Archive for the ‘Hobart’ Category

It’s marvelous what you can see when you open your eyes, and see the beauty around you.  Open our eyes we did, and found on our doorstep and only minutes from Hobart, a room with a view.  The Signal Station Brasserie is surrounded by a beautiful natural bush setting, with the most spectacular views of Hobart and beyond, all the way down the D’Entrecastreaux Channel, across to Port Arthur and up the Derwent River to Cadburys.

The Signal Station Brasserie has magnificent views over the Derwent River & beyond

Signal Station Brasserie

Words by Jen Holdsworth and Photos by Blanche Sayers

The day gave us a mystical view: clearing mist with the sun peaking through; reflections back to us from the Derwent River. Not a breath of wind, with only the sounds of native birds: Blue Wrens, Scarlet and Red Robins, Honeyeaters and Currajongs. Simply majestic!

No, we were not on Mount Wellington, but another beautiful mountain.  Down in altitude somewhat, and yet so close to Hobart, it is Mount Nelson.  My friend and I ventured minutes from our doorstep to enjoy a pleasant coffee at the Signal Station Brasserie, also once known at the Station Café.

The Signal Station Brasserie has also been known as the Station Cafe

History and Art: the Signal Station Cafe

It’s such a beautiful building! Originally housing the signal man and his family, the Signal Station was built in 1811 to report shipping activity to Port Arthur, then later on to Hobart as well. Over the years the building has had many transformations, but has always retained its beauty and personality. Current owner Ing, has transformed the café with a wow factor.  When you walk into the Signal Station Brassiere, you are greeted with stunning open rooms.  They are crisp and fresh with beautiful unique furniture and one-off pieces that reflect Ing’s passion for retro things.

Ing, the owner of the Signal Station Brasserie, has selected stunning art and furniture

On the walls are stunning works of art, by local artists such as Amanda Van Steenis, Julia Bradshaw and Mell Hills. “I really enjoy supporting Tasmanian artists, the feedback as been really positive” says Ing, who shows such pride in all the artwork.

Signal Station Brasserie owner Ing supports local Tasmanian artists & producers

Inspirational: Eat and Drink in the Views

The food on offer is inspiring.  After talking with chef Jon, who has trained in Europe, I can see his passion and the enjoyment he gets from coming to work each day; working in a place with stunning views and such wonderful Tasmanian produce.  Both Jon and Simone (his apprentice, who has written a wonderful book called Tasmanian Menu) have created a menu that is in touch with the surroundings. How does a pot pie of steak and kidney sound?  Or maybe a porterhouse steak sandwich with onion marmalade, fresh beetroot, garlic aioli and rocket served with vegetable crisps?  Sitting down on a crisp autumn day enjoying the stunning views, good company, and good quality (very reasonably priced) food…  Ideal I’d say.

Chef Jon also creates the most divine cakes each day.  Like chocolate quince and pear tarts; or walnut, apple and olive oil cake with honey butter and cream.  Plus of course an array of hot drinks including tea from the Art of Tea, good Tasmanian wines and Moo Brew Beer.  Jon also creates lovely preserves and condiments, something else to look out for.

Preserving more than history at the Signal Station Cafe, Mount Nelson Tasmania

Live Music: Sunday Afternoons

On Sunday afternoons the Signal Station Brassiere offers live music.  It’s the perfect atmosphere to host live music; you can sit outside to take in the views and sip on a selection of wines.  Or perhaps enjoy the music and the views from behind the panoramic windows.  Even the toilet has a view!

Enjoy the Sunday afternoon sessions of live music from the top of Mount Nelson

The brassiere can also cater for functions, weddings, corporate events, birthdays etc.  And what beautiful photos you’ll be able to take, with such a setting!  Onsite parking (no fighting with traffic), accessible for wheelchairs, a lovely host and staff in the kitchen… you will be guaranteed a spectacular event.

The Signal Station Brasserie makes a fabulous function or wedding venue

A Walk in the Park

There are many walking tracks close by, including the Truganini Reserve walk and Bicentennial Park walk.  Why not enjoy a walk and end with a stop at the Brassiere? I know my family will certainly be enjoying more visits to the Signal Station Brassiere, and I would encourage others to also pop along.  It’s just a stone’s throw away from Hobart and offers so many other sights without even leaving your chair.

