Subscribe
Subscribe
Best Things to Do in Tamar Valley: Where to Eat, Stay & Play
Wineries, farms, lavender fields and historic properties – you’ll find beauty everywhere when exploring all the best things to do in Tamar Valley.
When you visit the Tamar Valley in northern Tasmania — a wine region that stretches from Launceston to Bass Strait — you’ll quickly realise the cellar doors are only the beginning.
Straddling the Kanamaluka / River Tamar, the valley is split into two easy-to-explore sides (east and west), each dotted with cool-climate vineyards, waterfront lunches, historic towns, farm gates and scenery that makes “pull over for a look” a personality trait.
Whether you’re going all-in on a long weekend tasting tour or cherry-picking the best stops, here’s your guide to the Tamar Valley’s greatest hits.
Know Before You Go
How long you need:
- 1 day: pick one side of the river (east or west) and do it properly.
- 2 days: best balance — one day per side, plus a nature stop.
Getting around: you’ll want a car. The valley is cruisy, but cellar doors aren’t walkable in clusters.
Bookings: many tastings and winery lunches book out (especially weekends). If you’re set on platters or a hatted lunch, lock it in.
Best seasons:
- Spring to Autumn: easy weather, vineyards looking their best.
- December to February: lavender season for Bridestowe (peak purple).
- Winter: fireplace accommodation and red wine energy.
Best Things to Do in Tamar Valley: Wineries
Clover Hill
If you like your celebrations carbonated, Clover Hill is the Tamar’s sparkling specialist. Their méthode traditionnelle bubbles are the main event — refined, structured, and the kind of wine that makes an ordinary afternoon feel like an occasion.
The setting helps too: beautiful grounds, and a tasting menu designed to actually match the wine (rare and very appreciated).
60 Clover Hill Road, Lebrina
Delamere Vineyard
For a vineyard stop with serious pedigree, make time for Delamere in Pipers River. Family-owned by winemaking duo Shane Holloway and Fran Austin, this pioneering estate is known for beautifully made traditional-method sparkling, alongside finely tuned Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Settle in for a tasting and you’ll quickly see why it remains one of northern Tasmania’s most respected pours.
4238 Bridport Road, Pipers Brook
Small Wonder Wines
For a polished cellar-door stop, make time for Small Wonder Wines in Kayena. Set among native bushland in the Tamar Valley, it pours expressive cool-climate wines, with standout Chardonnay and Pinot Noir leading the charge. Guided tastings come paired with gourmet platters built around local produce, all served with sweeping vineyard views that make lingering over a glass feel especially easy.
530 Auburn Road, Kayena
Moores Hill Estate
Tasmania’s first 100 per cent solar-powered winery, Moores Hill Estate, produces cool-climate Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and sparkling wines, all made on site. Guided tastings come with sweeping vineyard views, and tasting plates built around Tasmanian produce make it an easy place to settle in for a while.
3343 West Tamar Highway, Sidmouth
Evenfall Wines
Evenfall is one of the Tamar Valley’s most rewarding cellar-door stops. The estate opens onto long countryside views, framed by willow trees and tidy rows of Pinot vines that set a naturally unhurried pace. Tastings feature wines from Evenfall, Bellebonne and Wellington & Wolfe, with optional vineyard walks, barrel samples and food pairings that spotlight regional growers. Settle on the deck or in the tasting room and let lunch tempt you — the house bread with whipped tarragon butter is reason enough to stay longer.
2 Upper McEwans Road, Legana
Swinging Gate Vineyard & Cellar Door
A boutique vineyard with serious charm, Swinging Gate is one of those places where the passion is obvious the minute you arrive. Enjoy intimate tastings of their expressive cool-climate wines (read: Riesling, Pinot Noir and friends), in a rustic cellar door that feels like you’ve found a secret.
If you want to turn your tasting into a full reset, there are glamping stays on-site — vineyard quiet, starry nights, minimal effort, maximum payoff.
103 Glendale Road, Sidmouth
Loira Vines
Small-batch and genuinely welcoming, Loira Vines is run by wife-and-husband team Adrian and Mirabai Carruthers. The 5.5-acre vineyard grows Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Shiraz, Red Frontignac and Fragola, alongside apples for craft cider. Settle in at the picnic tables with their local produce platter and a glass in hand, and the whole place starts to feel like one of the Tamar Valley’s loveliest low-key stops.
3191 West Tamar Highway, Loira
Holm Oak
Award-winning Holm Oak is well worth a visit, not least for resident pig Pinot Junior and his sidekick, Mayonnaise. Beyond the adorable cellar-door welcome committee, there is plenty to love here, from signature Pinot Noir and Chardonnay to Arneis, Cabernet Franc, Riesling and Pinot Gris. Book a tasting, then settle into the garden for one of the estate’s most memorable experiences, with vines, fresh air and beautifully made cool-climate wines setting the tone.
11 West Bay Road, Rowella
Best Things to Do in Tamar Valley: Eat
Josef Chromy
Josef Chromy is one of the Tamar Valley’s most polished lunch stops, pairing acclaimed wines with a hatted restaurant in a postcard-pretty vineyard setting. Start with a tasting, then settle in for a two-course lunch with matched wines that brings northern Tasmania to the table with real finesse. The menu draws from small local farms and artisanal producers, while the wine list showcases the estate’s beautifully made sparkling, Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir.
