Pristine Tasmania

Embark on the Coral Discoverer in the late afternoon for a 5:00 pm departure.

Cruise to the Woodbridge and Huon rivers, where you’ll learn about the process of sheep cheese-making at the family-run Grandvewe Cheeses, and enjoy a taste of their “ewenique” sheep’s whey vodka. Visit either the Woodbridge Marine Discovery Centre or Pepperberries Garden Café and Art Farm for a walk through lavender fields, enjoying their fine collection of sculptures. Cruise the Huon River and visit the township of Franklin and the Wooden Boat Centre.

A marine reserve and part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, Port Davey is Tasmania untouched. If conditions allow, you will spend one to two full days exploring this pristine wilderness, and enjoy the unforgettable experience of kayaking in Bathurst Harbour. Otherwise accessible only via a seven-day hike or charter flight, Port Davey feels like an endless uncharted wilderness, full of sheltered bays filled with endemic marine life. In Port Davey, you’ll disembark to explore the “Narrows” aboard a tender and take a guided hike of Balmoral Hill or the Mount Beattie Track. Take in the surrounds of Melaleuca and the Needwonnee Walk, named after the tribe whose homelands extended throughout this area.

At Adventure Bay on the east coast of Bruny Island, walk along the dramatic coastal cliffs of Fluted Cape and search for Bennett’s wallabies, endemic to Bruny Island. Cruising the base of these near-vertical dolerite cliffs, get close-up views of Penguin Island which is connected to Fluted Cape at low tide. Learn about the plight of southern right whales which were almost hunted to extinction. Ruins of the old whaling stations can be seen on a walk to Grassy Point.

Much of Maria Island is a protected national park, and you can expect to see many endemic species including Forester kangaroos, Bennett’s wallabies, and wombats. You can also walk among the ruins and restored buildings of the fascinating convict penal settlement of Darlington. Time permitting, explore the ruins of the former probation station which are set against a dramatic coastline, the striking formations of the Painted Cliffs, and grasslands that attract wombats. Rich iron deposits have leeched through the soil, staining the sandstone cliffs on the water’s edge with colored streaks of red, purple, and orange—an amazing natural work of art revealed at low tide.

The spectacular peninsula of Freycinet is crafted from pink granite peaks—the Hazard Mountains—and is surrounded by azure bays and backed by dry eucalyptus forest. At Freycinet National Park, you can join an optional guided hike (approx. two hours) to the Wineglass Bay beach, consistently voted one of the most breathtaking beaches in the world, via the lookout or Isthmus Track. Witness numerous fur seals lounging on the rocks on the Ile des Phoques, a small rocky island between Freycinet Peninsula and Maria Island.

Feel the power of nature as you stand beside the 1,000-foot-high sea cliffs and monumental rock formations of Tasman National Park. See sea stacks—tall dolerite formations—and view the Tasman Arch, The Candlestick, and Cathedral from a perfect position at sea. As this is an area of huge natural diversity, it's possible you may come across Australian fur seals “hauling out” on the rocky shore at Tasman Island, as well as dolphins and albatross that are often sighted in this region.

A unique experience awaits at the UNESCO World Heritage–listed Port Arthur Historic Site, Australia’s most intact convict site. Between 1833 and 1877, the penal colony housed Britain and Australia’s worst criminals, and was considered inescapable. Today, the Historic Site has over 30 buildings, ruins, and restored period homes set in 100 acres of landscaped grounds. In the company of Port Arthur’s resident archaeologist, join an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the site, which includes access to private collections and historic buildings not accessible to the general public, as well as a private reception to enjoy Tasmanian wines and canapes made from locally sourced ingredients.

Disembark in the morning in Hobart, and transfer to the airport for homeward-bound flights.