G'day Hobart, Tasmania

Friday – May 20, 2012
Another early day as we had to depart for the airport at 5:30 am to catch a 2 hour flight to Hobart at 7:25 am. I don’t know what it is about me and middle seats on a plane but there I was stuck in the middle. A word to the wise – When flying Qantas partner JetStat, when the flight attendants ask if you want coffee, tea or soft drink, be prepared to hand over $3.00 Australian dollars to quench your thirst.

After a long wait for our luggage, we boarded our coach for a 30 minute drive to the town of Cambridge for morning tea at Emma’s family home. As we pulled into the driveway, we were greeted by Emma’s father, mother and grandmother. How can I describe the spectacular views looking down into the valley. I stood in awe as two eagles soared overhead, magpies sang in the trees to the left, sheep grazed below, and in the distance, oyster harvesting farms could be seen below.

Morning tea consisted of coffee, tea, fresh squeezed orange juice, sausage pie, variety of different cakes, including apple cake and fruit cake, and the Australian favorite Tim Tom. Everything was delicious and the family was very hospitable. What better way to start my journey in Hobart than being invited into the home of the local family. This was truly a memorable experience.

Our next stop was Bonorong Park (prounounced “Bong-a-rong” Aboriginal meaning “Native Companion), Tasmania’s most popular wildlife park. It was established in 1981 as a sanctuary for injured and orphaned wildlife.

Bonorong Park (pronounced “Bon-a-rong” - Aboriginal meaning “Native Companion”), Tasmania’s most popular wildlife park, was established in 1981 as a sanctuary for injured and orphaned wildlife. But make no mistake, Bonorong is not a zoo. It is a sanctuary specializing in giving you an up-close and personal experience with the wildlife.

The park has one of the largest mobs of friendly, free-ranging kangaroos and wallabies. You can meet them all by hand-feeding them with the complimentary bag of animal feed we give you on your arrival. And I was rewarded for my feeding efforts by a female with a baby kangaroo (called a joey) in her pouch. The little guy kind of peeked out a couple of times and once even revealed his front paws. Now that was memorable.

I also had an opportunity to get close up and personal with the resident koalas. These are such gentle and beautiful animals. I understand why you just want to cuddle and hug them.

We left Bonorong at 1:30 pm for our next stop – Moorilla Estate and the Museum of Old and New Art (MONA). Monanism is the opening exhibition of the Museum of Old and New Art. It contains David Walsh’s favourite works; the ones that represent him and present him to the world for interest, outrage or indifference. Let’s just say art is subjective so form your own opinion.

After our tour we had a delicious lunch with local wines and cheeses. It is now 4:00 pm and time to transfer to our hotel – the Henry Jones Art Hotel. The Henry Jones Art Hotel is located on Hobart’s waterfront and is Australia’s first dedicated art hotel. The site in which it is located dates back to 1804 and
the former jam factory has been transformed into an enthralling first class hotel designed by award-winning architects, Morris-Nunn & Associates. The hotel is furnished with over 300 artworks and presents an environment in which people can experience art in a new and more immediate way. With a continuously changing exhibition, the hotel has been created to present itself as a fusion of art, heritage, tradition and nature.

The hotel houses 56 rooms and suites all uniquely different and furnished with the hotel’s history and contemporary art as the forefront of each space. The restaurants and bars highlight the best of Tasmania’s fine food and beverage produce for a truly unique experience. Right throughout the property you will be fascinated by the unexpected combination of the antique and ultra modern in every form.

I had an opportunity to experience the crusine for myself at the hosted dinner with Tourism Tasmania. Although I did not sample any of the wine, the food was very good.