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Australian Idyll
By Greg Clarke
Stressed hedge fund managers and pop idols whose singles sink faster than the Titanic no doubt dream about escaping to places like Flinders Island. As well as long, white sandy beaches the island comes with fabulously evocative names: Trousers Point Beach and Killiecrankie Bay are names that can make you stare at a map and wonder what’s there.
If you happen to have released a stinker of a song lately you might be thankful to know it’s easy to get acquainted with this get-away. The flight from Launceston to Whitemark takes just 40 minutes or on a Monday you could put your car on the ferry out of Bridport and take this slow boat to the island.
Flinders Island is the largest (about 70 km long by 35 km wide) of the 52 islands in the Furneaux Group in eastern Bass Strait. Around 900 people live here. Farming and fishing are important industries but this island retains its own call of the wild. The mutton birds returning from their sojourn to the Arctic still delight in the long, deserted beaches as much as any visitor.
The waters off the island are rich with fish and shipwrecks (65 of them). Some may have been caused by the wild coast as much as the first European inhabitants, the Straitsmen, who reportedly dabbled in piracy. The welcome these days is far friendlier, which is just as well as there is plenty to do.
Flinder Island Adventures
Flinders Island Adventures began sea charter operations 20 years ago when owners James and Lindsay Luddington arranged fishing holidays and game fishing. The company expanded onto land about 13 years ago. They offer guided walking holidays, 4WD tours, and touring packages. These days the fishing adventures are aboard the 10-metre express cruiser Strait Lady. The variety of their adventures is a snap shot of the island’s appeal.
A three-day/two-night Discover the Best of Flinders Island package will take you by 4WD to secluded coves and up into the island’s central mountain range (the Strzelecki Range is the spine of Flinders Island). There is also a 4WD day tour and packages for special interest groups based on the wildflowers and bird watching.
Vistas on Trousers Point
Check in here for an escape from whatever world you have come from. There are 40,000 acres of national park on three sides of the eight deluxe suites. Views to Trousers Point Beach complete the square. The property’s closest neighbours are Mount Strzelecki, Flinders Island's highest peak, and the prolific local wildlife.
They’re an easy going lot and never rush to make judgements about visitors who spend an afternoon in the spa on a viewing deck. Massages are also available here. And for those who need to justify the hours spent with a masseuse or the spa there is a gym, mountain bikes and fishing gear to play with first.
Ken Stockton and partner Carolyn Dawe took over this property, formerly Healing Dreams, in December 2008. Ken is a chef and together the couple runs Vistas Cafe during the day. Come evening Ken rustles up the toque blanche for Chappell's Restaurant which traffics intimate fine dining and views of Mount Chappell Island. House specials include a $49 three-course set menu and a $70 six-course degustation menu.
Much of the food comes with local flavour. Organic fruit and vegies are grown on the property. The lamb is from down the road. The seafood comes from the preposterously rich clean and blue waters seen from all the suites.
An introductory rate of $145 per night per suite (for two people) including continental breakfast is running until Easter (2009). The price includes use of all facilities and a welcome drink and fruit plate in the room. After Easter the rates is$185 per night with breakfast.
A Produce Day is held from 9am-1pm on Sundays. Local foods as well as the works of the island’s artists are for sale.
www.vistasontrouserspoint.com.au
Strzelecki National Park
The national park is a safe containing some of the island’s jewells including fabulous views from Mt Strzelecki. The park also helps safeguard some history of the Aboriginal communities and white settlers, and local flora and fauna. Wombats, potoroos and threatened bird species occur in the park, including the swift parrot, forty-spotted pardalote, grey-tailed tattler, and the hooded plover.
There are a number of walks in the park. The Strzelecki Peak (756 metres) Track is about three kilometres. The return walk from Trousers Point Road through wooded gullies takes about five hours. The Circuit of Trousers Point takes about two hours. There are also coastal walks that require overnight camping.
Unavale Vineyard
The first vines on this three-hectare vineyard were planted in 1999. “The weather’s been a trial but we’ve lived and learnt,” says Bev Watson who with husband Roger owns the vineyard, the only commercial one on the island.
They’ve been selling wines including riesling, chardonnay, cabernet sauvignon, pinot noir and sauvignon blanc since 2004. The whole winemaking process occurs on the island. The Watsons typically produce about 200 cases of wine but more is expected this year. They are going to need every drop they can produce as wine critic James Halliday recently rated the Unavale Sauvignon Blanc under his ‘Best of Best’ in the recent edition of his Wine Companion, awarding the wine 94 points out of 100.
Unavale is four kilometres from the village of Lady Barron, at the base of the Strzelecki Range. Most of the wines sales occur at the cellar door.
6359 3632
0427 593 632
www.discovertasmania.com is a comprehensive guide to the island
The information was correct when published in 2008. Prices and information may have changed.