The Mount Nelson Signal Station Cafe is surrounded by bush

The cafe is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10.00am to 4.00pm.  Signal Station Brassiere update their live music schedule on their Facebook page.

Jen Holdsworth is the founder of online business
Hospital Healing Hampers.  She also writes the Holdsworth Chronicles.
This article was a collaboration between Jen and her friend Blanche Sayers.
If you’d like Jen or another member of our great team to visit you in order to
write about your business, please contact Think Tasmania.

If you like this article about Tasmania, and you’d like to read more, just subscribe to our newsletter or join us on Facebook.  If you really like this article, and you want others to see it, you can choose one of the “share” options below.  We’d love that!

Comments relevant to this article are also very welcome, just leave a reply below.

Map: Rivulet Cafe, South Hobart…

Matt Moran has a unique title.  When officially introduced, he’s quite often called a “Friend of Australia”.  And with that distinguished title comes his current role with Tourism Australia as an ambassador for tourism quality assurance.  Currently touring the country to promote the T-QUAL Tick, Matt has recently spent some time in Tasmania and enjoyed some of the state’s fine hospitality.

Matt Moran, travelling Tasmania in style as the T-QUAL Tick Tour Ambassador

Matt Moran Travels Tasmania T-QUAL Tick Style

The celebrated chef hosted the launch of the T-QUAL Tick Tour at ARIA Restaurant in March.  Actually co-owned by Matt Moran, the venue on Sydney’s waterfront is considered one of the country’s best restaurants.  It’s also the epitome of the tourism experience the Australian Government plan to endorse with this new national symbol of tourism quality.

Matt Moran jumps aboard a fishing boat outside the Henry Jones Art Hotel in Hobart

The second leg of the T-QUAL Tick Tour brought Matt Moran to Hobart.  The amount of territory covered in one Tasmanian weekend would suggest a very hectic schedule.  But don’t feel too much sympathy!   Every establishment has to pass a rigorous assessment, ensuring they deliver a first-class, quality experience to the traveller (and that would include Matt) before they’re granted the tick of approval.

Matt Moran catches the Red Decker Bus to the Cascade Brrewery in Hobart

Hurricane T-QUAL Tick Tour of Hobart

The Hobart schedule included a stop at the Maritime Museum of Tasmania on Sunday morning.  Just as we did, Matt was able to learn a little about the achievements of early explorers and Tasmanian maritime history.  We gave a big thumbs up to the museum with its huge collections of artefacts, tools, equipment, photographs and paintings.  And as a T-QUAL endorsed product, it has a nationally recognised symbol of tourism quality (just in case you doubt us!).

Matt Moran visits the Maritime Museum of Tasmania, already granted the T-QUAL tick

The Sunday afternoon timetable had Matt Moran taking an adventure cruise with Pennicott Wilderness Journeys.  Our experience with the award-winning company involved their Bruny Island cruise, but Matt took the sea plane from Hobart to Port Arthur, on the Tasman Peninsula.  He was duly impressed and declared the experience totally worthy of the T-QUAL tick.

Matt Moran takes an adventure cruise with Pennicott Wilderness Journeys

Henry Jones Art Hotel Hosts Matt Moran

Matt spent the evening at the Henry Jones Art Hotel to recharge his batteries ready for a visit to MONA the next morning.  Gavin was invited to Henry’s Restaurant for lunch that day, and had a chat with the Australian tourism ambassador about his impressions of Tasmania.  Having been to the state quite recently (with the MasterChef team), Matt’s references to the food, scenery and culture were all glowing.  And yes, he did have a chance to meet up with Jack Lark, one of the Junior MasterChef stars, during a visit to Lark Distillery.

Gavin meets with Matt Moran for lunch at Henry's Restaurant in Hobart

The next destination for the T-QUAL Tick Tour will be the Northern Territory later this month. I’m pretty sure when Matt Moran is in a cage, diving with crocodiles, he’ll wish he was back in Tasmania. The Tassie Devil will most likely seem quite tame then!

