Archive for the ‘Coal River Valley’ Category

Foodie Erin Has a Taste For Travel

When it comes to finding Australia’s foodie wonderland, you really can’t go past Tasmania.  With it’s gourmet fresh produce, elegant wines, decadent seafood from its pristine waters and artisan producers creating everything from cheese and honey to boutique beers and spirits… there’s no need to make the trek to France to experience the ultimate foodie adventure.  It’s right here!

Looking forward to the taste of food and wine produce in Tasmania

Choosing to Taste Tasmania

For these reasons, Tasmania was the perfect choice for our upcoming end of year holiday.  The perfect destination to bid farewell to 2011 and welcome in all the excitement of the year ahead.  I have visited Tasmania several times, however this will be my husband Pete’s first visit and for this reason I am eager to show him how truly amazing it is.

We will fly into Hobart where we will collect our hire car and spend four nights.  As someone who often makes restaurant bookings before flights and accommodation, I was quick to secure reservations at The Source at Moorilla Estate, Garagistes and The Stackings at Peppermint Bay.  Any foodie trip would not be complete without a visit to Salamanca Markets held every Saturday and the Taste Festival which runs each year from 28 December to January 3, showcasing over 70 food, wine and beverage exhibitors displaying the best Tasmanian produce.

Heaven on a stick for a foodie: the Taste of Tasmania Festival

The Produce of Hobart and Richmond

Whilst in Hobart, we will also spend a day touring the charming historic village of Richmond and exploring a few of it’s surrounding vineyards.  The region is reported to produce some of the state’s finest Pinot Noirs, Sauvingnon Blancs and Rieslings.  Perhaps, one night we will head out to one of Hobart’s many pubs to catch a local band and sample a few local ales and ciders.

Hobart Tasmania: a mecca for the dedicated foodie

Referred to by locals as ‘the mountain’, Mount Wellington rises to 1,271 metres over Hobart, and we intend on visiting the summit.  With temperatures ranging between 1-7 degrees Celsius it should be fun!  We may even embark on one of the Mt Wellington Descent bike rides where as part of a tour, we would travel about 21km to the summit and then after being supplied with riding gear, head back down on bikes.  I did something similar called the Haleakala Sunrise Tour in Maui, Hawaii back in 2004 and it was one of the most amazing travel experiences I have ever had.  For that reason alone, this one is definitely on the list of things to do.

The Mount Wellington decent bike ride will provide the perfect active introduction for the next part of our trip where we will head north to Swansea for two nights.  During this time we will get back to nature, exploring the Freycinet National Park and Wineglass Bay.

Any foodie can work up an appetite in the Freycinet National Park, Tasmania

Hitting the Tamar Valley Wine Trail

Our Epicurean trail will then continue north, when we head to Launceston where we will base ourselves for the remainder of our trip.  Whilst in Launceston, we will explore the Tamar Valley wine route and sample some of Tasmania’s finest cool-climate wines.  A few nature walks and a trip to Cataract Gorge will also feature in our visit here.

A visit to Cataract Gorge Reserve in Launceston is high on the travel agenda

Time permitting, we would like to investigate the Hollybank Treetops Adventure as well as tour the Queen Victoria Musuem & Art Gallery.  I’m still looking into which restaurants we should visit in and around Launceston.  Does anyone have a favourite to recommend to a fellow foodie?

An taste of adventure in the treetops at Hollybank

A Taste of Produce: Foodie Heaven!

I anticipate our trip will be wonderful.  We will devour some of the best produce in the world; sample some of the finest cool climate wines Australia has on offer; indulge in delicious cheese, boutique beers and spirits; as well as explore the amazing wilderness, pristine rainforests, waterfalls and experience the serenity that is Tasmania.  I look forward to sharing our Tasmanian foodie experience with you all in the new year.  Erin x

Taste some Tasmanian berry produce, a delight for any foodie!

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Erin writes a foodie blog called The Food Mentalist
She is passionate about food and so is her husband Pete.
They live in Sydney with their eccentric cat Max, who also loves his food.

