Best Things to Do in Tamar Valley: Where to Eat, Stay & Play

When you visit Tamar Valley in the north of Tasmania – a world-renowned wine region from Launceston to Bass Strait – you’ll be delighted to know there’s so much more to do here than visit the vineyards. 

Sitting on either side of the Kanamaluka River Tamar, both sides of the Valley boast top-class Tamar Valley wines, a popular gravelly beach, renowned restaurants, historic towns (George Town is the 3rd oldest city in Australia), quaint farms and glorious landscapes everywhere you look.

Whether you’re planning to hit every notable spot or just a few, you’ll find this guide helpful in discovering the best things to do in Tamar Valley!

Best Things to Do in Tamar Valley: Wineries

Clover Hill

If you like sparkling, Clover Hill is the best Tamar Valley winery for a celebration of all things bubbly. This award-winning winery specialises in sparkling wine made in the traditional French manner (or, méthod traditionelle), and each glass you try will be better than the last.

It doesn’t hurt that the grounds are spectacular and the carefully crafted tasting menu – which perfectly complements the wine – is divine. 

60 Clover Hill Road, Lebrina

Swinging Gate Vineyard & Cellar Door

Swinging Gate Vineyard is a wine lover’s dream. This boutique vineyard, established in 2014, offers exceptional wines, from crisp Riesling to rich Pinot Noir, all nurtured from its rejuvenated vines. Enjoy intimate tastings at the rustic cellar door, where the winemakers’ passion is palpable. For an unforgettable stay, unwind in charming glamping accommodations, immersing yourself in the peaceful vineyard surroundings—an idyllic escape for connoisseurs and romantics alike.

103 Glendale Road, Sidmouth

Loira

Boutique small-batch Tamar Valley winery Loira is the right kind of small. Husband and wife team Adrian and Mirabai Carruthers run the 5.5-acre vineyard, producing Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Shiraz, Red Frontignac and apple cider.

Visit the winery for a tasting at the cellar door on Friday through Sunday and enjoy your favourite drop at the picnic tables, basking in the sunshine and the view of the vines stretching out before you. Loira does an incredible platter of local produce – bookings are essential!

3191 West Tamar Highway, Loira

Holm Oak

Award-winning Holm Oak is well worth a visit – mainly because of the resident pigs Pinot d’Pig, Pinot Junior and Mayonnaise. Tip: they love it when you throw them an apple to eat! Aside from your new porky friends, there’s more to enjoy at Holm Oak – like its signature Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. 

Holm Oak also produces Arneis, Cabernet Franc, Riesling and Pinot Gris – so book a tasting and try them all. Several tastings are available, but the Sensory Garden Experience, set in the vineyard’s lush garden, is pretty memorable. 

11 West Bay Road, Rowella 

Best Things to Do in Tamar Valley: Eat

Josef Chromy

Multi-taskers will love visiting Josef Chromy – it is one of the Tamar Valley’s best wineries with a hatted restaurant on site. The perfect stop for lunch when you’re in the area, you can kick things off with a wine tasting before enjoying a two-course lunch with carefully matched wines. 

The menu focuses on local flavours from the northern Tasmania region, engaging with tiny farms and artisanal producers to ensure that each farm-to-plate dish is a snapshot of the local land. Wine-wise, Josef Chromy produces sparkling wine, Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, and Pinot Noir.

370 Relbia Road, Relbia

Timbre Kitchen

Again if you want to tick off a vineyard and a restaurant, Timbre Kitchen is the perfect choice, situated within the Velo Wines vineyard. This restaurant boasts floor-to-ceiling windows so you can soak up the glorious view while enjoying Timbre’s flavourful menu stacked full of produce from local growers.

Think hanger steak with eggplant, pork cutlet with apple glaze and chives or grilled cheese with mustard pickle – all washed down with one of Velo’s cool climate wines.

