Food, drinks, and now Tasmania has its own fragrance

Tasmania has built a formidable reputation for its food and wine, and now the island state has its own fragrance. 

Wild fragrance GONDWANA by Undersong has just launched in one of Tasmania's most picturesque locations. 

The perfumery is located overlooking the water at Bicheno’s The Gulch, a noted east coast beauty spot, and is open by appointment. 

Undersong founder Hilary Burden, a former ABC journalist and author (right), says GONDWANA Eau de Parfum "evokes a love of land from old time, an era when flowering plants first arrived in the southern hemisphere 100 million years ago".

Tasmania has some of the rarest temperate rainforests in the world with links to the former great southern landmass of Gondwana. 

The limited-release wild fragrance aims to distil the essence of Earth’s temperate rainforests and evoke a love of plants older than human life.

GONDWANA was chosen from six Undersong aromatic mists (all steam-distilled hydrosol blends created by Burden) by Grasse-based master perfumer Marianne Nawrocki, who specialises in natural fragrances. 

Burden worked alongside Nawrocki at the Grasse Institute of Perfumery in France during the summer of 2023. Together they lifted the fragrance’s intensity and longevity.

Returning to Australia, Burden continued to fine-tune her scent with Sydney-based independent perfumer Jocelyn Fullerton. 

GONDWANA Eau de Parfum is described as "a woody-aromatic scent that opens with piquant Tasmanian pepper leaf and Sassafras. 

These native ingredients lend their vibrant energies to White cypress leaf, Cabreuva wood and Tasmanian Celery Top pine, creating a primordial harmony of nature in balance, an odour of temperate rainforests, of leaves, flowers, and heartwood, from sun-drenched forest canopies down to the petrichor-rich earth". 

GONDWANA travel sizes are now available from Undersong Perfumery, Bicheno, and online at www.undersong.com.au. 

The lowdown on one of Tasmania's quirkiest festivals

Tasmanians love a festival. The quirkier the better.

Maybe a festival celebrating steam. Or an event devoted to garlic.

One of the more offbeat of the island’s festivals is ECHO, which will run from March 31-April 2 on the east coast of the island state.

The East Coast Harvest Odyssey is the brainchild of singer and social dynamo Ange Boxall, who is also one of the owners of the Splendid gin brand.

The festival’s theme for 2023 is Water Birds - with a strong focus on the Black Swan.

The festival aims to guides guests on a journey of exploration that encompasses all the senses: taste, smell, sight, sound and touch.

Hosted in picturesque wine country on the fringes of Swansea, the program brings together chefs, winemakers and producers along with artists, musicians, storytellers, scientists, entrepreneurs, cultural and thought leaders.

The program features the weird and the wonderful, including Wreck of Utes, which utilises found and decaying utility vehicles from the east coast.

These vehicles have been a part of farm life, and the machinery required to run them.

Rather than sending them to be scrapped, they will be reimagined as lighting sculptures at ECHO Festival by lighting designer Jason James.

Also think blacksmith classes and morning yoga. 

So something for everyone.

ECHO falls in vintage - the grape harvesting season and when much of Tasmania's produce is harvested.

Wines from the immediate region - Cranbrook, Swansea, Little Swanport - are celebrated, along with Splendid Gin and Waubs Bay whisky, from just down the road in Bicheno.

One of the highlights of the festival is the Native Bounty Feast - a dining experience focused on using local and indigenous ingredients.

There will also be a wine masterclass and tasting hosted by wine merchant Joseph Burton and grape stomping - with the chance to step in to a wine barrel and squish the grapes between your bare toes.

# ECHO runs a free shuttle bus starting at the Waterloo Hotel, stopping along Franklin Street, Swansea Beach Chalets, and The Barkmill Tavern & Backpackers.

For full details and bookings see https://www.echofestival.com.au/

Enjoy Tasmanian seafood with a view at Sealife

Bring a big appetite with you if you plan to eat at Sealife at Bicheno on Tasmania's East Coast.

With spectacular views overlooking the ocean and a menu that focuses on Tasmanian seafood like oysters, scallops and fresh fish, it is dangerously easy to over-order.

Be warned: the portions at this eatery are genereous. Very generous.

