Tasmania’s heart is its midlands, dominated by grassy plains that were cultivated by Aboriginal people for thousands of years.
 
Today it is productive grazing and cropping country. In a hidden valley just 50 kilometres north of Hobart you can explore its rich history, scenic views and solitude at Hunting Ground, a 10-acre grassland and campground atop a river escarpment.
 
Nature and history define this place, in the form of ancient landforms, giant pre-contact Eucalyptus viminalis (white gums) as well as a convict-built chapel, a cemetery, house and stables. (You might know the house from ABC TV’s Restoration Australia, which documented its restoration, including an elegant glass and steel link and off-grid renewable energy system.)
 
Owners Dale Campisi and Brady Michaels – better known as The Gents – have created walking paths to explore the undulating landscape, taking in soaring cliffs, grasslands, giant eucalypts and an ephemeral wetland.
 
The historic Congregational Chapel first opened its doors on New Year’s Day 1852, serving as a place of worship, education, celebration and commemoration for more than 50 years. Now it is once again a gathering place for events and exhibitions, celebrations, workshops and long-table lunches – and you can stay the night, too.
 
Open campsites for travellers provide sweeping views and are perfect for late-night stargazing in some of the darkest skies in Australia. After the sun sets and twilight fades, the cosmos comes into clear and spectacular view. On the ground, there’s a chance of spotting one of the resident Tasmanian devils, a wallaby, wombat or possum. As the sun rises, a chorus of dozens of birds fills the morning air.
 
Each campsite includes a picnic table and seating, a central firepit for cooking and gatherings (wood provided) and plenty of room for a tent, car or camper. Sites provide vistas of rolling hills and bushland, rocky sugarloaf peaks, winding waterways and productive farms. Cows, sheep, ducks, chickens and horses share the valley with a multitude of native animals including majestic wedge-tailed eagles and a white-bellied sea eagle.
 
A stay at Hunting Ground is an immersion in nature, surrounded by the sights and sounds of country life. It’s perfect for chill-seekers, stargazers, bird watchers, artists, photographers and dreamers of all persuasions.
 
Nearby attractions include Chauncy Vale, a bush reserve with caves, rivulets and hiking tracks; whisky and gin distilleries at Shene and Kempton; and the historic towns of Bothwell and Oatlands.
 
You can make a booking at thegentsaustralia.com.