Where to eat, drink, stay and play in Huon Valley

Huon Valley picnic

There are no luxury resorts in the Huon Valley. No branches of McDonald’s or KFC. Not even a set of traffic lights. But what you will discover is perhaps Tasmania’s best-kept gourmet secret, with rivers, orchards, friendly locals and hearty food.

 

Head south of Hobart to enjoy the wild beauty of the Huon Valley. This twin-tailed valley that is rapidly building a reputation for its cool-climate wines, artisan ciders and gourmet seafood. Huon Valley is the southernmost municipality in Australia. Locals like to joke that the next stop south is Antarctica. 

The area is full of small villages, quiet beaches, and arts and crafts trails. The hamlets of Cygnet, Franklin and Geeveston are among the most popular destinations.

Here you can pick berries fresh from roadside hedgerows, pull mussels and oysters straight from the water, fish for river trout or buy ciders from the same shed in which the apples were processed.

 

Apple crates
© Tourism Tasmania & Nick Osborne

 

In the 1950s apples were sent by sea from here to Britain, making Huon the biggest producer on the Apple Isle. Today, seafood from Huon Aqua is keeping the region’s name alive on the global food stage.

This region has something for everyone, be they walkers, fishermen or wine lovers.

 

Wineries in the Huon Valley region

Home Hill Winery is regarded as one of the country’s leading producers of premium pinot noir. It’s also a popular lunch venue with a restaurant overlooking the vines. Check out Elsewhere Vineyard , Kate Hill Wines and Two Bud Spur Vineyard cellar doors as well. For cider drinkers, Willie Smith’s Apple Shed – an organic cider pioneer – Frank’s Cider and Pagan Cider all welcome visitors. Be sure to try Pagan’s cherry cider.

 

Willie Smith’s Apple Shed © Stu Gibson

 

Don’t forget to visit small producers such as Sailor Seeks Horse, Mewstone and Hartzview Vineyard.

 

Accommodation in Huon Valley

When it comes to places to stay, the choice ranges from campsites to luxury guesthouses.

River’s Edge Wilderness Camping, on the banks of the Russell River at Lonnavale, is remote and rustic. It’s also hugely popular with trout fishermen so pack a reel if you feel like catching dinner.

In Cygnet, check out the Old Bank – a chic little B&B with its own café. Just out of town you’ll find luxury accommodation at Coast House, a remote hideout where you can kick back in style and enjoy the peace and quiet.

 

Cygnet Old Bank © Paul County

 

Walton House Bed and Breakfast and Cherryview Cygnet offer more affordable accommodation options.

 

Restaurants in Huon Valley

When it comes to eating, choose from lunching at Home Hill or Willie Smith’s. If you fancy a gourmet burger, try Burger Bar Ranelagh or the waterfront cafes in Franklin.

The chic The Old Bank, long-time favourite the Red Velvet Lounge, Cygnet Japanese Diner and the new Port Hole Cafe are all located in downtown Cygnet. The RVL serves fun dinners on Fridays and Saturdays.

 

Red Velvet Lounge Huon Valley
© Chris Phelps

 

Just outside town, on the road to Nicholls Rivulet, is an unlikely find. Ashcraig Farm offers authentic Thai food to eat in or take away.

 

Things to do

Although it begins just a 30-minute drive south of Hobart, the rural idyll that is the Huon has very few city conceits. It moves at its own pace. In season, you can pick up fresh apples, berries, cherries, stone fruits and purple garlic from roadside stalls and simply leave your money in an honesty box. Make sure to sample local cheeses, vegetables and mushrooms and even saffron.

The liveliest hamlet in the region is Cygnet. It’s here that Sydney chef turned Gourmet Farmer, Matthew Evans moved, and filmed several seasons of his hugely successful SBS TV show. He offers Friday lunches, cooking classes and foraging experiences at his Fat Pig Farm at Glaziers Bay. His caravan is a regular at local festivals including the Huon Show, Taste of the Huon and the Huon Valley Mid-winter Fest.

 

Taste of the Huon © Chris Phelps

 

Cygnet also attracts thousands of visitors with its Folk Festival every January. Sushi master Masaaki Koyama runs a hole-in-the-wall eatery in Geeveston. 

Both Geeveston and Franklin have a good selection of eateries from which to choose, but this is the country and most options close early.

Tucked away on hillsides and riverbanks there are many more small producers. Jim Chatto, renowned winemaker at Pepper Tree in the Hunter Valley, has planted his own Isle Vineyard with pinot noir at Glaziers Bay. Chatto, who has a passion for Burgundy, says: “This part of the world has the potential to be among the most exciting sites for pinot noir anywhere in Australia.”

 

Cafe goers eating together in Huon Valley
© Samuel Shelley

 

Fishing and aquaculture in Huon Valley

Huon Aquaculture was started in 1988 by local couple Peter and Frances Bender. It now employs more than 500 people and was Tasmanian exporter of the year in 2012.

“It’s all about getting the basics right – and attention to detail,” says Frances, who praises the stress-free and pristine Huon environment in which the business’s sashimi-grade salmon are raised.

“We are very proud of this region,” she says. “It is a clean, beautiful place with a real sense of community, and we wanted our product linked with the area – hence the name. We think it’s great that the story of the Huon is now spreading all over Asia. And it is great that we can be champions for this remarkable place.”

Visits to Huon Aqua’s main farm at picturesque Hideaway Bay, outside Dover, are available by appointment.

 

If you’ve already added Huon Valley to your travel list, take a look at Launceston and Cygnet too. 

Rex flies to Hobart, which is only a short drive to all of these wonderful attractions.

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