Devonport
Davonport waterfront © didbygraham
Tasmania's third largest city, Devonport is the gateway to the island state, situated as it is in the centre of the north coast, at the mouth of the Mersey River. It is the point of arrival for car ferries from the mainland and it also welcomes visitors at its modern airport. The city is three hours by road from Hobart on the Midlands Highway. The city has a number of attractions for visitors, including aboriginal rock engravings, a maritime museum and a cycle/walking track which extends around the picturesque foreshore from the city past the Olympic Swimming Pool to the historic Don River Railway, which operates vintage and steam trains. The city's central location makes it an ideal base for discovering the wilderness experiences of northwest Tasmania, especially the Mt Cradle National Park.




Excursions

Cradle Mountain

One of Tasmania's most popular attractions is the Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park, placed on the World Heritage list in 1982. Landscapes include ancient rainforest and alpine heath lands, interspersed with button grass and stands of deciduous beech trees. Trails winding through forests of King Billy pines around the mountain offer superb day treks, and the 50 miles (82km) trek from Cradle Mountain in the north to Lake St Clair in the south is Australia's most famous bushwalk. The Park is equipped with mountain huts that offer accommodation for long guided treks, and Cradle Mountain Lodge offers log cabins in a tranquil setting. Lake St Clair, a narrow 10-mile (15km) long waterway in the south of the park, is Australia's deepest natural freshwater lake.

E-mail: cradle@parks.tas.gov.au; Website: www.parks.tas.gov.au/index.aspx?base=3297; Telephone: (03) 6492 1110 (Cradle Mountain Visitor Centre); Transport: Shuttle service between the Transit Terminal and Dove Lake; Opening time: The Visitor Centre is open daily, from 8am to 5pm; Admission: A$16.50 (adults), A$8.25 (childen). Admission price includes a shuttle service from the Transit Terminal to Lake Dove


The Wall in the Wilderness

'Something special is taking place in the heart of Tasmania, and you are invited to witness its creation' - these are the words that greet you on The Wall in the Wilderness' official website, and by all accounts, the sense of excitement they communicate is well earned. An ambitious project, Australian sculptor Greg Duncan aims - by 2015 - to have completed a massive frieze, carved from gorgeous Huon Pine, depicting the best and worst of Tasmania's history, from pre-colonial times, to trailblazing European foresters, to the extinction of the Tasmanian tiger and the advent of hydro-electric power in the region. The sheer scale of the undertaking is mind-blowing - Duncan aims to use 50 panels, each one metre long and three metres high, carved front and back, giving a grand total of 300 square metres of realistic engravings. Duncan says he hopes that viewing the Wall will be 'an educational as well as an artistic experience' - an important reminder of both the 'successes and mistakes' that characterise Australia's history as a nation. The sculpture, once completed, is to sure to attain - in the words of Tasmania's Premier, Paul Lennon - 'world significance', so don't miss out on the opportunity to view it in its inchoate phase of development.

Address: 15352 Lyell Highway, one mile (about two kilometres) east of Derwent Bridge; Website: www.thewalltasmania.com; Telephone: (03) 6289 1134; Opening time: Open daily, from 9am to 5pm (September to April), and 9am to 4pm (May to August); Admission: Free admission

Events

Chocolate Winterfest

La Trobe, Tasmania, is not only home to the House of Anvers - an award-winning confectionery, specialising in Belgian chocolate - but also, once a year in July, the Chocolate Winterfest, a nationally-renowned celebration of chocolate in all its forms and manifestations. What better way to break the bleakness of mid-winter, than by indulging in an all-you-can-eat chocolate extravaganza? Not only will visitors be encouraged to taste more chocolate than they'll probably be able to stomach, they can also involve themselves in Chocolate Appreciation Masterclass sessions, view exhibitions of chocolate art, have a go at moulding their own bars, and even - for the high-browed - attend a chocolate-themed High Tea! An understandably popular and well-attended festival, if you happen to be in Tasmania during July, you could a lot worse than seeking out some winter cheer at La Trobe's Chocolate Winterfest.

Venue: La Trobe, Tasmania (a short drive from Devonport); Date: 10 July 2011; Website: www.chocolatewinterfest.com.au

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