Heritage Gardens, Art & Tastes of Tasmania with Bruny Island

Our tour starts in Launceston at 2pm as we depart for a city tour of historic Launceston, also known as Tasmania’s ‘Garden City’ due to its numerous gardens and parks. We will visit beautiful Cataract Gorge, found surprisingly close to the city centre. Afterwards, enjoy fine local produce and a glass of wine at a nearby winery before we reconvene for a Welcome Dinner at our hotel.

Stay: Three Nights, Launceston, Peppers Seaport Hotel or similar

• Dinner

Explore two private gardens, including Old Wesley Dale, a peaceful English garden where hedges and walls abound, along with productive potager and lovely vistas that draw upon the ‘borrowed landscape’. A ‘ha ha’, walled topiary garden and conservatory all enhance the property’s English-style garden theme. We will also make a stop at Ashgrove Cheese Factory to sample their locally made cheeses. 

• Breakfast

Today explore the heritage gardens of Brickendon Estate, a magnificent family-owned property offering a unique insight into Australia’s colonial history. This afternoon, enjoy a guided tour of the house at Woolmers Estate, which provides a fascinating reflection upon Tasmanian colonial life—it is also one of the most historically significant heritage properties in Australia. We will also have time to explore its National Rose Garden. 

• Breakfast
• Lunch

Discover the delights of central Tasmania with a visit to a private garden near Launceston. Continue on to admire the cottage gardens in the historic towns of Oatlands and Richmond. Arriving in the town of Ross, we pause to view its convict-built bridge, as well as the township’s cottage gardens, before making our way to Hobart.

Stay: Five Nights, Hobart, Grand Chancellor or similar

• Breakfast
• Dinner

This morning we are treated to a visit to Earthenry Farm where we participate in a guided tour and flower arranging activity.  Later in the day we tour the grounds of the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens, a cool-climate garden with several unique collections, including Australia’s only subantarctic plant house. The gardens are also Australia’s second-oldest botanic gardens after Sydney’s Royal Botanic Gardens. Later, take a tour of the Henry Jones Art Hotel’s private art collection. This evening, enjoy free time to explore Hobart.

• Breakfast

After breakfast, visit the private garden of Corinda House and admire the symmetrical parterres and box hedges. Afterwards, see the spectacular multi-tiered Russell Falls in Mount Field National Park’s cool temperate rainforest, one of Tasmania’s oldest. Enjoy dinner out tonight at a local restaurant. 

• Breakfast
• Dinner

Wander through Salamanca Market to see the local arts, crafts and produce on sale. This vibrant outdoor market is a firm fixture on Hobart’s weekend calendar. Later, perhaps visit the Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) for an eclectic and internationally acclaimed art experience, or taste delicacies at the Barilla Bay Oyster Farm. This evening, enjoy Hobart at leisure and dine at one of its many restaurants. 

• Breakfast

Spend a full day on Bruny Island, a short ferry ride from Kettering. This gourmet food destination is known for its stunning beauty and abundant wildlife. Sample local produce and take in the island’s spectacular views from ‘The Neck’ lookout. Afterwards, we visit the captivating Jurassic Garden, a 1500-acre nature reserve that serves as a microcosm of the Gondwana supercontinent, before returning to Hobart this afternoon. 

• Breakfast
• Lunch