Lonely Planet Tasmania

First it was all about applesbut now the Apple Isles contribution to world food extends to premium seafood, cheese, bread, honey, nuts, truffles, stone fruit, craft beer, whisky, gin and intensely flavoured cool-climate wines. Many smaller producers are owned and operated by passionate foodies: Tasmania is seemingly custom-built for a driving holiday spent shunting between these farm-gate suppliers, boozy cellar doors and niche provedores. After youve sampled the produce, book a table at a top restaurant and see how the local chefs transform it.

By Charles Rawlings-Way, Writer

I spent my childhood in Hobart, wheeling my bike between the beach and the bush. It was the 70s, man Tasmania was a magical, laid-back place to be a kid. Like so many other islanders, I was lured away in my 20s by the mainland big smoke but I return to the small smoke as often as possible, and am thrilled to see MONA firing Tasmanias cultural scene and turning the worlds understanding of the island on its head. Not to mention the beer, the wine, the whisky Whos for a drink?