Gavin dined at Henry’s Restaurant (part of the Henry Jones Art Hotel in Hobart)
as a guest of Tourism Australia and the organisers of the T-QUAL Tick Tour.

If you like this article about Tasmania, and you’d like to read more, just subscribe to our newsletter or join us on Facebook.  If you really like this article, and you want others to see it, you can choose one of the “share” options below.  We’d love that!

Comments relevant to this article are also very welcome, just leave a reply below.

Map: Henry Jones Art Hotel, Hobart Tasmania…

Make no mistake, this Gourmet Food Tour is about eating some fine Tasmanian produce.  And not just samples; I mean full-on, meal-sized portions.  In fact, when I sorted through the photos to write this article, I was a a bit shocked at the amount of food we’d consumed in one four-hour morning walk.  But a stroll with Mary around Hobart includes so much more than just good food.

Squid with Spanish Chirizo: Mary takes guests to the Brunswick Hotel on her gourmet food tour

Gourmet Food Tour: Take a Walk Around Hobart with Mary

We met Mary McNeill (the founder of Hobart-based Gourmania Food Tours) at the start of the day outside the Tassal Salmon Shop in Salamanca.  Mary has travelled extensively and has a wealth of experience in the hospitality industry.  She studied Classic Pastry Arts at the prestigious French Culinary Institute in New York and went on to work as a pastry chef in the United States.

Gourmet food tour guests meet at the Tassal Salmon Shop in Salamanca for the Hobart City Tour

Sample deli meats at the Wursthaus Kitchen on the Hobart city gourmet food tour

Mary, with her American husband, has since returned to Hobart to raise her young son and enjoy the lifestyle.  And after some extensive international research, she established her gourmet food tour in 2011.  As a proud, sixth-generation Tasmanian, Mary leads her guests around Hobart on a culinary journey that incorporates a great deal of local and historic knowledge.

Mary shares her wealth of local knowledge as she leads her guests around Hobart

Walking in Hobart, Gourmania Style

This gourmet food tour winds around the Hobart streets with Mary pointing out features along the way.  While there’s a busy schedule of eating to maintain, the total walk covers only 3kms (so a fairly comfortable stroll by most standards).  Mary is constantly calling ahead to the next venue, keeping everyone to the timetable.  It’s such a great concept, walking in the door and having the allocated dish brought straight to you!

Coffee, juice and pastries from Jackman & McRoss, an iconic Hobart bakery

A stop for avocado sushi in Liverpool Street on the gourmet food tour

And what would a gourmet food tour be without the sampling of wines as well?  That’s also covered in Mary’s gourmet food tour, with a visit to Hobart wine and beer retailer, Cool Wine.  We were lucky to meet with co-owner and celebrated wine expert Tim Goddard, who shared his thoughts about the wine industry in Tasmania.

Tim is an interesting and amusing bloke!  He’s travelled the world, and is clearly passionate about his role as a wine judge; but he’s not the least bit pretentious.

Mary McNeill: Mapping Out a Tasmanian Food Experience

Guests receive a map with each venue marked and a space for tasting notes.  I didn’t take any notes!  I was too busy enjoying the taste of the food and the sights of the city.  But the map will come in handy when I want to visit those places again or recommend them to friends.  Not all of them require a map, though.  The gourmet food tour is a loop circuit starting and finishing at Salamanca, and you visit Constitution Dock for a bite of fish.  What could be more “Hobart” than that?

Seafood from Constitution Dock... can't get more "Hobart" than that!!

The gourmet food tour is a great experience for new locals (like us); but for international tourists, even more so.  Dominic Bates from the UK was also on our tour.  Dominic is the editor of Walk Magazine, and was here on assignment courtesy of Tourism Tasmania’s Visiting Journalist Program.

We had great fun with him, stirring him mercilessly for sleeping in and missing the first half of the tour.  He took it all on the chin in good spirit.  And really, who could blame the poor man, after his hectic schedule of climbing Cradle Mountain and walking Maria Island?  He can read about the delicious food he missed out on now, anyway!

