Been a while since I last posted a blog right? Apologies for that, been a busy few months. Started a new job at the University which has been keeping me nice and busy.
Now back to business! It’s also been a while since I attended an Instameet and I think some of us were starting to worry there wouldn’t be another one. All those fears were well and truly shattered yesterday with the Southern Trove Instameet providing a whole day of sights, tastes and experiences that you can only find in Tasmania.
Our day began early from Brooke Street Pier in Hobart as around 50 Instagrammers hopped aboard a Gray Line coach. Our first port of call was Franklin, the sight of my first Instameet. It’s a beautiful little village on the banks of the Huon River and well known for it’s apple orchards and strong associations with boating in Tasmania. We paid a visit to Franks Cider and the Wooden Boat Centre which are handily located across the road from one another. The Wooden Boat Centre is run by David and Ea who also own and operate the Yukon which we had the pleasure of taking a trip on during my first Instameet. After a quick tour of the workshop in the Wooden Boat Centre, I crossed the road to Frank’s Cider HQ where a lovely breakfast spread had been put on for us.
The next stop on our epic schedule was another familiar place, the Tahune Airwalk. Last time I was there, we ventured onto the airwalk at night so didn’t exactly get to take in the splendour of the view. This time we were blessed with beautiful weather and it was great to catch up with Martin Truran who had been such a fantastic guide previously.
The day had only just begun and we’d already had a fantastic event. We could easily have stopped there and it would have been a great day out. But wait….there’s more! So much more!
Our next destination was Fat Pig Farm, run by Matthew Evans and Sadie Chrestman, our wonderful hosts for a couple of hours. They showed us around their paddock and introduced us to Denise and her little piglets. These particular pigs have hit the jackpot when it comes to their living arrangements. I’ve never seen such a picturesque farm in all my life, it really is a little corner of paradise. The kind of place where you wake up to go to work with a huge smile on your face.
After a relaxing stroll around the farm, it was time to return to the restaurant on site for a lunch that couldn’t have been any fresher. Refried beans with bacon, softy and creamy mashed potato, Pak Choi and a delicious milk and berry dessert, all washed down with some fine Tasmanian wines.
We weren’t done yet though, there was one more stop to make. Ewe wouldn’t believe where we were off to next. Call me a little sheepish but they couldn’t pull the wool over our eyes as to the tastyness of our final stop for the day. Grandvewe Cheese (see what they did there?). I can’t recall whether I’ve had sheep’s milk products before but I’m certainly a convert now! We had a bit of a turbo trip to Grandvewe and there was so much to see and soak in that there were photographers racing from location to location. The highlight for me was the spacious balcony that offered sumptuous views out over the bay between Tasmania and Bruny Island. I could easily have spent a whole afternoon there, curled up with a book and nibbling on the scrumptious cheeses, washed down with some Hartshorn Distillery vodka or gin made from sheep’s whey. 
Okay James, that’s enough now right? Surely the team at Discover Tasmania and Hobart & Beyond had outdone themselves and the day was done? Not quite.
The coach had done a fantastic job of ferrying us around the Huon valley and beyond but we were scheduled to hitch a different ride home. We swapped the tarmac for the water and hopped aboard a Peppermint Bay cruise for our return journey to Hobart. Yes I know right, could you possibly top off a day any better than with a cruise?
What a day!. So many experiences in one day but we had more than enough time at each stop to get some nice photographs (well I hope you agree anyhoo). These Instameets have been so amazing and I am eternally grateful to wonderful people at Discover Tasmania and Hobart & Beyond for going above and beyond every time and putting together truly memorable days with good people, good vibes and unforgettable experiences.
Another part of the Instameet was the official launch of the #TassieStyle campaign which is the tourism industry’s latest campaign to mark the Summer season in Tasmania and is offering a whole host of amazing prizes.
More information on the places we visited today:
Czeching Out Tasmania 