During our days wandering the beautiful apple isle which is Tasmania, we gathered memories, photographs and small trinkets all while constantly marveling at the breathtaking scenery.

Although there is much to explore in Hobart itself – where around almost every corner is a piece of history or a sleek little wine bar – the desire for us was to often head beyond the city’s skyline.

We found THE best coffee stop in Tasmania while road tripping.  Located at Eaglehawk Neck, Cubed Espresso Bar is not only passionate about producing and serving beautiful handcrafted espresso, it is also quietly dedicated to protecting the environment through recycling and repurposing, the use of solar power and composting.  They also offer up one of the best views of Pirates Bay along with your Filthy Chai.

Now I have always loved my Chai ‘dirty’ but I found this little espresso bar didn’t do a Dirty Chai.  They have however, kicked it up a notch to offer up a Filthy Chai (and pretty magnificently too might I add).  See what happens when you leave a city behind.

Pirates Bay…….

Early morning with the sun still low on the horizon, we set out to Freycinet National Park.

This is a long yet enjoyable drive which takes just on 3 hours if you don’t stop.  Naturally, we stopped.  Firstly at a little community market in Triabunna then at Swansea.  We also stopped at The Spiky Bridge, part of the old convict built coach road which connected Swansea and Little Swanport in the early 1800’s.

Tis’ indeed a spiky bridge……

Directly opposite the bridge is Great Oyster Bay, offering stunning views to the mountains in the national park.

We spent just over half an hour here before stopping in at the Meredith River Estuary.

With its surrounding tea tree, banksia and the beach driftwood, this lovely sheltered estuary is a protected area for nesting shorebirds such as the Pied Oystercatcher, the Hooded Plover, Red-capped Plovers and the Red-necked Stints.

After that it was Dolphin Sands – there were no dolphins – then Coles Bay before finally hitting the National Park.

I love this east coast area with its beautiful scrubby bush, heathlands, sheltered rocky coves, hiking tracks, stunning beaches, wildflowers and crystal clear waters.

Although it can be busy with tourists, there is a serenity to be found in the overwhelming presence of those dramatic soaring granite peaks which overlook the Tasman Sea.

The park is also home to shy and elusive Tasmanian Devils, quolls, possums, echidnas, wombats and the sweetest of wallabies.

Look at those lovely lashes……..

An avid twitcher? Then this is also the place for you as there is an abundance of bird life including tiny fairy wrens to sea eagles, hawks and falcons to flame robins, wading shore birds, wetland and migratory bird life.

Cape Tourville Lighthouse is on the northern edge of the park and offers beautiful views over Freycinet Peninsula.

We hit Hobart’s outer limits late into the evening.  The dark roads were slick with rain, the lights of the city sparkled and we wanted for nothing more.  It had been a lovely day spent in an extraordinary place in an extraordinary part of the world which radiates an extraordinary freedom to let you just be…….