2019 “Discover Tasmania – PURE / LUXURY Food & Wine Experience”

Another UNIQUE Cooking Passions “Small-Group” Food & Culture Experience

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9 Days / 8 Nights

Saturday 16 November 2019 to Sunday 24 November 2019

PRICING

$AUD3885* per person  (Double or Twin Occupancy)
Single Supplement (Own Room) + $AUD1495per person

– Fully Booked –

*ALL INCLUSIVE LAND CONTENT including 8 Nights Luxury Accommodations; Included Meals – as per itinerary; Food & Wine Experiences; One Hands-on Cooking Class; 8-Day Hire Car; National Park Fees; MONA Entrance and Posh Pit Luxury Harbour Transfer
(Please refer to Inclusions & Non-Inclusions List below)

Join Nico & Belinda of Cooking Passions Cooking School, as we escort a small group of travellers on another of  our “hand-picked” food, wine, and leisure experiences of Tasmania’s stunning East Coast.
Our 9 Day/8 Night  “Discover Tasmania – Pure/Luxury Food & Wine Tour” will have us exploring and indulging in Australia’s most unique “paddock to plate / vineyard to bottle”  food & wine experiences, set against the stunning backdrop of Tasmania’s magnificent spring scenery.
With over 15 years of escorting our Cooking Passions groups to Asia and Europe, our first uniquely Australian food & wine tour had to be Tasmania, which is fast gaining an international reputation as one of the world’s great culinary destinations. The quality of the local Tasmanian produce and wine is testament to being produced in one of the most pristine and purest growing environments in the world. With produce originating “from where the cleanest air in the world is”, many of Tasmania’s finest chefs, restaurants and vineyards pay homage to these caringly cultivated products by abiding by their own “food philosophy”, proudly displayed at the start of many menus at the restaurants and vineyards we will be indulging in.
As well as enjoying some of the finest food & wine of East Tasmania, you will also have the opportunity to explore the beauty and mystique of East Tasmania’s “wilderness” at Freycinet National Park’s stunning Wineglass Bay, home to some of Australia’s finest walks; and the early 17th century architecture of some of Tasmania’s historical towns and buildings.
Cooking Passions “Small Group” Cuisine & Culture Journeys 
Our  bespoke Cuisine & Culture tours have been designed so that you can make the most of your precious time, as we have done all of the “behind the scenes” research to scope out the finest luxury hotels, local transfers, sights, restaurants, spas & excursions, so you don’t have too. 
Each of our tours are designed so you can do as much or as little as you like, while allowing you plenty of free time to explore and immerse yourselves in the sights, shopping, relaxation and eating that YOU want to experience (we’ll be happy to provide suggestions and tips on some of our favourites from our previous trips). So all you have to do is book your preferred flight, pack a bag & a sense of adventure, and join us for an unforgettable and luxurious Australian Food & Wine experience!
Tour Highlights
Tour Inclusions
Included Not Included
✔︎   8 Nights Luxury Accommodation – Hobart / Freycinet / Launceston    ✖︎ Domestic Airfares of your choice
✔︎  Hands-On Cooking Class – The Red Feather Inn    ✖︎ Alcoholic & Non-alcoholic beverages for included meals
✔︎  MONA (Museum of Old & New Art) Champagne Cruise & Admission    ✖︎ Taxi fares within Hobart & Launceston
✔︎  Welcome Dinner – Launceston – Stillwater Restaurant
✔︎  Group Dinner – Hobart – Aloft Restaurant
✔︎  Group Dinner – Hadspen – Red Feather Inn
✔︎  Private Chef Final Group – Hobart – The Islington
✔︎  Tamar Valley “Sparkling Australia” Wine Route Cellar Door Tour
 ✔︎ 8 Day Car Hire with Unlimited kms
✔︎  2 Day Freycinet National Park (Wineglass Bay) Pass
✔︎  Group Escorts (including Registered Nurse)
 ✔︎  Tour Photographer
 ✔︎  Pre-Trip Briefing (Perth)
ITINERARY

Saturday 16 November 2019 – ARRIVAL – Launceston, Tasmania

Arrival – Arrival in Launceston at your leisure on your preferred airline (own arrangements). Upon your arrival into Launceston Airport, we have arranged for you to collect your 8-day hire vehicle from the airport.
Check in to our Launceston accommodation – Peppers Seaport Hotel – for our first evening of the tour. Take the opportunity to relax in your River View Suite with views of the Tamar River and Seaport Dock.

