Wow, what a wonderful way to wake up! The mist creeping through the valley as the sun rose. All I had to do was open my eyes and enjoy the show from my bed – Remarkable. One of the best views to enjoy over breakfast.  The shadows change the rocky mountain side every second, I could have sat there forever, but we had a huge day in front of us with Des as our Tour Guide.

We started the day at Tasmazia, and the Village of Lower Crackpot. I can easily say we could have spent ALL day there it was so much fun! Tasmazia is a field of garden mazes that the kids had a ball running through, finding little hidden messages and surprises around every corner.  They loved the Great Maze the best, with the three bear’s house in the middle but there are 8 mazes in total at the complex.  We found Jemma was our maze queen, she had an uncanny sense of direction that saw her solve the Hampton Court (yes, a replica of the original UK one) maze first, much to Jasmine’s dismay.

The Village of Lower Crackpot is a whole lot of fun too. Found in the middle of the complex, the village is made up of amazing little houses each with their own story. We were lucky enough to have Brian, the Manager of his Uncle’s creations at Tasmazia, share all the stories behind the houses and to help us navigate the mazes too.  With Brian’s help we managed to see the whole park, and tick off all the items on the to see list otherwise I think we would certainly have had to come back again – actually we all want to go back again already! Not just for kids, the grown-ups all had a great time too.

To finish our morning we were treated to some pancakes, the girl’s favourite food. They even made gluten free ones for Jemma. Perfect end to a wonderful spot. If you are in the area make sure you visit Tasmazia but give yourself plenty of time to explore and enjoy a great coffee and picnic while you are there. This is the kind of fun park where the kids will be exhausted but entirely happy at the end of it.

Oh, and before you go, make sure you post a card in the Village Post Office, the smallest post office in Australia (or maybe even the world?). It will be postmarked “Village of Lower Crackpot” and make your recipient laugh when they get it – Nanny and Grandad thought it was wonderful. You can see more about Tasmazia on their website – www.Tasmazia.com.au.

Onto our next stop, Barringwood Park Vineyard.  After chatting with Ian and Judy and tasting the lovely wines at dinner last night I was certainly looking forward to this stop (as were my friends who requested some wine souvenirs).

At dinner Ian and Judy shared their story about the vineyard and their journey to come to owning it. As school teachers, they then owned a sawmill and then built the amazing Barringwood Park winery. The cellar door boast incredible views right out to the ocean in the far distance. Their wines are something else. Very partial to the Pinot, I was also introduced to the Schonburger and I was in love. As a lover of wines, I don’t always enjoy the cellar door experience as I hate all that haughty taught talk – Ian and Judy however were very different. They showed us how to best experience the wine without looking down on my lack of knowledge. It was a truly enjoyable tasting experience. Topped off by a lovely cheese platter and glass of Schonburger I was in heaven. .. and it was only lunchtime!

You can read their story, and purchase their amazing wines through their website – www.BarringwoodPark.com.au.

As we were leaving, Ian and Judy mentioned the vineyard was for sale.  That was enough to plant the seed in our minds, perhaps it is time for a lifestyle change and from that second Tassie started to call us.
From the vineyard, it was time to soak in the amazing scenery of the province. With a drive through Paradise, No Where Else, Promised Land now it was time to visit Wilmot, home of the mailbox drive (lots of very creative mailboxes) and the very first Coles store. It is a really lovely drive, always with the majestic Mount Roland in the backdrop. You can take this drive on your way to Cradle Mountain, if you do however, make sure you take the drive back through Sheffield to truly appreciate the scenery.

We just missed the markets in Wilmot, however we did visit the first Coles store.  They have a board of history in their back room so make sure you read through the interesting history of the shop.  We also visited the Bakehouse, it had opened that day and the lovely young owners have big plans for it.  We enjoyed a cheese tasting and were introduced to Wicked Cheese, easily the yummiest cheese I have tasted.

After Wilmot we visited our last stop, Wilmot Hills Vineyard. Yes, another cellar door, but with a difference. Wilmot Hills makes lovely hand pressed fruit wines and ciders. The flavours are divine. My favourite was the raspberry wine.  Chatting with the owners again, it was great to hear their stories and how the wines are made.  Armed with my bottle of raspberry wine and a car full of tired (but very well behaved) children it was time to head back to enjoy Eagles Nest.

On our trip back Des showed us the wonderful free camp spot right at the base of Mt Roland. Wonderful facilities for a free camp, not to mention the view.

Back home and the girls immediately started undressing for the spa, Teddy just loved the chance to have a bath!  They splashed and played in the spa for ages. When they were finally worn out we put them to bed where they fell asleep almost instantly. Now it was our turn.

We had been waiting for the kids to go to sleep so we could relax and take advantage of the best sunset viewing point – the outdoor spa. It was divine, with a glass of wine and no noise except for the occasional bow in the paddock next door. BLISS just doesn’t describe it.  If you visit Tasmania, then Eagles Nest Retreat HAS to be on your to do list. You can find out more about them on their website – http://www.EaglesNestRetreat.com.au/.

A very big thank you to Des Brown for his amazing tour of Kentish.