Article Photo Credit: Dan Fellow

Map: Erin’s Foodie Trail…

Tourists.  They come, they tour Tasmania, they leave!  I’ve never been a big fan of the fleeting drive-by of attractions in Tassie… but then I live here!  I can afford to take a leisurely day trip and dawdle around, finding secret treasures here and there, exploring things not always listed in the brochures.  So out of respect for the long-weekend warriors on a mission, I’ve put together an itinerary for a day tour of Tasmania starting and ending in Hobart.

Tour Tasmania: a day trip from Hobart accommodation

Tour Tasmania: A Hobart Day Trip

Leaving your accommodation (Hobart Tasmania has plenty of great places to stay), why not start the day trip with a morning coffee at the Baha’i Hobart Centre of Learning.  On weekdays, Karen Goodwin-Roberts operates the Taste Cafe from this tranquil but bizarre setting near Queens Domain.

While you’re waiting for the water to boil, you could have a flick through her book Picnics in Paradise.  Might give you inspiration for another tour of Tasmania!  Or you could have a quick peek through the Baha’i Centre, where volunteers are only too happy to show off the magnificent building.

Picnics in Paradise: suggesting ways to tour Tasmania

Driving Tour: Tasmania

But don’t stay too long!  There’s a big day planned, don’t forget.  Leaving the Tasmanian capital of Hobart, head over the Tasman Bridge towards Sorell.  Then leave the Tasman Highway at Cambridge and take the road to Richmond in the heart of the Coal River Valley.

A day trip to Richmond included in your tour of Tasmania

A delightful heritage village, Richmond has many delights to enjoy.  The main street is filled with galleries, craft and antique shops as well as tea rooms, bakeries and an old-fashioned lolly shop.  But as you’ve already had your morning coffee, you might prefer to visit one of the Tasmanian wineries.  There’s lots in the region to choose from.  If it’s too early for wine tasting, you might be able to select a bottle for tonight’s dinner.

Take a bottle of wine back to your Hobart accommodation

After leaving Richmond, prepare for the best part of today’s tour.  Tasmania is renown for its wildlife, and Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary at Brighton will give you a fabulous sample of local animals.  Time your visit to join one of their keeper-tours of the park, and see the creatures up close and personal.  Have your camera at the ready if you want souvenir pictures of Tasmanian Devils, koalas, wombats and kangaroos.  And you won’t just get photos… you’ll have the chance to pat and feed the animals, too.

Visit a Tasmanian Devil on a day trip from Hobart

How Many Valleys in One Day Trip?

It’s always good to cover more than one valley when you tour Tasmania, so it’s on to New Norfolk, capital of the Derwent Valley.  There’s a good road on both sides of the Derwent River, so take Boyer Road on the way there; and the Lyell Highway on the way back for a different perspective.

Boyer Road & Derwent River, New Norfolk (Photo by Dan Fellow)

Apart from the majestic scenery, New Norfolk offers a trail of antique stores.  If that’s your passion, you’ll be pleased to know business owners in the town share a map with directions to other antique shops in town.  That’s the sort of networking and co-operation I love in Tasmania!!

Derwent Valley: day trip from Hobart accommodation Tasmania

Of course, there’s a choice of cafes and restaurants if you’re feeling hungry again.  Then there’s specialty stores to uncover, a historic church to photograph and even Willow Court, a former insane asylum, in the centre of town. Or you might like to just visit Peppermint Hill Lookout and see the beautiful town from an elevated position.

Keeping in mind the premise of a quick tour of Tasmania, it’s now time to head back towards Hobart.  On the way, hopefully there will be time for a small detour: to a chocolate factory!  Located in Claremont but only open on weekdays, the Cadbury Visitor Centre offers a brief insight into the history of the company and their delicious chocolate.  And the best part?  The factory outlet, where you can make purchases for friends and family back home.  Or at least that’s what you can pretend, as you load up your basket!