755 West Tamar Highway, Legana 

The Ducks at Rosevears

Local favourite The Ducks is on the western side of the Tamar River, and is the perfect spot for a laid-back outdoor lunch with a water view. Enjoy local oysters, scallops or kingfish to start, or go straight for a main of West Tamar mushroom risotto. The Ducks also make picnic platters to order, which you can enjoy on their lush grounds or take away.

95 Rosevears Drive, Rosevears

Best Things to Do in Tamar Valley: Explore

Find Tranquility in the Tamar Island Wetland Centre 

Just 10 minutes outside Launceston, the Tamar Island Wetlands Centre is a unique urban wetlands reserve that connects you to Tasmania’s wild beauty. A 500-metre boardwalk leads you into a 60-hectare haven, where you’ll encounter over 60 bird species, from graceful egrets to swooping swamp harriers. This quiet sanctuary offers more than just birdwatching—it’s a rare opportunity to immerse yourself in nature’s rhythm. With stunning views of the lagoon and a fascinating interpretation centre, Tamar Island is the perfect blend of tranquil beauty and ecological wonder.

West Tamar Highway, Riverside

Explore Grindelwald Swiss Village

In the heart of the Tamar Valley lies Grindelwald, a picturesque Swiss village that feels a world away from Tasmania. With its alpine charm, timber chalets, and cascading flower boxes, it’s a fairytale escape. Stroll along peaceful lakes, enjoy a round of mini golf, or relax with a coffee at the Swiss-themed cafe. For a taste of local adventure, explore the Tamar Valley Resort, offering activities ranging from paddle boating to serene lakeside walks. The village, with its gentle charm and scenic beauty, is the perfect place to unwind, breathe deeply, and experience Tasmania’s European-inspired wonder.

Grindelwald, Tasmania

Hop Aboard the Batman Bridge Luncheon Cruise

Glide along the Tamar River in effortless style aboard the Batman Bridge Luncheon Cruise, a four-hour journey through one of Tasmania’s most serene landscapes. Departing from Launceston, the cruise drifts past historic homesteads, lush vineyards, and the untamed beauty of Cataract Gorge. A light lunch of Tasmanian cheeses and fresh local produce pairs perfectly with regional wines as you approach the striking Batman Bridge. It’s slow travel at its finest—elevated, unhurried, and utterly enchanting.

Visit Low Head  

At the northern tip of the Tamar Valley, Low Head is where history and nature entwine in breathtaking fashion. Begin at the Low Head Pilot Station, a maritime relic dating back to 1805, where whitewashed cottages and a convict-built museum whisper tales of Tasmania’s seafaring past. As twilight sets in, the coastline transforms—Low Head Penguin Tours offers a front-row seat to nature’s nightly parade as Little Penguins waddle ashore. With salty sea breezes and golden dusk skies, it’s a mesmerising experience that captures the wild, untamed beauty of Tasmania.

Low Head Conservation Area, 399 Low Head Road, Low Head

Explore Notley Fern Gorge

A hidden rainforest sanctuary above the Tamar Valley, Notley Fern Gorge is a lush, fern-filled escape where time slows and nature takes centre stage. The 1.5km loop trail winds through towering eucalypts, past moss-draped logs and a legendary bushranger hideout. Birdsong fills the air as you cross creeks and ascend gentle slopes. Tranquil yet untamed, it’s a soul-stirring walk that unveils Tasmania’s wild beauty, step by step.

Notley Gorge Road, Notley Hills 

Pretend You’re in Jane Eyre

A vision of Georgian grandeur on the banks of the South Esk River, Clarendon Estate is a portal to Tasmania’s colonial past. Built in 1838, this stately and imposing homestead enchants with walled gardens, elm-lined avenues, and an air of old-world romance. Wander through historic convict quarters, explore the farm buildings, and admire period furnishings that whisper stories of another era. With the Australian Fly Fishing Museum on-site, it’s a captivating blend of history and pastoral beauty—one of Tamar Valley’s finest gems.

