Tourist activities around Hobart and south to Huon Valley and Bruny Island

A wide range of activities around Hobart and throughout Tasmania's Huon Trail, ranging from free one hour walks, day trips, to full service overnight activities. Enjoy gardens, walks, bike rides, flights, train rides, caves, swimming, music, cruises. The list below is sorted by approximate pricing. Prices are indicative and can change seasonally or according to options chosen. This list does not include food and wine, which is listed elsewhere.
Huon Valley Escapes is your one stop shop for activities and accommodation. Let us help you design your perfect Huon Valley Escape. Phone: 1800 770 224 or Email: info@huonvalleyescapes.com.au.

Free activities around Hobart and southern Tasmania

Completely Free Activities (donations sometimes welcome)

Hobart Botanical Gardens

Mount Misery Walk

Mount Wellington Summit

Walk around
Hobart Docks

Australia Antarctic Headquarters

Salamanca Market is free to browse. Items from $1 trinkets to $10,000 fine artworks.

No extra cost once you have a National Parks Pass

Walk to Australia's Southernmost Beach

Hartz Mountains National Park

Payable activities sorted in approximate order of cost

Location

Description

Indicative pricing

Apple Museum

The museum is a remarkable time capsule that depicts the lives of the early settlers from the Huon Valley. The numerous displays and exhibits contain antiques and memorabilia that effectively demonstrate how the pioneers lived and worked. You will find the agricultural history of the Huon Valley come to life as you stroll through years gone by. Included in the admission to the museum are demonstrations of antique apple processing machinery and a highly informative history chat.

Wooden Boat School

The Wooden Boat Discovery Centre will entice you into the fascinating world of traditional wooden boats, using interactive features, video presentations and static displays. Learn about the history of boat building and water transport. Marvel at the beauty of the local timbers – some of the finest boat building materials in the world. Examine tools and maritime artifacts: adzes, augurs, draw-knives, caulking irons, roving dollies and the rest.

Taste of the Huon: 10 and 11 March 2013

Annual food and wine festival

 ‘A Taste of the Huon’ is a celebration of fine food, wine, entertainment, arts and crafts from the Huon Valley and Channel region – held at Ranelagh which is only 30 minutes scenic drive south of Hobart. The Huon region produces an abundance of apples and although Tasmania is still recognised as the 'Apple Isle', cherries, mushrooms, salmon, vineyards, berries and truffles are also farmed in the area and along with much more, promoted at the Festival.

The 2012 Taste of the Huon promises to deliver express to your taste buds, the pure sensation of the fusion between fresh local produce, seafood straight from the ocean, gourmet meats, award winning cheeses and desserts all sourced from within the region.

For the wine connoisseur and novice alike there is an award winning range of rieslings, crisp sauv blancs, chardonnay, gewürztraminer, roses, pinot noirs, sparklings and fortified wines produced by a number of regional vineyards. Liquers, cider and alcoholic ginger beer will also make an appearance.

This Festival is one of the most popular regional events in Tasmania and draws over 20,000 local, intrastate and interstate visitors through its 2 day programme. This event is run by a voluntary committee with proceeds being injected back into the community via funding of groups who volunteer on the day.

http://www.tasteofthehuon.com/

Hastings
Thermal Springs

The thermal pool is surrounded by forest and ferns and has a large picnic area equipped with change rooms, showers and toilets, electric barbecues, shelters and forest walks. The pool is fed from a spring that supplies spring water at around 28 degrees Celsius all year round. It is hygienically controlled and has a paddling pool for children.

A walk along the Hot Springs Track will take you to the convergence of two streams. If you put your hand in the water here, you'll be able to  feel the warm current from one stream meeting the cold current from the other.

The Hastings Experience: Includes Hastings Cave, Thermal Springs, walks and facilities.
Adult $24.00 / Child $12.00 / Concession $19.20 / Family $60.00
Two adults and three children.
Maximum tour size: 30
15km from Dover
Main feature: Cave and Thermal Spring

Museum Old and New Art

Mona houses a collection that ranges from ancient Egyptian mummies to some of the world’s most infamous and thought-provoking contemporary art. The building’s subterranean design and the owner’s unconventional and challenging curatorial approach make it a must-see for any visitor to Australia. MONA takes a different approach to interpretation: there are no labels or wall texts. Instead, visitors are given a touch-screen device, which is sensitive to their location in the museum.

