Travel: Lovely Launceston

For a state less than half the size of the North Island, Tasmania punches well above its weight with its abundance of world-class attractions and knock-out scenery. I've been guilty over the years of gazing at the atlas, noting how near a neighbour "Tassie" is to us, but never actually following through with plans to experience it.

Well, last month, I took the plunge, exploring Tasmania's top spots. What a trip. What a discovery.

My Tasmanian foray commenced in the northern gateway city, Launceston. Lovely, leafy "Lonny" (as the locals call it) is a pocket-sized city, best explored on foot, and a great introduction to Tasmania's treasures.

Launceston has undergone a quiet reinvention, casting aside its hillbilly image and emerging as a boutique destination, with graceful architecture and public spaces, a red-hot arts scene and lively hospitality.

Grab a walking map and take a self-guided tour of the city centre's stately heritage buildings, notably the Georgian and Victorian specimens.

I adore the old post office, with its striking round tower, making it look more like a lighthouse than a place to post your letters.

There's only one true brew that Northern Tasmanians will consume - Boag's beer. The ubiquitous brew has been produced from the same William St site since 1881.

A prize draw is Australia's largest regional gallery, the recently restored Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery, which houses a glorious collection of colonial art.

Character buildings host personable cafes and restaurants. My city picks would be Pierre's, a cafe institution since the 1950s, and Stillwater restaurant, atmospherically housed in a riverside mill.

Check out the redeveloped boardwalk waterfront precinct, Seaport, with its lively bars and eateries. But if you needed only one reason to visit Launceston, it would have to be to see the remarkable natural feature which carves its way into town, Cataract Gorge. It's the ultimate oasis; a natural symphony of wild bushland, towering cliffs, walking trails and the cascading waters of the South Esk River, which spill out into a mega-sized lagoon where the locals come to cool off.

Launceston deserves a night or two, and a relaxing place to stay is Country Club Tasmania. This lakeside resort has a slew of leisure activities, including a championship golf course, driving range, horse riding, boutique casino and no fewer than five restaurants. They've also recently opened a drive-in cinema.

My most memorable dining experience was dinner at The Terrace, a multi-award-winning restaurant, which celebrates Tasmania's finest and freshest produce.