18:30pm – Our Welcome Group Dinner will be at one of Tasmania’s and Launceston’s finest restaurants. Stillwater is one of Tasmania’s most awarded restaurants with a strong focus on producing exceptional food with a strong focus on fresh Tasmanian produce. The restaurant is set in a beautifully restored 1830s flour mill beside the picturesque Tamar River in Launceston, and only a short walk from our hotel.

(Included Meals:  D)
Accommodation – Peppers Seaport Hotel

Sunday 17 November 2019 – Tamar Valley Wine Route Experience

am – Breakfast at your leisure then check out from Peppers Seaport Hotel
10:00am to 14:00pm – Tamar Valley “Sparkling Australia” Wine Tour

Kreglinger Vineyards

Today we have arranged for a chauffeured tour of one of Tasmania’s most important viticultural regions in terms of quality and output – Pipers River. The region was pioneered in 1974 by Dr. Andrew Pirie with the establishment of his Pipers Brook Vineyard. The vineyard brought Tasmanian wine, and this particular region, to the notice of wine-lovers around the world. With a climate close to that of Champagne in France, this region is known simply as “Sparkling Tasmania” with many of Tasmania’s premium sparkling wines originating here including Jansz, Kreglinger, Ninth Island, and Bay of Fires.
Our tour will include not only some of Tasmania’s finest sparkling wine vineyards, but we will also call into boutique wine producers who are the “new breed” in Australian winemaking such as Delamere, and Dr. Andrew Pirie’s newest venture Apogee – a 2-hectare single vineyard estate (the average size of a family holding in Champagne) producing only 10,000 to 20,000 bottles per year, the culmination of his 40 year search for the perfect “terroir” of the famous French cool-climate areas of northern France in this tiny pocket of Tasmania.
While we visit the wineries, take advantage of the Tamar Valley Wine Route “Travel Lightly” programme where, as you purchase your favourite wines during your winery visits in Tasmania, the last winery you visit will pack and send home your wines for you, for just the cost of freight, alleviating any excessive baggage & transport hassles for getting your favourite wines back home safely.
14:30pm – Return to Peppers Seaport Hotel to collect your luggage and hire car for the short drive to the village of Hadspen, home of The Red Feather Inn.
15:00pm – Check into your room at The Red Feather Inn.

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Red Feather Inn is a luxury boutique retreat and cooking school with a focus on “paddock to plate” cuisine sourced from its own potager garden and nearby farm. This beautifully restored convict-built sandstone Georgian “coaching inn” is one of Australia’s longest operating inns, having first opened its doors to travelers in 1844. Lovingly restored to 2008 with a distinct Provencal flavour by Cordon-Bleu trained chef and Francophile Lydia Nettlefold, guests are comfortably accommodated in one of its six beautifully appointed stylish suites which look over the property’s secluded garden.

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19:00pm – Red Feather Inn Welcome Dinner – Lydia’s talented team of chefs will prepare a gourmet shared-table meal using the best local seasonal produce sourced from the inn’s vegetable garden and nearby farm and local suppliers.

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(Included Meals – B,D)
ACCOMMODATIONRed Feather Inn

Monday 18 November 2019 –  Red Feather Inn Cooking Experience

Breakfast at your leisure.
This morning and early afternoon is  an opportunity for you to enjoy The Red Feather’s stunning grounds and gardens and simply take some time out for yourself. Alternatively, use your hire car for the short drive to visit Launceston’s famous Cataract Gorge Park or visit some of the nearby wineries, such as Josef Chromy,  or small villages around Hadspen.
Cataract Gorge, Launceston

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Launceston’s own piece of wilderness just 15 minutes walk from the city centre. Here you’ll find walking and hiking trails, the world’s longest single span chairlift, swimming pool, restaurant, kiosk, cafe peacocks and wildlife, beautiful gardens, suspension bridge, inclinator for easy access, Interpretation Centre and panoramic lookouts with spectacular views.
Josef Chromy Winery, Reilba

VINEYARD Relbia

Josef Chromy fled war-torn Czechoslovakia in 1950 as a penniless 20-year-old following Nazi & Soviet occupation before immigrating to Australia. Renowned in the Tasmanian food and wine industry, Josef Chromy OAM has owned and developed some of Tasmania’s leading wineries including Rochecombe (now Bay of Fires), Jansz, Heemskerk and Tamar Ridge.
In the five years since it was established, Josef Chromy Wines is the culmination of his experience in the Tamar Valley. Its unique vineyard site (60 hectares), multi-million dollar Restaurant, Function Centre, Cellar Door and Winery is delivering exquisite table and sparkling wine as well as providing one of the most memorable food and wine experiences in Tasmania. Its wines have won 15 trophies, 25 gold medals and more than 180 medals in total, making it one of the most successful launches in the history of the Tasmanian wine industry. The Cellar Door & Cafe has been named in the “Top 10 Cellar Doors of Australia” by Wine Business Magazine.