If you order scallops rockefeller (served on the shell with herb and garlic butter and bacon) you get around 16 small, juicy and tasty scallops. Enjoy these with some garlic bread and you have a veritable feast.

Or other starter was fish croquettes, four large croquettes smothered with a blue cheese sauce and served with a fresh salad. Very tasty.

The wine list includes local producers like Milton, Freycinet Vineyard and Spring Vale, along with Tasmanian boutique stars Haddow & Dineen and Glaetzer Dixon, and a smattering of mainland options.

Fish of the day was blue-eyed trevalla, which we tried two different ways: battered with chips and salad with cherry tomatoes (three large fillets); and steamed with ginger, so, Asian greens, spring onions and chilli, along with some wild rice.



Both offered a serious challenge - and as we succeeded, that ruled out the possibility of sampling the pecan pie my wife had her eyes on.

With two glasses of wine each, we managed to come in under $200 for two - on a weekend in a popular seaside resort. That's decent value given the portion sizes.

The menu changes with the seasons with carnivore, vegan and vegetarian options available.

The service is country comfortable - totally appropriate - and the restaurant is owned and operated by a husband and wife team.

Overlooking Waubs Bay, Sealife was first established in 1978 as an aquarium for local fish species such as crayfish, octopus, sharks and seahorses.

For more info see sealiferestaurantbicheno.com

Sample a special festival on Tasmania's east coast

Been meaning to sneak in a few days away on Tasmania's delightful east coast?

ECHO Festival could be the excuse you have been looking for.

ECHO runs over the weekend April 8, 9 and 10 and celebrates the regional harvest traditions, bringing together chefs, winemakers and producers, along with artists, musicians, storytellers, scientists, entrepreneurs and thought leaders.

“In the past two years we’ve been deprived on a sensory level – touch, shared tastes, sound and scent. ECHO wakes us up and takes us on a journey of exploration to reignite the senses,” says event creative producer Ange Boxall (also one of Australia's finest country singers).

“ECHO has all the elements of a festival – the finest Tasmanian food, wine and music – but it goes deeper. ECHO aims to connect, challenge and inspire us at a time when we need it most.”

The 2022 program offers a diverse range of experiences across food, science, nature, and arts - all centred around this year’s Kelp Forests theme. Central to the ecosystems of the East Coast, kelp has been a staple for Tasmanian Aboriginal people from this region for thousands of years.

“ECHO 2022 celebrates community, stories, authentic experiences and the coming together of cultural, culinary and local produce legends," says Boxall. "It’s a celebration and representation of who we truly are on the island.

"We crave these times more than ever, connecting by the fire over a red wine, sharing experiences and tales for a deeper kind of enrichment and rejuvenation.”

Interactive experiences include the Great Eastern Ferment (grape stomping) with winemaker Peter Dredge (Dr Edge) and the famous wine expert and nude pigeage specialist Mike Bennie.

The music program includes Hayley Mary (of the Jezabels), rising pop star and daughter of Troy Cassar-Dalry: Jem Cassar-Daly, festival favourites The Embers, and performance art from Emily Sanzaro and Julia Drouhin.

The inaugural, invitation-only ECHO Odyssey, running throughout the day on April 8, is a guided behind-the-scenes tour of the region, with stops at secret locations along the East Coast, and expert-led activities and sumptuous treats and tipples along the way.

Tickets start at $125pp for general admission, $175 for VIP, $250 for silver and $300 for gold.

Further details and ticket sales at www.echofestival.com.au. A free shuttle service will be running from central Swansea to the Redbanks Farm ECHO site throughout the festival.

Images: Dearna Bond

Go East for some of Tasmania's best festivals

From the delightful beaches of the Bay of Fires (above), the gorgeous Freycinet National Park and to the many wineries in and around Bicheno, the East Coast is one of Tasmania's treasures - and it is less than a two-hour drive from both Hobart and Launceston.

Even though winter is approaching there are plenty of events to entice you east but it does pay to book well in advance as popular events like the Great Eastern Wine Weekend tend to sell out fast. 