Tour Tasmania and the Cadbury Visitors Centre, Hobart

Back to Base: Accommodation Hobart Tasmania

After such a busy day trip, you might need a relaxing drink before dinner.  May I suggest a visit to the Lark Distillery to sample some of their award-winning spirits and liqueurs?  If it happens to be a Friday evening, house band Coyote Serenade play blues, country and folk music to entertain the crowd.

Hobart accommodation Tasmania? Tour the whisky distillery!

And finally, as the sun sets on your day trip, how about a nice dinner?  What better way to finish a tour?  Tasmania has a multitude of fine places to eat, so finding a Hobart restaurant to suit your budget and taste shouldn’t be too difficult.  The Salamanca precinct has a good selection, and you can enjoy the ambiance of the historic sandstone buildings along the waterfront.  And don’t forget that bottle of wine you scored earlier on your tour!

Salamanca Hobart, part of any good tour of Tasmania

Tasmania: scenery, wildlife, eating, drinking, history, shopping… where else could you discover all that in one day?

I’m very aware there’s more day trip itineraries to cover.
Lots more in fact!! From Hobart AND every other
gorgeous place in Tasmania.
I will get there, with plans to write more in the future.
If you can’t wait to have something featured, just leave a reply below.

Day Trip Map: Tour Tasmania from Hobart…

Visit Tasmania: Opportunity Knocks

Why don’t you visit Tasmania?  That was the question we asked our close friends from South Australia.  They wrangled some time off work; added the Easter public holidays; and we all spent a fabulous week together.

Of course there’s no way the whole island can be covered in a single week.  But here’s a brief outline of what we did achieve.

The Spirit of Tasmania

We’ve mentioned before that travelling via the Spirit of Tasmania ferry from Melbourne allows you to bring a car load of luggage.  And that’s what our friends did, so they had their own wheels when they arrived.  After a smooth passage, they started their Tasmanian visit in Devonport.

Bring your own car on the passenger ferry when you visit Tasmania

Visit Tasmania: Visit Launceston!

Spending the first night in Launceston allowed a glimpse at some of the highlights at the northern end of the state.  There’s no shortage of things to do in Launceston, but we chose the chairlift at the Cataract Gorge as a starting point.  The reserve was back to normal after some serious flooding over the Trevallyn Dam recently.

Chairlift ride, Cataract Gorge Reserve, Launceston Tasmania

Monkeys!  Who doesn’t like monkeys?  Launceston City Park is beautiful in any weather, and is especially good on a gorgeous autumn day.  The John Hart Conservatory is magnificent in full bloom.  Not everyone likes flowers and gardens, but the Automobile Museum of Tasmania is right across the road, which is convenient for groups on a quick tour of Launceston.

Visit the Tasmanian monkeys in Launceston City Park

Drive the East Coast of Tasmania

We’ve established that time was limited on this visit.  Tasmania just has too many things to do!  But a coastal trip along the beautiful beaches of the East Coast just had to sneak in to the itinerary.  Even though a hike in the Freycinet National Park to Wine Glass Bay was unfortunately out of the question, a leisurely drive anywhere between Orford and Binalong Bay was always going to be a winner!

We didn’t set quite the cracking pace of contestants in The Three Peaks Race, which was also held last week.  An extreme adventure event, the course follows the east coast of Tasmania.  Crews depart from Beauty Point (just north of Beaconsfield) and via Flinders Island and the Freycinet Peninsula, they sail to Hobart.

Catamaran (visitflindersisland.com.au) in the Three Peaks Race

As if the non-stop, offshore sailing component wasn’t challenging enough… some team members have to race up and down three mountain peaks as well.  The final leg of the race includes the summit of Mount Wellington in Hobart.

We were clearly inspired by their efforts, as we set off to conquer the climb as well.  We did however, choose to drive, rather than run!  The views were amazing, as always.  And it was such a gorgeous day, we also took the kids to the Tasmanian Botanical Gardens, where they enjoyed a ride on the 1882 steam-powered Gallopers Merry-Go-Round.

