Tassie Adventure Day Four

Day Four of our wonderful southern adventure began with a delicious breakfast at the Cradle Mountain Lodge and a snuggle by the fire (below).

Then it was on the road, passing through divine mountain country on the way east, through the northern hinterlands, along a historic trail.

After the meandering mountain drive, we came down into the plains and passed through Mole Creek then into Chudleigh and its famous Honey Farm where the kids hunted for the queen bee in a glass-fronted hive, played games and learned all about the honey making process.

Of course,the most funnest thing was getting to sample all the different honeys - an astounding range including creamed honeys infused with such tempters as raspberry, mango, cinnamon and lime, and traditional Tasmanian honeys such as the divine Leatherwood. My favourite was Swamp Gum.

After getting high on honey, we continued on through some magnificent farming land with blueberry-coloured hills and grass as green as Ireland, stopping near Elizabeth Town at the famous Christmas Hills Raspberry Farm. Alas, we visited off-season, but the chocolate covered raspberries and raspberry dust were enough to sate our appetites.

Ella and I loved these letterboxes just outside the farm (below).

Next stop along our historic trail was the Westbury Maze and Tea Room, which certainly challenged our sense of direction. The boys competed against the girls to make it to the centre first, and in true sense-of-direction-boy style, won hands down... and found their way out first, too. There was lots of hooting and fists in the air. Very depressing. And I must admit, it wasn't pleasant being completely and utterly lost, and slightly panicked about getting out again.

Get me a map, post-haste!

After Westbury Maze, we continued on to Longford and Perth, on our way to Woolmers Estate, only the road to the estate was closed due to flooding.

After navigating an alternative route, we finally arrived at the magnificent heritage property - a beautiful relfection of colonial life in Tasmania in the 19th Century. Oh, how I could live here!

After Woolmers, we joined highway 1 to Hobart, which was about a two hour journey - and drove right into the heart of Hobart to New Town, a few minutes north west of the city proper.

Below is our first glimpse of the gorgeous Mount Wellington, which hovers over the state's capital.

We booked the most fabulous apartment in Hobart called The Gables - it was huge! and very much like home, not to mention so centrally located. Perfect for a three night stay. That night, we dined in on plates of quirky faces (below).