Customarily, travel during the winter months in Australia is designed to foster a sense of escapism — farewelling our island nation in pursuit of warmer climes and higher morales. However, Tasmania has slowly but surely been making the case for embracing rather than escaping winter. It started with Mona—the Museum of Old and New Art—but there’s more to the Apple Isle than David Walsh’s quirky vision of what constitutes art, with the east coast of Tasmania offering ample opportunity to feast and imbibe to your heart’s content, all while taking in some of the best landscapes the country has to offer.
While the mainland is often ill-equipped for cold weather, Tasmania has an almost Scandinavian feeling to it come wintertime. With a shared reverence for nature, focus on hyperlocal produce, and abundance of stunning remote landscapes balanced with cosy accommodation in which to enjoy them, Tasmania acts as Oceania’s poster child for both Norway’s friluftsliv (an embrace of open-air living, regardless of season) and Denmark’s hygge (which encourages ensconcing yourself in warm, cosy spaces and sharing time with loved ones come winter). Oh, and there’s saunas and cold plunges to be had too.
Suited to frequent visitors and first-timers alike, a road trip up Tasmania’s east coast delivers charm in spades. Start from Hobart and hug the coastline up towards Launceston at an idle pace. Here’s where to eat, sip, stay, and play on Tasmania’s east coast.
Day One
Dine: Oirthir, Bream Creek
One of the best things about road tripping in Tasmania is the island’s relatively compact size; it doesn’t take too long to get from point A to point B. With that in mind, start your road trip off with a leisurely long lunch at Oirthir. Nestled in the scenic countryside of Bream Creek less than an hour’s drive from Hobart, this relative newcomer to the Tasmanian dining scene offers an elegant lunchtime tasting menu.
Helmed by husband-and-wife team, Bob Piechniczek and Jillian McInnes, Oirthir melds both chefs’ Scottish heritage and French culinary training and applies it to Tasmania’s rich natural produce. Travelling from sea to land, the menu changes regularly but typically starts with plump oysters topped with salty, briny samphire and the restaurant’s signature haggis cubes (there’s also a vegetarian option available), while Scottish soda bread with seaweed butter stands in its own right, but also comes in handy to mop up residual sauce — like the addictive black garlic soubise that accompanies mushrooms sourced from the nearby Sounds Rivulet farm.
Set on a paddock, the restaurant looks out towards Marion Bay and the mountains. Our server recommends a pre-dessert stroll around the vegetable and herb garden to take in the view (and promote digestion) — friluftsliv at its finest.
Address: 357 Marion Bay Road, Bream Creek, Tasmania, Australia
Do: Tasman Sea Salt experience
Whisky and wine tastings might be standard procedure in Tasmania—and we’ll get to them, trust—but the Tasman Sea Salt experience offers a surprisingly interesting deep dive into nature’s most delicious minerals. Perched on a cliff face atop the Tasman sea, this family-run operation is home to one of the island’s most used condiments.
Founded by husband-and-wife team Chris and Alice who met in London and moved back to Chris’ home state, Tasman Sea Salt was born when the duo contemplated the absurdity of shipping Maldon sea salt across the globe when Tasmania is home to some of the purest water and air.
Produced using a clean-energy process powered by thermal energy, the experience takes visitors from sea to salt, explaining how the harvesting process takes place and how the end result is shaped by the region’s unique microclimate. Then, with a glass of warm spiced cider in hand, retreat to the Salt Cellar for a paired tasting experience which matches the brand’s original and infused salts with small bites.
“Salt is the policeman of taste,” Alice tells us, starting the gustatory part of the experience off with a quote from Canadian author Margaret Visser. Indeed, Tasman Sea Salt’s seaweed salt proved apt at enlivening a simple pumpkin puree, while the delicate flakes of the original brought out finer detail in a dark chocolate truffle. Designed with chefs and passionate home cooks in mind, Tasman Sea Salt is made to enhance rather than overpower each dish, with each flake smaller and more delicate than that of conventional finishing salts.
Address: 97 Mayfield Jetty Road, Little Swanport, Tasmania, Australia
Stay: Piermont Retreat
Hole up at one of the waterfront cottages at Piermont Retreat. A heritage-listed homestead (which now houses the worthy Homestead Restaurant) holds court on a hill that trails down to the coastline, dotted with rustic cottages that marry old-world charm with modern amenities capturing views of Great Oyster Bay. Dine at the in-house restaurant within the 187-year-old homestead, which pairs Mediterranean flavours with fresh local produce. Come morning, take in the sunrise on your private veranda with a cup of coffee in hand.
The expansive boutique retreat is surrounded by rugged wilderness, making it possible to take a morning hike before retreating to your cottage for a continental breakfast with provisions sourced from local providers (don’t go past the sourdough crumpets from Huon Me Crumpet Co. — as a staunch crumpet-hater, I could not get enough of these slathered with lashings of Pepe Saya butter).
Address: 12990 Tasman Highway, Swansea, Tasmania, Australia
Explore and book Piermont Retreat here.
Day Two
Do: Freycinet National Park
Start the morning off with a hike to the iconic Wineglass Bay, for a view that foreshadows the multivarious imbibing pleasures to be had.