Steam carousel at the Tasmanian Royal Botanical Gardens, Hobart

Take in The Capital, Hobart

Obviously, when you visit Tasmania, Hobart and the surrounding regions offer up some serious choices.  Do you drive to Port Arthur on the Tasman Peninsula, maybe checking the Tessellated Pavement at Eaglehawk Neck?  Or perhaps you could take a Peppermint Bay Cruise, or maybe even venture to Bruny Island?

All fabulous ideas, but we decided the kids needed another dose of chocolate, and took them to the Cadbury Chocolate Factory in Claremont.  Easter Bunny had parked all his leftover eggs at their factory outlet, and we managed to secure a few more sweet treats.

A visit to Tasmania isn't complete without the chocolate factory!

A Tasmanian Valley Trio

Derwent Valley

Choosing something to suit all tastes and ages can sometimes be a little daunting for the poor tour guide.  But not when you visit Tasmania!  A drive to New Norfolk takes in some of the magnificent Derwent Valley scenery, while Mt Field National Park has some great waterfalls and bush walks, even for young children.  And a Tasmanian Devil Jet Boat ride can add a rush of adrenalin to an otherwise relaxing day trip.

Devil Jet Boat, New Norfolk: Tasmania's Derwent Valley

Here’s a tip:
if someone from your group is charged with capturing the experience on
camera, there’s a great vantage point at Windsor Corner.  It’s a ten minute
drive west of New Norfolk on the Lyell Highway, enroute to Hamilton.

Huon Valley

About a 30-minute drive from the capital of Hobart, the delights of the Huon Trail await.  Again there’s a choice: a visit to the D’Entrecasteaux Channel towns of Margate, Snug, Woodbridge, Kettering and Middleton; or you can choose the Huon Valley as we did.  We had a BBQ lunch at Franklin (behind the Petty Sessions Gourmet Cafe) along side the peaceful Huon River, on our way to Geeveston.

The magnificent Huon River at Franklin in the Huon Valley

From “The Gateway to the Southern Forests” we chose to visit the Tahune AirWalk Adventure.  Turned out to be a good decision this time around… but then it’s always a great place to take visitors.  The dare-devils can try cable hang-gliding, and the more sedate can enjoy coffee in the cafe.  For the majority of visitors, the main attraction (which includes two swinging bridges and the actual cantilevered treetop walkway) is easy to manage.

Visit Tasmania and the Tahune Forest AirWalk, Huon Valley

Here’s another tip:
if you’re local and you do invite friends to visit Tasmania, you can register
with Forestry Tasmania as a Friend of the Forest.  You are then given free
entry to the Tahune Forest AirWalk when you bring another family along,
saving $50 between you (to possibly spend on souvenirs and snacks!)

Coal River Valley

Also within comfortable day-trip distance from Hobart: Richmond.  We arranged to meet more friends, also on holiday in Tasmania, in the small village of Richmond in the Coal River Valley.

Separating into groups by gender, the girls took to the shops before selecting from the delectable array of cakes at the Richmond Wine Centre.  The fellas left the car by the historic bridge near Australia’s oldest Catholic Church and walked through town to the Richmond Arms Hotel, where they enjoyed a Cascade beer.

By some strange co-incidence, both groups managed to find their way inside the lolly shop in the main street.  Amazing!!

The historic village of Richmond in the Coal River Valley, Tasmania

The Visit to Tasmania: Final Verdict?

Our friends would be way too polite to say if they didn’t enjoy their visit to Tasmania.  But they seemed to have a good time.  We certainly did.  They also managed to experience a surf beach with some wicked sand dunes and very cold water; and the Salamanca Market on Saturday morning.  And of course we sampled lots of the local Tasmanian produce!  But there’s no escaping the fact we missed some excellent attractions.  They’ll just have to book another Tasmanian holiday!!

Photo Credit:
Thanks to Jo Kuchel for some of the photos used on this page.

Map: Visit Tasmania…

So what about Tasmanian Churches?

I am addicted to Tasmanian churches.  Taking photos of them, that is!  I’m not an overly spiritual soul.  And I’m not looking to be saved from the sins of my past…  probably beyond saving, anyway!  It’s just that when I visit a new region or town, the local Tasmanian churches are something I always admire.

