Explore Tasmania > Day Trips and Walks > North and North East

North and North East Walks and Day Trips

Tamar Valley Around 30 minutes due north of Westbury you arrive at Exeter on the A7. The "old road" from Exeter to Rowella via Gravelly Beach offers an ambling pleasant drive that follows the river edge for most of the way. You will find plenty of distractions here including many of Tasmania's fine vineyards. A trip past the Batman Bridge to the Lavender farm at Rowella is well worth the trip.

From Rowella, take the drive to Beaconsfield, site of the gold mine disaster that drew such media attention a few years back. While in Beaconsfield, wander through the Grubb Shaft Gold and Heritage Museum. The very fine museum is right next door to the current working mine, the scene of a dramatic rescue of two miners in 2007. A small park opposite includes an old miner’s cottage and the old Sidmouth shop set in a superb rose garden.

A little further north you will come to Beauty Point, well known for its twin attractions: Seahorse World and the Platypus House.

Award winning Seahorse World is a “must see” attraction that provides an excellent educational experience and leads the world in research and development to alleviate the plight of wild seahorses. The seahorse has long held a peculiar attraction for mankind. Overfishing and habitat destruction has led to the numbers of seahorses dwindling significantly throughout the world. Seahorse World offers a unique tour experience through their fascinating aquarium dedicated to the preservation and conservation of the seahorse. It is unique, exciting and fun.

Also at Beauty Point at the Platypus House you will find the beautiful, majestic, mysterious and downright odd egg-laying platypus. Here is an animal whose general structure puts it somewhere on a level with reptiles and birds and at the same time suggests a closer relationship to those animals we call mammals which have fur coats, four legs and produce milk to feed their babies.

We then recommend that you then travel east across the Batman Bridge and follow the wine route markers as you continue around the Tamar Valley (for more details see the “Food and Dining” pages of this website).

When in Launceston on your way home, you might be interested in a stroll up Cataract Gorge along the South Esk River, or spend some time wandering the Launceston waterfront, make a visit to the National Automobile Museum or a tour of Boag’s Brewery. Launceston Water Front Perhaps you will time to have dinner at one of the excellent restaurants in Launceston (see Food & Dining). Elm Wood is then a pleasant 25 minute return drive west from Launceston.

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