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Day 1 - Hobart,
Moorilla Estate, 2 nights
On arrival in Hobart collect your hire car for the
short drive south and your 2 night stay at Moorilla
Estate. Moorilla’s luxury chalets have glorious panoramic
views across the Derwent River, they are fully
self-contained and have been built with privacy,
indulgence, relaxation and comfort in mind. Each has king
sized beds & glass bathrooms with luxurious spa baths for
two.
Be sure to allow time to enjoy the Estate, Hobart’s
vineyard in the city and established by wine pioneer
Claudio Alcorso in 1958. This was the first vineyard to
make major plantings of pinot noir grapes, now Tasmania’s
most successful red-wine grape. The cellar door and
wonderfully sited restaurant are open every day. Sales,
tastings, cheese platters and winery tours are available.
Moorilla also boasts a world-class Museum of Antiquities.
Day 2 - Discover
Hobart & the south east
A day to enjoy Hobart, a city that blends heritage,
scenery and vibrant culture around its location on the
Derwent River. Take a harbour cruise, or drive to the
summit of Mt Nelson or Mt Wellington, and immediately
understand the maritime focus - Hobart’s suburbs hug the
Derwent River, city buildings cluster around the docks and
the estuary broadens into Storm Bay and the distant sea.
Twenty-five kilometres and 100 years from the city is the
historic town of Richmond, wander the narrow cells of the
old gaol and feel Tasmania’s convict past. Close by are
the neat vineyards and wineries of the Coal River Valley,
home of superb cool-climate wine.
From the historic town of Richmond cross the narrow
isthmus to Port Arthur’s Historic Site and travel a route
that is steeped in convict history and rich in natural
beauty. The Tasman Peninsula is a place of breathtaking
seascapes, some of the tallest sea cliffs in the world,
and wild ocean views. The road passes through rolling
farmlands and little villages, past vineyards, artists’
studios and sweeping bays.
Day 3 - To Cradle
Mountain, Cradle Mountain Lodge, 2 nights
No matter which route you to take, be sure to leave
early, as there is much to do on the full days drive from
Hobart to Cradle Mountain.
Heading north to Launceston the highway shows the stories
of convicts, farmers, bushrangers, writers and painters.
Cross land first cleared by Aborigines for hunting, then
settled by European farmers and pass through Georgian
villages. Look out for whimsical hedge shapes, 19th
century sandstone road markers and gracious homesteads.
Turning west pass The Great Western Tiers, a World
Heritage Area of mountains that holds more than 3,000
lakes.
Alternatively, travel along the Derwent River, past
vineyards to New Norfolk. Beyond the towering Russell
Falls at Mt Field National Park and the historic village
of Hamilton is Lake St Clair, where pretty coves and
beaches welcome weary bushwalkers at the end of the
Overland Track from Cradle Mountain. From Australia’s
deepest lake the road cuts through some of the largest
remaining tracts of temperate rainforest in the world,
with great walks, waterfalls and fast-flowing rivers. The
road zigzags into Queenstown and Strahan, the starting
point for breathtaking cruises on the Gordon River. It’s
then on through historic mining towns to Cradle Valley.
Stay 2 nights at Cradle Mountain Lodge – surrounded by
nature’s magnificence.
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Day 4 -
Cradle Mountain
Spend the day hiking this World Heritage
landscape of peaks, lakes, rainforests and moorland
– there are tracks to the top of the mountain (an eight-hour return walk)
or there are over 20 guided walking tracks around the lodge and Dove Lake
ranging from 20 minutes to 9 hours.
Going further a field take a drive through scenic agricultural hinterland and visit the town of murals at Sheffield, wonder at the dominance of Mt Roland and enjoy the heritage streetscape in Latrobe. With so much to do, see and savour, this route is one rich in cultural heritage, wine, food and, of course, unforgettable wild nature.
Day 5 -
Departure
Return your hire car to Launceston
Airport in time for your departure flight.
Options & Upgrades
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Extend by a day and circle
back to Hobart – taking the alternative
route -
Up-grade your car to a
luxury vehicle -
Up-grade to a Spa Cabin or
Suite or a King Billy Suite at Cradle
Mountain
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