New luxury retreats unveiled for Tasmanian boutique resort

Award-winning Tasmanian boutique resort Pumphouse Point has unveiled two new premium retreats overlooking Lake St Clair.

The two new premium accommodation options will join the existing signature retreat - the pinnacle of the Pumphouse Point experience - to create a trio of retreats, elevating the resort’s luxury offering in response to rising demand for high-end accommodation in Tasmania’s remote Central Highlands.

The $2.25 million development by owner-operators NRMA Parks and Resorts is the first phase of a new round of capital investment with enhancements designed to raise the property’s boutique luxury offering.

The new suites are set on the edge of Lake St Clair and surrounded by native bushland for privacy. They have floor-to-ceiling windows offering views of the lake and its historic pumphouse.

Each retreat features a king bed with premium linens, a lounge area for relaxing, an outdoor terrace, fireplace and sink-in bathtub.

Guests will enjoy all-inclusive dining and drinks, with Tasmanian local produce the focus in the Heritage Shorehouse restaurant. There is also an in-suite mini bar with local goodies, wines, and Tasmanian craft beers and ciders.

 A range of new experiences are also on the horizon including a Pumphouse Point History Tour, where guests joined a guided, 45-minute walk taking in the 1930s-designed Pumphouse, the Flume Walk, Shorehouse and man-made lagoon, as well as a chocolate tasting journey in partnership with Tasmanian chocolatier House of Anvers.

NRMA Parks and Resorts Chief Executive Officer Paul Davies said the new retreats were the first step in a series of planned enhancements to guest experiences at Pumphouse Point, led by the member organisation’s "ongoing investment in Tasmania’s high-value nature-based tourism offering", including the nearby Derwent Bridge hotel.

“Pumphouse Point is well established as one of Tasmania’s iconic accommodations, a must-visit on many travellers’ lists and this investment in the property’s high-end inventory will see the next stage in the evolution of the destination as a whole,” Davies said.

“NRMA Parks and Resorts has made a significant commitment to tourism in the state with ongoing investment across accommodation, Gordon River Cruises, Sixt car hire, Coral Expeditions and Electric Highways Tasmania.

“We’re keen to put Pumphouse Point front and centre in travellers’ minds, with the beautiful new retreats set overlooking the lake and historic Pumphouse ideal for a special occasion getaway, for hikers and adventurers seeking some luxury and great dining and drinks at the end of the day, road trippers and people seeking a quiet, tranquil escape.

“We think the new retreats, along with an enhanced food and beverage offering and soon-to-be-announced new experiences program will offer guests a great excuse to come and discover the natural beauty of Pumphouse Point, Lake St Clair and the national park."

Rates for the retreats start at $1,950 and include all dining, drinks and mini bar with local gourmet treats. See https://www.pumphousepoint.com.au/book-now/ or call 1800 766 133.

NRMA commits to sustainable future for Tasmanian icon

I have serious love affair with Pumphouse Point, the iconic retreat on Lake St Clair in Tasmania.

In addition to staying there three or four times, I also consulted to former owner Simon Currant on the 90% Tasmanian wine list.

This week Currant completed the sale of Pumphouse Point to NRMA - a deal which we had known about for months - and which almost certainly means my services will no longer be required.

The resort, which controversially operates on land subject to a Crown lease, is the latest addition to NRMA’s growing portfolio in Tasmania.

Pumphouse Point features two heritage industrial buildings which have been transformed against the tranquil backdrop of Lake St Clair.

NRMA Expeditions CEO Rachel Wiseman said the acquisition of the business provides another opportunity for the organisation to showcase Tasmania’s exceptional natural environment and the best regional Australia has to offer.

“Tasmania is abundant in natural beauty and we’re excited to share another unique location in Tasmania with our Members and the community, and continue to work with local partners to promote the state and its amazing eco-tourism experiences,” Wiseman said.

“Nature-based tourism experiences are in high demand. We need exceptional accommodation that delivers amazing experiences in remote locations.

“These are precious places that have significant meaning to our biodiversity and local communities. We recognise the role we must play as the caretaker of these places to make sure they are able to be enjoyed in a sustainable way.

