7 ideas for a winter holiday in Tasmania

Australia is best known for desert and its tropical paradise, but the southern island state has made a virtue of its cool climate, writes Patricia Maunder

Australia is best known for desert and its tropical paradise, but the southern island state has made a virtue of its cool climate.

Here's how to enjoy Tasmania in the winter.

Hunt for truffles

The state is famous for fresh produce, even in winter when the earthy aroma of local truffles wafts through its best restaurants. So consider going directly to the source. Among the few truffle farms open to the public, The Truffledore (truffledore.com.au) ticks all the bucolic boxes, including fluffy rare-breed chickens and a brooding Mount Roland panorama.

From June to August Hunt and Harvest tours follow a truffle-hunting dog sniffing out ripe Perigord truffles, before enjoying a four-course truffly lunch by the restaurant's inviting fire. From the first whiff of black gold dug up before your eyes to the truffle-topped creme brulee's final spoonful, it's sensory bliss.

Walk through wilderness

There's no better way to warm up than tramping across Tasmania's wild landscape. It's epic country for epic adventures – including in the 1.5 million-hectare, Unesco-listed Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area – but there are also 60 Great Short Walks (parks.tas.gov.au).

On Hobart's kunanyi/Mount Wellington, the Lost Freight (lostfreightcafe.com) shipping container kiosk's hot drinks await at the Organ Pipes walk's end. An hour's drive away, Mount Field National Park's Great Short Walks include the easy Russell Falls path through ferns and fungi. Or take in this tiered cascade plus Horseshoe and Lady Barron falls on the Three Falls Circuit. The heart-pumping stairs near start and end are absolutely worth it.

Readying whisky at Lark distillery, Tasmania. Photo / Sam Shelley

Warm up with whisky

A wee dram of Tassie's internationally celebrated whisky is a winter essential, and as easy as popping into the city cellar door/bar of legendary Lark distillery (larkdistillery.com), whose founder is in the Whisky Magazine Hall of Fame.

Several distilleries are open to the public, including newcomers Old Kempton Distillery (oldkemptondistillery.com.au) near Hobart. Savour a single-malt over lunch, sample the range with a flight, or do a nicely priced guided tour and tasting – including just-released Solera Cask #2 – at this instant classic in a gracious 1842 sandstone coaching inn. Across the state, winter cheer is especially warm during Tasmanian Whisky Week, August 9-15(taswhiskyweek.com).

Drop into Antarctica

Lark has a fascinating neighbour: Mawson's Huts Replica Museum (mawsons-huts.org.au), an exact recreation of the 1911-14 Australasian Antarctic expedition's base.

Near where Douglas Mawson's team set sail, these Baltic pine buildings are filled with period items the expeditioners became deeply familiar with during two long years in the white continent, from books to bulky cameras, tinned food to a gramophone. Details extend to initials carved into bunk beds, and the constant (recorded) shriek of wind – unfortunately they landed in the windiest place on sea-level Earth. Step back in time and place on a cold day, into the heroic world of Antarctic explorers, including Kiwi Eric Webb.

Take time for tea

Chilly winters and abundant 19th-century English-style architecture make Tasmania perfect for cosying up with a cuppa. Make a holiday occasion of it with afternoon tea at heritage-listed Hadley's Orient Hotel (hadleyshotel.com.au), where white tablecloths and wicker furniture heighten the light-filled atrium's bright mood. Nice touches include floral Noritake china, including three-tiered stands piled with treats, and tea menus with loose-leaf tea samples.

Add a regal touch with Heritage Horse Drawn Carriages (hobarthorsetours.com.au), whose handsome horses clip-clop around Hobart's picturesque, historic heart before arriving at Hadley's in time for tea. It's a remarkably smooth ride in the shiny black landau, a reproduction with yesterday's elegance and today's safety and comforts.

Marakoopa Cave, Mole Creek Karst national park, north west Tasmania. Photo / TA/Gareth Freeman

Discover subterranean splendour

The island's natural wonders extend underground, with several caves open to the public including two at Mole Creek (molecreek.info). They're a great escape from wind and rain, but whatever the weather don't miss this fairyland of stalactites, stalagmites, crystals, colourful limestone shawls, reflection pools and whispering subterranean rivers.

Marakoopa Cave, entered via a ferny glade, also has Australia's largest glow-worm display, resembling blue-green stars during the guided tour's brief period of darkness.

Drift away

Opened last winter, the Floating Sauna (floatingsauna.com.au) offers Nordic-style hot-cold therapy immersed in Tasmanian wilderness. It was constructed with Finnish wood-fired stove and cedar but, unlike most European equivalents, this sauna has a (condensation-resistant) glass wall so you can see the scenery outside.

The view across Lake Derby and surrounding bushland, perhaps enhanced by morning mist, golden sunset or silver moon, is meditative distraction from the sauna's dry then steamy heat, and inspiration to plunge into the lake – which is 5C during winter. Outside, if only on the pontoon, enjoy the scent of wood smoke and black cockatoos' gentle call. The Floating Sauna is popular with mountain bikers drawn to the renowned Blue Derby trail nearby (ridebluederby.com.au).