The borders shut. Bookings stopped. Streets emptied. Doors closed. The lights went out on Tassie’s tourism with a silent flick named Covid-19. The glorious wave we’d ridden was wiped out by a global tidal wave … a viral dumper. But did our ingenious, resourceful Tasmanian industry break? Hell no. They found new ways, better ways, novel ways to combat that novel virus. When the world stopped still, so did we. Shocked. But days later we decided to contact our industry mates and see how we could work together. Gosh, what a rewarding move. By offering our services complimentary, hundreds of stories came forth. It was the least we could do for those who have made our career possible. Their tales nearly brought a tear. We decided they were worthy of their very own hashtag: #givetassielove. We wanted to encourage togetherness. What did the tag mean? It meant interstaters ‘giving Tassie love’ by forward booking, locals ‘giving Tassie businesses love’ by way of coin or individuals ‘giving Tassie love’ by gifting something Tasmanian. It seems the momentum has swung and we’re all supporting our own. While we can only share a handful of stories here (*do note, some offers/activities only occurred during lockdown), you’ll see the resilience, you’ll be reminded of what us Tasmanians are made of and hopefully, you’ll want to support local forever. Get comfy, we’ll mention more than 60 here! Despite the economic whack, hardships and uncertainty that Covid-19 has brought, we’re hopeful much good will come from it. Have families come closer? Have less planes littered our skies for ‘vital’ meetings? Have we reshuffled our priorities? Have we connected while apart? Do we want to explore our own backyard? (scroll to end to win a 2-night getaway!) It didn’t take long for the stories to come through. In usual style, they were humble. They read along the lines … Hi Alice, I’m not sure what you’re after but we’ve just planted a veggie patch to feed the oldies of Bruny Island … Yes, Hundred Acre Hideaway that’s exactly what we’re after! It’s easy to feel individual loss and inertia, but how mighty to turn respond with a big virtual community hug. Next came an email from the wild west. Who knew that the West Coast Wilderness Railway are busily laying railway sleepers made from recycled plastic? Not only did the news come with details about the upgrade, but a warm invite to return when steam is billowing skyward once more. Then from Pigeon Hole Café … “Our current staff are all visa holders – German, Brazilian, Italian and Nepalese so no entitlements from the government. Our other casual hadn’t been with us for 12 months so once again no government assistance. They totally banned together, and split their shifts to all be equal in pay even our FOH supervisor. Even one employee stood down handing in his resignation to go on Job seeker so the others could obtain more hours, to assist in their survival. What a selfless act. These visa holders have no family or other assistance – but I can truly say we are their family – “The Pigeon Hole Family.” Anyone else notice one of the most heartening scenes of lock down were the Italians singing from balconies? Tassie had their own songstress beaming into living rooms as far as the UK …. Ange Boxall kept spirits up with live tunes each Friday night, warmed up by wine chats with Curly of Vintage Tasmania. Music Therapist Alli Davies created a catchy tune that reached millions from her Wynyard home. Don’t even get us started about the creative ideas Tassie folk have come up with …. Tasmanian Air Tours offering ‘fly-through takeaway’ says it all! Their Private Beach Picnic Flight featuring Bangor pick up looks something else ... but take your pick ... Frogmore Creek, McHenry Distillery, Shene Estate? Willie Smiths have been using their downtime to create the first ever virtual Huon Valley Mid-Winter Fest so set July 11 aside! They stream live from their FB page and feature all the festival faves including the wassail, costume comps, Hairyman telling tales and burning of Big Willie of course. They’ll encourage you to dress up, whip up a bonfire if you can and will also have hot spiced cider kits and Huon Valley produce packs available so you can feel like you’re really there! Some of the emails were hard to read. Little businesses clinging on, doing their best to ‘pivot’ in an unfamiliar world. But cling on they did. Providore 24, tucked beneath the Stanley Nut, busily prepared Mother’s Day hampers so that our North West mums could feel some love despite celebrating in the Covid-19 epicentre. Meanwhile, at the Tasmanian Food and Wine Conservatory, Survival Packs were being prepped and sent all over, packed to the brim with no less than 16 Tassie producers. Every pack helped