Here are just a few of the upcoming events: 

April 8-10: ECHO Festival, Swansea

July 1-31: Bicheno Beams, Bicheno

September 9-18: Great Eastern Wine Week (program released May 2)

November 19: Bicheno Food & Wine Festival, Bicheno

The East Coast Harvest Odyssey, known as ECHO Festival, has become known for weaving together experiences around the traditions of harvest, old and new. 

Later in the year, but sure to sell out, The Tasmanian Walking Company is offering two live music walks with local alt country star Ange Boxall and Splendid Gin. 

These run from December 11-14 and December 12-15 and are priced at $3,095 per person. 

Guests can walk the Bay of Fires and enjoy an intimate Ange Boxall performance at the Bay of Fires Lodge. Book here: www.taswalkingco.com.au/bay-of-fires-live-music-walk-with-ange-boxall/

For full details on all East Coast events click on the ad boxes above, and remember to please book in advance your accommodation, car rental, events and experiences.  

How to get full value for your $2500-a-night Tasmanian experience

When you are paying $2500 a night for a couple you expect a special experience - and that is exactly what you get at Tasmania's premier luxury lodge: Saffire Freycinet.

At first glance, Saffire might seem like an extravagance. But when you take into account everything that is on offer it is a very worthwhile experience for a special occasion; perhaps a major birthday or wedding anniversary.

The key to getting great value out this superb resort is to arrive hungry, thirsty and with a sense of adventure.

Just about everything is included in your package; from luxury accommodation with magnificent views and perhaps your own private plunge pool, to three meals a day, unlimited drinks, including wines and spirits and access to your own personal mini bar.

Throw in a range of activities and some top-notch service to boot and this is a pretty extraordinary place to stay - if you can get a reservation.

First there are the views across beautiful Great Oyster Bay to the Hazards Mountains; and access to a superb beach that is almost always deserted. You have location, location, location.

Choose from luxury suites, signature suites and private pavilions starting from $2300 a night. Even entry level accommodation includes 80m² of luxury with a king bed, LCD screen TV and complimentary movie selection, a sound system, private courtyard and outdoor deck with seating, wifi, a living area and bedroom and a double shower and bath with courtyard view. The blinds are electronically controlled.

Impressive.

All packages include breakfast in Palate restaurant, an a la carte lunch, including beverages, dinner, including beverages, complimentary minibar and Saffire lounge beverages,  complimentary experiences and a $100 property credit per suite for use on spa treatments, signature experiences or non-inclusive beverages.

Regular readers will recall me raving about the food here a few weeks ago. Chef Paddy Prenter is delivering something special.

For a start, some of the finest food and wine in Tasmania is produced right on Saffire’s doorstep.

Think cool-climate boutique wines and crayfish, scallops and deep-sea fish caught by local fishermen. Add local grass-fed beef and lamb, along with superb fresh vegetables and every meal is an experience.

Choose from sparkling wines from local stars Bellebonne, Clover Hill and Kreglinger, or maybe a glass or two of Taittinger.

Still wines range from locals Stargazer, Hughes & Hughes and Sinapius to national favourites like Rockford, Tomfoolery and Ochota Barrels.

Imports include Domaine Jean Dauvissat Chablis and Domaine Vincent Paris Crozes-Hermitage. There is also a reserve list (at extra charge) for those who really want to give the credit card a nudge.

The menu highlights dishes like white soy-braised abalone with apple and pork glaze. or perhaps seared Stanley Bay scallops with roasted capsicum, parsley and macadamia, or maybe Robbins Island wagyu beef tartare.

Your menu choices can be as serious, or as casual as you feel.

The included experiences feature donning a pair of waders for a visit to Freycinet Marine Farm; an immersive experience where you taste freshly shucked oysters straight from the lease and enjoy in situ, along with a glass of Tassie bubbles.

Or perhaps learn all about bee-keeping and honey production, meet up with some Tasmanian Devils or go kayaking and bird watching on Pelican Bay.

The informed staff are excellent at suggesting local walks (exploring Freycinet National Park and Wineglass Bay) and other experiences, and you can relax afterwards in the spa, or your plunge pool.

I'm sold - and saving up for my next Saffire experience (truth be told it is way outside my usual price range). But the experience here is as good as at the best New Zealand luxury lodges.

For details and bookings see https://saffire-freycinet.com.au/

# The writer was a guest of Saffire Freycinet