234 Clarendon Station Road, Nile

Go Back in Time

Hear the name “Beaconsfield” and you immediately think of the story that captivated the nation and made global headlines – the dramatic 2006 rescue of miners Todd Russell and Brant Webb. The pair were trapped almost 1km underground after a small earthquake triggered the collapse of the goldmine. After 14 days, the pair was rescued. There’s an entire exhibit dedicated to their story at the Beaconsfield Mine & Heritage Centre, on the west side of the Tamar Valley.

The mine is now non-operational, used instead as an interactive museum dedicated to the mine rescue and the history of gold mining in the Tamar Valley region, for a snapshot of life back then. 

Looking for more? Maritime history awaits at the Maritime Museum in Australia’s oldest pilot station. Discover stories from the sail and steam days of the Tamar Valley, dating back to 1806. 

Find A Purple Patch 

Lean into your rural road trip by visiting a farm – not just any farm. Bridestowe Lavender Farm is probably the prettiest farm in the state if you go at the right time! The biggest lavender farm in the southern hemisphere will make you feel like you’re in France, especially if you visit between December and February when the purple plants shine.

While it’s most aesthetic visit if the lavender’s in bloom, Bridestowe is gorgeous all year round and is one of the most popular things to do in the Tamar Valley. Wander around on a self-guided tour, take pics and stop for a coffee to take in the view.

296 Gillespies Road, Nabowla

A Day of Family Fun

Are you looking for something more family-friendly than a cellar door? Why not try a dairy door instead? Get your lactose fix at the family-owned Ashgrove, one of Tasmania’s most popular dairies. It’s open to visitors seven days a week, and your first port of call has to be saying “hi” to the cutest stars of the show – the cows, of course.

For more animal-loving fun, Tasmania Zoo sits in the foothills of Tamar Valley, Platypus House in Beauty Point allows the kids to spot the elusive platypus and echidnas, and just next door, gather with the crowds at Seahorse World to spot the tiny creatures in the aquarium. 

Best Things to Do in Tamar Valley: Stay

Quamby Estate

This beautiful 150-acre heritage property – the ancestral home of Tasmania’s first premier, Sir Richard Dry – is 20 minutes from Launceston on the west side of the Tamar River, along the Tamar Valley wine route.

Quamby Estate offers 10 guest suites named after notable figures from the Estate’s history. From larger deluxe suites to intimate smaller rooms, luxe touches are everywhere, like clawfoot baths, handmade bath salts and comfy beds.

If you’re looking to dine on-site, guests are offered breakfast and dinner options, with dinner served in the grand Dining Room. 

145 Westwood Road, Hagley

The River Studio

The River Studio offers a luxurious yet eco-conscious retreat just minutes from Launceston. This off-grid haven boasts stunning river views, an open-plan design with a king bed, and a stylish ensuite, all crafted with locally sourced materials. Powered by solar energy and rainwater, it’s the perfect base for exploring the Tamar Valley’s wineries and natural wonders. 

Legana, Tasmania

The Bus Hideaway

Located right on the eastern banks of the Tamar River at Hillwood on the wine route, this unique Tamar Valley accommodation is the most lush bus you’ll ever come across. The Bus is a beautifully restored 1985 model that now boasts a king bed, upcycled furnishings and stunning views of the Tamar River. Cosy and perfect for a couples’ trip, The Bus somehow fits some books, a bathroom and a full kitchen for you to cook up a meal and enjoy outside by the fire pit. A stay here is the peak of tranquillity.

Hazelwood Farm Rise, Hillwood

Lalla Flower Cottage

The beautifully restored Lalla Flower Cottage is spacious enough for a girls’ trip, with three bedrooms and two living spaces with cosy wood fires.

Adjacent to the stunning Lalla Flower Farm, guests enjoy direct walking access to the 100-acre historic gardens, which see peak colour in autumn and springtime. 

Lalla Road, Lalla

If you’ve enjoyed following our go-to guide to the best things to do in Tamar Valley, you’ll find further travel inspiration with our top picks of waterfalls and national parks around the state. 

Kelsey Harrington, Josie Rozenberg Clarke

6 February 2025