One hundred minutes from The Winged House is one of the last temperate rain forests in the world.  The Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area incorporates the Cradle Mountain, Lake St Clair, Walls of Jerusalem and Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Parks.

We recommend the Dove Lake circuit,  a one day outing from The Winged House,  as a first taste of  Tasmanian wilderness.  More experienced walkers could also try the Marion Lookout walk for sublime  and bracing views.  Medium effort and rougher tracks to the lookout are clearly marked.   Take lunch, some fruit, water, sun block and a hat.   Follow the signs to the Cradle Mountain Visitor Centre (03 6492 1133).   From The Winged House the quickest route is via the B26 from the Wynyard round-about on the Bass Highway through Yolla to the A10 and C132.  Signs to Cradle Mountain are clearly marked.

National park group and family permits can be purchased at the visitors’ centre.  If you choose to leave your vehicle in the centre car park free shuttle buses connect all popular locations and walks and run every 15 minutes.   This is an easy and spectacular introduction to Cradle Mountain after which you can plan more extensive exploration of the entire world heritage area through the Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service  www.parks.tas.gov.au.

To view the full list of north west wineries visit www.cradlecoastwines. With the cleanest air in the world and cool water from the many rivers and streams north west Tasmanian vineyards produce excellent pinot noir and chardonnay, riesling, merlot, gewurtztraminer, pinot gris, pinot meurnier, cabernet savignon, Muller, Thurgau, Gamay, La Grein, Savignon blanc and Schoenberger varieties.

Due to the prevailing westerly winds and the micro climate this produces the growing season starts later than other areas of Tasmania and is therefore extended,  producing fruit with great intensity, character, aromas and flavours.

Stanley, settled in 1826 as a deep sea port for Van Dieman’s Land,  has great colonial heritage value and is well worth a visit, particularly because of The Nut.   Like Table Cape, The Nut is a remnant basalt monolith and to take it all in we recommend a walk to the top or take the chairlift.  Tourist operators also  offer seal cruises and penguin viewing.  Visit the Stanley Visitor Information Centre at 45 Main Road (1300138229) to assess the most desirable activity.

Cape Grim, on the far north-west tip of Tasmania is about 120 minutes drive from The Winged House and can only be accessed by prior bookings (1300360441 www.hydro.com.au) .  There are 37 99-metre tall wind turbines harnessing the Roaring Forties, which arrive unhindered from the great southern ocean all the way from South Africa.    Cape Grim is said to have about the cleanest air in the world and, knowing this fact, entrepreneurs (www.tasmanianrain.com) have established rain-catching businesses nearby to market Tasmanian rain to discerning consumers world wide .  The water so produced is said to have 17 parts per million of total dissolved solids and is claimed to be more naturally pure than any water bottled from underground sources. Clever eh?

The Wild West Coast is a surfing paradise for the wet suited best seen by a trip to Marrawah.  Surfers say the best thing about the big  waves here is the environment, with  just the  relentless sea, sometimes whipped to a frenzy by the roaring forties and that wild natural coastline unblemished by roads or buildings.

Fifty minutes away is access to The Tarkine Wilderness, 370,000 hectares of north-west Tasmania, home to the last of the world’s gondwanic old-growth rainforests, including the 2000-year-old Huon pine.  The area is flanked by the Arthur and Pieman rivers and the southern ocean.  It’s a great drive, with many river cruises and guided tours operated by experienced tourism operators.   The ecology and natural heritage significance of The Tarkine is best canvassed by the  WWF – Australia website wwf.org.au/ourwork/land/tarkine.

