Hello
Tassie On My Mind, April 2014
- top holiday experiences
Welcome to the April 2014 issue of Tassie On My Mind, a free monthly newsletter keeping you informed of the latest news on what makes Tasmania such an attractive travel destination.
Top tastes, places and events - that's what I think of when I think of Tasmania, where there is more than one outstanding holiday experience to be had. And I'm not the only person to think so!
Read on to see what I mean...
This issue:
- Tidiest town
- Blame it on the rain
- Top experiences
- Chocorn
- Amazing events
Plus... your chance to be a part of tasmania-attractions.com!
Tidiest town
Guess which town was just named tidiest town in Australia? None other than Sheffield in the north of Tasmania.
So how did Sheffield stand out? According to Tasmanian Tidy Towns judge Barry Muir, there needs to be:
"...a feeling good and doing good presence, with sustainability being the bottom line".
He also mentioned:
"...the added attraction of magnificent Mt Roland in the background".
The last time a Tasmanian town won the award was back in 2007 when Swansea received the top honour.
Sheffield also won the Resource Recovery and Waste Management Award.
Did you know that Sheffield is also known for its murals?
The first town mural was painted in 1986, and now over 60 murals showcasing the rich history and beautiful scenery of the area can be seen on walls throughout Sheffield. It is estimated that about 200,000 people visit the town every year to see the murals.
Go Tasmania towns!
Blame it on the rain
Some people like rain, some people don't. A lot of it has to do with whether there has been too much rain or not enough.
Rain can really help our natural environment to shine though.
Waterfalls for example - have you ever gone on a long walk to see a waterfall only to find that there isn't much water falling? Rain can make a waterfall look its best.
Recent heavy rains in the North-West of Tasmanian have brought some natural attractions back to life.
Guide Falls at West Ridgley, about 19km into the hinterland behind Burnie is one of several spectacular falls in the Ridgley area. It is a popular picnic spot with an easy walking track to the two-tiered falls a few hundred metres upstream.
Also nearby are Sanderson and St Georges falls.
While there has been talk about creating a waterfall tourist trail, it has not happened so far. However if you like getting off the beaten track, have a soft spot for waterfalls, plus it's been
raining, you won't want to miss these watery attractions!
Top experiences
Australian Traveller magazine has recently listed Australia's top 100 holiday experiences from 12,000 nominations.
Tasmania won big, scoring Australia’s most highly rated luxury stay, best walking holidays and Australia’s best road trip.
Tasmania's East Coast Escape road trip came in at number 2.
According to Australian Traveller magazine editor Georgia Rickard:
"If you’ve ever done it, you’d know why... It’s absolutely breathtaking...The best thing about the East Coast Escape road trip is that the luxury is in the environment...Hobart, Maria Island, The Hazards, Wineglass Bay, Bay of Fires... it’s one, long continuous reel of six-star surroundings. And you can absolutely do it without blowing the budget, there’s plenty of affordable accommodation along the way".
All up, a total of eleven Tasmanian experiences were featured in the top 100.
2 - Road trip, the East Coast Escape
5 - Book into Saffire Freycinet
13 - Walk, The Freycinet Experience
16 - Trek the Bay of Fires Lodge Walk
22 - Hike the Overland Track (via Cradle Mountain Huts
25 - Trek the Maria Island Walk
28 - Take a Hobart weekend (including MONA)
41 - Visit the Tarkine wilderness
68 - Foodie break in Tamar Valley
75 - Road trip to Strahan
77 - Take a wild journey with Rob Pennicott
As Rickard put it:
"Tasmania’s superb wilderness is a major drawcard".
Yes indeed, it certainly is!
Chocorn
And now for another great Tasmanian experience.
And you can experience this in the comfort of your own home!
But first you do have to purchase it - from the supermarket.
I'm referring to Chocorn, chocolate-covered popcorn, a product created by Tasmanian Garth Midgley.
Mr Midgley was the first winner of TV show Recipe to Riches, thanks to Chocorn.
It was while at the movies that Mr Midgley came up with the idea of mixing a choc top ice cream with popcorn. He has been making Chocorn for eleven years, and refining the recipe over that time.
Mr Midgley is already working on a new product!
In the meantime you can purchase Chocorn from Woolworths. There are three flavours available - sweet white chocolate with macadamia nuts, creamy milk chocolate with roasted hazelnut and rich dark chocolate with fleur de sel.
Mr Midgley has remarked:
"I never expected this would happen when I first came up with the
idea of Chocorn... To think an idea I came up with can be found at every Woolies store around the country is unbelievably exciting".
I love the idea of combining two popular movie snacks in one product. Chocorn at the movies next time I go, I reckon... Thank you Mr Midgley!
Amazing events
As always, there are amazing events held in Tasmania.
Here are just a couple which have caught my attention:
The Sunday Painters
This exhibition features 65 paintings by a group of well-known Tasmanian artists who painted together every Sunday since the 1950s.
It took over a decade for Art collectors Don and Maggie Row to assemble this group of paintings.
The exhibition catalogue includes interviews with the surviving artists.
When: Till 26 April 2014
Where: Allport Library and Museum of Fine Arts, Ground floor, 91 Murray Street, Hobart
The Permian Monsters
Here's one for the kids, big and little!
This interactive exhibition take you back 290 million years to the Permian era, when strange sharks, giant insects and reptiles inhabited the world.
You can see fossilised skeletons and full life-size models of animals up close, plus dig and identify fossils in the interactive
dig pits throughout the gallery! You will get to interact with the Animatronics while listening to the Permian soundscape of insect, reptile and amphibian noises.
When: Till 10 October 2014M
Where: Pandemonium Discovery & Adventure Centre, 62-64 North Fenton Street, Devonport
Well that's it for this issue.
There are a few public holidays coming up soon in Australia - Good Friday, Easter Sunday, Anzac Day. Days commemorating important events for many of us, or perhaps days for spending with loved ones to create special memories to cherish forever.
However you will spend these days, be safe and happy.
See you in May!
To contact me, click here.
Here's your chance to be a part of
Tasmania-attractions.com!
One Day In Tasmania
What if you had just one day in Tasmania? Where would you go? What would you do?
Share your dream with us.
If selected, your dream will appear as a page at tasmania-attractions.com
It doesn't matter if you have never been to Tasmania. I would love to hear your thoughts too. It's easy to find out about Tasmania, at tasmania-attractions.com or elsewhere.
This is your chance. Join in the fun. Share your thoughts with us.
We all gain so much from each other's ideas.
Hit us with your best shot
Your best wildlife shot, that is...
Have you ever been in just the right place at just the right time and snagged a great wildlife photo?
Share that photo with us.
We would love to see it. Not only that, we would love to get your tips on how you got the photo.
How did you manage not to scare the animal away? What did you do to prepare for the shot?
If selected, your photo and story will appear as a page at tasmania-attractions.com
This is your opportunity to shine. Let's share our stories around.