Sorell Tasmania: churches are a feature of the town's tour

Heritage Tasmanian Churches

It may be related to the age of the buildings.  Due to the early history of Tasmania, some of the stone work is simply awesome.  St Georges Anglican Church in Gordon Street, Sorell may look pretty standard from the main road.  But upon closer inspection the Gothic building is very impressive.  Originally built in 1826 and then rebuilt in 1883, the church is next to the Visitor Information Centre.

The stonework of the St Georges Anglican Church in Sorell

Church Background in Tasmania

No doubt the attraction has something to do with the photography aspect.  Taking photos in Tasmania is just a pure delight.  Especially if you can manage a happy snap on a stormy day.  A dark sky, laden with storm clouds, makes the perfect backdrop for lots of subjects, including Tasmanian churches!

Tasmanian churches: stormy background...

Here a Church, There a Church…

Finding the subject of my desire is never difficult, either.  It’s not unusual for a single town to have more than one sample of a historic church in Tasmania.

Sorell, for example (a town with roughly 5000 residents) is promoted as having three National Estate listed churches.  Two of them are in Arthur Street on opposite sides of the road.  How’s that for convenience?

Heritage Tasmanian churches

Churches in Sorell, Tasmania

Located about 30kms east of Hobart on the Arthur Highway, Sorell is enroute to the Port Arthur Convict Settlement on the Tasman Peninsula.  Obviously there’s other reasons to visit Sorell, but a fleeting meeting with a house of religion is one of the things attracting tourists and photographers to town.

More Tasmanian churches: St Thomas Catholic Church, Sorell

St John Catholic Church

Another town only a skip from Hobart, with potential for the photographer looking for Tasmanian churches… Richmond.  The claim to fame of the St John Catholic Church in Richmond?   It’s the oldest existing Catholic church in Australia.  It was built in 1836.

St John Catholic Church built in 1836 in Richmond, Tasmania

The Open Door of the Church

All the photos from my Tasmanian churches collection are of the outside of the buildings.  The doors are often open and I would love to venture inside.  But as I hinted, my knowledge of religious matters is not of the in-depth variety.  And I would hate to break spirit protocol all for the sake of a photo.  I won’t have my infatuation ramped up to stalker any day soon!

Tasmanian churches, opening doors!

Richmond Tasmania – Anglican Church

Richmond also has an Anglican counterpart.  The Tasmanian church dedicated to St Luke the Physician has a white picket fence and a clock tower.  Much more difficult to capture on film, however, with the height of the structure and the imposing trees in the front yard.  Not that I’m complaining, of course…

Anglican Church of St Luke the Physician in Richmond, Tasmania

Tasmanian Church Cemeteries

A final word about my addiction to Tasmanian churches? Cemetery!  Anyone interested in history will be attracted to the graveyard.  Does that sound morbid?  The revelations on the engravings are quite fascinating, but I’m always a little wary of what people might think when I’m reading headstones.

Luckily everyone is different, or the world would be a boring place.  Thank God Tasmania is NOT a boring place.

Cemetery graveyard in Sorell at the St George Anglican Church

Map: Tasmanian Churches…

Putt and Play.  Sounds like fun.  Looks like fun.  Turns out… it is one of the fun things to do in Tasmania!

Barilla Putt and Play mini golf at Cambridge, Tasmania

Thank Heavens for Putt and Play!

Things happen for strange reasons sometimes.  On a Tasmanian public holiday, the juniors were a bit peeved when an early morning dispatch drive to the Hobart airport interrupted their sleep-in.  So I encouraged (bribed) them by promising a visit to the rock climbing wall.

But we’d been to the airport and arrived at Cambridge before the Anaconda adventure store was even open.  (No wonder the kids were a bit snippy!)  So we had to find another interim activity in Cambridge… and fast!!

