Do you wish you could fly into the sky, so very high, and above the trees just like a dragonfly? How about above the seas to anywhere you please? You wanna fly away to a place where you can getaway? Yeah yeah yeah!!
Mount Wellington
Mount Wellington - Pinnacle Shelter
Mount Wellington is sure to stop you in your tracks for a while as you soak in the view from an elevation of 1270 metres. Why not grab some grub at the Hog’s Breath Cafe` - it’s not as bad as it sounds! Port Arthur is a place chock full of history and it gets the brain ticking over and makes one reflect. A hearty brekky at Jam Packed should be enough to see you through to a late lunch at the Richmond Arms Hotel too.
Mount Wellington - Pinnacle Shelter
Touchdown at Hobart International Airport on a Friday afternoon is a welcome relief for any city slicker from the mainland, and heading straight to the peak of Mount Wellington is pretty much a must do. Well, that’s if the weather is fine of course!
Mount Wellington - Pinnacle Shelter
The Mount Wellington summit is a leisurely twisting 20 minute drive from the Hobart CBD, via the leafy southern suburbs. Once you reach the top, you’ll soon realise why this is one of Australia’s best vistas. Yes, you can see for miles and miles and miles.
Mount Wellington
Dinner at the strangely named Hog’s Breath Cafe` in Hobart, is a good way to end a busy day of travelling and sightseeing. Steak is the specialty on the menu and it’s served in a multitude of different ways. The fries are treated as a bit of a novelty with them being served up in the shape of a hog's tail. Don’t believe me? It’s true – go see and taste for yourself!
Port Arthur - Church
Saturday is ideal for a full-day trip to the Port Arthur Historic Site and a reasonably early start is suggested. There’s quite a lot to see and experience in this significant precinct.
Port Arthur - Separate Prison
As part of your entry fee, you’re entitled to an introductory historical walking tour with an expert guide and a 20 minute cruise with an informative commentary onboard the luxury catamaran MV Marana.
Port Arthur - Penitentiary
Some of the highlights of the Port Arthur Historic Site are; the Penitentiary, Separate Prison, Hospital and Church.
Port Arthur - Penitentiary
The Visitor Centre opened in 1999 as a result of joint funding from the State and Federal Governments and it provides an interactive experience for all the family as well as a gift shop, the Port Café and Felons a la carte restaurant.
Port Arthur - Government Gardens
I’d suggest you take your camera on this trip, as there are so many spectacular sights that are worth recording as part of your journey. A high quality point and shoot camera will get you a few good snaps, but for those dedicated photography enthusiasts, a digital SLR kit with a tripod will take you that step further in what you’ll be able to achieve.
Accommodation at the Cascade Hotel is reasonably priced and it's located within comfortable walking distance to the famous Cascade Brewery. The rooms are a comfortable motel style and they are semi self-contained. Lunch and dinner bistro-style meals are served in the dining room which is conveniently located just off the main bar-lounge area.
Sunday morning at Jam Packed is a great way to kick-off the day with a breakfast to settle those ever present tummy bugs. Old favourites like, Bacon and Eggs, and French toast are served under a spectacular glass roof at this classy Hobart Waterfront venue.
Richmond Bridge
Once you have had your fill of toast and coffee, it’s worth heading-off for the historic town of Richmond, which located about 30 minutes from Hobart. Richmond is home to Australia’s oldest bridge that is still in use. Built in AD1823, Richmond Bridge was built by convicts from sandstone and is said to be haunted by ghosts. Today, it’s a popular attraction for photographers and travellers.
Richmond Bridge
The Richmond Arms Hotel is popular with day-trippers from Hobart on a weekend and it’s a top spot for a drink and a bite to eat. There’s a very friendly feel in this establishment and the bistro-style meals are more than adequate to satisfy the hunger.
Richmond Arms Hotel
Sunday lunch at the Richmond Hotel, a walk around Richmond’s historic buildings and a browse through the art and craft shops, is a splendid way to finish up a refreshing weekend in Tassie before heading back to the grind of Monday-Friday life. Go on - get away!
Information and recommendations
Mount Wellington
Hog’s Breath Café - Hobart
Port Arthur Historic Site
Cascade Hotel – Hobart
Jam Packed - Hobart
Richmond Arms Hotel
Richmond Village
Hi Darren,
ReplyDeleteThose pics of Tassie certainly make me want to fly like a dragonfly.
Some of the images remind me of historical Europe. Good colour & sharpness. Jemima
Hi Jemima.
ReplyDeleteThanks for dropping by for a read of my article. I'm reasonably happy with the images in this article and if they remind you of Europe in any way, well I'm flattered to say the least.
Tasmania offers so much for a short trip and with Jetstar and Virgin Blue flying into Launceston and Hobart, it makes things so attactive. Hiring a vehicle through Europcar, or one of the other hire car companies, is highly recommended as it will give you the flexibility to move about at your leisure.
Weekends are a good time to travel but you can clinch some cheaper airfares mid-week if you're looking to save a few dollars.
I've only scraped the surface in this article as to what's on offer in Tassie for a weekend but once you've experienced a short trip you'll be tempted to go back for a longer journey.
Let me know if you require some recommendations in regard to other accommodation options and other sights to see, as I've visited Tasmania quite a few times.
Kind regards
Darren