Tours, cruises, maps and operators are best accessed at www.parks.tas.gov.au.   We recommend as a starter a one day tour encompassing Dismal Swamp, a 600 hectare sinkhole ecosystem and the South Arthur Forest Drive.   Head west along the Bass Highway to Smithton to pick up the Dismal Swamp signs.  Dismal Swamp (03 64567199 www.dismalswamp.com.au) is the world’s only Blackwood sinkhole forest (opening hours 9am  – 5pm November to March; 9am  – 4pm all other months) with 40 species of fungus, 22 species of ferns and mosses, one species of crayfish and one very special tree.  There’s an information centre, quite a good licensed restaurant on  an award-winning platform (coincidentally constructed by John De Jong who also built The Winged House) and  an exhilarating 110 metre slide down to the swamp and its labyrinth of raised boardwalks.

About 30 minutes south of Smithton the South Arthur Forest Drive ( (0364524900 www.tasforestrytourism.com.au) is a loop that will take you through seven different forest experiences.  You’ll need a full day to do Dismal Swamp and the South Arthur Forest Drive but by the time you get back to The Winged House you will know what the Tarkine is all about.  This is a  self-guided tour by travelling along the C218 or alternatively take the C214 (via Dismal Swamp and Arthur River.  Drive carefully as many of the roads on the drive are unsealed.  There are many picnic spots, view platforms and short walks. You can stop at the Sumac Lookout, the Julius River Forest Reserve, Lake Chisholm, Dempster Plains,  the Milkshake Hills Forest Reserve and the Kanunnah and Tayatea bridges.

This is Tasmania’s big biennial  arts, culture and epicurean event drawing international chefs and performing artists in dance, theatre, music, opera, film, writing and sculpture to 200 ticketed and free venues throughout  Tasmania.     The full program can be viewed on www.tendaysontheisland.org

Apart from Tollymore Road itself with its spectacular coastal views, west of The Winged House there are a number of easily accessible short walks.  For a 30 minute return walk visit the Table Cape lookout and lighthouse.  You can park at either and follow the track along the cliff face.  The historical narrative on a plinth next to the light house is recommended.

Table Cape was named by George Bass and Matthew Flinders in December 1798 as their sloop The Norfolk explored the north west coast on what turned out to be their circumnavigation of Van Dieman’s Land.    Also described is the unique tribes of Aborigines who inhabited the north west.

Another short walk (best with an incoming tide or high tide) is along the Inglis River at Wynyard.  Park near the sea food café and jetty on the Inglis River east of Wynyard’s main drag and follow the signs through Gutteridge Gardens.   There’s also Hellyer Gorge with its River and Old Myrtle Forest walks via Yolla, southbound from the Wynyard-Bass Highway round-about, 40 minutes away.   Waratah-Wynyard Council’s website www.warwyn.tas.gov.au has the scenic walks listed under community and recreation.

For more adventurous short walks drive 20 minutes to Rocky Cape National Park via Sisters’ Beach.   Tasmania’s national parks system has their full list of the region’s short walks www.parks.tas.gov.au.  Other sites in the north west can be accessed through www.tasmaniasnorthwest.com.au.

Tangdimmaa (Rocky Cape) is just 20 minutes west from The Winged House.  It has many walking tracks both coastal and inland  from 30 minutes to all day.   We recommend as a starter the Banksia Grove and Wet Cave circuit (30 minutes) from Irby Boulevarde at the boat ramp at Sister’s Beach.

It is a spectacular coastal walk through native vegetation.   Pick up a brochure at the Sister’s Beach visitor information booth, fees payable.   More information at www.parks.tas.gov.au.  This is a place of great significance to Tasmanian Aboriginal people.  The Rar.rer.loi.he.ner people lived here,  making their homes in sea caves.

Please respect these special places by not entering them.  Take water and some energy food, sun block, hat and sunglasses and some protection from wind/rain.  It is best not to walk alone and for full day treks please tell someone reliable where you are going and when you are due back.

We recommend you Google ‘kayaking Tasmania’ for the full virtual tour of what’s possible in the north west and throughout the state.  Arthur River kayak/canoe hire (0364571312 Main Road, Arthur River) will talk you through the practicalities and accessible north-west sites.  Another kayak hire operator is Canoe’N’Surf (03 64244314 www.canoesurf.com.au 141 William Street Devonport).