Putt and Play at the Barilla Holiday Park, Cambridge Tasmania

Barilla Holiday Park, Cambridge

Putt and Play is part of the Barilla Holiday Park located near Richmond, the heritage village in the heart of the Coal River Valley’s wine region.  The mini golf centre is well-maintained and has a variety of obstacles and hazards around the picturesque 19-hole course.

Putt and Play: picturesque 19-hole mini golf course

Obviously designed to challenge all skill levels,  Putt and Play has three options for difficulty.  Beginners can compete in the same game alongside experienced mini golf campaigners!  And for those suffering from a little too much frustration during the round, there’s even a punching bag on Heartbreak Hill.

The frustration bag at Putt and Play's Heartbreak Hill

This family attraction is only 10 minutes from Hobart over the Tasman Bridge and offers an affordable way to enjoy some outdoor action.  For $8-00 per child, the fun (or frustration!) lasts about an hour.

Outdoor and affordable fun at Cambridge (near Hobart) in Tassie

Sinking the Boot in at Putt and Play!

To enjoy the most from any mini-golf experience, players must obediently follow instructions to the letter.  One of the signs states…

• swing boot before putting
• hold boot while retrieving ball

While I figured it was an extra challenge intended for the mini-golfer, it turns out that one of the obstacle props was missing its boot.  The log swinging above the hole usually has a rubber boot attached.  I really hope there wasn’t anyone recording my diligent boot-swinging efforts with a video camera!!

The golf swing takes on a whole new meaning at Putt and Play!!

After our round of mini golf at Putt and Play, we knocked over the rock-wall and did a little shopping at the Cambridge Homemaker Centre.  Then we drove the extra 10 minutes to Tassie’s Seven Mile Beach.  Who knows, after a few more rounds of mini golf, we might decide to take the sport to a whole new level and tackle the Llanherne Golf Club Unique Links Course for real golfers!!

Find Putt and Play on Richmond Road, Cambridge Tasmania

Barilla Putt and Play at Cambridge Tasmania
is open 9am to dusk, seven days a week.
Visit the Putt and Play website for more information.

Map: Putt and Play Cambridge Tasmania…

Tasmanian Bridge: Built by Convicts

How many times have you noticed a Tasmanian bridge being promoted as a heritage icon?  You might be inclined to think: seen one, seen them all?  But the inclusion of so many of these historic structures in the highlight reel is valid.

Here’s a small sample…

Tasmanian Bridge #1 – Richmond

The oldest of my sample collection of Tasmanian bridges was built by convicts in 1825.  Made from sandstone and with arches spanning the Coal River in Richmond, it is also thought to be the oldest of its type in Australia.  Despite the history of the Richmond Bridge, little has been changed over the last 185+ years.

Richmond Tasmania - Bridge over the Coal River

Now included on the National Heritage List, the bridge is a regular inclusion on the tourist run from Hobart to the Port Arthur Convict Settlement.  From the right angle, photographers can also capture Australia’s oldest existing Catholic Church in the background.   The St John Catholic Church was built in 1836.

Tasmanian bridge & Catholic Church in Richmond

Tasmanian Bridge #2 – Ross

Not only the pride of Ross in Tasmania, this bridge is regarded as a significant construction in the whole of the Commonwealth.  Like the Richmond version, the Ross Bridge was built from stone by convicts, but just over a decade later in 1836.  That makes it the third oldest bridge still standing in Australia.

A well-respected Tasmanian bridge, located in Ross

The Ross Bridge features beautiful stonework and carvings, apparently thanks mainly to the work of convict Daniel Herbert.  The stonemason, who was transported to Van Dieman’s Land for robbery, was paid a shilling a day for his troubles.

Sir George Arthur, then Governor of Tasmania, was obviously pleased with his work.  Herbert was released into the community when construction was finished, and was buried nearby when he died.

This Tasmanian bridge was built by convicts in Ross in 1836

Tasmanian Bridge #3 – Campbell Town

Campbell Town’s entrant into this battle of the Tasmanian Bridge was finished in 1838.  It has the distinction of being the oldest bridge still currently part of the National Highway.  Not a bad achievement for a structure built over 170 years ago.  More than two million vehicles travel through this section of the Heritage Highway every year.