2:30pm to 6:30pmRed Feather Inn Cooking Experience – The Red Feather Inn house chefs will share with us their passion for good food, the enjoyment of cooking and the splendour of Tasmanian produce. The class will build your confidence with even the more complicated tasks, whilst having an entertaining and sociable cooking experience. In tandem with their nearby heritage farm “Haggerstone” and the vegetable potage at the Inn, the Cooking School uses the ingredients they have grown and raised for an experience to savour.

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RF Boys Cooking

RF Class

19:00pm – Final Group Dinner at The Red Feather Inn with the menu that we have prepared at class.
(Included Meals – B,D)
ACCOMMODATIONRed Feather Inn

Tuesday 19 November 2019 – Freycinet National Park and Wineglass Bay

am – Breakfast at your leisure.
10am – Check out from The Red Feather Inn. Depart Hadspen at your leisure for the scenic 3-hour drive along Tasmania’s picturesque East Coast to Freycinet Lodge at Wineglass Bay in Freycinet National Park. Call into some of the East Coast’s scenic fishing towns including Bicheno and St. Helen’s.
4pm – Check into your luxury Premier Wineglass Bay Cabin at Freycinet Lodge in Coles Bay, Tasmania. There is the option to upgrade* to one of Freycinet Lodge’s newest luxury Coastal Pavilions, based on availability.
ACCOMMODATIONFreycinet Lodge (Coles Bay, Tasmania)

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Freycinet Lodge is set on a spectacular waterfront location just inside one of Australia’s most beautiful national parks, Freycinet National Park, and its famous Wineglass Bay. The lodge is the perfect location to explore the Freycinet peninsula.

Premier Wineglass Bay Cabins

Freycinet Lodge’s Premier Wineglass Bay Cabins are a world of hidden comforts and proof that communing with nature does not have to mean roughing it. They are a place to relax and rejuvenate while allowing an opportunity to experience nature’s wild harmony without sacrificing a few creature comforts.

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Coastal Pavilions*

Freycinet Lodge’s new Coastal Pavilions opened in March 2018 as part of its Freycinet Renewal Program. The form and spatial relationships of the Pavilions take their cue from the coastal granite rock formations that dominate the edge of the waterfront – responding to the smooth, rounded and beautiful forms. The Coastal Pavilions consist of a living pod and bed pod that form an embrace, reminiscent of Honeymoon Bay, protecting the outdoor deck and offering privacy to the outdoor bath.

The exterior protective shell is made of durable hardwood that is charred – providing ember protection in the bush context, while also increasing the longevity of the timber and ensuring the Pavilions are visually discreet, providing a recessive backdrop to the natural vegetation and stunning, filtered water views.

pm – Enjoy the comfort of your Premier Spa cabin or Coastal Pavilion Pod with a leisurely afternoon of sipping some of Tasmania’s finest wines on the deck of your cabin before watching the sunset over Great Oyster Bay.
Free Evening  – Enjoy dinner in-house at one of Freycinet’s restaurants or head into nearby Coles Bay for a meal at one of our favourite restaurants where you can enjoy delicious wood-fired pizzas and sample Tasmania’s famous oysters.

(Included Meals – B, D)
Accommodation : Freycinet Lodge

Wednesday 20 November 2019 – Freycinet National Park – FREE DAY

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Breakfast at your leisure at the Lodge
am – For those that would like to explore Freycinet National Park, choose from one of Tasmania’s Great Short Walks such as the stunning Wineglass Bay Walk or the Hazard Beach Circuit Walk, located virtually just outside your door OR simply choose to do nothing much at all other than to run the spa, kick back and take in the comforts of your luxury accommodation for the day and its waterfront views.

Optional Suggested Activities around Freycinet National Park

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pm – Sit back with a glass of wine or a cocktail and watch the sunset over Freycinet’s Great Oyster Bay before deciding on dinner at your leisure from one of Freycinet Lodge’s restaurants or in nearby Coles Bay.