Gavin with gourmet food tour guide Mary McNeill & UK journalist Dominic Bates

At the end of the walk around Hobart, we returned to Salamanca.  We did some cheese tasting at A Common Ground, and then took a seat at Smolt for a delicious warm salad with potatoes, beans, cauliflower, pine nuts and a really yummy dressing.  A final coffee, and we were set to go home (to lay on the couch with our jeans undone!).  This is one gourmet food tour that delivers on the promise of a journey of indulgent discovery and is well worth the ticket price.

Sample some Tasmanian cheese at A Common Ground, Salamanca Hobart

Enjoy an amazing array of gourmet food on the City Tour with Gourmania Food Tours Tasmania

Gavin and Tania were guests of Mary McNeill on the
Gourmania Food Tours Hobart City Tour. Tours run 9.30am–1.30pm,
Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays (except public holidays).
Other weekdays by arrangement and pending availability.
The City Tour costs $120 per person all inclusive.

If you like this article about Tasmania, and you’d like to read more, just subscribe to our newsletter or join us on Facebook.  If you really like this article, and you want others to see it, you can choose one of the “share” options below.  We’d love that!

Comments relevant to this article are also very welcome, just leave a reply below.

Map: Gourmet Food Tour, Hobart Tasmania…

I recently bought a new camera.  Well, when I say that, what I mean is this:  my husband stood smiling and nodding while the very nice man at Harvey Norman sold us a Canon E0S 60D for a price similar to the resale value of our car.  That being the case, you’ll understand that I viewed the overcast sky with some trepidation, on the afternoon of my Shutterbug dusk to dark tour.

Shutterbug Walkabouts in Tasmania will help you discover, experience AND photograph

Shutterbug Walkabout

by Cassandra Wunsch

Roy, my Shutterbug walking-tour guide, was very understanding of my timidity and assured me that my brand new baby could take it.  Being a complete amateur (even more so when compared to his 35+ years of experience) I deferred to his superior knowledge.  Which turned out to be quite right, by the way.

For this article, I won’t try to reproduce the help and advice Roy and Coreena gave me on our three hour tour around the Hobart waterfront and up to Franklin Square (as I’d probably butcher it).  From the Shutterbug class, one of the main things I’ve gained is the confidence to fiddle.  I can’t break my camera by playing with the settings!  And once they’re explained to you, the majority of a camera’s options are just ‘more’ or ‘less’ of each function.  There’s nothing scary in there after all!

Dusk to Dark: Different Light Compensation

Walkabout: Stunning Hobart, Nibbles & Fairy Lights

After the first ten or fifteen minutes, the weather did calm down.  We were rewarded for our perseverance with a landscape covered in delicate water droplets.  I’d never done any kind of artistic shooting before, and it was also my first time using a tripod, but Roy kept everything comfortable and simple so I didn’t feel like a bumbler.

Experimenting with Light Filters

Half way through the evening, Coreena set up a lovely spread of nibbles to keep us going!  Supper under the stars and fairy lights on the Salamanca lawns was lovely, and it gave me the opportunity to put some of my recent low light instruction to practical use.

A delightful supper under the fairy lights of Salamanca in Hobart

Shutterbug: Taking Photography to a New Level

It should probably be known that I begged our commander-in-chief, the lovely Tania, for this assignment.  I love photography.  It’s an area where I have always felt like an impassioned but hopelessly inexperienced amateur.  I’d highly recommend the Shutterbug experience for anyone with a bit of passion, who has maybe let their inexperience keep them from really grabbing their camera by the horns and making it give you the shots you want!

Roy and Coreena offer a very friendly, low pressure environment to stretch yourself, and all the guidance you need to take your photography to the next level!

Using a Tripod for Evening Photography

For more information visit the Shutterbug Walkabouts website or join Shutterbug Walkabouts Tasmania on Facebook. Contact Roy and Coreena on 6267 2952 or 0418 745 427. Cassandra was a guest on the dusk to dark photography tour in Hobart.

