Southern Edge Experience

Highlights

• Our five-day Southern Edge Experience showcases the best natural and cultural aspects of the region, including:
• Short bushwalks featuring diverse terrain (although short, they can still be challenging)
• Visit the world-famous Hastings Caves and enjoy a rainforest soak at the nearby thermal pool
• The varied landscapes of Tasmania’s Southern Edge, including mountains, rainforest, waterfalls, rivers and lakes
• Art and craft experiences in local artisans in their studios
• Go behind the scenes at boutique wineries and distilleries and meet the makers & producers

Adventure Trail Tasmania guests enjoy immersive activities and direct interaction with local community members, as well as sharing our stories of the past and present.

Tour structure

• Each morning we will embark on a short bushwalk, up to five hours in duration.
• For lunch we head to one of the local townships or a scenic spot, sometimes at a local café, sometimes a packed picnic.
• Each afternoon we roll up our sleeves and fire up our imaginations with a visit to a local studio artist and spend time developing our creativity with their techniques. Participating practitioners range from traditional and contemporary pottery to sustainable fabric design, woodcraft, and canvas painting. The level of involvement is up to you and can vary from a hands-on session to a sit back and watch presentation.

Accommodation

Our base is the Kermandie Hotel on the shores of the Huon River. Built in 1932, the Kermandie Hotel offers comfortable accommodation, excellent food, a fully restored bar and its own marina on the waterfront at Port Huon.

Accommodation consists of cosy, character filled Heritage rooms with ensuites, perfect for singles, couples, or families.
Right next door, Kermandie Lodge offers the flexibility of queen & twin accommodation along with self-contained two-bedroom family units.

Other facilities include the Huon Lounge, ideal for a quiet drink and space to relax; the Kermandie Restaurant featuring locally sourced produce; and the bar with its own menu & extensive wine list and outdoor dining area.

Custom options

Our flexible tour structure allows us to customise activities to suit guests’ interests and fitness levels. We know the area’s landscapes, activities, and walking routes intimately, and we have great relationships its artisans and food & beverage producers. We welcome the opportunity to create custom itineraries that meet–and exceed–our customers’ expectations.
We welcome that opportunity to discuss your interests and needs as you plan your adventure with us. Please email or phone us with any questions or to explore the possibilities.

Weather

Our flexible tour structure also provides us the opportunity to vary destinations and activities each day to match the prevailing weather. Tasmania’s weather is famously changeable, and while there may be a blizzard on top of a local mountain track, a nearby bay may be mild and sunny. Our local knowledge enables us to make informed choices to match the weather conditions on any given day, making the most of your holiday, and also ensuring your safety.

Sustainable tourism

By touring with Adventure Trails Tasmania, you are directly supporting our local community, including accommodation and hospitality businesses, artists and crafts-people, food and beverage producers and our guides and personnel. We are a fully Tasmanian-owned and operated company, and all our staff and their families live in this region.

Fitness levels

While our walks on this tour are all classified as ‘short walks’, they can still be challenging, and guests must indicate the level of fitness and track grade for their private group when booking. We have many short walk options so we can arrange suitable walks and activities to match various fitness levels and preferences.

Evening Meal option – The Geeveston Twilight Feast

(at own cost, transfers included)

If your visit coincides with the first Thursday of the month, you are in for a treat at the Geeveston Twilight Feast, a lively local night market of local foodies presenting their seasonal produce, often straight from their working farms.

The creative fresh flavours and a relaxing friendly atmosphere make this a much-loved monthly community event in this small regional town. You will be surprised by the array available – and you will get to meet some welcoming local personalities who are always up for a yarn.

The Geeveston Twilight Feast operates on the first Thursday of each month.

Sample itinerary

Day 1

8.30am Pickup from guest accommodation in Hobart.

9.00am Morning walk on Mount Wellington/kunanyi. With a great selection of walking possibilities on the mountain, we have chosen a couple of trails to warmup too and introduce our guests boots to the terrain in Tasmania

1.00pm One of our local favourite lunch spots, Willie Smiths apple shed in the Huon Valley. This is a great opportunity to get to know each other with the guide over a relaxing lunch and a cold beverage.

2.30pm Master Potter Ian Clare will invite us to explore our creative side through pottery, while sharing his story and skills in his signature ancient Japanese pottery style.

5.00pm Welcome to the Kermandie Hotel, where staff make our guests feel at home. This will be our base, so no frantic packing and unpacking is needed.

