I have never been to an English country town, but when visiting Westbury in Tasmania, I can imagine that this is pretty close. This town is full of historical homes and it is a delight to wander the streets and just enjoy seeing the excellently preserved heritage buildings. The Village Green would have to be my favourite place in this town of many delights. Way back in 1828 this large expanse of grassed land was planned as the centre of a garrison town by Lieutenant Governor,

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Absolutely everyone who knows Tasmania recommends going to Reliquaire gift shop in Latrobe. They rave about it, usually advising that you cannot fully describe it to anyone, you must EXPERIENCE it for yourself. So, intrepid traveller that I am, I decided to venture to this store and see for myself. Nutcracker soldier statues standing to attention outside give a slight hint that this will be no ordinary store. It blew my mind! What an incredible, fantastic shop. I mean, going

Stepping into the French inspired gift shop of Monclairs in Latrobe Tasmania was a fabulous feast for the eyes. This boutique store is definitely worth spending time, if not money, wandering around and admiring the beautiful wares they have for sale. Located in the main street of Latrobe and housed in a renovated bank, this building originates from the 1870s. There are five elegant rooms to admire, both for the building itself and the goods. My fondness for handmade jewellery

Imagine being able to see plants for all over the temperate world in one pleasant place. This 66ha botanical garden in Northern Tasmania is home to over 4,800 tree species. With one metre of rainfall per annum, it rarely snows here in the sheltered valley on the banks of the Don River. The Arboretum is also migrating plants to warmer and drier species as the rainfall declines over the years. The plantings are arranged geographically, and include areas such as Tasmania, Austra

Emu Valley Rhododendron Garden is promoted as “A Garden for all Seasons”, which means that at whatever time of year you visit, there is something beautiful to see. There are over 24,000 rhododendrons here, but there is more to see. This is an award winning botanical garden with many different types of plants, in addition to the rhododendrons. The peak flowering season is between September to November and March to May. Companion trees and plants thrive in the rich volcanic soi

The longest uninterrupted expanse of water on the globe is the Indian Ocean to the west of Tasmania. Keep sailing west from the shores of Tasmania and you will travel more than halfway around our beautiful planet, before hitting land again, in Argentina. Located just south of Arthur's River, this is a destination that has been mainly untouched by human hands. I stare in awe at the power of the sea. The rhythmic surges sweeping in and out, seem like the pulse of the earth. At

The award-winning zig zag gardens were a delight to visit. They are located in a residential area of Ulverstone, from Maud to Upper Maud Street . A great admirer of gardens, I decided to include this on my list of things to do in this north Tasmanian town. The gardens were glorious. As I walked up the zig zag path to the top (yes, it does zig and zag), the hike was rewarded with panoramic views over the town once I reached the top. Visitors can start at the top but it was the

Entally House near Hadspen in Tasmania is an elegant two storey brick building that is open to the public. Visitors can wander through the house and see it as the home it would have been to the Reibey family for three generations. Starting as a single storey cottage in 1819, one hundred convicts were loaned from the Government to work on the building. It was intended as the home for Thomas Haydock Reibey II (1796 - 1842) and his wife Richarda nee Allen. Thomas is the son of M

Franklin House near Launceston is the birthplace of the National Trust (Tasmania) and was the first heritage property taken over by the Trust in 1960. Originally built in the Franklin Village four miles from Launceston, it is now in the middle of an industrial estate. This can be a little difficult to locate, but once you do, it is most assuredly worth the visit. Passing through the ornate portico and into the house, I was greeted by two knowledgeable and enthusiastic guides.

Only eight kilometres (5mi) from Launceston is the town of Hadspen. With a population of just over 2000, it is situated on the banks of the South Esk River. Most buildings here are residential. Yet, there is a lot this town has to offer for visitors. It still retains a country vibe, even though close to the large town of Launceston with a population of around 123,000. Declared a town in 1866, Hadspen was on the original main road from Launceston to Devonport. The town has bee

Evandale is a National Trust classified Georgian Village. The unspoiled heritage buildings vary from grand homes built to impress, to more practical but still lovely smaller cottages. Evandale is situated on the South Esk River, 20 km south of Launceston. The 2016 census records the population of the village at 1,345. In 1811 it was originally a military outpost. The name Evandale, named in 1836, was in honour of the first Surveyor-General, G.W. Evans. The main street of Evan

Evandale is a National Trust classified Georgian Village. Today this town, just 20kms south of Launceston is home to around 1,345 people (2016 census). In the main street, the houses and businesses are built almost on the main road, there are rarely front gardens here. It is only as you venture away from the main thoroughfare that gardens start to appear in front of buildings and the houses become set back from the road. The largest and grandest Georgian house in Australia is

The grandest classically Georgian house in Australia is open to the public in Tasmania. As a lover of both beautiful old homes and history, visiting Clarendon house near Evandale was a must see and do on my list of gorgeous Tasmanian heritage homes. This National Trust property is open to the public, enabling the visitors to come experience and enjoy this colonial treasure. It definitely lived up to my expectations, in fact – it surpassed them. Even before you enter the house

As with most inland small rural towns, there may not seem to be a lot to see and do at first glance, but look deep into the area and you will discover hidden gems. Sheffield with a population of just over 1,500 is 23kms inland from Devonport and 88kms from Launceston. Visitors will often stop for a quick coffee and snack break on their way through to Cradle Mountain, but this town nestled near the majestic Mount Roland deserves a long visit. Surrounded by areas with the unlik

Sheffield had once been a thriving country town but had fallen into an almost depressingly derelict town. Buildings were being demolished and their materials recycled elsewhere. In an effort to save their town from disappearing, a few of the local citizens gathered together. They had heard about Chemainus, in Canada. That town too, had been suffering a similar fate to Sheffield, until Chemainus resident, Kark Schultz, created the town’s history in murals. Thousands of tourist

Brian Inder was a man with a dream, and the fortitude, craziness and perservance to make it come true. Side by side with his wife Laura they built Tasmazia together. Proving that you are never too old to follow your passion, Brian started this when he was 54 years young. Since 1994 it has been the delight of thousands of visitors to discover this wonderland. Brian and Laura grew medical lavender and sold lavender bags to tourists. There were over 12,000 lavender plants at the

Over 60 embassies grace the Embassy Gardens in Tasmania, dedicated to over 40 countries. And not just countries, there is even a building dedicated to intergalactic worlds and time travel. Visitors from overseas are most likely to be found locating “their” embassy and having a photo taken with it, and of course, the Australian embassy. The Aussie embassy is a typical outback house with its wide verandahs. Out in the yard is the typical outdoor dunny (toilet) water tank and wi

Nestled in the interestingly named Promised Land, in Tasmania Australia, is a unique tourist attraction. In fact, it has been voted one of the ten top attractions in the world by www.gotravel24.com, as well as thousands of annual visitors. I visited the towns of Lower Crackpot and Upper Lower Crackpot (with its distinct yellow brick road) with Laura Inder as my guide. This was an insight into the outstanding and interesting little townships, and a discovery of Laura’s incredi

Train buffs, families, children and solo travellers such as myself, all enjoy visiting the Don River Railway (DRR) just one kilometre from Devonport. This is a fascinating hands on experience of train travel in Tasmania over the years. This not-for-profit organisation is owned and operated by members and hard-working, talented and dedicated volunteers. It is a wonderful thing to have these restored historical locomotives and carriages on display. There is a lot to see and do