The far north west of Tasmania has one of the most pristine regions in the world and Stanley is a great premier tourist town for guided tours to the amazing attractions in this underrated yet fascinating part of the world. Beachside Retreat West Inlet is one that hosts nature tours for their guests. Chris Bishop, a retired doctor and the owner of Beachside Retreat, was our guide for a relaxing half-day tour to The Nut, Blue Hills Honey Farm, Dip Falls, the Big Tree and Rocky Cape National Park.
The Nut, the distinctive plateau that we saw as we were arriving in Stanley, is just a few mins away from our accommodation. The iconic feature of Stanley is the remains of an old volcanic plug that was at first compared to a huge Christmas cake by explorers Bass and Flinders.
A panoramic view of The Nut. (Scroll right-left for full image.)
Chris drove us with his 4WD to The Nut. There is a walking track for a 20 min hike up 150 metres to The Nut or you can take the easy way up via The Nut Chairlift.
A view of picture-perfect Stanley as seen from The Nut! (Scroll left-right for full image.)
Have you tried Blue Hills Honey before? This premium brand of honey has its place on the shelves in NTUC Fairprice supermarkets in Singapore.
The Charles family has been in the honey production since 1955. In fact, Blue Hills is the first in Australia to export its products to Japan in the 60s. The honey maker produces a broad range of honeys and specializes in Leatherwood Honey that is produced by bees foraging for leatherwood tree nectar from the heart of the pristine Tasmanian Tarkine wilderness, the largest tract of temperate rainforest wilderness in Australia.
Different source of nectar gives a different taste of honey. The Leatherwood honey has a deliciously distinctive flavour with a smooth finish. I’m loving it and bought a few bottles of fresh honey to bring home the taste of the Tasmanian wilderness!
Address of Blue Hills Honey: 1858 Mawbanna Rd, Mawbanna, Tasmania, Australia 7321.
Web: www.bluehillshoney.com
We hopped onto the 4WD and continued our day trip to the Dip River Forest Reserve that’s less than 20km down Mawbana Road to catch the Dip Falls.
At the viewing platform, you can appreciate the magnificent two-tier waterfalls descending down the cubic-basalt columns formed from the cooling of the volcanic rock.
A further kilometre into the wet eucalypst forest is the home to the Big Tree, a 400 years old eucalypt obliqua. The Big Tree is a survivor, telling us it has escaped death from lightning strike, insect and fungal attack, wildfire and even the axes. Time yourself and see how long you take to walk around this giant tree!
This trip is suitable for family and is as easy as balancing on a humongous fallen tree!
Rocky Cape National Park lies between the Nut at Stanley and Table Cape near Wynyard. Small but rich in Aboriginal history, Rocky Cape features an abundance of wild flowers, rock pools and intriguing rock formations. There are also picnic areas and opportunities for swimming and boating on the unpolluted waters rich in marine life. This smallest national park of Tasmania is definitely worth closer inspection.
(Scroll right-left for full image.)
The Rocky Cape Lighthouse. Colourful lichens are prevalent on the rocks.
Back in Stanley, we dined in Stanley Hotel Bistro. The award-winning bistro serves some of Tasmania’s most renowned produce and specializes in making great pub food with local fresh and famous flavour. Built in the early 1840’s, the Historic Cellar within the premises is the oldest on the coast and is worth a visit to make your wine selection. Dine in or alfresco on the sunny deck to enjoy the awesome outdoor views of charming Stanley.
Freshly baked oyster topped with cheese and salmon… succulent lobster with a generous serving of crisp chips… big juicy scallops and for the first time, I tried wallaby meat. It was like duck meat but with a stronger taste.
Address of Stanley Hotel Bistro: 21 Church Street, Stanley, TAS 7331
Web: http://www.stanleytasmania.com.au/stanleyhotelbistro.html
Next… We are going to breath in the cleanest air in the world!
Read previous post: Day 6 – I Heart Stanley
Looks like an amazing place to visit. Reminds me of a place I would to to in Canada when I was a child.