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Above:
The Painted
Cliffs,
a stretch of
patterned
sandstone that
runs along the
coast of
Maria Island.GETTING THERE
Fly to Hobart via Brisbane, Melbourne, or Sydney.
You can apply for a visa on border.gov.auTOUR OPERATOR
Big Five Tours & Expeditions This trusted
company’s Tasmania offerings range from hiking
and beach-hopping on the Freycinet Peninsula
to a four-day trek through Maria Island. 12-day
trips from `8,40,680; bigfive.comHOTELS
The Henry Jones This chic space, built inside one
of the oldest warehouse buildings on the wharf,
has become an integral part of Hobart’s burgeoning
nightlife scene. Doubles from `13,960;
thehenry jones.com
Highfield House A Victorian-era estate, once home
to noted colonial politician and cricketer William
Henty, has found new life as a boutique bed-and-
breakfast overlooking the Tamar Valley. Launceston;
doubles from `8,570; highfieldhousebandb.com.au
The Islington Located a quick car ride from
downtown Hobart, this property is filled with quirky
art and antiques and features a glassed-in atrium
for dining and relaxing. Doubles from `23,950;
islingtonhotel.com
Macq 01 This sleek 114-room property on the
Macquarie Wharf overlooks Sullivans Cove and has
a staff steeped in knowledge of Tasmanian history.
Don’t miss the circular first-floor lounge, which is
built around an open fireplace. Doubles from
`20,450; macq01.com.au
Saffire Several hours northeast of Hobart in
Freycinet National Park, this sister property
to the Macq 01 provides extraordinary views of the
peninsula’s mountains and forests. Coles Bay;
doubles from `1,07,110; saffire-freycinet.com.auRESTAURANTS & CAFÉS
Bryher A stained-glass transom window, great
coffee, and seasonal menu beckon you to this
homey café. Launceston; bryherfood.com
Glass House This aptly named bar, encased in
glass on a floating pier, serves shared plates like
wallaby tartare. Its cocktails perfectly showcase
Tasmanian whiskey. Hobart; small plates
`715–`1685; the glass.house
Jackman & McRoss Locals love this convivial
bakery, an enduring fixture of Hobart’s culinary
scene for its breakfasts and fresh pastries.
+61-3/6223-3186
Pigeon Hole Café & Bakery This cool, simple spot
is a must for coffee, baked goods, and comfort dishes
like pork-and-fennel meatballs. Hobart;
entrées `715–`970; pigeonholecafe.com.au
Stillwater The pacesetter for Launceston fine
dining. The Tasmanian wine list pairs with a menu
derived from regional ingredients like Lenah
wallaby and Flinders Island salt-grass-fed lamb.
Entrées `1,035–`4,025; stillwater.com.au
Templo This blackboard-menu paradise
is a culinary wonder packed into a 20-seat space
on a back street in Hobart. Come for the communal
dining, stay for the unique wines.
Entrées `840–`1,620; templo.com.auMUSEUM
MONA A quick ferry ride up the Derwent River from
Hobart brings visitors to this popular museum,
home to an eccentric billionaire’s private art
collection that is by turns irreverent and grotesque.
Berriedale; mona.net.auTHE DETAILS
If you are lucky, every so often as a traveller you find it—
a place where past and present, nature and culture, a history
of joy and a legacy of suffering all balance upon a point of
mutual respect. I found it on Maria Island, at Bernacchi,
and during hikes with Maddy Davies and Paul Challen,
the two guides who hosted me for the weekend, cooking
brilliantly simple meals and providing superb company
on day-long excursions up the island’s dolerite peaks.
On my final morning on Maria, we trekked out to
Skipping Ridge, above the Tasman Sea, to drink coffee
and watch the sun rise. As a slim cuticle of light broke over
a long line of clouds, Challen quipped, “The first person who
goes over the edge, we’ll get a fence.”
“If they put up a fence,” Davies replied, “I’m never
coming back.”
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