L’Officiel Malaysia – July 2019

Living

the gut-wrenching World Heritage prison site of Port Arthur
(portarthur.org.au/+61 3 6251 2310). It looks like some Scottish
castle grounds, with imposing sandstone façades surrounded
by lush lawns and rose bushes. Though it’s the home of many
past horrors, including the Separate Prison, a chamber of
solitary confinement in which convicts weren’t allowed to
speak and were forced to wear masks. The goal was to break
down the mind as well as the body (perhaps one of the reasons
the freed prisoners would later fare so well in the wilderness).

Offshore, things got more fun. Di, our tour guide sent us off on
Rob Pennicott’s boat tour along the Tasman Peninsula. Fifteen
years ago, the entrepreneur founded Pennicott Wilderness
Journey (pennicottjourneys.com.au/+60 3 6234 4270), a tour
company that offers thrill rides that can bash through the
Tasman sea to get to the otherwise unreachable stretches of
the coastline. They offer a variety of tours but for a real treat,
try the Tasmanian Seafood Seduction, which combines a tour
with an all-day feast of oysters, abalone and rock lobster. Our
captain Kate even dived into the sea herself to catch fresh
seafood for lunch, which we had with a delicious gourmet
spread of fresh breads, salads and artisanal cheese that we
washed down with Tasmanian wines, ciders and juices. Eating
oysters taken straight out from the sea? Checked!

This city offers a variety of accommodation options to suit the
spectrum of budget travellers to five-star luxury seekers. We
stayed at MACq 01 (macq01.com.au/+61 3 6210 7600) for two
nights and it is an excellent base in Hobart. Located on the
city’s waterfront along Hunter Street on the old Hunter Island—
one of the earliest sites of European settlement in Tasmania,
it is the first storytelling hotel in the world. If you’re looking for
upmarket digs in Hobart, we recommend the Islington Hotel

(islingtonhotel.com/+61 3 6220 2123). Set in a restored 1846

house with a large garden and spectacular views of Mount

Wellington, this luxury hotel has only 11 rooms and suites with

custom beds decorated with fine art and antique decor.

Hobart’s culinary credential is on the rise with many reasonable-

priced eateries, ranging from cool cafes to upscale restaurants.

Personally, I wouldn’t have minded spending a whole day just

eating my way around the city, with multi-course tasting menus

paired with Tasmanian wines for between AUD 50 to AUD

100 and then roll myself back to the hotel. Try The Lounge by

Frogmore Creek (frogmorecreek.com.au/+61 3 6274 5876) on the

waterfront where they serve delicious international flavours

using Tasmanian produce—including wallaby meat. Fun fact:

Tasmania is the only place in the world where it is legal to

harvest wallabies for meat.

SECOND STOP: FREYCINET NATIONAL PARK

While Hobart is undergoing an artistic renaissance, the real

draw is Tasmania’s breathtaking rugged wilderness. A two-

and-a-half-hour drive northeast of Hobart, we set upon our

next adventure to Freycinet National Park—a place of stories,

encounters and treasures—which did not struggle to deliver.

The Freycinet Peninsula is on Tasmania’s east coast. Its

dramatic granite peaks, dazzling white sandy beaches and

pristine waters make it one of the most popular of the state’s 19

national parks. If you’re looking for blow-your-mind beautiful,

Freycinet is a must-visit.

Look around Freycinet National Park, which covers the

peninsula’s southern tip and most of its east coast. Although

Freycinet is one of Tasmania’s most popular national

Freycinet Lodge- Courtesy of RACT Destinations

Freycinet Lodge - Courtesy of RACT Destinations

Tasman Island Cruises Pennicott Wilderness Journey - Courtesy of Poon Wai Nang

MACq 01 - Courtesy of Stu Gibson