D'Entrecasteaux Channel and Kingston

The D'Entrecasteaux Channel is a great place to start your Huon Valley Escape. Two model villages, a music venue, two function venues, an eclectic mix of bric-a-brack, historic shot tower, vineyards and a sheep cheesery. Just south from Hobart Tasmania, Australia, this is a land of  waterways, rural scenery with great food and accommodation from budget to deluxe. This is your one stop shop to plan and book your d'Entrecasteaux Channel and Bruny Island Escape.

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Channel Map

Featured D'Entrecasteaux Channel Accommodation and Attractions

Where to stay at Kingston and D'Entrecasteaux Channel, Tasmania

Luxury Studio Cottage with a stream, forest and golf​

Let this natural amphitheatre of a babbling stream, cliffs and native forest, embrace you for a night or few.  A perfect base to explore Hobart, the D'Entrecasteaux Channel and eastern side of the Huon Valley, Laid Back Manor offers luxurious accommodation for two people, a private golf course and intimate event site all on the one stunning property.

Affordable Accommodation and meals at Kingston

Modern accommodation overlooking the town of Kingston and just 15 minutes’ drive on the A6 from Hobart CBD. This Hotel offers excellent accommodation in totally refurbished rooms, and enjoys stunning city and river views.
 
Our accommodation is ideal for business and leisure traveler: spacious rooms, great new King beds, new bathrooms in our Deluxe rooms, upgraded bathrooms in all other rooms, superb meals in our restaurant with limited room service menu, if required.  Family accommodation is great value.

We feel we have one of the best Cafe’s and Restaurants in Kingston. We offer a Daily Specials Board, a la carte menu for lunch from 11.30 AM, 7 days and a different a la carte menu for dinner from 5.30PM Monday to Sat inclusive. Relax on the comfortable couches and enjoy the view, soak up the sun in our alfresco courtyard or try a signature Aura dish and fine Tasmanian beer and wine.

Our Kings View Room can cater for up to 120 people seated and 200 standing. We are fully licensed and suitable for all types of functions.
Deluxe Rooms and Standard Rooms: 
Maximum guests: 100
At Kingston 12 km from Hobart
Main feature: Full service Motel
Discounts often available. Click the Book Online button and choose a date for prices for those specific nights.

Check our Best Price Guarantee

Luxury Suites and Functions
just south from Hobart

Villa Howden offers a range of ten luxury suites each of which is beautifully decorated with luxurious furnishings and antiques. The elegant Water View and Villa suites seamlessly blend with the breathtaking natural scenery. The Tower suite is a welcoming, unique retreat which provides panoramic views across the North West Bay.
 
Just 15 minutes from Hobart, you can enjoy the peace and serenity from the comfort of your own private suite, most offering full length window balconies and enhanced with a selection of luxurious in-room amenities, including the latest Sony iPod Dock, complimentary Wi-Fi and Nespresso coffee machine. Your Stay at Villa Howden includes full breakfast, complimentary in-suite bar and luxurious “Serendipity” Australian made hotel cosmetics.

Brookfield at Margate

Cafe, Functions, Crafts at Margate

Brookfield at Margate:
  • Restaurant
  • Coffee & Cake
  • WiFi Hotspot
  • Live Entertainment
  • German Model Train World
  • Tudor Court Model Village
  • Functions
  • Vineyard

Community Mini Market
Every Wednesday the local community hold a market in the market square built near the main building. Quality crafts, plants, bric-a-brac. Enjoy lunch, visit the market. Listen to David Carr playing the piano

One stop shop, Open every day for
  • Music nic nacs
  • Souvenirs
  • Great gift ideas for everyone
  • Gift Vouchers

Venue for parties, quiz nights, concerts, conferences, weddings.
  • Enjoy our relaxed ambiance
  • Flexible to suit every occasion
  • Fully licenced restaurant
  • Choice of rooms available
  • Indoor and outdoor seating
  • Buffet (minimum 20 people)
  • Group bookings available

Functions:
  • Venue is fully licensed 
  • Meals can be supplied from finger food to a four course sit down meal

Easy to find 20 minutes South of Hobart and central to the Huon Valley and Channel.
  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Plenty of easy parking
  • Credit card EFTPOS facilities
  • Photo opportunities
Open from 9am
Breakfast, lunch, snacks and coffee
Dinner - every Friday, Saturday, Sunday
Thursdays: (Sitar Lounge & Kingborough Music Night)
1640 Channel Highway
Margate Tasmania
Ph: (03) 6267 2880
Maximum guests: 50
1km from Margate
Main feature: Event Venue

Two model villages
at Margate

Tudor Court Model Village
Come and see the delightful Tudor Court Village. It was made by John Palottawho suffered from Polio and only had use of three fingers on one hand. The Village is made from match sticks and dental plaster. It took John 11 years to build and includes replicas of over 40 buildings in Kent and Chillam.
 
