Derwent Valley Tasmania

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Hobart is the hip destination that everyone is heading to in Tasmania. But just half an hour’s drive away from Hobart, following the course of the meandering Derwent River, the Derwent Valley Tasmania is a valley that’s little explored by visitors.

Historic towns, amazing 150-year-old oast houses for drying hops, farm gates, wineries, old estates, salmon ponds and a whisky distillery make a perfect mix for a day trip.

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Bushy Park historic oast houses

Mary O’Brien asks expert Kim Dudson of Bespoke Tasmania Tours about her favourite places in the Derwent Valley.

Derwent Valley Tasmania

1- Best place to pick up fruit for a picnic?

My favourite place is Westerway Raspberry farm on the mountain-ringed fertile Derwent river flats.

It is a great spot to take a break before heading to nearby Mount Field National Park with its three-tiered cascade waterfall – Russell Falls – to saunter among some of the tallest trees in the world.

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I like to feast on the Clark family’s luscious raspberries picked straight from the field, including a rare heritage gold variety, as well as blackcurrants and other seasonal soft fruits.

Their new coffee and cake shed is great too and, of course, their raspberry muffins are just the best.

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Kim Dudson picking fruit

2- An unexpected view of the Derwent Valley?

A spot that locals often take people to is the Red Hills Cemetery at Bushy Park where you get a panoramic view of the hops industry – the largest and oldest in Australia – and the historic oast houses where the hops were dried.

These oast houses, dating from 1867, can be seen among the rich, fertile fields and the nearby rivers. Also the cemetery headstones date from the 1800s.

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Valleyfield oast house in Derwent Valley

3- The most informative whisky tour?

Each of the nine distilleries in Tasmania offers something special in their whisky tours. In the Derwent Valley, I like the historic surrounds of the 1819 Redlands Estate in its beautiful riverside location.

The barley is steeped and floor malted within the 1857 granary. Sometimes visitors can use a special spade to turn the maltings themselves – all part of the small-scale, hands-on approach.

The Redlands distillery is one of only two places in the world where the whisky (a great single malt) is distilled from barley grown on the property (the other is at Kilchoman in Scotland).

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Redlands Estate and distillery

4- Derwent Valley historic property

At Shene Estate at Pontville (just beside the Derwent Valley) is an impressive 1850s gothic revival stables and barn. Together with the 1830s homestead, these are being meticulously restored by the owners, the Kernke family. Usually the tours of Shene are conducted by one of the family members.

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Shene Estate

5- Derwent Valley winery experience

The Stefano Lubiana winery provides great insights into the biodynamic production behind their flavoursome award-winning wines. Housed in rustic, stylish Italian rooms, perched above the Derwent River, it is also a very pleasant place for lunch, after tasting those excellent drops, especially the sparklings, pinot noirs and chardonnays.

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Stefano Lubiana winery

Discover Tasmania

Hobart is a beautiful city with lots to explore. Here are some reasons to visit:

While in Tasmania head to Launceston for these exciting things to do.

One of the most amazing things to see in Tassie is the Southern Lights.

Derwent Valley Tasmania

Plan Your Trip

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Mary O'Brien
I travel, I eat, I meet lovely people and I write about my adventures. I’m a freelance journalist based in Melbourne who specialises in travel, food and feature writing. I was on staff at The Age for 14 years and four years ago I opted for the freedom of freelancing. Over the years I have also had work published in Good Food/Epicure and Traveller sections and RoyalAuto magazine.