so many more. One was delivered to the doorstep of a family who lost their 39-year-old daughter, unable to even conduct a funeral for her. The Conservatory didn’t just offer their standard; but handpicked mugs and candle and thoughtful touches. The hamper was so fine that through tears, the recipient could not believe it was for her. Now this is the Tasmania we know and love …. Where in spite of isolation it was connection that prevailed. Speaking of, then there’s Katinka, owner of gift store Lily & Dot in Hobart. While Katinka had to close the doors of her sweet store, it didn’t stop her hitting pen to paper. She penned greeting cards for those who couldn’t get out, ranging from birthday wishes and new born congrats to ‘just because’ notes, shouting a stamp and popping every single one in the post. Katinka also hit the road, hand delivering everything from felt toy sharks to a doorstep gift for a newborn complete with roses from her garden. While we’re on deliveries, Wobbly Boot Vineyard got in touch too. Who doesn’t like a doggy that delivers wine? Many have had the joy of Maeve the Golden Retriever at their door, diligently dropping wine around the hood to delighted Wobbly Boot fans. How have Moo Brew combat iso? They created the Lonely Beers Club where they brew a super rare one-off beer for the club every fortnight. With all that extra time on our hands, the brewer shares all the nerdy deets as the beer baby comes into being. Plenty Cider also created a club, so you can join the Plenty fam with 15% off an added bonus for twice yearly orders … cider from their farm to your fridge. As if Mona have been hibernating … despite the gallery being closed and empty…they’ve had Tim (a human artwork by Belgian artist Wim Delvoye) continuing to sit and spectra, Ryoji Ikeda's beam of light, beaming into the sky sunset-sunrise every Saturday night. Then there’s the Victory Gardens project, with Kirsha Kaechele digging up the Mona lawns to plant vegetables and which helped inspire the garden at Hundred Acre Hideaway to feel those Bruny elders! Some couldn’t believe the unfortunate timing. What are the chances of working towards launching a whisky label only to be halted by Covid-19? Robbie and Emma Gilligan weren’t deterred and may just be the first distillery in Australia to launch via an interactive online tasting. Derwent Distillery won’t forget their ‘arrival’ – their name coming from the second distillery ever built in Australia – Derwent Distillery circa. 1823. Follow them for more exciting developments. What have Wingtons Glamping been up to in the north? They’ve restored their great grandparent’s clawfoot bath so that future guests can enjoy toasty baths under starry skies. What did Prospect House do when folk couldn’t be spoilt dining in? They hand delivered three courses to your door, complete with a smooth jazz tunes playlist and candle. Tameka of The Spotted Quoll sent plants galore and Tasmanian-made wares in a lockdown period that rivalled Christmas trade. Then there’s Redbanks Fish & Field – they’ve taken time to finesse their Woodball course and equipment. Haven’t heard of this new sport? You’ve gotta try it! The stories go on and on … art deco cinema Star Theatre Launceston had a virtual Great Gadsby movie night, Beauty and the Bees sent Tassie soap to first responders, Miss Arthur Homewares swung open the doors of their online store, Home State were super busy online too, Sanctum Medical designed gorgeous survival boxes, Claudia Jewellers celebrated their Tasmanian range, Millie Ma kept us soothed with the likes of Good Night Balm and Tasmanian Devil Unzoo launched their Tasmanian Devil Channel on Youtube. Tailrace kept fams connected with Baby and Toddler Sense @ Home classes, Smitten offered great online storewide discounts to keep locals employed, and the list goes on…. On the foodie front, the Hanging Garden Green Grocer opened, supporting local producers Wednesday to Saturday and The Farm Gate Market worked diligently to adapt to our challenging climate and now even has a Farm Gate Drive Thru! The Agrarian Kitchen Eatery provided sell-out pick up menus, The Tasmanian Juice Press kept our thirst quenched with home deliveries in reusable glass bottles – the likes of apples straight from Huon Valley pickers. Apogee Tasmania offered special rates, Fat Pig Farm whipped up produce boxes (soon to be re-launching their amazing long table lunches) and Maxie Coffee kept the doors open to ensure we were all well fuelled with great coffee. Pollen Tea Room kept up a nourishing weekly collect menu, Tasmania Gourmet Food Tours offered voucher specials and Metropolitan Pizza threw in extras with pizza orders. Mic of Sirocco South has busily developed his wild asparagus spring time forage