20:30 pm – “Freycinet Whiskey Tasting Experience” (OPTIONAL EXPERIENCE) – For those that might like to finish off the evening with a journey through Whisky history, you have the option of taking part in the “Freycinet Whisky Tasting” where you will have the opportunity to sample three of Scotland’s finest whiskies and compare them against three of Tasmania’s best, all matched with fresh Tasmanian produce.
(Included Meals – B)

Thursday 21 November 2019 – TASMANIA’S GREAT EASTERN DRIVE & HOBART

am – Breakfast at your leisure at Freycinet Lodge.
am – Check out from Freycinet Lodge at your leisure for the two and half hour drive south-wast to Hobart along Tasmania’s Great Eastern Drive.
Freycinet Peninsula to Orford – The Great Eastern Drive south from Freycinet towards Hobart, snakes its way along the gorgeous, emerald Prosser River, through sleepy mountain ranges and along some of the most breath-taking coastline in the country. Villages along the way include Swansea, Triabunna (gateway to the UNESCO listed historical sites of Maria Island) and Orford.
Orford to Richmond – Inland from the coast, enroute to Hobart, visit the charming historic 19th century Georgian village of Richmond, and its famous sandstone Tasman Bridge, Australia’s oldest bridge (below) built in 1823 by convict labour.

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Richmond to Hobart – Continuing from Richmond you will pass though Tasmania’s Southern Wine Trail situated on the outskirts of Hobart. To sample some of this regions wines, travel along the Coal Valley Road for some of southern Tasmania’s iconic cool-climate vineyards including – Meadowbank, Domaine A, Frogmore Creek, and Puddleduck wineries.
pm – Arrive into Hobart this afternoon, at your leisure.

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We have arranged for your accommodation at – The Islington – Hobart’s only 5-star Luxury Boutique Hotel. You are able to check in anytime from 2pm, however should you arrive earlier you are welcome to drop off your luggage and enjoy the hotel’s beautifully appointed lounge and living areas or go for a little walk around Hobart’s beautiful and historic Battery Point area which is nearby.
ACCOMMODATIONThe Islington (Hobart)

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The Islington is Hobart’s only five-star luxury boutique hotel that has consistently won best luxury accommodation awards over the past five years. Built in 1847, Islington is an outstanding example of Regency architecture, recently restored to showcase the property’s original glory. It was one of the first houses built in the dress circle of Hobart and is decorated with fine art and furnished with antiques. Updated to include the little necessities and amenities our forebears over-looked, such as a wonderful glass enclosed mountain-view conservatory and a cellar stocked with the finest Tasmanian wine, Islington is a haven of serenity, luxury and tranquility a short walk from central Hobart. Owned by two avid art collectors, the 1800s building is also home to original artworks from Brett-Whiteley, Grayson Perry, Monet and Picasso.
19:30pm – Group Dinner at ALOFT which is beautifully situated at Hobart’s Brooke Street Pier with stunning water views across the Derwent River. Chef Glenn Byrnes, formerly of Hobart’s ground-breaking Garagistes, substitutes Asian ingredients with Tasmanian-found alternatives for his Australasian influenced seasonal menu.

(Included Meals – B, D)

Friday 22 November 2019 – FREE DAY

am – Breakfast in the conservatory at The Islington.

With so much on offer in and around Hobart, and your hire car available for you to travel beyond the city, we have set aside today so that you can explore some of the incredible sights, history, food & wine that interests you the most.

Optional Suggested Activities in & around Hobart
Port Arthur Historic Site – Australia’s most famous colonial penitentiary, Port Arthur, is 90 minutes drive east of Hobart. Along the way, fuel up (your body, not your car) at the Bangor Wine and Oyster Shed outside of Dunalley, where you can sip and eat in sight of the oyster leases and vines. At Eaglehawk Neck, walk across the curious patterned geology of the Tessellated Pavement then detour to Waterfall Bay for a view along the coast towards Australia’s highest line of sea cliffs. Allow a few hours at Port Arthur to tour the prison and the former town settlement before returning to Hobart.

 

Bruny Island – Elongated Bruny Island is accessed via a short car-ferry ride from Kettering, 30 kilometres (19 miles) south of Hobart. See the island’s imposing cliff-lined coast on a three hour boat trip with Pennicott Wilderness Journeys then graze your way through the island’s gourmet treats at the Bruny Island Cheese Company, Get Shucked oyster farm, Bruny Island Premium Wines and the Tasmanian House of Whisky. Visit the Cape Bruny Lighthouse, built in 1838, and climb the steps to the top of the sand dunes on the Neck – the sandy isthmus that holds the island together – for a spectacular view along the island’s coast.

 

Huon Valley – See how Tasmania earned its nickname of the “Apple Isle” in the Huon Valley, south of Hobart. At Willie Smith’s Apple Shed journey through the state’s apple history in the museum and learn about Tasmania’s booming cider industry. Admire the artistry of wooden boat construction at the Wooden Boat Centre in Franklin then wander high through the forest canopy on the Tahune AirWalk, poised above the Huon River. Enjoy a Friday afternoon long lunch at the “Gourmet Farmer” Matthew Evan’s Fat Pig Farm or drive back to Hobart beside the D’Entrecasteaux Channel, stopping to sample the sheep’s cheese and sheep whey vodka at Grandvewe Cheeses.

