Attractions
Food
House of Anvers
A Belgian style chocolate factory with a delicious range of hand-made chocolates. While their specialty is of course chocolate, the café also serves breakfast, lunch and a great range of teas as well as espresso coffee.
Ashgrove Farm Cheese
It doesn’t get fresher than the creamy farm ice-cream, fresh bottled milk, cheese, cream and butter made here. Cheese making and viewing is available Mon-Fri, and if you’re hungry you can’t go past the cheese platters, grilled cheese sandwiches and locally roasted coffee made with their award winning farm milk.
Christmas Hills Raspberry Farm
There are no limitations to what this café can do with raspberries! From refreshing iced teas and cocktails to pancakes, chocolates, burgers and pork belly, this gorgeous farm café makes its own chutneys, jams and of course, serves up the finest fresh raspberries all year round.
Melita Honey Farm
This honey farm produces more than 50 honey varieties, including the renowned wilderness leatherwood. You’ll also find honey bee products like propolis, royal jelly, pollen and a large selection of lovely gift items and books. Don’t miss out on the showcase of old beekeeping implements as well as an interactive beehive and a live bee exhibition hive.
The Cheese Shop
Here you’ll find a wide selection of specialty cheeses from the brands' premium ranges, as well as some odd shaped cheese at factory prices. Cheese experts are on hand to offer tastings and advice. Fantastic, perfectly ripe cheeses are available to buy, and if you head to the café you can enjoy a platter and a glass of Tasmanian wine.
Tamar Valley Wine Region
Producing some of Tasmania's premier cool climate wines, the Tamar Valley Wine Route has been described as “One of the Top 10 Wine Routes in the world”. The website has a great trip planning function, just enter your start point and your destination and it’ll show you all the great wineries along your route.
Culture
Tiagarra Aboriginal Cultural Centre and Keeping Place
TIAGARRA is one of the oldest Aboriginal operated Museum and Keeping Places in Australia. It houses a range of displays showing depictions of Aboriginal life in previous centuries including examples of Aboriginal shelter and food resources, animals, fire making and tool use and the land bridge which once connected mainland Australia with Tasmania. If you don’t want to drive, there’s a vintage train offering 30 minute round trips between Don and Coles Beach.
Bass Strait Maritime Centre
A star attraction for the centre is a life size steamer's bridge where you can take the helm and steam out of the Mersey or, if you are feeling brave, steer through the infamous rip in a storm - at night! The Bass Strait Maritime Centre also includes exhibition areas where surprising subjects like the World War in Bass Strait are explored.
Home Hill
Go behind the scenes of the political and private lives of Australian Prime Minister Joseph Lyons, his wife Dame Enid (first woman elected to federal parliament) and their 12 children with this guided tour of their 1916 Devonport homestead.
Sheffield Murals
Delightful murals are painted on the side walls of most of the buildings throughout the town. Experience the history told through art, as you wander through Tasmania's Outdoor Art Gallery.
Nature
Cradle Mountain
Dramatic Cradle Mountain is the rugged jewel of the Lake St Clair National Park and can be seen from Dove Lake on a day visit. Take the two-hour walk around the lake or spend the day tackling Cradle Mountain's summit.
The Nut
The historic fishing village of Stanley, in far north-west Tasmania, is nestled at the base of the Nut, a sheer-sided bluff - all that remains of an ancient volcanic plug. A walking track climbs to the summit of the Nut, or you can take the chairlift, with its spectacular views across Bass Strait beaches and over the town.
Tarkine Forest Adventures at Dismal Swamp
Feast your eyes on this 640 hectare sinkhole (the largest sinkhole in the southern hemisphere). Stroll out on to the hanging walkway and see the majestic Blackwood and stringy bark trees from a different perspective. There’s also a giant 110 metre slide to get to the sinkhole floor in just 15 seconds. For a more sedate introduction, take the 360 metre path down to the maze.
Marakoopa Cave
Visit the lower chamber and be dazzled by its sparkling crystals, reflection pools, stalactites and stalagmites. Take time to listen to the music of underground streams and soak up the silence of abandoned river passages. The ‘Great Cathedral’ is a highlight not to be missed. The ‘Gardens’ feature delicate formations and beautiful colours.
King Solomons Cave
This compact cave features lavish colours and formations, with sparkling calcite decorating the chambers.
Wings Wildlife Park
Displaying the largest collection of Tasmanian wildlife in Australia, don’t miss out on seeing the Tasmanian Devil feeds and the koala interactions. Other animals you can see at the park include wombats, wallabies, quolls, sugar-gliders, wedge-tail eagles, reptiles, meerkats, marmosets, monkeys, bison, camels and much more. There’s also a cafe open for lunch, snacks, drinks and ice-creams.
Tasmanian Arboretum
Explore 58 hectares of native and exotic tree species (Eugenana) at this breathtaking botanic garden, home to around 80 local bird species. It’s also possibly the best place in Tasmania to see platypus in the wild. They can reliably be seen most days in Founder's Lake and at any time of the day.
Cataract Gorge
Explore this stunning wilderness where you'll find walking and hiking trails, the world's longest single span chairlift, a swimming pool, restaurant, kiosk, café, peacocks and wildlife, beautiful gardens, suspension bridge, inclinator for easy access, panoramic lookouts with spectacular views.
Shopping
Penguin Market
With over 200 stalls, Penguin Market is Tasmania’s largest undercover market operating every Sunday. You’ll find quality products that include fresh farmers produce, quality Tasmanian carpentry, jewellery, handmade crafts, giftware and other home wares. You won’t go hungry either – there’s an intercontinental food corner selling pizzas and pastas, souvlaki, seafood, juice, Asian food and health food along with an espresso bar and an ice-cream bar.
Devonport Farmers Market
Devonport locals showcase a wide variety of goodies here on the 2nd and 4th Saturday of every month from 8:00am – 12:00pm. As well as delicious fresh produce, you’ll find flowers, craft, and a huge number of gourmet foods including jams, sauces, pies and breads. There’s also a car boot sale and a barbeque with both hot and cold refreshments.
Burnie Farmers Market
The first farmers market established in Tasmania, it has now expanded to include country arts and crafts. Take a table at the outdoor cappuccino bar and soak up the atmosphere. It operates on the 1st and 3rd Saturday of each month from 8:00am – 12:00pm.
The Antique Emporium
Antiques collectors and dealers alike will be in heaven at Tasmania’s largest emporium. Set on 1800sqm/ 4 levels, it’s an amazing wonderland of treasures new and old, 40 dealers, antiques, collectables, vintage, retro, 15000 books, French styled furniture, exclusive wrought iron and more.
Rooke Street Mall
This strip has a great mix of high street retailers, including Target, Kathmandu, Cotton On, Camera House and Toyworld. There’s also a variety of services and amenities.