Cassandra Wunsch is a third-year journalism student at Open Universities
Australia.  She lives in Hobart with her husband Florian and daughter Taliesin,
and would like to continue to write full-time when she graduates.
Her personal blog is www.10percentinspired.com

If you like this article about Tasmania, and you’d like to read more, just subscribe to our newsletter or join us on Facebook.  If you really like this article, and you want others to see it, you can choose one of the “share” options below.  We’d love that!

Comments relevant to this article are also very welcome, just leave a reply below.

Map: Shutterbug Dusk to Dark Tour, Hobart Tasmania…

Picture this: a café by a river in a quiet, bush-land setting.  Plenty of parking; no fighting with traffic; modern facilities; fully fenced playground;  great food & coffee.  And service from the most welcoming, happy people. Well we’ve found it.

What a discovery! The Rivulet Cafe in South Hobart has Jen very impressed

Rivulet Café: 64 Anglesea Street, South Hobart

by Jen Holdsworth

Word of mouth is a powerful tool and it’s thanks to this we found the wonderful Rivulet Café.  Set at the bottom end of Anglesea Street in South Hobart (over the Hobart Rivulet, behind South Hobart Primary and Collegiate Junior Schools), it’s nestled into the hills that surround it.  And it’s such a surprise!  Drive over the bridge, turn the corner and there it is!

Cake anyone? The desserts are on show on the counter at the Rivulet Cafe

You first see a very modern building.  Originally the 1960′s Boags beer factory, in July 2010 a group of dedicated volunteers purchased the building.  They created a wonderful setting for C3 Church, and the Rivulet Café, and incorporated many of the original big steel beams and other features of the Boags Factory .

The building housing the Rivulet Cafe was once the Tasmanian Boags Factory

Something to Suit Every Taste

It’s an incredible facility with an auditorium that seats 900.  It is used for corporate events and by local schools, and Exit Left use it for many of their productions.  But for me, the main draw card is the Rivulet Café.  It is perfectly relaxing.  The atmosphere is light, warm and welcoming.  The polished concrete floors and high ceilings add to the cleanest café environment I have seen.

Polished concrete floors add to the pristine, light and welcoming feel of Rivulet Cafe

The project has been a dream come true for the C3 community; to create a café open and available to everyone.  Families, business people, bush-walkers (there are many walking tracks nearby) and the elderly are all made welcome.  Individuals looking for some peace and quiet can just sit outside and take in the bush setting.

It’s a holistic experience, with beautiful, reasonably priced food and drinks.  Behind the counter, Wendy is quick with a smile, very accommodating and always up for a good chat.

Service with a smile: Wendy makes lunch and coffee a nice experience at the Rivulet Cafe

64 Anglesea Street South Hobart: Everyone Welcome

The playground is modern, clean and fully-fenced, suiting mums who want to relax while the children play.  Inside there are even surfaces, wide open doors, and easy access for wheelchairs or customers with physical impairment.

The playground at the Rivulet Cafe in South Hobart offers parents some freedom

It’s always nice to find such a gem for a wonderful coffee experience.  The Rivulet Cafe is growing in popularity through word of mouth, like this!  Hopefully you and your family manage to pop down to 64 Anglesea Street, South Hobart and enjoy a good morning tea, brunch, or afternoon tea.  Served with passion, pride and a smile.

Jen Holdsworth works with two online businesses…
Hospital Healing Hampers ~ Quality Australian Healing Gifts
D’Entrecasteaux Soaps ~ Handmade Natural Tasmanian Products
She also writes the Holdsworth Chronicles.

If you like this article about Tasmania, and you’d like to read more, just subscribe to our newsletter or join us on Facebook.  If you really like this article, and you want others to see it, you can choose one of the “share” options below.  We’d love that!

Comments relevant to this article are also very welcome, just leave a reply below.

Map: Rivulet Cafe, South Hobart…

A Waterfall a Week – 52 Waterfalls is a current project by Cameron Blake
of Leverett Photography.  You may have noticed the campaign on Facebook?
We’ve been following his progress with great interest, and Cameron has agreed
to share with us the idea behind the campaign and some of his stunning images.

