K
imSeagrammovedfromCanadato
Launcestonforloveandstayedforthe
“rocksolid”community.“Thecityis
dynamicandchangingfast,butthe
characterofthecommunityreally
hasn’tchangedat all,”saysSeagram,whoarrived
asa newbridein1992.“Wearen’tafraidofa bit
ofhardworktomakethingsbetterforeveryone.”
SheandherTasmanianhusband,RodAscui,have
becomeserialentrepreneurs;amongtheirprojectsis
thedestinationrestaurant,Stillwater,locatedinthe
city’srestoredcolonial-eraflourmill,focusingon
provenancelongbeforeit becamecommonplace.
Thecityandsurroundingregionarenowfullof
winemakersandartists,chefsanddistillers,furniture
designersandartisanmakersofbutterandcraft
beer,chorizoandcider.They’redrawnbynorthern
Tasmania’sfarmingandwinemakingheritage,still-
affordableproperty,burgeoningtourism,aninfluxof
migrating“climatechangers”,andthesamesenseof
communitythatdrewSeagramnearly 30 yearsago.
Herearea fewventuresat thevanguardof
newLaunceston.UniqueCharters
Solitudeis guaranteedonSwanIsland,a private
islandoffthenorth-easttipofTasmania.Ona
helicoptertourdevisedbyUniqueCharters,arrive
tofinda picniclaidononeoftheisland’spristine
beaches,orstaythenightinthelighthousekeeper’s
cottage.Ordesignyourowntour:skirtBenLomond
ona ridealongthespectaculareastcoasttoFreycinet
Lodge,wherea waiterandprivatetableonthejettywill
bereadyforlunch.Thecompanyis runbyoldfriends
andexperiencedpilotsPeterBarronandBruceHume;
thelatteris alsoa jeweller– “I makerings,andthenI
foundpeoplewantedideasforspecialwaystopropose,”
Humesays.Thecompanyarrangesrareexperiences–
beachlunches,hilltopdrinks– viascenicflightsat
remotelocationsincludingtheBayofFires,Cradle
MountainandFlindersIsland.uniquecharters.com.auDesignTasmania
Locatedat theentrancetomanicuredCityPark,with
itsornateVictorianrotunda,DesignTasmaniais a
light-filledexhibitionspaceandshoppromotingthe
state’svibrantdesigncredentialsinceramics,metal,
wood,glassandwicker.Theshowpieceis a permanent
collectionofmorethan 70 piecesofcontemporary
wooddesign,includingTasmaniandesignheroKevin
Perkins’sacclaimedCapeBarrenGoosecabinetmade
fromHuonpineandsilkyoak,anda forestbench
madefromblocksofHuonpinesetinanundulating
myrtleframebyAmerican-bornTasmanianémigréPeter
Adams.Cannydesignfansheadtotheshoptopick
uphandcraftedhomewares,textilesandjewellery
frombijouxgiftstoheirloominvestments.CnrBrisbane
& Tamarsts,Launceston,designtasmania.com.auPrestigeToursTasmania
CloseproximitytoTasmania’s
oldestandmostdynamic
wine-growingregiondemands
exploration– anda designated
driver.DavidCooperis a calm
presencebehindthewheel
anda sourceoflocalknowledge
ona driveintoTamarValley’s
cool-climatewinecountry.
Thereare 31 winerieslisted
onWineTasmania’striangular
TamarValleyWineRoute.
Myfirststopis a woodfired
lunchbychefMattAdamsat
TimbreKitchen,overlooking
thevineyardsofVeloWines.
Thenit’sa leisurelyspinnorth-
westpastoldappleorchardsto
HolmOakWines,witha rustic
cellardoorandstandsofEnglish
ashoriginallyplantedtomake
tennisracquets.Andthento
MooresHill,Tasmania’sfirst
off-gridwinery.PrestigeTours
Tasmaniaconductsfull-and
half-daytoursforcouplesand
smallgroupstoTamarValleywine
countryaswellastourstoCradle
Mountain,WineglassBayandthe
BayofFires.prestigetourstas.com.auBread + Butter
From churn to croissant to café,
the butter doesn’t need to spread
far at this inner-city café-bakery.
Olivia Morrison’s butter business
grew from a Saturday-morning
conversation at the city’s Harvest
farmers’ market. “I was looking for
something different after working
in IT in Sydney and moving to
Launceston,” she says. “I thought,
where’s the best local butter?” She
started the Tasmanian Butter Co
three years ago, making hand-
churned cultured butter from
Tasmanian milk and selling at the
markets. Her business grew, and
she opened her warehouse café last
year. She uses her butter in pastries,
cakes and pies, and to accompany
bread baked on-site. Morrison
makes about 120 kilograms of
butter a week, and plans to shift
production to the warehouse to
create a café-bakery-factory. Her
newest venture, meanwhile, is a
dedicated cheese shop called,
naturally, Cheese. Bread + Butter, 89
Cimitiere St; Cheese, 112-114 George
St, Launceston, tasmanianbutterco.com.
au, breadandbuttertasmania.com.au PHOTOGRAPHY ADAM GIBSON BLACK COW BISTRO .