media writing for titles such as The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, and various lifestyle brands, she brings a wealth of experience to her role. Her most impactful trip to date has been swimming with whale sharks on Ningaloo Reef. For her next trip she is longing to experience the romance of train travel – hopefully on The Ghan or Indian Pacific.
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. With ALL Accor as your home away from home, fill your days with epicurean odysseys and wild scenery on the best day trips from Hobart.
Where to stay
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 to 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.
Elevate your Hobart stay with sleek style at Mövenpick.
1. Bruny Island
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.
Begin your adventure with a climb and a view. (Image: Elise Weaver)
2. Mount Wellington
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.
Climb through alpine forest to the summit. (Image: Paul Flemming)
2. Port Arthur
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.
Wander convict-built grounds and gardens. (Image: Dearna Bond)
3. Launceston
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.
Walk the sunlit paths of Cataract Gorge. (Image: Nick H Visuals)
4. Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary
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.
Snap a cuddle-worthy encounter. (Image: Tourism Australia)
5. Richmond Village & Coal River Valley
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.
Trace the river through history and wine country. (Image: Fin Matson)
Plan your trip to Hobart and beyond with ALL Accor at All.com .