German Model Train World
Built by Eric Sablowski for the train enthusiasts, this is a wonderful replica German Village complete with tunnels, mountains, fair grounds and includes a story of the Heritage Listed Brookfield Building, a trip around an English Village, and the trains working day and night light.

Things to Do around Kingston & D'Entrecasteaux Channel, Tasmania

Shot Tower Historic Site

The distinctive circular tower stands 48 metres tall and was built in 1870 for the purpose of producing lead shot. Lead, with added arsenic and antimony was cast into ingots, remelted in cauldrons and then poured through colanders, forming droplets which became roughly spherical as they dropped into a tub of water at the base of the tower.

The top of the tower can be accessed via a 259 step circular staircase and offers spectacular views up, down and across the Derwent River. There is a museum at the base of the tower and a tea rooms alongside, as well as toilet facilities for the disabled...
Walks ranging from one hour to one day.
Beaches, sea cliffs, range of habitats, wildlife, camping.
Visit the Tasmania Parks and Wildlife website.

Channel Folk Museum

Beyond this portal, you'll find a world from the past, the world of the explorers, settlers and pioneers of the D'Entrecasteaux Channel, and see how they lived and loved, laughed, cried and worked...  Entry is free, we depend on our donation box.  Come soon, come often, bring your friends and family.  There's something new every month.  Open daily 10am till 4pm (except Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year's Day and Easter Friday)

Inverawe Native Gardens near Margate

Inverawe is a Tasmanian garden landscaped along traditional landscaping lines. In 2001 this was 22 acres of weeds. Work commenced on the central section and that is the most developed part of the garden. Work continues on more far flung areas. You wont want to miss the Secret Garden, or the Banksias, or the view from Rabbit Hill. From Rabbit Hill it's a short stroll to the whimsy of the sculpture garden.

Inverawe Native Gardens is open seven days a week from 1 September to the end of May. We are closed Christmas Day, open all other days during the season. To visit in June, July or August please phone ahead to arrange a time.
9am - 6pm.
Adults: $12.00
Children: $4.00 (under 16)
Concessions welcome
Maximum group: 50
2km north from Margate
Main feature: Native garden
Tea on the terrace: $6.00
Phone
03 6267 2020
This operator is not part of the Huon Valley Escapes instant online booking system. Please use the phone number above and mention that you found them on the Huon Valley Escapes website.
This video will only play from within the Gardening Australia website. Click here then click on the Inverawe link.

Grandvewe Sheep  Cheesery

Grandvewe Cheeses produce a wide range of products, with a focus on high-quality sheep cheese and other dairy products made from their own herd of sheep.
 
Come and see our sheep milking demonstrations daily from 3.00pm (October-March). Children are welcome to feed and pat our lambs throughout summer.

Meet “The Girls” (as the sheep are fondly known), taste up to 15 different cheeses and enjoy a wine while viewing the whole process of cheese making and maturing...
Ask us to include Grandvewe Cheese in your Huon Valley Escapes itinerary.

D'Entrecasteaux Channel is the gateway to Bruny Island

The Aboriginal People of
Bruny Island

Bruny Island was originally inhabited by the Aboriginal Tasmanians. Truganini (sitting right in above photograph) was of the Nuenonne Tribe from Bruny Island. She is commonly described as the last Aboriginal Tasmanian but there is  still a large community of people who identify as Aboriginal and have a special connection with their Country.
They call the island 
Lunawanna-Alonnah. The first two European towns built on the island were named Lunawanna and Alonnah, and most of the island's landmarks are named after Nuenonne people...

Bruny Island Map

Click to map to open a larger map.

Read about Bruny Island on Wikipedia

Bruny Island is an island off the south-eastern coast of Tasmania, from which it  is separated by the D’Entrecasteaux Channel. Storm Bay is located to the island's northeast. Its traditional Aboriginal name was Alonnah Lunawanna, which survives as the name...

Bruny Island Ferry
Kettering to
Dennes Pt

At least nine crossings daily. Each crossing takes about 15 minutes.
For more information phone 1300 127 869
Fares and Timetables, click here.

Penguins

All you need is a free evening and a sturdy pair of shoes. Enjoy the penguins coming home at the Bruny Island Neck penguin viewing platform.

Read the Parks and Wildlife Penguin viewing guidelines

Tasmania is fortunate in having several penguin rookeries along the coast where penguins can be easily observed. These guidelines are intended to both protect penguins and to allow you to see them under natural conditions. Please be sure you are familiar with them before visiting a penguin colony.Left to themselves, penguins will start to leave the water at last light so that they are under the
cover of darkness...