and feast tour, offering an early bird special of $250 a person (just do it – we LOVED it). Blackman Bay Oysters got super swift, offering home delivered oysters to Hobart and Melbourne (plus the Mornington Peninsula), to the door within 24 hours of harvest from their boutique farm. Further south at the Old Bank of Geeveston, doors have swung back open and Huon Valley apple crate veggie beds are set to explode with goodness come Spring! The good people at Urban Greek kindly offered discounts for front line workers and emergency services throughout lock down and can’t wait to re-open! And let's not forget the amazing folk at Dawat Indian Cuisine who fed front line workers and those less fortunate for free every week once a week through lock down as well as Gormanston Road Store with daily soup for whatever could be afforded. T-Bone Brewing Co. kept our hopes alive with their Meat Mistress meat tray still up for grabs weekly and 4-7pm Friday beer pick-ups. You may not have been able to spot Henry from Tasmanian Truffles at Salamanca Market, but you could catch him with Ben Milbourne on the first episode of Channel 9’s Award Winning Tasmania. Hill Street Grocer kindly picked up staff from Suzie Lucks to keep folk in work and have done a wondrous job keeping us safe while shopping. Oh ,and news just in…Hobart Brewing Co. will reopen from 3pm this Friday for a max of 40 so head down for a drink by their fire. St. Albi are also excited to get back open and had quite the busy time making 250 take home meals for Mothers Day. Free Spirit Pods prepared a special Bounce Back to Bruny experience and Waterton Hall Wines got busy offering a virtual visit for those dreaming of their wedding day beyond Covid-19. Rochford Hall offered a complimentary night with any two-night stay (Promo code 1878, valid till Sept 30) and Coast House delivered a 20% discount for Tasmanians wanting their very own peninsula to escape to. At Mallavale Farm (can’t you see yourself there?), the owners have planted hundreds of tulip bulbs from Table Cape Tulip Farm to ensure an even more spectacular Spring for their guests, launched Boat Harbour Boutique Accommodation and are hanging regular artists in Aquila Barn. Phew, they’ve been busy! As for Novo Luxury Apartment in Penguin they can't wait to welcome their winning guests. Who knew a L’Orangerie (structure from the 17th to 19th centuries to protect oranges and other fruit trees in winter at fashionable residences) would pop up in NW Tassie? Using the greatest hotchpotch of scrap materials, Table House Farm is the proud owner of one that doesn’t quite look Parisian but does have chandeliers (from a salvage yard!) Over on the East Coast, the Sanda House owners have been flat out installing solar power, building more veggie beds for brekkie produce and are in the process of creating a toasty firepit for guests. Pop Up Picnic Bicheno picked up a bell tent beauty – perhaps for your next special escape? In need of some fresh Tassie air? Walk on kunanyi is soon to launch a new winter walk for locals called Five Huts. With this blog being one of our most popular of all time about mountain huts and a hidden ice rink, we know this will be a hit! The team will also launch a collab with Hobart Mountain Bike tours including a North South track descent, walking in Darwin’s footsteps and a drink in Midtown. Art Farm Birchs Bay is open daily for sculpture trail walks through the community garden, pepperberry crops and orchards (café currently closed). Wild Island is about to re-open and have busily been upgrading their website. Take a peek at the homepage – it’s a stunner! Oh and Rob Blakers has been having fun with night sky videos. Other operators are opening their doors including the Blue Derby Pods Ride – offering Tasmanians ‘accommodation only’ on select weekends from June 5. They’ve always been keen to find a way to reward the locals! And Freycinet Experience Walk are doing the same with private lodge hire. Read about our amazing trip here. We could go on but with restrictions lifting, we can all peep out of hibernation with a brighter future on the horizon. Yes, we might be plagued with Covid-19 outbreaks, but we can rest assured our tourism industry is robust and tough. We’ll get through. And we’ll do it together. Now get out there and support our locals and be sure to enter for your chance to escape to the North West. Go on, #givetassielove. This pair are read for their King Island Escapes sauna .... Words: Alice Hansen Remember, you can book Tasmanian adventures and accommodation in real time with Tailored Tasmania. We've got your trip sorted and can also deliver the latest edition of Tailored Tasmania with free shipping to your doorstep. Want to win a luxe Tassie stay?
