MELBOURNE TO KING ISLAND

Welcome to our delightful gourmet holiday to beautiful King Island and Northwest Tasmania. With chauffeured pickup from home, we travel to Melbourne Airport. Here we’ll be greeted by an O’Shannessy’s Quality Tours representative who will assist us with check in and see us onto the plane for our direct afternoon flight to the island. King Island sits off Tasmania’s northwest coast and is known for its stunning rugged scenery, world class produce and some of the cleanest air in the world. After we land, our friendly local guide will take us on a relaxed tour of the island’s main township, Currie. We visit the museum in the former lightkeeper’s cottage, run by the King Island Historical Society. The collection offers a fascinating look into the island’s rich history, including the original lens from the Cape Wickham Lighthouse. Afternoon tea is served at the quirky and interesting little boathouse on the shores of Currie Harbour, known as the ‘Restaurant Without Food’. Next stop is the iconic King Island Kelp Industries, to learn more about one of the island’s important industries that processes bull kelp (a type of large, fast growing brown seaweed). Later, we stop at King Island Dairy to sample some of the delicious cheeses. We then make our way to

our accommodation, where we’ll be warmly welcomed by the manager, Julie. This evening, we’ll enjoy a special in‑house welcome dinner, prepared by one of the island’s finest chefs.

Lunch at own expense and arrangement / refreshments inflight

OVERNIGHT: Island Breeze Motel, Currie, KING ISLAND

EXPLORING THE NORTH AND PENGUINS

Today, our touring takes us to the northern end of the island. We stop at the Shag Lagoon

Bird Hide to view some of King Island’s beautiful water fowl, before continuing to Reekara. The Reekara Community Complex is a Lions Club initiative designed to preserve the former Reekara Primary School, which closed at the end of 1997. Next, we drive to Quarantine Bay while taking in the views of Christmas Island and New Year Island. From here, we cross to the eastern side of the island where we visit Martha Lavinia Beach, a world class beach break which has been voted one of the Top 10 Surf Breaks in Australia. We also see the mouth of Yellow Rock River, the wreck site of the Shannon to hear Captain Johnson’s unfortunate story. Our lunch break is at Penny’s Lagoon, a rare freshwater perched lake found in only three locations in the world. Continue past Lake Flannigan and Disappointment Bay to the most northern point of King Island to view the Cape Wickham Lighthouse, the tallest granite

lighthouse in the Southern Hemisphere which overlooks one of Australia’s top ranking golf

courses. Our final stop for the day is at King Island Distillery to meet a passionate local who distils gin made with hand foraged native beach botanicals. Back in Currie, we have time to freshen up for dinner at a local restaurant.

OVERNIGHT: Island Breeze Motel, Currie, KING ISLAND

NARACOOPA, CALCIFIED FOREST, SEAL ROCKS

Our journey today takes us to the east coast where we visit Sea Elephant River, one of the

island's largest river system and major link to the Lavinia Wetlands. We return to the farming region of Naracoopa for a brief stop to look at the jetty. We now head to the southern end of the island. As we pass by Surprise Bay, we learn of the history of the island's first settlement in 1889 by the Bowling family. Visit a very rare forest with views over some of King Island’s most spectacular coastline which has had a chequered history, including the worst peacetime maritime disaster in Australia’s history when in 1884 the British barquentine “schooner” Cataraqui was wrecked in a winter storm. After lunch at King Island Brewhouse, we travel to the Calcified Forest enjoying a leisurely 30-minute stroll that takes us to a viewing platform overlooking intriguing fossilised stumps of ancient rainforest trees. At Seal Rocks Lookout, we discover one of King Island’s most dramatic parts of the coast, used by Dutch and French sealers to spot pods of seals. Learn about farming life on the Island with a visit to Raff's Farm. Andrew Raff will share how he combines his extensive farming experience with technology to produce high quality Angus Beef. Last stop today is Grassy where we discover the scheelite mining heritage of King Island’s Dolphin Mine. We also view the Grassy Harbour which serves the island with the necessities of life, groceries, fuel and agricultural needs such as fertilisers and stock feed. Enjoy dinner at a local restaurant before we will have the opportunity to view the local little penguin colony. On dusk the penguins waddle out of the water to return to their burrows.

OVERNIGHT: Island Breeze Motel, Currie, KING ISLAND

BURNIE - WYNYARD - STANLEY

After breakfast and check-out, we bid a warm farewell to our gracious host, Julie. We then

make our way to King Island Airport for our scenic flight across Bass Strait to Wynyard

(Burnie Airport) on the Tasmanian North-west Coast. Here, we’ll be warmly welcomed by our

Tasmanian driver. Our journey begins in the charming coastal town of Wynyard where we’ll have a bit of free time, perhaps to purchase a coffee. Off in the distance, you'll be able to see Table Cape. This colourful plateau rises out of the sea and creates a breathtaking backdrop for this northern coast holiday town. From here, we continue along the stunning coastal route via the picturesque Boat Harbour to Lanigan’s Vineyard. Nestled at the foothills of Rocky Cape National Park, this hidden gem offers estate-grown wines, locally crafted produce and sweeping views across Bass Strait stretching all the way to The Nut at Stanley. We then travel on to the picturesque seaside town of Stanley, beautifully set beneath the iconic volcanic formation known as The Nut, where you’ll settle in for a memorable two-night stay.