370 Relbia Road, Relbia
Timbre Kitchen
For a vineyard and restaurant in one hit, book Timbre Kitchen at Velo Wines. Framed by floor-to-ceiling windows and rows of vines, it is the sort of place that makes lunch feel like an occasion. The menu celebrates local growers with plenty of flair, from hanger steak with eggplant to pork cutlet with apple glaze and chives, plus grilled cheese with mustard pickle. Pair it all with one of Velo’s cool-climate wines.
755 West Tamar Highway, Legana
The Ducks at Rosevears
Local favourite The Ducks in Rosevears is made for a laid-back lunch with sweeping Tamar River views. Start with local oysters or kingfish, then settle into a hearty main while soaking up the vineyard-framed setting. The Ducks also make gourmet Tasmanian picnic platters to order, which you can enjoy on the grounds or take away for later.
95 Rosevears Drive, Rosevears
Best Things to Do in Tamar Valley: Explore
Find Tranquility in the Tamar Island Wetland Centre
Just 10 minutes from Launceston, Tamar Island Wetlands Centre offers a gentler encounter with northern Tasmania’s natural beauty. A 500-metre boardwalk leads into a 60-hectare reserve alive with birdlife, from elegant egrets to swooping swamp harriers. There is a stillness to the landscape that feels instantly settling, with lagoon views, reed-fringed paths and an interpretation centre that brings the wetlands further into focus. A tranquil Tamar Valley must.
West Tamar Highway, Riverside
Explore Grindelwald Swiss Village
In the heart of the Tamar Valley, Grindelwald brings a playful slice of Swiss charm to northern Tasmania. Think timber chalets, flower-filled balconies, lake views and just enough novelty to make it all feel delightfully surreal. Spend the afternoon paddle boating, playing mini golf or wandering the resort grounds before settling in for something sweet at the cafe. Cheerful, scenic and a little bit storybook, it is one of the valley’s most unexpected delights.
Grindelwald, Tasmania
Hop Aboard the Batman Bridge Luncheon Cruise
Glide along the Tamar River in polished style aboard the Batman Bridge Luncheon Cruise, a four-hour journey through one of northern Tasmania’s prettiest stretches. Departing from Launceston, you’ll pass through Cataract Gorge before drifting by vineyards, farmland and Tamar Island en route to the striking Batman Bridge. With morning tea, a light lunch and local wine tastings included, it is a beautifully slow way to experience the valley.
Visit Low Head
At the northern tip of the Tamar Valley, Low Head is where maritime history and coastal beauty meet to arresting effect. Start at the Low Head Pilot Station, a seafaring landmark dating back to 1805, where whitewashed cottages and a convict-built museum draw you into Tasmania’s layered past. By dusk, the mood shifts towards the shoreline, where Low Head Penguin Tours offers a front-row seat to the nightly return of Little Penguins. With salt in the air and the sky washed gold, it is one of those Tasmanian experiences that feels both moving and unforgettable.
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 that feels wonderfully removed from the everyday. The 1.5-kilometre loop trail threads through towering eucalypts, past moss-draped logs and a legendary bushranger hideout. Birdsong carries through the trees as you cross creeks and follow the path beneath a canopy thick with green. Rich, wild and deeply atmospheric, it is one of those walks that reminds you just how spellbinding Tasmania can be.
Notley Gorge Road, Notley Hills
Pretend You’re in Jane Eyre
A grand Georgian beauty on the banks of the South Esk River, Clarendon Estate feels suspended between pastoral splendour and Tasmania’s layered colonial history. Built in 1838, the homestead draws you in with elm-lined avenues, manicured gardens and rooms rich with period detail. There are convict quarters to explore, heritage farm buildings to wander through, and an unmistakable sense of another century still resting over the estate. With the Australian Fly Fishing Museum on site, it is one of Tamar Valley’s most transporting addresses.
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
Set across 150 heritage-rich acres on the western side of the Tamar River, just 20 minutes from Launceston along the wine route, Quamby Estate is one of Tasmania’s grand old stays. Once the ancestral home of Sir Richard Dry, the island’s first premier, the estate now offers 10 guest suites named for notable figures from its past. From larger deluxe suites to more intimate rooms, each one is layered with thoughtful luxuries, from clawfoot baths and handmade bath salts to deeply comfortable beds. Breakfast and dinner are available for guests, with evening meals served in the estate’s grand Dining Room.
145 Westwood Road, Hagley
The River Studio
The River Studio offers a luxurious yet eco-conscious retreat just 10 minutes from Launceston. This off-grid hideaway overlooks the kanamaluka/Tamar River and pairs an open-plan design with a king bed, stylish ensuite and locally made touches. Powered by solar energy and rainwater, it makes a beautiful base for exploring the Tamar Valley Wine Route and nearby natural attractions.
Legana, Tasmania
The Bus Hideaway
Located on the eastern banks of the Tamar River at Hillwood along the wine route, this unique Tamar Valley stay is one of the region’s most charming escapes. The Bus is a beautifully restored 1985 model, now reimagined with a king bed, upcycled furnishings and sweeping river views. Cosy, romantic and cleverly designed, it fits a bathroom, full kitchen and thoughtful touches for slow afternoons spent reading, cooking and settling in by the fire pit. It is the sort of stay that makes switching off feel beautifully easy.
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.