To celebrate the re-emergence of Tassie we’re also offering 3 prizes ... 2 nights accommodation at Novo Luxury Apartment, 2 at Mallavale Farm and 2 at Aquila Barn (Boat Harbour Boutique Accommodation) that's over $1500 in value!! To enter, just like and share our Tailored Tasmania Facebook post and tag three people, or find it on Insta. Comp closes and winners announced June 26! Prizes non-transferable for 2 consecutive days between July 1 & Oct 31. Meeting a royal, climbing offshore peaks and sharing long table brekkies by candlelight. The Freycinet Experience Walk invites an East Coast encounter far from the ordinary. Beneath my bare feet is 370-million-year old granite. It’s coarse underfoot, contrasting the silky-smooth curve of Wineglass Bay beyond. I’m crouched low in makeshift swimwear, prepping mentally to launch into chilly waters. Other walkers have taken the dive. Call it peer pressure or the beginnings of a cold water love affair – I launch with an ungraceful splash. Dutchman Wim Hof’s global waves about the benefits of cold water had been high on our chatter list descending Mount Graham so it seemed fitting to test his theory. Enveloped in the bracing waters of Wineglass, an exhilarating calm sweeps over me. I smile at the other walkers, bobbing beside me. It occurs to me this small cocoon of strangers has become firm friends. Friends that let another go first in the rainwater bath. Friends that natter late by candlelight. Friends that tread icy water together. I realise it’s these unexpected moments (oh, and midnight spotlighting) that set Freycinet Walk apart. The lodge-based walk on Tasmania’s East Coast is one of the island’s original, founded by Joan Masterman, considered the matriarch of Tasmanian eco-tourism. Today, the ‘invisible lodge’ with its timeless Ken Latona-architecture sits lightly in the Friendly Beaches landscape unchanged, some three decades on. It’s the welcoming haven each eve after walking windswept beaches, summiting granite peaks, weaving through Casuarina shaded trails and following steps taken by the Oyster Bay Tribe 20,000 years before. Day 1 No sooner are we whisked from Hobart’s city streets, we find ourselves shaking hands with a salty skipper aboard the Naturaliste. We’re bound for Schouten Island, the southernmost tip of Freycinet National Park. There’s a fleeting sense of movie star status as we step off our private vessel onto pristine white sands of an island rarely accessed. Our mission is to climb Bear Hill, while a few sensible ‘walkers’ opt to stay aboard dropping a line for Flathead in Schouten Passage. It doesn’t take long following well-trodden guide boots to realise they know their stuff. From Fairy wren calls to trigger plants to female trees that grow nuts, my curiosity peaks far from the summit. Back down at shore level I watch as thick granite sand spills through the guide’s fingers as he traces 120,000 years of time. There’s a lot to ponder as we take a dip on this late summer afternoon. After a swift boat trip via an eagle’s nest so impressive it looks like it could comfortably sleep three grown humans, we walk a short distance to our lodge. It really is hidden. Hugged by tea tree, banksias and casuarinas, the lodge feels more a homely shelter than a flashy lodge with its weathered timber and tin roof. It’s invitingly informal yet quietly elegant. Two giant lodge host smiles beam from the deck, a candle topped table behind whispering of what’s to come. We’re taken to our quarters, equipped with a cosy wood fire and large windows that have my Queensland cabin-buddy quick to whip out his art pencils and capture the forested frame. That night we dine by flickering candles, just enough light to point a finger at the failed fisherman of the day. In their off-grid petite kitchen those lodge hosts magically turn out Flathead all the same, served with East Coast whites from up the road, as strangers from the UK to Bondi become new friends. Day 2 The day begins with the sweet sound of rain on our tin roof and a hot brekkie of eggs, bacon, Pigeon Whole bread, tomato and mushies that look straight out of a swish city cafe. We coat up and head for Bluestone Bay to embark on a sacred path exclusive to guests of the Freycinet Experience Walk, following the steps of the Oyster Bay Tribe. We’re already well waterlogged as we gather on a wet log for a ‘sole cleansing’ ceremony to ensure we don’t carry any nasties on our boots, leading to root-rot of the giant Xanthorrhoea (grass trees). They’re a favourite of mine with their perfectly-manicured do’s as though a barber has raced ahead of us. The 14-kilometre coastal sojourn includes a steep climb up along the clifftops – it’s not enough to