French Tassie Getaway Hostess Round Up February 2023

The sisters met in Melbourne for our short flight to Hobart where we were greeted by our lovely coach driver Anthony. We made our way up into the Coal River region to Richmond, a colonial-era town with beautiful Georgian buildings, many that have been restored and are now open as cafes, restaurants, and galleries. We visited the the oldest bridge in Australia built by convicts in 1820 and still in use today. The sisters wandered around town and enjoyed lunch and shopping. We continued onto our beautiful French inspired accommodation called Villa Howden. The villa is nestled on the peaceful banks of Northwest Bay with stunning views, after a much needed swim by all we settled in for the night and to celebrate Kerri’s birthday with plenty of chatting and many laughs.     

The following day we explored the Saturday morning market at Salamanca Place, 300 stalls stretched along the front of beautiful 19th century sandstone warehouses. The stalls were a treasure trove of locally made produce, gourmet foods, quirky gifts all accompanied by buskers serenading us with their beautiful music. We continued to Kettering ferry terminal to enjoy our 20-minute ferry ride crossing D'Entrecasteaux Channel to Bruny Island.  As we all know Tasmania is known for its fresh produce, and Bruny island didn’t disappoint, so for us oyster loving fans we couldn’t miss a visit to GetShucked, where we wrapped our lips around the freshest oysters on Bruny Island. Anthony our driver was a wealth of knowledge as we made our way around Bruny Island. We continued to Neck Lookout and walked up 279 timber steps to the 360-degree viewpoint that overlooks the picturesque isthmus connecting North and South Bruny Island, by the time we got back to the van the dark clouds had opened. We continued to the beautiful Adventure Bay where you can embark on a cruise around the island or take a walk along the pristine beaches.  We enjoyed our lunch overlooking the bay before we continued to Bruny Island Honey company, they have been producing honey on the island for over 20 years and have 400 hives across the island. Did you know that the honeybee is the only insect that produces food eaten by humans!  So, we tasted the different types of honey, we tried the manuka arthritis pain relief cream on our knees, and we rubbed our hands with honey hand cream. We all walked back to the van smelling divine. If we hadn’t had enough to eat, we then called into the chocolate factory where the sisters loaded up on gifts before we arrived at the Bruny Island Cheese Co, our last stop on the island and it didn’t disappoint. Who can resist a charcuterie board,  a glass of wine and a flaming fire nearby. Our time in Bruny island had come to an end and we made our way back to Hobart for a relaxing dinner at Beach House Café overlooking Sandy Bay.    

The sisters all got on the bus today with open minds for their visit to MONA. The Mona building is carved into sandstone cliffs of the Berriedale peninsula featuring a three-level subterranean building on the banks of the Derwent River. David Walsh founder of MONA made his millions as a professional gambler and the museum is the only museum in the world that all the works must be approved by David rather than through an arts council. The experience was an eye opener and there is certainly a selection of works that are controversial, exactly what the David was wanting to achieve for his beloved MONA. With new friendships made our Tassie weekend comes to a close and we make our way back to Hobart Airport for our flight home. 

Jenn, Sisterhood Hostess