Dine: Freychinet Marine Farm
If you’ve had a few meals on the east coast, it’s likely you’ve already tasted the bright, creamy flavours of Freychinet Marine Farm’s exemplar Pacific oysters. However, it’s well worth taking a trip to the source. Try half a dozen natural before moving on to the outpost’s signature ‘Freycinet’ style; served with cucumber and native finger lime topped with Bloody Mary dressing and mignonnette. Co-owner Giles Fisher, who runs Freychinet Marine Farm with his wife Julie, recommends the scallop pie which doesn’t disappoint, but it’s the mussels that end up being the standout; both in a classic moules marinières preparation and within a Sri Lankan-style curry sauce.
Address: 1784 Coles Bay Rd, Coles Bay, Tasmania, Australia
Stay: Picnic Island
An intimate, all-inclusive affair, Picnic Island accommodates just eight guests. Accessible via a James Bond-esq boat, visitors have their run of the tiny island—save for the penguin colony that inhabits it—which comprises a more private main suite on one side of the island and three bedrooms (one with an ensuite) closer to the main gathering space. Use of the island comes with a private chef—the highlight of our stay was a family-style dinner prepared by chef Chris Lucas of What Grows—as well as experiences like guided hikes on the Freycinet Peninsula, whisky and wine tastings, private yoga classes, kayaking, and boat rides to uninhabited islands where seals frolic on the rocks.
Address: Picnic Island, Coles Bay, Tasmania, Australia
Explore and book Picnic Island here.
Day Three
Do & dine: Moulting Lagoon Experience at Devil’s Corner Winery
Located in one of the most beautiful corners of the island state, Devil’s Corner Winery sits on over 190 hectares of vineyards. It presides over a decent slice of the Moulting Lagoon, an internationally recognised wetland that’s home to several species of waterfowl—including black swans—and looks out towards the Hazards mountain range (for which its premium line is named).
The vineyard specialises in cool climate sparkling, riesling, and pinot noir, with the former two poured out as part of the Moulting Lagoon Experience. Here, Champagne and caviar are no match for sparkling wine and oysters; the latter shucked off the back of a ute parked as close as you can get to the Moulting Lagoon. Once you’ve had your fill—and tried your hand at shucking a few of Freychinet Marine Farm’s finest yourself—head back up to the cellar door for a wine tasting and enjoy a casual pizza lunch overlooking the vineyards.
Address: 1 Sherbourne Rd, Apslawn, Tasmania, Australia
Do: Devils in the Dark at East Coast Natureworld
The only way to see Tasmanian devils in action without risking becoming prey yourself. The Devils in the Dark experience at East Coast Natureworld lets you watch the carnivorous marsupials dine on a carcass from within a covered viewing area. The experience is accompanied by wine and cheese, though the queasy stomached among us—this writer included—may be slightly put off their food watching the devils tear through theirs.
Address: 18356A Tasman Highway, Bicheno, Tasmania, Australia
Stay: Little Beach Co Resort
Stretching over the coastline at the Chain of Lagoons, Little Beach Co Resort offers an array of accommodation experiences, ranging from glamping and oceanside hot tub villas to the expansive mid-century style Rockpool Residence. Come winter, you’ll want to opt for one of the latter two options, though all come with a private session at the cosy waterfront sauna (remember what we said about Scandinavian vibes?). While there’s no cold plunge on site, simply stepping out of the sauna into the crisp morning air offers a dose of hot-cold therapy.
Address: 21040 Tasman Highway, Chain of Lagoons, Tasmania, Australia
Explore and book Little Beach Co Resort here.
Day Four
Dine: Lobster Shack
You’ll never guess what they serve here. Run by husband-and-wife team Sara and Marcus, Lobster Shack is a casual dining outpost perched above Bicheno’s fishing harbour, where the couple’s seafood business sources its catches. While the lobster roll is the most talked about item on the menu, the fish and chips (battered, crumbed, or grilled) are also well worth an order.
Address: 40 Waubs Esplanade, Bicheno, Tasmania, Australia
Explore: Bicheno
During our time on the east coast, Bicheno was often affectionately referred to as the “Byron Bay of Tasmania.” While it’s undeniably rising in popularity, such a descriptor does it a disservice, with the sleepy seaside town boasting a relaxed atmosphere that remains—at the time of writing—unmarred by hoards of tourists, digital nomads, and crystal spruikers. Despite the laidback vibe, there are cafes and restaurants aplenty and a couple of boutique accommodation options to boot.
Visit the Bicheno Blowhole; while you’re waiting for it to do its thing, stroll around the red rock formations. The olfactorily inclined will do well to pay a visit to Undersong Perfumery, a local fragrance brand founded by former journalist Hillary Burden, which creates fragrances inspired by the Tasmanian landscape using native botanicals.
Do: Waubs Harbour Distillery
Continue the sensorial exploration of the coastal town with a whisky truly rooted in place. Located in an old oyster hatchery, Waubs Harbour Distillery was co-founded by ex-Lark and ex-Overeem distiller, Rob Polmear, alongside his brother and sister-in-law Tim and Bec Polmear. The distillery’s drams are influenced by its maritime climate, with notes of salinity lingering beneath the small-batch outfit’s original and limited-edition expressions.
Take a tour of the distillery and round it off with a guided tasting of the latest whiskies. If you ask extra nicely, they may even pour you a nip of the exemplar Founder’s Reserve.
Address: 42 Waubs Esplanade, Bicheno, Tasmania, Australia
Wing your way inland to Launceston or head back down to Hobart, revisiting your favourite spots along the way — the choice is yours.
Albert Review travelled as a guest of Tourism Tasmania. For special off-season offers (running from May to August), head to Discover Tasmania and become a winter person.
Words and photographs by T. Angel
