In Tasmania, a prehistoric panorama awaits | Canada Voices

Travelling to the end of the earth is all relative, but if your departure point is Toronto, Tasmania feels about as far away as you can go.

It helps that after flights through Vancouver, Sydney and Hobart, and a drive north up the island’s eastern coast, all that awaits as you approach the Bay of Fires reinforces the epic nature of the journey. From a suite at the Saffire Freycinet, a contemporary campus of expansive bungalows overlooking the Hazards mountains, the vista is almost Mesozoic. It wouldn’t be all that surprising if a brontosaurus ambled across your view and started chewing on the scraggy brush.

This is just one of many scenes that Tasmania conjures. In the capital, the bustling port forms the backdrop for a thriving creative community. Hobart’s most renowned artistic destination is Mona, a sprawling private museum accessed by a camo-print ferry up the River Derwent. But there’s no shortage of independent art and craft in town. Its hub is the Salamanca Market, which pops up every Saturday, and the area around the docks is full of studios that open throughout the week. Stay at the MACq 01 hotel, which stretches alongside the original wharf warehouses and is filled with artifacts of the city’s history, and you’ll be within walking distance of the colourful cottages of Battery Point and chic CBD restaurants including pasta bar Pitzi.

An hour northeast of Hobart, the “Great Eastern Drive” is the name given to the stretch of two-lane highway between Orford and the Bay of Fires. Here, the landscape turns coastal, alternating between small harbours and verdant farms that stretch down to the Tasman Sea.

Lisdillon is a historic town turned sheep farm, winery and collection of cottages where you can book a bucolic stay. Up the road on the way to Swansea, Piermont Retreat offers a mix of stone house and modern accommodations, and the destination farm-to-table restaurant, Homestead. As you approach Coles Bay, the Freycinet Marine Farm is where local outfit Oyster Bay Tours invites its guests to slip into hip waders and go bobbing for bivalves.

Another 90 minutes beyond the Hazards, Binalong Bay is where the shoreline becomes saturated with granite boulders radiating in orange-hued lichen. Just outside St. Helens, Peron Dunes might as well be on another planet, sand undulating down to the water. In Douglas River, a trio of designer vacation villas called the Sea Stacks lets you spy on the neighbours, a mob of wallabies.

The Saffire Freycinet is the cushiest spot to base yourself to take this all in. Its stingray-shaped main building is home to the Palate restaurant and a cocktail lounge that focus on local ingredients and small-batch spirits like Waubs Harbour Whisky. Guest programs include guided stargazing, walking tours to the Wineglass Bay Lookout and opportunities to connect with First Nations artists. For the best outlook, wander from your room down the private path to the beach. You’ll likely have the prehistoric panorama all to yourself.

Fashion Editor: Nadia Pizzimenti. Makeup and hair by Julie Cusson for Chanel Beauty. Photo assistant: Sherry Zheng. Styling assistant: Jade Carpenter. Model: Sydney Gemmell at IMG Models.

ON LOCATION

Great Eastern Drive

Bay of Fires

Orange boulders start appearing as soon as the A3 roadway meets the coast, but the most vibrant stretch is the shoreline between Binalong Bay and Eddystone Point.

Homestead Restaurant

The bounty of eastern Tasmania is the focus of the restaurant at the Piermont Retreat. The property is marking 30 years in 2026. piermont.com.au

Lifebuoy Cafe

In St. Helens, this lunch spot is also home to Sco & Co., a boutique that spotlights Tasmanian makers including Muddy Kip ceramics. thelifebuoycafe.com

Lisdillon

The mix of accommodations at this sheep farm and vineyard property includes stone Blacksmith’s and Shepherd’s Cottages. lisdillon.com.au

Lobster Shack

Seafood lovers travel far and wide for the lobster rolls at this casual spot in Bicheno. lobstershacktasmania.com.au

Oyster Bay Tours

Open August through June, this Coles Bay outfit starts its two- and four-hour programs at Freycinet Marine Farm and ends them in the oyster-rich waters of the Swanport Estuary. oysterbaytours.com

Peron bunes

Outside of St. Helens, a long stretch of sand includes a dedicated area for dune buggy drives. parks.tas.gov.au

Richardson’s beach

While some of Tasmania’s beaches require a hike, this one is easily accessible. Stop in for breakfast or dinner at the neighbouring Bay Restaurant in Freycinet National Park. freycinetlodge.com.au

Saffire Freycinet

A landmark hotel that’s part of Luxury Lodges of Australia, the Saffire Freycinet is designed around creating a jaw-dropping sense of arrival. As guests enter the lobby, they’re met by views over the property’s private pavilions and suites and across the sea to the Hazards. A private lounge at Hobart airport is set aside for guests transferring to the hotel via private car, helicopter or seaplane. Stays from AUD$2,400 through saffire-freycinet.com.au

Sea Stacks

An original trio of contemporary villas in Denison has just been joined by a new campus of wood-clad suites and studios arranged around a boardwalk in Bicheno. seastacks.com.au

Tassie Tours

During group or private excursions over a single day or an extended itinerary, Tassie Tours can be booked to Bruny Island, Port Arthur and many other picturesque destinations. tassietours.com

Waubs Harbour Distillery

Maritime single malt whiskies from this spot in Bicheno sell out fast. waubsharbourwhisky.com

Hobart

Leoht

After strolling through quaint Battery Point, stop off at this pink-hued café. @leoht__batterypoint on Instagram.

MACq 01

In your room at the MACq 01, a vitrine in the entryway will tell you about the history of a local figure (say, a 19th-century “Great English Burglar” named Big Mark who went on to publish a book about convictism in Australia) and a balcony will offer views of the busy harbour and up to Mount Wellington. Its dining options include Old Wharf Restaurant and the Story Bar as well as a lobby lounge built around a roaring fire. Stays from AUD$270 through macq01.com.au

Mona

This gallery, whose name stands for Museum of Old and New Art, was founded by local David Walsh and is notorious for its contemporary design and outside-the-box curation. mona.net.au

Peppina

At the Tasman hotel, Italian food is the focus of this buzzing eatery. peppinarestaurant.com

Pitizi

Sample handmade pastas and lots of local wines at this intimate boîte in the CBD. pitzipitzi.com.au

For more on travelling to Tasmania, visit australia.com

The Globe and Mail Style Magazine travelled as a guest of Tourism Australia, which did not review or approve this article. Stories are based on merit; The Globe does not guarantee coverage.