OVERNIGHT: Stanley Seaview Inn, STANLEY

WOOLNORTH & THE TARKINE TASTING TRAIL

This morning, we travel to the far north-west tip of Tasmania to explore the remarkable

Woolnorth property. Enjoy a relaxed guided tour to learn about the area’s deep Indigenous

heritage, its early European settlement and its role in modern sustainable farming. We will

also visit Cape Grim, home to the cleanest air in the world, and take in the dramatic coastal

scenery. The tour includes views of Tasmania’s first large‑scale wind farm. Following our visit, we enjoy the flavours of the region with a stop at Tarkine Fresh Oysters. Here, we’ll have the chance to taste premium oysters harvested directly from the pristine waters of Tasmania’s rugged Northwest coast. Our next experience takes us to the Duck River Meadows Robotic

Dairy, where we will be guided through the innovative robotic milking process. We’ll also

have the opportunity to sample La Cantara’s award‑winning artisan cheeses, crafted right on the farm. This afternoon we return to the charming seaside village of Stanley known for its heritage streetscapes and relaxed atmosphere. Choose to ride the chairlift to the top of The Nut for sweeping coastal views (own expense), or simply enjoy a leisurely stroll through the historic township. Tonight, we dine at a local seafood restaurant featuring the freshest catch from the surrounding waters.

OVERNIGHT: Stanley Seaview Inn, STANLEY

STANLEY TO DEVONPORT

Today we depart Stanley and journey along Tasmania’s beautiful North West Coast, enjoying its rolling farmlands and patchwork scenery. Our first visit is to a boutique distillery renowned for its small‑batch handcrafted Single Malt Whisky, Gin, Vodka and Liqueurs. Staff will guide us through the distilling process with optional tastings available. We then stop at Table Cape lookout for spectacular coastal views. Journeying through Wynyard and Burnie we arrive at the quirky seaside town of Penguin, famous for its cheerful character and picturesque beachfront. Enjoy a gentle wander through the town, with an optional stop at Penguin Beer Co. (own expense) to sample locally brewed beers while taking in ocean views. Our lunch stop for the day is a family owned and operated winery. Enjoy the stunning setting

under the oak tree whilst sampling wine. Don't forget to say hello to the resident highland

cows! Our day concludes in Devonport at the Novotel, located beside the Mersey River,

which will be home for the next two nights. Settle into our comfortable accommodation and enjoy a relaxed dinner at the hotel.

OVERNIGHT: The Novotel, DEVONPORT

DEVONPORT AND SHEFFIELD

Begin the day with a visit to the town of Sheffield, a charming community set at the foothills of Mt Roland and renowned for its vibrant outdoor murals. Enjoy a stroll through the main streets as you admire the colourful artwork that brings the town’s history and creativity to life. We then continue to The Truffledore, where you will be guided through the fascinating world of black truffles. Learn about how these prized delicacies are grown and harvested, with plenty of time to relax, explore, and ask questions. Lunch and cider tasting today will be enjoyed at Spreyton Cider Co., a family‑run orchard that has been growing apples and pears for five generations. Discover how their fruit is crafted into premium cider and fresh apple

juice while enjoying a delicious, relaxed meal. Our final stop for the afternoon is Simon

Martin Whips and Leathercraft, a family‑run business with a unique story. Enjoy a whip

cracking and leather plaiting demonstration then participate in a leather project to take

home as a souvenir. On our return to Devonport, the remainder of the day is free to relax or explore before our farewell dinner at a local restaurant.

OVERNIGHT: The Novotel, DEVONPORT

DELORAINE AREA TO MELBOURNE

This morning, we check out from our accommodation and begin our journey east, with our first stop at the delightful Anvers Chocolate Factory. Here, you’ll savour a hot beverage and some delicious chocolates whist watching the skilled confectionery team at work as they create fine couverture chocolates, truffles, pralines, and fudge. Next, we travel to Ashgrove Dairy Door. Here you can immerse yourself in the heart of Tasmanian dairy farming. Learn about traditional cheese‑making, enjoy tastings, and meet the contented cows grazing on

the lush pastures. Lunch today will be enjoyed at the Christmas Hills Raspberry Farm, where

locally grown berries take centre stage. Set in a picturesque garden environment, this is a

lovely spot to enjoy. From here we travel to Launceston Airport for our late afternoon flight across Bass Strait to Melbourne. Upon our arrival, our chauffeurs will be waiting to take us home - a splendid way to finish our gourmet holiday and all part of O’Shannessy’s Quality Tours superior service.