New Norfolk And Its Surrounding Regions

With a wealth of natural resources, beautiful scenery and stunning vistas, Tasmania is full of surprises as a touring destination. For a relaxing and rewarding getaway, many tourists base themselves in the picturesque town of New Norfolk, a secluded historic town surrounded by some of Tasmania's finest countryside.

Just a 30 min drive from Hobart, New Norfolk is perfect if you want the excitement and freedom of a Tasmanian campervan hire holiday. There is enough to do in the town and the surrounding regions to fill your holiday. The great thing about Tasmania is that if you want a change of scenery, new and fresh attractions will never be far away. New Norfolk is situated in the lush and green Derwent Valley, so between the amazing heritage attractions in the town and the natural attractions of the valley there is plenty to keep you entertained.

New Norfolk was established by immigrants from Norfolk Island. With this long and rich past, New Norfolk is home to a number of historically significant heritage-listed buildings, like St Matthews Church. Willow Court is one such building, originally built as a military hospital in 1830 to house invalid convicts; it is now part of the Royal Derwent Hospital. The Oast House is also popular among tourists and not just for the hearty meals it serves. Built in 1867, it was a working Oast House - a building used for curing hops for the brewing process, until 1967. The old hops fields still surround the hill on which it is built. The building now houses a museum where there are displays on hops farming methods and the history of the Derwent Valley.

Early settlers planted hundreds of poplar trees in the valley and in the autumn months their changing leaves create a sea of bright gold that visitors find inspiring. Each change of the season brings out a new aspect of the landscape.

Just out of New Norfolk, is a small village of Plenty, named for the tributary of the Derwent River upon which it is perched. Plenty is the home of the famous Salmon Ponds, the Tasmanian Angling Hall of Fame and the Tasmanian Museum of Trout Fishing. Confused about the salmon and the trout? In operation since 1864, this was the first salmon farm in Australia, but the salmon never returned after they were released into the river system. Unfazed by this setback, brown trout were introduced instead of salmon and have thrived ever since - but the original name lingers on as a reminder that Tasmanians aren't easy to discourage. An onsite restaurant also serves up the freshest trout you will ever taste. The gardens around the ponds are over 140 years old.

Half an hour's drive along the Lyell Highway, heading west from New Norfolk, is the hamlet of Hamilton. Dating from convict times, 1830 historic sandstone cottages are available to rent as accommodation, or just to admire. Hamilton Heritage Museum is a small museum with artefacts and memorabilia of the area. A recommended place to visit is St Peter's Church, built circa 1837, it's single door designed to prevent the convict congregation from escaping.

Mt Field National Park is located in Derwent close to New Norfolk and is one of Tasmania's best loved parks. Russell Falls are the most visited attraction in the park, a spectacular three-tiered waterfall. The vegetation on Mt Field changes the higher you climb up the mountain, from tall blue gums at the base, to temperate rainforest as you go higher and then to alpine vegetation near the top. There are few places on the planet where you can experience such divergent ecosystems in such a small area.

As you can see, there is a large amount of activities and attractions in and around New Norfolk. When planning a Tasmanian campervan adventure, this is one of the areas that should be on the must-see list.