A Waterfall A Week - 52 Waterfalls by Cameron Blake of Leverett Photography

A Waterfall A Week – 52 Waterfalls

by Cameron Blake

My wife and I recently moved to Hobart, Tasmania after many years of deliberation.  Being a professional photographer I couldn’t think of a better place to set up camp to capture the natural beauty of Tasmania.  Once I was settled, I decided to set myself a challenge for 2012; a challenge that will promote the wild beauty and mystery of the island.

The challenge I set myself is now named “A Waterfall a Week – 52 Waterfalls”.  For every week of 2012 I will challenge myself to capture and promote 52 of the most wonderful waterfalls in Tasmania.

Aim: 52 of the most wonderful waterfalls in Tasmania

Leverett Photography: Waterfalls Around Hobart

The weeks started off with some nice summer weather throughout the Hobart area.  I decided that to capture a waterfall a week, it was best if I started off close to home.  Capturing the Hobart area is simply amazing and easily completed.  Hobart has so many beauties hidden right on her doorstep with numerous waterfalls within a short drive or walk.

Tasmanian waterfalls inspiring Leverett Photography to capture a waterfall a week

Cameron Blake Shares Some Secret Waterfalls!

Some of the 52 waterfalls are the usual tourist favorites; but I have managed to come across some of the lesser-known falls.  I love to hike and get out into the wilderness and this challenge is surely helping me feel like a local around the southern Tasmanian wilderness.  To date I am confident that I will find the 52 waterfalls and complete a waterfall a week.

The 52 waterfalls include tourist favourites and secret locations

You can follow Leverett Photography on Facebook or Twitter.
They also have a website with a page dedicated to Tasmanian photography.
You can contact Cameron Blake on 0413 487 644

If you like this article about Tasmania, and you’d like to read more, just subscribe to our newsletter or join us on Facebook.  If you really like this article, and you want others to see it, you can choose one of the “share” options below.  We’d love that!

Comments relevant to this article are also very welcome, just leave a reply below.

Map: Hobart, Tasmania…

Hot Weather Not On The Menu

by Roger Findlay

I’ve never met Tania Horne (the editor of Think Tasmania) in person, but I imagine her as being a fair-skinned person who prefers to keep out of the sun.  I came close to the reality a few weeks ago when Tania told me how much she hated the sweltering hot weather that Hobart served up.  Jeanette and I also detest the hot days that we get here in Gregory West (close to Albury).

The hot weather in Gregory West: a key factor when deciding to move to Tasmania

This year however, the summer hardly started and now we’re enjoying the cool rainy days.  As we prepare for a future move, the weather in Tasmania has been a major consideration. It may surprise you that the region around Devonport, Ulverstone, Penguin and Burnie has come out on top, with the east coast a close second.

Goodbye hot weather: a perfect winter's day at Douglas River on the east coast of Tasmania

Hot Weather: Temperature Facts in Tasmania

On the day that Hobart recorded a maximum of 39C, Burnie was 14C lower at 25C.  The following day Burnie heated up to 28C while Hobart cooled to 36C.  For both cities, this hot weather is infrequent and uncharacteristic.  I experienced a very hot New Years Eve in Hobart a few years back and the resulting storm that bettered the fireworks display!

From research, I found that the highest temperature recorded for Burnie since formal records began was 33.8C on January 31, 2009; but the normal high would be around 24C.  I also noted that the average maximum and minimum temperatures for the winter months vary by 6C and are warmer than Gerogery West!

A perfect day at Boat Harbour Beach in the north west of Tasmania, even during winter!

Now… I know you’re going to tell me about the short daylight hours, wind and rain but at least I won’t need the “Typical Pom” knotted handkerchief on summer days!

Roger Findlay is our travel writer.  Literally!  He spends all his
holidays in Tasmania, then writes about the experience for Think Tasmania.
If you’d like Roger to visit you in the name of research
(so we can publish information about your business), please contact us.

If you like this article about Tasmania, and you’d like to read more, just subscribe to our newsletter or join us on Facebook.  If you really like this article, and you want others to see it, you can choose one of the “share” options below.  We’d love that!

Comments relevant to this article are also very welcome, just leave a reply below.

Map: North West Coast Tasmania…