Natural State News

Bloomin' Tulips Festival
For four weeks each spring, Paul and Bronwen Roberts-Thomson’s farm bursts into a vibrant carpet of tulips. Brilliant oranges, reds, pinks and purples turns a pocket of north-west Tasmania into a riot of colour.

Seventy different tulip varieties are grown over seven fields. Approximately 15 ha of the Robert-Thomson’s magnificently located Table Cape farm will be blooming tulips.

The Colours of Wynyard, 27 September to 18 October, is a three week program of tulip-inspired community events and activities around Wynyard, the closest city to Table Cape.

The Bloomin’ Tulips Festival on 11 October features the Roberts-Thomson farm and is the main event of the Colours of Wynyard. Bloomin’ Tulips includes a cocktail evening (Tulips@Twilight), exhibits by local artists – noted Tasmanian artist Raymond Arnold will be exhibiting – live music, roving performers, fireworks over the Inglis River and the rather novel Tulip Tossing Championships. A giant mosaic made from some 200 individual paintings will also be on display.

The tulips are best viewed for about 3-4 weeks from the last weekend of September. This year the farm will open from 27 September to 17 October. Entry prices are $6 for adults, $4 for pensioners, $2 for children. The Roberts-Thomson farm also has a visitor centre and farm gate shop.

Richard Muir Wilson
(03) 6443 8363 rmuirwilson@warwyn.tas.gov.au

Mark Webber’s Entourage Tour
The Mark Webber Pure Tasmania Challenge, created by the Australian Formula One driver, is an annual event that combines Webber’s love of keeping fit, the great outdoors and raising funds for Australian charities.

This year the five-day adventure race (19-23 November) takes in over 250km of Tasmania – one of the world’s best adventure playgrounds – and the trekking, kayaking, mountain biking and ‘mystery’ challenges are a test of physical and mental strength.

In 2008 an Entourage Tour has been introduced to provide a unique opportunity to follow the celebrities, corporate teams and extreme sports athletes. And there’s no sweat involved.

The exclusive guided tour (18-24 November) includes:

• 6 nights first class accommodation at Country Club Tasmania, Cradle Mountain Chateau, Comfort Inn Port Arthur and The Henry Jones Art Hotel
• Return airfares to Tasmania (ex Melbourne or Sydney)
• All meals, transport and guides
• Watching stages of the Mark Webber Pure Tasmania Challenge and engaging with Mark Webber and other celebrities
• Mark Webber Pure Tasmania Challenge merchandise pack
• Exclusive small travel group
Prices ex Melbourne: $2,155pp twin share, $2,645pp single
Prices ex Sydney: $2,355pp twin share, $2,841pp single

For full itinerary, bookings and information: Nancy Cook at nancy@markwebberchallenge.com /(03) 9690 9344.

Bay of Fires Gets Busy
Three Bay of Fires businesses have teamed together to promote one of the lesser known, and yet one of the most extraordinarily beautiful parts, of east coast Tasmania.

Much of the Bay of Fires coast lies within national park and along parts of this 80km** coastline there is far more white sand beach than roads and houses. One of the three businesses is a new sailing tour which cruises along this coast.

Sailing on Running Away, a 38-foot yacht (a Bavaria 38), a maximum of eight passengers will become acquainted with the coves, the often deserted beaches, and the region’s incredible seafood. There are a variety of sailing options but all of them serve up clear turquoise water and gourmet food.

The 4-hour Lunch Sail ($290 per person) from St Helens to Pelican Point includes a crayfish lunch with beer and wine. Sparkling wine is served while the oysters fresh from Georges Bay – there is no fatter and more flavoursome oyster in Australia – are shucked.

The 2-hour Sunset Cruise ($190) is served up with oysters, sparkling wine and the local Pyengana Cheese. The fully-crewed yacht with up to eight passengers can be yours for $2000 per day; wine, beer and the crayfish lunch included.

Binalong Bay is at the southern end of the Bay of Fires. The seaside village is the area’s ‘commercial’ hub. There is a dive shop that teaches the SCUBA craft on a reef system that supports forests of kelp, colourful sponges, prolific fish life, rock lobster, abalone, sea-dragons, dolphins, and migrating whales in October and November.

If you’re only in the Bay of Fires for a short time, groups you can get an introduction to diving from $175 per person (minimum two people). The 4-hour introductory course includes all gear hire and all the dives are in the sea, in gulches off Binalong Bay.

Binalong Bay doesn’t have a pub but it does have an award-winning restaurant run by three 30-something locals. The restaurant, one of the best in Tassie, serves up Mod-Oz food with views from Binalong Bay to Eddystone Point. Local produce, from seafood to bread, cheese, meats and sauces, features. Fully licensed Angasi is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

www.bayoffiressailingcruises.com.au
www.bayoffiresdive.com.au
www.angasi.com.au

Kuzina Restaurant
Kuzina restaurant opened in March (2008). The restaurant is used to train apprentice chefs and hospitality staff by day. At night its doors open to the public and students showcase their skills while being supervised by their teachers.

At Kuzina no course is over $27.50. The nightly apprentice special ($22.50) provides young chefs with the opportunity to design, prepare and showcase their own dish: the chef will present the dish at the table along with a description of his or her culinary innovations.

The four course winter special is being extended into September. Now, $28.50 won’t buy you half a tank of petrol but select this four-course wonder at Kuzina and you will get seafood chowder, chicken laksa, pan-seared fish of the day and apple crumble. All of it is as fine as rain in the catchments.
Kuzina with its modern décor, friendly staff and great variety of food and wine is open Monday to Saturday nights from 6pm.

www.kuzina.com.au

Point to Pinnacle
The annual Point to Pinnacle (November 23 this year) is a 22km recreational walk or run from Wrest Point to the pinnacle of Mt Wellington – on this run there’s only one hill but it lasts the entire length of the course.

Over $8,000 in prize money will be equally divided between male and female competitors. The winning man and woman each receive $1700 but all finishers will be presented with a gold medal on the mountain. In a further sense of accomplishment, on the summit of Wellington you can look, way, way down, to the start line.

Register quickly. The field is capped at 1200 people with just 200 places for interstate visitors.

The walk starts at 7am, the run at 8am.
Adult registration fee is $35 to 31 October and $40 thereafter.

www.discovertasmania.com

Whales on Show
October to November is whale watching season on the east coast of Tasmania.

Two companies, Seal Life Experience and Tasman Island Cruises, run tours from Pirates Bay on the Tasman Peninsula, just 50 minutes from Hobart.

Bring a video camera and you could make a nature documentary from all you’ll encounter on this voyage. These three hour tours encounter not only whales (up to eight whales were spotted on some days in November last year) but also seals, albatross, sea eagles and dolphins. Sea caves and fascinating Tasman Island also feature.

Seal Life Experience’s Tasman Island Wild and Rugged tour costs $99 for adults; $55 for children (4-16 years) and is free for children under four. A family ticket (2 adults and up to 3 children) costs $290.

www.sealife.com.au
www.tasmancruises.com.au

Media Contact:
Greg Clarke, Greg.Clarke@tourism.tas.gov.au

Download: High-resolution images from Tourism Tasmania's Visual Library.

Check the Events Tasmania website for upcoming events:
www.eventstasmania.com

For further information:
travelmedia.tourismtasmania.com.au
www.discovertasmania.com