Tasmania Accommodation Worth Crossing the Bass Strait For

DRIFT BEACH SHACK

Weymouth, TAS

In the quiet seaside hamlet of Weymouth, Drift Beach Shack blends Mid-Century, coastal and boho cues to create a tranquil haven worth escaping to. Brought from the 1950s into the modern day, with little luxuries like Smeg appliances and a new bathroom, you’ll find this humble abode still retains its warmth and charm. When the sun is out, head to the beach nearby with one of the boogie boards and a freshly-picked apple from the property’s old apple tree. Tuckered out? An afternoon by the fire with an eclectic selection of vinyls playing and a Jenga competition, is waiting for you.    

NAIVASHA COTTAGE AND TINY HOUSE

Reedy Marsh, TAS

A trip across the Bass Strait would not be complete without a stay in a wooded cottage or a tiny home and Naivasha delivers on both fronts. With two properties, Naivasha Cottage and Naivasha Tiny House, each has its own appeal. Built by hand from the surrounding landscape – timber and stone collected from the property – Naivasha Cottage’s 100-year-old bones overlook a peaceful lake with space for six. Five minutes from historic Deloraine, you may find leaving hard to do with picnics by the pond, stargazing, reading by the fire and even foraging for your own fresh eggs all on the cards here. The tiny home iteration of Naivasha channels the same rural charm, in miniature. Nestled into a clearing among dense Tassie bushland, Naivasha Tiny Home is a romantic getaway for two with features that belie its small size. With a claw-foot bath inside (a rarity for a tiny cabin) and a showstopping wood-fired hot tub out under the stars plus a fireplace inside and fire-pit outside, the hardest decision will be where to spend your time relaxing.     

CHAMBLS SHACK

Verona Sands, TAS

If the sun-drenched living room (thanks to floor-to-ceiling windows) and renovated 70s shack with vintage and recycled treasures throughout doesn’t lure you across the Bass Strait, then Chambls Shack has plenty more to woo. Set on the hill above Verona Sands beach, there’s ocean on one side and bush on the other so you can take your pick to explore. Spy seals splashing along the placid shoreline or cosy up in front of a crackling fire. Despite being only minutes from the sleepy township, you’ll feel as though you’re a world of your own bunkered down with family and pets in the three-bedroom getaway where time stands still.

WHALE SONG

Falmouth, TAS

Words will never do Whale Song justice, but we’ll try. Sitting on the rocky shoreline at Falmouth, this beach shack is the kind that will send your heart fluttering as soon as you steal the first look. Weathered in all the right places, there’s enough space to sleep four, but it’s likely you’ll want to keep it all to yourself. Wrap your fingers around a hot cup of coffee in the morning and sip it on the deck – if you’re lucky you may have an unannounced visitor, as whales are often seen breeching as they migrate.

THE BUS HIDEAWAY

Tamar Valley, TAS

Escape the shackles of seriousness and skip the usual apartment stay for an old, restored ’85 bus. Using secondhand materials, The Bus Hideaway features custom-made furniture, a King-size bed with organic linen, a full kitchen and even its own wood fireplace. Parked on an old property in the Tamar Valley, stop by the Hillwood strawberry farm on your way to pick your own bounty of juicy strawbs to devour in complete solitude.

BIRDSONG ADVENTURE BAY

Adventure Bay, TAS

Adventure may be in the name of this Bruny Island bolthole’s location but it’s something of a red herring because Birdsong Adventure Bay sets the tranquility bar high. Holiday mode takes on a slightly different timbre and slow is the pace. There’s no misnomer when it comes to the other part of the name though: bird song is a constant soundtrack with the sweet symphony set to surround sound. Hiking and bushwalking are at the back door and 10.5 hectares of lush Tassie bush brims with native flora and fauna in the shadow of Mount Mangana. Family friendly (including your four-legged pal) or for just the two of you, Birdsong is made for soaking in the beauty of the bush and the beach at the same time.

CEDAR COTTAGE MEANDER

Meander, TAS

CLIFF TOP ON PARK

Dodges Ferry, TAS

BLUEBERRY BAY COTTAGE

Lymington, TAS

Making its home on a slender finger of land in the mighty Huon River, Blueberry Bay Cottage is a bucolic Tasmanian getaway where the fairytale starts with long walks on the shore and ends with you in the wood-fired hot tub, bubbles and fresh harvested oysters in hand. Surrounded by eight hectares of natural bushland and views out across the riverine valley, the sun-dappled (and pet-friendly) cottage feels far away but never lonesome – only 10 minutes from the quaint town of Cygnet. Laying on the charm from all angles, it’s the kind of location that leaves your cup well and truly filled after only a couple of nights: time slows and the days stretch languidly between sun up and sun down.

THREE PADDOCKS AND A HILL

Nicholls Rivulet, TAS

Set in Tasmania’s Huon Valley, you’ll feel far away from the hustle and bustle of the normal everyday in the timber-clad cottage at Three Paddocks and a Hill. Sleeping up to four people – and with plenty of books, DVDs and board games – it’s the perfect getaway for those wanting to slow down. Turn off your emails and watch the fairy wrens dance outside, and take in the huge skies and towering eucalyptus trees. Wander outside and pat the goats or toast marshmallows at the fire pit and gaze at the Milky Way. All this is less than an hour from Hobart and 10 minutes from the picturesque town of Cygnet.

CROOKED CHIMNEY COTTAGE

Avoca, TAS

Rescued from the wrecking ball and lovingly restored, former miner’s cottage Crooked Chimney Cottage has found a new life as a charming rustic stay. Making its home just outside Avoca on the open grass-fringed landscape, it’s East Coast Tasmania’s answer to the call of cute country escapes. With sheep roaming out the back and the house backing onto St Pauls River, you can choose to soak in the serenity or escape to adventure at St Helens, Hardy Falls or sip a tipple (or two) at Cranbrooke.

GLENEAGLE TASMANIA

Riana, TAS

Glamping in the heart of a 110-hectare native eucalypt forest, a blanket of stars spread out overhead and the unique Tasmanian wildlife all around, may sound too good to be true. But then, there lies Gleneagle Tasmania beckoning from across the Bass Strait. Just outside the cutesy town of Penguin (with its own enchanting slow living, village vibe), this Slow Stay is home to a duo of geodesic domes made for romance. With a maximum three other guests on the property at any one time, solitude and comfort are the guiding lights here. Get cosy in your dome or soak up the night sky from your outdoor bath. There are walks aplenty winding across the property itself, or the might and splendour of North West Tasmania’s landscapes are lying in wait, too.