Tasmanians: Free with identification
Non-Tasmanian $20

Hastings Caves

Tour magical chambers of flowstones and shawls, then relax in a thermal pool. Hastings Caves in Tasmania include Newdegate Cave, the largest tourism cave in Australia.  The Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service conducts 45-minute tours through Newdegate's large, highly decorated cavern.
 
Newdegate Cave is spacious and well lit, with no narrow passages. There are around 240 stairs but these are traversed in small sections. It is one of the few caves in Australia to have formed in dolomite, which is harder and heavier than limestone. The underground temperate is naturally maintained at nine degrees Celsius (48 degrees Fahrenheit) all year round.

Book two nights at Roaring Beach Retreat and receive a free Hastings Experience. Saturday nights do not count.

The Hastings Experience: Includes Hastings Cave, Thermal Springs, walks and facilities. Adult $24.00 / Child $12.00 / Concession $19.20 / Family $60.00
Two adults and three children.
Maximum tour size: 30
15km from Dover
Main feature: Cave and Thermal Spring

Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary is not a zoo. We are a sanctuary for injured and orphaned wildlife and are Tasmania's most popular wildlife park, giving you an up-close and personal experience. All our animals are here for a reason and a significant majority of our funding comes from our generous guests that visit the park. We need you to visit us to continue our work.  It is as much about you as it is our valuable critters.

Family:  $60.00
Adult:  $24.00
Child:   $10.00
Infant: Free

Ida Bay Railway

From Lune River station travel through bushland abundant with bird life and wild flowers. Cross buttongrass plains and travel along the banks of Ida Bay and Lune River Estuary.

Groups are encouraged, but please let us know 24 hours in advance so we can add an extra carriage for you. The scenic water views are superb, and marked bushwalking tracks lead to Southport Lagoon and Southport Bluff. 

Book two nights Sunday through Friday at Buttongrass Retreat and receive a free Ida Bay Railway ticket. Saturday nights do not count.

Adults: $28, Concession: $25
Children: $15, Family: $70
Summer Timetable:
Every Day: 9.30am, 11.30am, 1.30pm and 3.30pm
Winter Timetable (May to September): Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday: 10am, 12pm and 2pm
20km south from Dover
Main feature: Historic Railway

Whether you’d like to enjoy our friendly, thriving Yoga community through our public classes & events, nurture your health & well-being with a Private Yoga session tailored for you, in your own home or office, or be guided through some light hearted Yoga crafted for you and your friends & family, we love helping you come home to a sense of ease.

Franklin Eco-Cruise

Join us on a leisurely three hour cruise in this custom designed vessel. We have built it specifically to explore the shallow waters of the extensive Egg Islands wetland reserve.
The highlight for bird watchers might be a chance spotting of the Australasian Bittern (pictured).

This is currently under construction and operation is due to commence in January 2013.

New product. Pricing not yet available.

The oldest Australian sailing charter vessel in survey provides scenic cruises, accessing by boat the riverside cottage industries of apple and cherry orchards, wineries
and fish farms, whilst savouring fresh local produce and refreshments, served on board the Olive May.

New product. Pricing not yet available.

Photography
Tour and Tutorial

All year round (subject to availability), Roy Vieth is available to meet you at your accommodation or anywhere ranging from Hobart to Bruny Island or Cockle Creek. He will show how you can achieve the best from your camera allowing you to take more creative photos.

Guidance may comprise a variety of topics from unveiling any hidden features of your camera to post-processing techniques using Lightroom, Photoshop or Aperture.

• Within 25km radius of Hobart CBD, $110 for first hour; $55 per subsequent hour
  
• Elsewhere on the Huon Trail 50 cents per km from Hobart city centre then $110 for first hour and $55 per subsequent hour.
  

Some Sample travel costs:
Huon Bush Retreats 39km = $19
Roaring Beach House 79km = $39
Buttongrass Retreat 121km = $60
Bruny Island Experience 80km +$30 ferry = $70

A Day in the Wilderness

Take an unforgettable full day tour, exploring the incredibly remote waterways and wilderness of Bathurst Harbour/Port Davey.

On the ground at Melaleuca, you'll have the opportunity to explore some of the area, including a visit to see the rare and endangered Orange-Bellied Parrot at the Denny King Bird Hide, and do some short local walks.

Board one of our boats for a trip down Melaleuca Inlet and Bathurst Harbour, to the remote Celery Top Islands, take walks in the wilderness and enjoy lunch whilst breathing some of the cleanest air in the World.

Southwest Wilderness Air and Water Adventure
Adult: $390
Child: $330
Total time: Eight hours
Maximum tour size: Eight

Main feature: Flight and cruise