Deloraine is a pretty country town of about 2800 people which is built around the Meander River. The town is a handy base for exploring the surrounding area including Mole Creek, Sheffield, Liffey Falls and the spectacular Cradle Mountain and Dove Lake area.
Just downstream there is a pedestrian suspension bridge near a spillway on the river. A riverside walk takes visitors past a series of sculptures, gardens and amenities, including an outdoor swimming pool, pontoon (for swimming), picnic tables and children’s playground. Recently the Council installed exercise equipment at a number of sites around the river for those who fancy a more strenuous experience of the town.
Deloraine resembles very much an English town and established European trees are everywhere. The town boasts a folk museum and Tourist Information Centre. You can fish (with a fishing licence) in the river for trout and there are smaller streams and everywhere (hint – the Mersey River just west of Mole Creek) is very pretty and full of fish.
The town has its fair share of historic buildings in an excellent state of repair and a number of fine pubs. The town has a Baptist Tabernacle which was built in 1880 and a bridge crossing the river which dates from 1877. The bridge has panoramic views of the river and the main street. St Mark’s Church of England was built in 1859 and has an organ imported from London in 1878, which is still in working order. Don’t miss out on a game of pool and a tasty meal at the Bush Inn (near St Mark’s church). You won’t have a shortage of local Tasmanian wines to choose from at a variety of hotels and bottle shops throughout the town.
Everything in Deloraine is in easy walking distance from the cottage. There is a Woolworths which opens every day and has long trading hours, but it is low-rise and doesn’t disturb the overall character of the town. There are no traffic lights and the views of the Great Western Tiers and Quamby Bluff are magical. There are shops you wouldn’t find anywhere else, such as Wholesome House (fantastic range of health foods) and a number of art and craft shops.
Deloraine hosts the Craft Fair, the largest event of its type in the Southern Hemisphere, which attracts some 40,000 people over the craft weekend in November each year. The Fair occupies some dozen or so venues and has about 200 stalls from all over town.
Silverbirch Cottage is a 30 minute drive to Launceston and Devonport and is a really great base for exploring the top half of Tasmania.
This beautiful waterfall is found with a cool temperature rainforest about 30 minutes drive from Silverbirch Cottage. The Liffey Falls State Reserve forms part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area.
There is a picnic area and a short, well maintained walking track (1km each way) between the top car park and the falls, which takes about 45 minutes return. Don’t forget to visit the Giant Tree just a few minutes from the top carpark.
Visit Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service for more information.
This beautiful artificial lake was created in 2007 by creating a dam on the Meander River upstream from Deloraine, near the small farming community of Meander. The Lake is a wild brown trout fishery reserved for artificial lure and fly fishing only. The water is clear and cool and suitable for swimming on the western shore, where you will also find toilets, barbecues and picnic tables. There is a boat ramp near the dam wall for boaties.
Just follow the A5 south of Deloraine (follow the signs to Meander) and in about 20 minutes you will find a beautifully sheltered destination, where you can spend either a few hours or the whole day, with panoramic views of the Tiers.
Remember to take your camera!
Visit Tasmanian Inland Fisheries Service for more information.
Christmas Hills Raspberry Farm and Café is located 10km North West of Deloraine on the way to Elizabeth Town. They have frozen raspberries available all year round and fresh raspberries when in season. There is an open fireplace in Winter and a balcony which overlooks the farm dam, which has a pathway that circles the lake. There is even mini soccer posts and a soccerball to kick around the lawn with the kids, whilst you're waiting for lunch.
The café is open daily from 7am – 5pm. It can get busy on the weekends so always book ahead.
Visit Raspberry Farm Cafe for more information.
Ashgrove Farm Cheese produces a range of boutique handmade cheese. It is located on the Bass Highway close to Elizabeth Town, just North West of Deloraine.
They have a gourmet cheese shop, viewings of the cheese production and tastings. You may not have heard of the names of some of these cheese varieties but they sure are addictive – and you can’t just stop at one! If you’re game enough, try the Wild Wasabi.
They are open weekdays from 7.30am – 6pm and weekends from 8am – 6pm.
Visit Ashgrove Cheese for more information.
The Honey Farm at Chudleigh is an easy 15 minute drive west from the cottage. This boutique honey shop has free tastings and a wide range of honey and honey related products for sale.
It has a small museum attached to the retail operation with interesting information about the history of the production of honey. There is honey that originates from various areas based on different sources of nectar (eg. Blue Gum, Leatherwood, Meadow) and this is the reason for the diversity of available tastes. They have homemade ice-cream too, for when you’re all “honeyed out”.
Please visit The Honey Farm for more information.
Just west of Mole Creek are three stunning caves which you can visit all year round (except Christmas Day). Each tour lasts about 45 minutes and the guides provide an educational but highly entertaining narration on this subterranean journey. The three tours are the Marakoopa Cave (2 separate tours) and the King Solomons Cave (single tour).
Please visit Mole Creek Caves for more information.
Trowunna Wildlife Park is a great place to interact with all kinds of Tasmanian and Australian wildlife, including Tasmanian Devils.
It is a different type of park, with the majority of its inhabitants naturally residing on the property rather than being “brought in” to be exhibited. Watching feeding time at the Devils’ enclosure is a must-see. Those fellas can sure bite!
The park is 18km from Deloraine along Mole Creek Road.
Read more about Trowunna Wildlife Park and their animals.
Markets are held at the Deloraine Showgrounds on the first Saturday of each month. The Showground is located on Lake Highway in Deloraine and you will be able to find all sorts of goodies and home crafts to take back from your stay at Silverbirch Cottage.
Deloraine is home to the reknowned ‘YARNS’ artwork in silk. The work consists of four large panels depicting the four seasons. The work was created through the combined effort of more than 300 people from the region, taking a total of 10, 00 hours and 200 metres of hand dyed silk to complete.
The Yarns can be viewed at the Great Western Tiers Visitor Centre in Deloraine, which is open from 9am – 5pm daily. The Centre can also provide you with information, brochures & maps about the Great Western Tiers and are always ready to provide assistance and advice about local attractions and activities.
Please visit Great Western Tiers Visitor Centre for more information.
The Big Coffee Pot is located 4km out of Deloraine on the Deloraine-Chudleigh Road. There is a cafe and a pottery shop. For all those coffee and craft lovers, this is a great place to visit, enjoy and take a memorable photo!