Red Brick Bridge Campbell Town Tasmania (also built by convicts)

The one and a half million bricks used in the construction of the bridge were locally made.  Designed in Europe, the bridge (once again) was built by Tasmanian convicts.  The colour of the bricks inspired the name Red Bridge, which is located at the southern entrance of Campbell Town near the Red Bridge Cafe.

The Red Brick Bridge, Heritage Highway, Tasmania

As seen by the photos, each Tasmanian bridge has a unique quality and they’re all worthy of admiration.  They are connected by the convict heritage of the region… and the ducks in the foreground!  Each town has a legitimate stake in the claim for the best bridge in Tasmania.  Maybe we should make it a combined challenge, and include the equally impressive local bakeries!!

Photo Credit…
Most of the photos in this article were taken by Dan Fellow

Map: Tasmanian Bridge…

Raspberries from Richmond TASMANIA…
as distinct from the towns of the same name around the rest of the world.

While I was unpacking groceries this morning, I remembered buying raspberries on a lunch tour to historic Richmond in Tasmania’s Coal River Valley region.  I checked my catalogues, and sure enough:  I took photos of them.  (I know, I’m obsessed.  I take photos of everything!).  Anyway, thought you might like to see them…

Fresh raspberries from Richmond Tasmania

Richmond Tasmania… Full of Surprises

The raspberries were a surprise find, actually.  I was wandering along the main shopping strip of the Richmond village, and there they were!  A young man was sitting under a shady tree and he had dozens of containers arranged on trays.  I bought two punnets, but when I tasted them, I was sorry not to have bought more.

Raspberries for sale in the main street of Richmond TAS

The original plan was to turn the raspberries into ice-cream, but so many were eaten fresh from the container, there wasn’t enough left.  I managed to save just enough to serve with pancakes on Sunday morning, doused with maple syrup.  Luckily the kids sampled the Tasmanian-made Valhalla ice-cream and raspberry sorbet from Sweets and Treats (the lolly shop) in Richmond, so everyone was happy.

Raspberry sorbet & Tasmanian made Valhalla ice cream

Raspberries, Lollies and Ice-creams?  Sweet!

The lolly shop is one of those old-fashioned types, with rows and rows of jars.  Bright and pretty, filled with all manner of toffees and jubes and jellies.  Some are wrapped, some are plain; some are boiled sweets and some are chewy.  There’s chocolates and mints and novelty knick-knacks.  And it’s a very popular place, judging by the amount of people squeezed along the counter.

Sweets and Treats lolly shop, Richmond Tasmania

Our group didn’t really need too many lollies, though (not that NEED ever comes into it).  We’d just eaten lunch at a lovely restaurant called Ashmore on Bridge Street – which was also filled to the brim during a sunny Tasmanian weekend.  Richmond is so close to Hobart, it’s a regular on the day-trip radar for tourists and locals.

Lunch tour: Ashmore on Bridge Street, Richmond Tasmania

Lunch Tour in Richmond Tas

A trip to the ladies room while dining at Ashmore’s is a little quirky.  The wait staff direct you out the front door, down the side driveway and out the back of the shop next door… to the dunny!!  I was a little apprehensive as I made my approach, to say the least.  But the look of the dunny from the outside doesn’t do justice to the standard of the bathroom, really.

The dunny! Maybe a unique experience in Richmond, Tasmania?

A Richmond lunch tour can be enhanced by some extra activities…

• tastings from the Tasmanian wineries in the area
• a safari bus tour at ZooDoo Wildlife Park
• tours of the heritage buildings, churches and bridges
• the many other attractions in Richmond Tas

For those in a hurry to travel Tasmania on a fleeting holiday, Richmond in the Coal River Valley can be incorporated in a driving tour to the Port Arthur Convict Settlement on the Tasman Peninsula from Hobart.

But I’d suggest making Richmond a Tasmanian destination all on its own.

Map: Richmond Tasmania…