 

Historic Hobart – Take a Historic Walking Tour of Hobart or visit one of the fascinating historical sites such as the Cascades Female Factory. The Cascades Female Factory Historic Site will help bring the story of this challenging but very special place to life for you which offer insights into the regimented system of punishment and reform that operated within its walls, and also poses the question whether these women were more sinned against than sinning?

pm – Evening at your leisure. Enjoy a quiet Tasmanian wine in front of The Islington conservatory’s open-fireplace while deciding on whether you might like to have The Islington’s private chef prepare dinner for you, or we can visit some of our favourite Hobart restaurants for you to go visit including the multi-award winning Fico, Franklin’s and Me Wah restaurants.
(Included Meals – B)
Accommdation : The Islington (Hobart)

Saturday 23 November 2019 – Salamanca’s Famous Saturday Markets &  MONA

am – Breakfast at your leisure in the conservatory at The Islington.
9:30am to 13:00pm – Morning at your leisure to explore more of Hobart City. We suggest starting off at its famous Salamanca Markets where you can soak in the history of Hobart while strolling amongst some of its outstanding local gourmet businesses and artisan producers of Tasmania’s stunning cheeses, sensational cool-climate wines, fresh seafood, charcuterie, pastries and more.



14:00pm
 – We have arranged for your luxury “Posh Pit” return transfers to MONA (Museum of Old & New Art) (with complimentary Moorilla Wine & Moo Brew beverages and canapes, pastries antipasto platters included during the 30 minute harbour cruise to the museum.

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Tasmania’s current major tourist attraction – MONA (Museum of Old & New Art) – is the $100 million private art collection of 49 year-old multi-millionaire, professional gambler and eccentric philanthropist, David Walsh. A university drop-out whose talent in mathematics allowed him to create a fortune by developing a gambling system for horse-racing and sports betting, Hobart’s “local boy, done good” has described his new museum as “a subversive Disneyland”.
On our first visit to Hobart in April 2012, we were blown away by this museum, not only of it’s controversial and thought-provoking installation, but also by the three-level $75 million dollar underground museum which is built into a sandstone headland on the Derwent River. In just 12 months of opening in January 2011, MONA now is Tasmania’s largest tourist draw, surpassing the city’s Saturday morning Salamanca Markets and Port Arthur.
As well as the museum, this property is also home to David Walsh’s Moorilla Estate Winery and Moo Brewery. During your visit to MONA, take the opportunity to indulge in a wine & beer tasting.

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pm – Return from MONA at your leisure. Spend a little time relaxing back at The Islington before we head for dinner in Hobart.
19:30pmFinal Tasmanian Group Dinner – Islington Private Dining Room – Our final group dinner will be in the grand surrounds of The Islington’s Private Dining Room where the hotel’s personal chef will prepare our dinner featuring Tasmania’s purest and finest fresh ingredients.

(Included Meals – B, D)
Accommdation : The Islington (Hobart)

Sunday 24 November 2019 – Departures and Au Revoir

am – Breakfast at your leisure before we say our final group goodbyes. Continue to explore more of Tasmania’s pure beauty or return your hire car to the Hobart Airport before continuing to your next destination. Au revoir!!
PRICING & INCLUSIONS
$AUD3885* per person  (Double or Twin Occupancy)
Single Supplement (Own Room) + $AUD1495per person
The following is INCLUDED in the price:
The following is NOT INCLUDED in the price:
BOOKING DEADLINE* : 01 August 2019
Due to the limited rooms available at our selected Luxury Boutique hotels we will be experiencing, bookings must be secured by 01 August 2019 so that we can confirm them with our accommodation providers and cooking school. We trust this meets with your understanding.
BOOKINGS
To secure your places, please contact Nico Moretti at urbanprovider@icloud.com or 0402 154 358, and we will forward you a Cooking Passions Booking Form, or Download a BOOKING FORM – 2019 Discover Tasmania Booking Form (PDF)
Booking Deadline: 01 August 2019
Booking Deposit: A $AUD600 BOOKING DEPOSIT is required to secure your booking for the tour, at the time of your reservation.
Final Payment: Payment in full is required at least 60 days prior to departure (Payment Due : 16 August 2019)
We look forward to hosting you on this very special Tasmanian “Pure / Luxury” experience!! If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate in contacting us.
Buon viaggio,
Nico & Belinda Moretti
Cooking Passions Cooking School
P: 0402 154 358   M: 0430 489 900
www.urbanprovider.com.au