“The acquisition of the Pumphouse Point business demonstrates the NRMA’s ongoing commitment to the Tasmanian tourism industry, and our confidence in the state to continually deliver immersive nature-based experiences for guests.”

Other properties in the NRMA portfolio in Tasmania include Freycinet Lodge (where they do a superb job), Cradle Mountain Hotel, Strahan Village and Gordon River Cruises.

Discover wellness retreats in the wilderness

Pumphouse Point, one of Tasmania's tourism icons, has unveiled dates for summer wellness retreats in the wilderness. 

The retreats aim to "capture the restorative magic of long sunny days" with guided hikes, forest bathing, yoga, qi gong, wild lake swimming and massages, all within the Lake St Clair national park. 

"Like Pumphouse Point, our retreats are relaxed and communal.," the lodge says in a press release. 

"They are not a detox, and nothing is mandatory. A thoughtfully curated program offers transformative seminars to nourish the psyche, movement sessions to nourish the body, and a vibrant menu to nourish the belly."

Wellness retreat inclusions are daily meditation, breathwork, silent bush walks and movement sessions are designed to harmonise and rebalance the mind and body.

Breakfasts, lunches and dinners in the communal dining room celebrate local and seasonal produce while a 60-minute therapeutic massage treatment is included for all participants. 

Special guest Linda Franke, an expert in Restful Yoga and Therapy as well as being a somatic psychotherapist (no idea what that is, sorry), will lead workshops and presentations to enable guests to take away what they have learned, while the guided hikes through world heritage wilderness will take in remote peaks and hidden rainforest waterfalls.

E-bikes are also available for exploration. 

Dates for the summer retreats are: February 25-28, February 28-March 4. 

See www.pumphousepoint.com.au 

Up close and personal with wombats and wallabies in Tasmania

Tasmania, the Australian capital of luxury walking experiences, now has another icon experience. 

Tour operator Walk Into Luxury has unveiled details of a four-day Lake St Clair Walk in Tasmania; a new small group walk experience based out of Pumphouse Point rural retreat. 

Weekly departures will start on December 17. 

The four day all-inclusive experience departs from Hobart and showcases the best walks at Lake St Clair and nearby Mount Field National Park. 

Carrying only a day pack, guests will discover Russell Falls, Lake Seal and Lake Dobson at Mount Field; and Shadow Lake, Platypus Bay and Echo Point at Lake St Clair, with 35km covered in total. 

There is the chance to view Lake St Clair and the surrounding mountains from the lake; and plenty of wildlife viewing opportunities with wombats, wallabies, echidnas and platypus. 

At the end of four days in the Tasmanian wilderness, guests will visit a Tasmanian distillery for an exclusive tasting and lunch by the Derwent River before returning to Hobart.

Three nights’ accommodation is included at Pumphouse Point, located within the world heritage-listed Tasmanian wilderness area and overlooking Lake St Clair. 

Guests relax each evening around cosy lounge fireplaces overlooking the lake and enjoy three-course dinners with local Tasmanian wines (from a list that I help curate and update). 

An in-room larder of local cheese, chocolate and other provisions is also included. 

Walkers will sleep in the Pumphouse rooms perched at the end of the jetty on Lake St Clair, offering the chance to fall asleep to the sound of the water lapping against the walls. 

“The Lake St Clair region and Mount Field contain some of the best day walks in Australia," says Walk into Luxury managing director Nikki King. 

"We’re excited to share these spectacular alpine and wilderness landscapes with our guests led by our local guides. To finish a day on the trails with a glass of red by the fire overlooking the lake at Pumphouse Point makes this a perfect wilderness escape.”

To support the operation of its Lake St Clair Walk, Walk into Luxury will open its second Australian base in Hobart. 

The four-day Lake St Clair Walk is priced at $3150 per person, twin share, and departs weekly on Fridays from December 17 to the end of April. 

Subsequent seasons are expected to run from October-April. Transfers from Hobart are included.

See walkintoluxury.com.au/lakestclairwalk