7.00pm Evening meal at The Kermandie Hotel

Day 2

7.00am Start your day with a hearty breakfast in the Kermandie Hotel dining room. Enjoy locally roasted barista coffee and a choice of familiar hot dishes or, for those who prefer a lighter start to the day, a continental buffet is available.

8.30am We head south to the end of the sealed road for a morning walk in the Southport-Ida Bay area.

1.00pm A gourmet picnic lunch supplied by the Kermandie hotel should see us well-fuelled ready to continue our adventures.

2.00pm Experience the magnificent Hastings Caves on a guided tour, followed by a relaxing soak in the clear and clean 28-degree waters of the nearby thermal pool set amidst the rainforest.

5.30pm Tasting of local wines at the Kermandie. Conversations about our original grape plantings, to todays new and up and coming varietals, before a delicious dinner.

7.00pm As the sun dips, a night walk will allow us to view and photograph the open sky and stars, maybe even the renowned southern aurora. Local photographer Toby Schrapel will provide us with some techniques to help grasp the opportunity to try out some night photography techniques.

Day 3

7.00am Breakfast

8.30am Depart Kermandie for our Hartz Peak walk (4hours, 8km). This local favourite presents a gradual climb through native eucalyptus, heath lands, and alpine rock formations. Depending on the weather, enjoy either spectacular views at the top or be amongst the still, misty mountain fog-either way this hike rewards the effort.

1.00pm Gourmet picnic at a local scenic spot

2.30pm Linda Chee, the artist behind Gecko Strands, allows us to explore, design and create sustainable fabric. Linda takes us through her beautiful studio and provides our guests an opportunity to create some unique fabric of their own.

6.00pm Return to Kermandie Hotel

7.00pm Dinner – the Kermandie seafood extravaganza, with time to share stories and tastings.

Day 4

7.00am Breakfast

8.30am Optional Activities

Today we have a break from walking and take the opportunity to slow down and appreciate the local environment. As a group we will have selected two of the Optional Activities* to enjoy today – one in the morning and one in the afternoon, with an appropriate lunch option.

6.30pm Dinner and tastings of local wines at the Kermandie Hotel. The Huon Valley is spoilt for choice when it comes to Pinot Noir, and The Kermandie will offer a tasting of the best. Local vineyards also excel in other varieties of wine, and we will share with you some of our favourites. We have the flexibility for you to enjoy dinner in the Esperance Restaurant or our fully restored Bar (you can make this choice on the day).

During the evening, be sure to pack for tomorrow’s departure to Bruny Island.

Day 5

7.00am Breakfast

8.30am Depart Kermandie for the drive through picturesque countryside to the village of Kettering, where we will board the ferry for the 15-minute crossing to Bruny Island.

We have deep connections with Bruny, and we look forward to sharing its best with our guests. Together we will explore local produce, enjoy a stunning coastal walk, uncover layers of history.

We will visit to a small family winery in the south of the island for lunch, followed by a refreshing stroll along the wind-swept rugged coastline of Cloudy Bay and Cape Bruny.

Late in the afternoon, we reboard the ferry and head back to Hobart to drop you off at your accommodation.

*Optional Activities

Huon River Cruise

There is one thing to explore the southern region by foot, but another to gain vista and vantage point from being on a small wooden cruise boat. We capture the Huon River in its many lights. Rolling mist, glassy surface or with a gentle breeze on the back of our necks. Allow stories to unfold and a light cheese platter to set the scene.

The Australian Wooden Boat Centre

Located at Franklin on the Huon River, the Centre is an iconic local institution with depths of history in crafting resilient wooden boats for industry and pleasure.

Franks Cider

Enjoy a casual lunch at Franks Cider, with a tasting of their brews, while surrounded by the memorabilia of generations of orchard farmers and great images from the past.

Kate Hill Winery

One of a handful of boutique wine producers in the Huon Valley will showcase a tasting of its wines in a relaxing backdrop of grape, apple, and cherry trees.

Glass blowing

Local artist Craig, from Dr Sawfish Hot Glass Studio, will give you a demonstration of the art of hot glass blowing. In his eclectic studio you will be amazed by this artform and be imparted with some knowledge. Fully enclosed shoes are a must and not touching any work within the studio – although it will be tempting!

Please provide us with plenty of notice,(2 mouths) to effectively create and design to your specific interests, needs and allow us to book local producers and artists. Again, minimum 4 guests and maximum 10.

We would love to hear from you to understand your needs and interests, if you are just looking for a guide and comfortable transport please contact us direct or recognise our local private guiding services on our website.

Look forward to hear from you soon.