warm my bones. The rain is unrelenting but manages not to dampen our mood. It draws me deep into a time some 20,000 years back when the tribe walked this patch. I wonder how they warmed up on a rainy day without the latest thermal tech tops and Gortex shells when it’s too wet to light a fire. I am informed they would carry fire with them. Who knew? All I knew is that I gasped in shivery delight when a mirage-like camp kitchen appeared in the wilds, complete with hot coffee and local fare. Beneath a canopy tied between trees we cosy close. My pace quickens as we reach the southern end of Friendly Beaches. I know if my soggy boots can speed, I’ll be deep in a rainwater bath in a jiffy. Sinking down with Epson salts swirling, I feel equal parts spoiled by lodge bliss and in awe of those who walked before us. We re-gather around a roaring open fire, followed by hearty lamb shanks with polenta. Day 3 This one is a biggie. We’re back on the boat, cruising down to Cooks Beach where those choosing the longer day walk are dropped. The conditions are not perfect and I begin my morning tripping in the shallow surf complete with backpack much to the stifled giggles of my new found friends. Our former-military-man-turned-nursing-student guide, Rob, assures I’ll dry off quickly. It takes my pride longer. He’s keen to work in disaster relief and I’ve kicked the day off with an impromptu swim. Fortunately, the rest of the day is disaster free as he leads us through tall Peppermint and Blue gums, pointing out a family of Scarlet robins. He’s enchantment is infectious – much like when we come across a fresh water lobster on our way to the top of Mount Graham. It’s a climb but with views stretching back to day one’s Schouten and up the coast towards our ‘friendly home,’ we pause to breathe it all in. As we step out onto Wineglass Bay, I’m met with a surprise unlike I’ve seen in near four decades of being Tasmanian. I drop my walking poles in shock. There in front of us is a Royal penguin. The moulting, lonely looking mate is a rare site hailing from Antarctica or perhaps New Zealand. While we are assured by a passer-by they often moult alone, I feel an odd sense of abandoning as we walk on, hoping a feathery friend joins for company. Striding on, I figure if the lone penguin is going to waddle up to an unfamiliar beach it might as well be one rated among the world’s finest many times over. It would be at the beach’s northern end that I myself waddle to the granite’s edge and take a plunge. After raising glasses of Jansz teamed with Great Oyster Bay oysters in celebration of a guest’s birthday, we return to the Tasmanian oak table for Cape Grim eye fillet and mash. Little do I know a small huddle of us would be back out walking until midnight – lured by the blue sparkles of bioluminescence and a spotlight tour of Saltwater Lagoon. It’s hardly on the guide’s job description but these guys love the patch so much they leap from the couch immediately. Strolling the dark beach wakes new senses as stars punch through a cloudy sky. Friendly Beaches in yet another mood – dark of course but equally affable – true to its name. Day 4
Just to make the farewell from our homely lodge a little harder, we wake to a glorious morning and preparation for a lazy brunch out beneath the casuarinas. We are invited to take George’s favourite walk (Joan’s late husband) along a fossil-clad ridgeline and back down to the lagoon. Part of the walk is shared in silence, to soak up the landscape and reflect. We take a leaf and a stick – symbolising what we might like to leave behind following our journey and what we’d like to stick with us. It’s a fitting close to a moving four days. As I walk the final 4.5 kilometres along Friendly’s to Isaac’s Point I know the bus is waiting. I smile, knowing my pack is now full of new memories. Fireside chats. Rainwater bathing. Tribal tales. Meeting a ‘royal.’ Oh, and sea plunging on a peninsula dotted with pink granite mountains lapped by turquoise seas. No wonder famed British writer Nicholas Shakespeare said of this place, “I knew, without knowing the first thing about it, that I was gazing at the most beautiful place I had seen on earth; a conviction that all subsequent experience has served to deepen.” I’m no Shakespeare but I tend to agree thy is spot on. The details: Duration: 4 days/3 nights Distance: up to 37-40km Operates: Oct-April Base: Friendly Beaches Lodge Max group size: 10 guests Cost: from $2350 per person for four-day private lodge hire and $2750 per person for signature four-day walking experience. Visit: www.freycinet.com.au |
TAILORED TASMANIAYour launch pad for exploring Tasmania like a local. Archives
July 2023
Categories
All
|