A sneak peek at Tasmania's new Tarkine wilderness walk

The Tarkine is a large tract of protected wilderness in north-west Tasmania. It is a jaw-droppingly beautiful region; the largest expanse of temperate rainforest in the Southern Hemisphere. 

This week I got to walk the newly refurbed Julius River Rainforest Walk, a short but stunning stroll through rainforest and eucalypt forest alongside a pristine wild river. 

The relatively flat walk has recently been given a new non-slip surface without impacting on the authenticity of the experience. 

One of the best things about the Tarkine is that it is accessible, yet remains wild and rugged. Many great opportunities exist to experience the extraordinary natural and cultural values the Tarkine represents. 

Recreational opportunities in the Tarkine include short and long walking tracks, kayaking, rafting, fishing, photography, camping, self-touring, wildlife viewing and nature appreciation.

Officially opened in 2015, the Tarkine Drive provides predominately sealed access to the area. 

The Julius River Rainforest Walk was only completed a couple of weeks ago. Hopefully these images tempt you to make a visit, and also to the nearby Arthur River. 

The Julius River region has excellent picnic facilities, parking and a public toilet. 

When the Prince met the actress; a royal love story

The principality of Monaco is hosting an exhibition dedicated to the first meeting between the American actress Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier III.

 

Called Monaco, 6 May 1955. The Story of a Meeting", the exhibition is organised by the Palace of Monaco Archive and the Audiovisual Institute of Monaco for the 90th anniversary of Grace Kelly's birth and is said to "place her first meeting with Prince Rainier III of Monaco in context and perspective".

After winning the Academy Award for Best Actress in March 1955 for her role in The Country Girl, Grace Kelly had been on the French Riviera to shoot Alfred Hitchcock's film To Catch a Thief. 

As guest star at the 8th Cannes Film Festival, Kelly agreed to change her schedule for a last-minute meeting with the Prince of Monaco on the afternoon of May 6, 1955. 

Organised by Pierre Galante, a journalist with Paris Match, this meeting, which almost never happened, was immortalised by Michel Simon, photographer for the magazine, and the Irish photographer Edward Quinn, who had long been working on the Riviera.

The photographs by these two witnesses will be displayed together for the very first time.

Designed as a photographic tour through the Palace State rooms, the exhibition follows in Grace Kelly's footsteps in the places where she met Prince Rainier, around the dress she wore that day, along with personal items, letters, testimonials, newspaper clips and film excerpts. 

All this documentation shows how the meeting, which went virtually unnoticed at the time, became legend. 

Less than a year after this brief but decisive meeting, Prince Rainier III married Grace Patricia Kelly, on April 18-19, 1956 in Monaco.

The exhibition is offered as part of the Palace of Monaco's State Apartments visits open to the public for part of the year.

See www.palais.mc/en/museum-and-visits/the-state-apartments-1-26.html

Exciting new wilderness track in New Zealand

There are few countries better for walking enthusiasts than New Zealand.

Opening in December 2019, New Zealand’s newest and 10th Great Walk - the Paparoa Track - will traverse the Paparoa Range, replete with limestone landscapes, verdant rainforest and astonishing views.

The rugged West Coast of New Zealand’s South Island draws travellers in search of the country’s wild heart.

Not only is the Paparoa Track New Zealand’s newest Great Walk, the spectacular trail also features a side trip that serves as a memorial to the 29 men who lost their lives in the Pike River Mine tragedy.

Māori for “Long Place”, this spectacular mountain range looks out over the South Island’s dramatic coast, punctuated by peaks and threaded with rivers.

Hardy hikers will experience the Pororari River Gorge, towering limestone cliffs, remnants from the region’s mining history and ever-changing forest that transforms from beech to rainforest, studded with nīkau palms.

A standalone walk is the Pike29 Memorial Track, an 11km (one-way) tribute to those who died in 2010 mine disaster.

The Paparoa Track starts near Blackball. The ideal time to walk is between September and May, but all hikers are advised to check the weather forecast before setting out.

At 55km from end to end, the trail takes three days to complete. It’s also open to mountain bikers.

There’s a strong chance visitors will hear - or even see - roroa (great spotted kiwi). Other birds unique to New Zealand that live around these parts include the ruru (native owl), korimako (bellbird), kereru (pigeon), whio (blue duck) and tūī.

Art meets wine in new releases

Leading New Zealand wine brand, Brancott Estate has partnered with artist/designer Benjamin Craven to create four limited-edition labels for its Brancott Estate 2018 Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc.

 
The latest design partnership by the Marlborough-based wine brand sees UK designer Craven bring to life the Marlborough landscape to match the aromas and flavours of the popular Kiwi wine. 

Craven has re-imagined the picturesque landscape of the Marlborough region, from the vineyards to the clear blue skies, dissecting the original labels and putting his own perspective on each of the elements. 

He describes the labels as the perfect pairing of Brancott Estate’s heritage set against his abstract geometric style, and his passion for colour and pattern.

“I wanted to bring the Brancott Estate personality to life with vibrant colours and my contemporary style, the geometric shapes,” he said. 

Brancott Estate 2018 Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc is on shelves now in Australia. 

Why mixing up your Queenstowns could be a big mistake

Queenstown in New Zealand is a delightful lakefront resort town, a lively spot with bars, eateries and on the doorstep of the acclaimed wineries of Central Otago on its doorstep. 

Queenstown in Tasmania is not. It is faded mining town with a scarred landscape, polluted rivers, gravel football pitch and aged shopfronts. It is barely hanging on thanks to the resilience of its residents. 

So if you are booking a trip to Queenstown, make sure you choose the right one (or your travel agent does). My happy snaps, below, will illustrate why. 

If not you could be confronted, as I was on Sunday, but a main street so deserted that no one would have been hurt had I fired a cannon. 

There was one cafe open and a nice-looking old pub. Three young girls played hip-hop with vulgar lyrics at full volume. 

The Wilderness Railway (highly recommended) does not operate on Sundays, apparently. Nor does much else. 

A bleak place to grab a coffee and move on. Smartly.  

Fortunately, I was en route to somewhere else. Anywhere else.   

Somewhere delightfully different to dine in Hobart

Kin is one of Hobart's newer restaurant arrivals, a tiny hole-in-the-wall joint that can seat a maximum of 13 people at any one time.

You'll find it on Macquarie Street, just a few doors from Tom McHugo's pub. The cuisine is Japanese yakitori-style barbecue with an impressive range of cocktails and sakes, as well as wines and beers.

The night I dined, it was a three-person operation; two guys behind the grills, one front-of-house person serving.

It is more funky than romantic but the food is authentic and sensational.

Think fresh local produce - from poultry to squid - the majority of which is cooked on a traditional Japanese Yakitori grill and can be paired with beautiful sake, Japanese-inspired cocktails or local beer and wine.

Chef/owner Casey Burns serves up dishes like chicken thigh and spring onion skewers (two per serve) for $12.50, or perhaps octopus ($14) or wallaby thigh fillet ($13).

Other options include a seaweed salad ($9) or Tasmanian octopus and mushroom gyoza (more like samosas in texture but four to a generous serve for $11).

The food is clearly cooked with love and attention to detail and guests can order either a la carte or pay $60 for a six-course "feed me" menu.

I loved it, and will be back soon. Bookings are recommended and Kin is open Tuesday-Sunday from 6pm. 

Kin is at 71 Macquarie Street, Hobart. 0474 875 892. www.kinjapanesebbq.com

# The writer paid his own bill.