The Tamar Valley in northern Tasmania is one of the island's most historic and fertile agricultural regions. European exploration began here in 1804, when English naval officer William Collins charted the kanamaluka/River Tamar and recommended the area for settlement. The valley became a centre of colonial agriculture, river trade and industry, its fertile soils supporting orchards, grazing, cropping and eventually cool-climate viticulture from the latter half of the 20th century.
Today, it's home to Tasmania's most dynamic agricultural and tourism sectors.
Geologically, the valley itself is remarkably diverse. The upper reaches near Launceston are underlain by ancient dolerite and basalt, while the mid and lower sections of the valley feature Tertiary clays, gravels and alluvial deposits laid down by this substantial river system. In some locations, marine sediments and limestone occur, contributing to soil variability – from deep, well-drained loams to lighter sandy profiles on vineyard slopes.
This mix of soil types – along with the valley's favourable maritime climate – provide excellent growing conditions for stylish Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and aromatic whites including Pinot Gris and Riesling.
The Tamar Valley Wine Route takes visitors along a 170 kilometre journey of discovery, encompassing more than 30 vineyards and wineries.
"One of the top 10 wine routes in the world." Essential Travel Magazine (UK)
Time flies. It's been 10 years since Sydney-siders Matt and Sarah Hurst first set eyes on their 140ha property outside Hillwood. The former grazing land hadn't been worked for generations. Potential buyers had always knocked it back. There was no road, no water, no power. But the town planner and the advertising executive bought it any way.
When Liz and David Brown discovered Hinton Bay was on the property market, the couple were living in Sydney and coming to the end of long careers in retail and finance. Drawn by the property's tranquil water views and a realtor pitch that described it as 'Tuscany on the Tamar,' the Browns decided to see it for themselves.
Holm Oak at Rowella – north of Launceston – blends 19th century heritage with 21st century winemaking flair. The Tamar Valley property was first settled in the late 1800s by architect and botanist Alexander North, who named it after the holm oak trees he established there.
Setting up a new vineyard can be an exhilarating experience when you're living the dream of making your own wine. It can also provide its fair share of anxiety – like what to plant and where. There are few safe options in cool climate Tasmania. The Mani family entered the wine industry by buying an established vineyard.
In 1950, 19-year-old Josef Chromy fled war-torn Czechoslovakia, then under Soviet occupation. He arrived in northern Tasmania in 1951 with nothing but optimism and a master butcher's diploma. Six years' manual labour at Goliath Cement soon brought just rewards. Chromy had savings to fund a move to Burnie to establish Continental Butchers.
When Mirabai and Adrian Carruthers stepped into the small, unassuming cellar door at Loira Vines in mid-2017, little did they know they were about to begin a new phase in their busy working lives. The heat and humidity of home and work in regional NSW had become something of a daily grind for classroom teacher Mirabai.
It's been 18 years since Richard Angove worked his first vintage with Tasmanian Pinot Noir. That brief stint as a fly-in assistant at Tamar Ridge left an indelible mark on his psyche. So when Angove struck up a conversation with Tasmanian winemaker Jeremy Dineen many years later, it wasn't long before talk turned to that pesky red grape.
Marion's Vineyard – overlooking the kanamaluka/River Tamar near Deviot – was established by Mark and Marion Semmens in 1979. They moved from California and purchased a neglected apple orchard, transforming it into one of Tasmania's earliest family-run vineyards.
When Bruce McCormack arrived in Tasmania on a working holiday in 1993, it wasn't long before he realised his time in the State was going to be more holiday than work without reliable employment. It was then that the 20-year-old decided to forego his Western Australian background in aquaculture and take his chances with Tasmanian viticulture.
Life is very adept at throwing curved balls. When Rod and Karen Thorpe bought land on Moores Hill at Sidmouth in the 1980s, they couldn't wait to put their plans into action. Planting a vineyard wasn't among them. Indeed, they pulled out vines that previous owners had established.
