How to spend 48 hours in Launceston

I'm lying in bed reading a book called Sea Dogs, sipping on a double-shot piccolo and occasionally staring out the window of my room at Stillwater Seven to watch the water flow down the Tamar River.

It’s obvious that I’m having a moment.

Tasmania, too, is having a moment. The confluence of wine, food, nature and culture is like a siren’s call to many travellers seeking great produce and good vibes all round, and the quality of the wines coming from the Apple Isle has never been better.

You may have visited before and Hobart was your destination, but here we’ll concentrate on Launceston as a base for our exploration of Northern Tasmania.

The rooms at Stillwater Seven overlook the Tamar River.

Day 1

If I were you, I’d take an early mark on a Friday and fly into Launceston late afternoon/early evening. Grab your hire car, make the brief 15-minute drive into Launceston, and check into Stillwater Seven – one of my favourite places to stay in Tasmania.

Set in an iconic, circa-1840s flour mill on the water’s edge at the mouth of Cataract Gorge, the rooms are beautiful with exposed beams, dark aged timber and stunning views over the river. It’s gorgeous, and as tempting as it is to just lounge in the room and stare out over the water, we’ll head out for a pre-dinner drink at Havilah Wine Bar. Calibrate with a glass of winemaker Ricky Evan’s superb Woodlawn, Two Tonne Tasmania or Havilah wines, or perhaps a cocktail, before heading back to Stillwater for dinner.

A meal at Stillwater is something to treasure. Beautiful food from pristine Tasmanian produce, a deep and thoughtfully curated wine list and great service. Chef Craig Will, sommelier James Welsh, and an impeccable front-of-house team lead by Bianca Welsh will ensure you have a memorable meal, before slowly retiring upstairs and slipping into that comfortable bed.

Westella. Photo credit: Tourism Tas.

Day 2

In the morning, take advantage of Stillwater Seven’s amazing coffee and croissants delivered to your room, then, as hard as it is to leave this heavenly little space, I’d urge you to head straight to Bread + Butter on Cimitiere Street. Double down on the best pastries this side of Paris and another killer coffee to get you going. The Launceston Farmers’ Market is also on Cimitiere Street. Open until 12.30pm every Saturday, it’s stacked with local produce, artisan goodies, and enough snacks to derail any pre-planned lunch.

After a morning walk through Cataract Gorge (to burn off those calories from last night’s meal, if needed) nose the hire car up to the top of the Tamar’s west bank. We’ll start here today and work our way back down.

In Rowella, you’ll find Holm Oak and Westella Wines. Holm Oak’s wines are brilliant, with high quality across the board from sparkling to sublime pinot noir. They also offer a range of tasting flights to cut down on decision fatigue. Westella? Tiny, family-run, and charming-as-anything with a beautiful little cellar door. Great wines, wonderful people, picnic-perfect produce, and that feeling you’ve stumbled onto something special.

The cellar door at Stoney Rise.

Wind back toward Stoney Rise in Gravelly Beach, a must-stop spot. Joe and Lou Holyman’s wines are some of Tassie’s best. Textured, elegant and distinctly Tasmanian. The cellar door itself is worth the visit alone: all clean lines and river views, with a selection of wines from other producers, both local and international, available alongside theirs, and charcuterie to match.

Push on to Evenfall Wines and Bellebonne in Legana. This one’s a three-for-one deal: the delicious Evenfall table wines made by gun-winemaker Liam McElhinney, the top-tier sparkling of Natalie Fryar’s Bellebonne, and the quietly exceptional Wellington & Wolfe label from Hugh McCullough. I’d highly recommend that you fit in a lazy late lunch here – the food is ridiculously good, and the sweeping Tamar River views don’t hurt either.

Lauren and Matthias Utzinger.

Before heading back to Launnie, swing next door to Utzinger Wines. Matthias and Lauren Utzinger are crafting some of the most exciting and delicious wines in the valley, have a sparkly new cellar door and are some of the nicest folks that you’ll ever meet. Back in the warm embrace of your room at Stillwater, there’s time to chill out with a glass of wine, or if you’re up to some pre-dinner carousing with the locals, head to Boag’s for a can of Strawberry Kisses, or Du Cane – Launceston’s first brewpub – for a pint of craft ale.

Day 3

The next morning, say goodbye to Stillwater and head up the Eastern side of the Tamar River to the famous Pipers River subregion. This is ground zero for sparkling wine in Australia. The number of stellar options will make your head spin. House of Arras, Jansz, Clover Hill, Apogee, Delamere, Pipers Brook – each one a heavyweight, each with something unique to offer. Museum releases, late disgorgements, friendly cellar door tastings – this is how you want to end a trip.

Grain of the Silos. Photo credit: Tourism Tas.

It’s quite compact, too, with the cellar doors not too far apart from each other. This means you can maximise your time at the tasting bench. And don’t forget about the still wine producers! Sinapius, Bay of Fires, and Dalrymple offer elegant table wines that showcase just how versatile this Pipers River terroir really is.

And then – suddenly, sadly, inevitably – it’s time to head back home. From Pipers River it’s an easy 45-minute drive to the Launceston airport. But fair warning: as you board that plane, you’ll already be planning your next return. Because that’s the thing about Tasmania – once it grabs hold of you, it doesn’t let go.

This article first appeared in issue #79 of Halliday magazine. Become a member to receive all four issues per year delivered to your door, digital access to over 185,000 tasting notes from 4000+ wineries and distilleries, and much more.