Each morning the fishing fleet returns to moor its sturdy vessels in a sheltered harbour called the Gulch, which in Louisa’s day was a significant whaling station. Acclaimed for its award-winning Gew?raminer, the cellar door is situated in the original convict-built farmhouse stable, surrounded by the gardens landscaped by Louisa herself – several of the trees she planted are still standing. Further on, Freycinet Vineyard is famed for its cabernet sauvignon and has won a fair share of awards for its sparkling Radenti, named after Claudio the proprietor.A two-and-a-half hour drive from Hobart, Bicheno is still a true working fishing town, its principal industries being abalone and crayfish. As mobs of Forester kangaroo crash through the bushland – not to mention Tassie devils, possums, wombats and a variety of other wildlife – you will feel like you’re on safari as you sit on the deck and crack open a bottle of pinot noir.Continue along the highway and the road to Bicheno takes you past several wineries all worth a visit, beginning with Springvale Vineyards, the original 1842 homestead of the writer Louisa Anne Meredith whose book My Home in Tasmania provides a fascinating insight into colonial life.

Coles Bay (freycinetcolesbay ), 31km along a sealed road from the Highway, is the closest port of call to all the activities Freycinet National Park has to offer and it is advisable to book accommodation during the peak season.To escape the madding summer crowds yet remain within a five-minute striking distance of Coles Bay, head for the mountains and the luxurious lodges on Mount Paul (mountpaul onfreycinet), owned by two intrepid English women, who exchanged their Suffolk home for 1,200 acres of wilderness and views of the peninsula. Renowned for establishing the best caf?n the east coast, the founders of The Left Bank have moved, but their trademark fare lives on, including a famous lemon tart.From there the highway bypasses the glorious Freycinet National Park and it is best to reserve the stunning three-hour walk to the pure white sands of Wineglass Bay for an entire day’s experience. Perched on the clifftop and commanding panoramic views, Kabuki offers impeccably prepared Japanese or local dishes and accommodation in self-contained units. About six miles further on brings another highlight, Kate’s Berry Farm, famed for its jam, wine and fresh fruit ice cream.On the western shore of Great Oyster Bay, Swansea bustles as a popular holiday resort featuring some fine colonial buildings, including the 1838 Morris’s General Store. The museum of local history at Glamorgan Community Centre, dating from the 1860s, vividly recalls the lives of the east coast’s early settlers,, whose descendants still live in the area today. On a clear day, the Hazards seem to glow with an unearthly pink light.Further along, 12 miles south of Swansea, the Japanese restaurant Kabuki by the sea (kabukibythe seas .au) comes as a surprise in this surreal setting. From Orford the road continues, with the ocean reflecting the outline of the Freycinet Peninsula and its precipitous granite cliffs, the Hazards, etched with orange lichen.

The locks and cells have not been altered since 1825 and stepping inside the dank darkness of the solitary confinement cells evokes the same chilling sense of despair as wandering through the ruins of Port Arthur.From Richmond, you wind through some pretty countryside until a narrow riverside road heralds the coast at Orford, opening up dramatic vistas of Maria Island (parks.tas.gov.au). Yet for all Richmond’s old-world charm, the Richmond Gaol, built five years before the establishment of Port Arthur, stands as a grim reminder of Tasmania’s past. It also has live music and gourmet food stalls – Salamanca Markets is an entertaining weekly event not to be missed.Hobart is the perfect starting point for an expedition up the east coast, dubbed the “sun coast” for its temperate climate. The spectacular winding coastal roads, farmhouses, orchards and vineyards are reminiscent of the countryside of the south of France – except that the vast tracks of surf-dashed beaches are deserted and you won’t see many cars on the road.A 20-minute drive from Hobart brings you to the historic town of Richmond. Built by convicts in 1823, the town’s bridge spanning the Coal River is the oldest road bridge in Australia.Very little has changed in Richmond in the past century, although the colonial cottages have metamorphosed into teashops, antique emporiums and galleries.

Every Saturday from 8.30am to 3pm, this strip converts into the Salamanca Market, with a profusion of crafts, woodwork, ceramics, jewellery, high-quality second-hand books and retro fashion. There you will find a former jam factory which has been skilfully reinvented as the jam-packed Henry Jones Art Hotel (thehenry jones ), with its ever so trendy front bar. The fabric of the old building provides the highlights of the new. Many of the luxuriously appointed rooms incorporate exposed wooden beams and metre-thick sandstone walls.This new development, which showcases the work of Tasmania’s artists and includes an acclaimed restaurant, has revitalised this side of the docks, which some years back had a forlorn and neglected feel.A short stroll from the wharves takes you to Salamanca Place, again a classic Georgian stretch crammed with galleries and old-fashioned pubs with a seafaring theme.