Things to do in Tasmania

Things To Do In Tasmania – Pepper Bush Adventures…..

Discover Tasmania: Unforgettable Experiences and Hidden Gems Awaiting You!….

Unleash Your Tassie Adventure: Quirky, Wild, and Wonderfully Weird Things to Do in Tasmania. Pepper Bush guides, Bushie and Ben, will leave you with remarkable stories to tell of adventures in northeast Tasmania.

Region Highlights

Wander through the local ancient rainforest to find a waterfall
Visit a historic mining tunnel at Derby
Hunt the fascinating platypus
Spot the local wildlife
Birdwatching
Drive to Tasmania’s highest drivable point
Walk along remote pristine beaches

Mt Victoria Forest Reserve short walk and Ralphs Falls – Ready to take a 60-minute stroll through a forest that feels like it’s straight out of a fairy tale? Welcome to Mt Victoria Forest Reserve, where every step on the mossy trail makes you wonder if you’ll bump into a gnome or a talking tree. The air is so fresh, it’s like nature’s very own cologne. The towering trees form a canopy that feels like the world’s most serene green cathedral. As you wind through ferns and ancient myrtles, you might find yourself stopping to admire fungi so colourful, they look like tiny mushrooms from Wonderland. By the time you’ve looped back to the start, you’ll feel like you’ve gone on a magical, hour-long escape into a nature-filled dreamscape!

Waterfalls and Rainforest in Tasmania - Rainforest — Tasmanian Rainforests and waterfalls – Pepper Bush Adventures

Visit the Derby Tunnel – Step into the Derby Tunnel, where history and adventure collide underground in the quirkiest of ways. Carved out by miners in the 1800s, this tunnel feels like a secret passage straight out of a fantasy novel, minus the dragons (probably). Armed with a flashlight, you’ll shuffle through the cool, dark passageways, half expecting to stumble upon buried treasure—or at least an ancient pickaxe. The walls whisper tales of tin rush days gone by, while the eerie echoes of dripping water. Distant footsteps give the whole place a vibe that’s half mystery, half ‘should I be scared or excited?’ By the time you emerge into daylight, you’ll feel like you’ve just been part of Tasmania’s most underground adventure—literally!

Tasmanian Wildlife Experiences

Hunt the platypus…. Armed with nothing but patience, embark on a quest to spot the elusive platypus. It’s a creature so bizarre, it seems nature threw caution (and logic) to the wind. You’ll need the stealth of a ninja and the quiet of a whisper as you creep along waterways, peering into the water like a detective on the trail of a tiny, web-footed mystery. Keep your eyes peeled for the tell-tale ripple—like a tiny submarine—before this quirky, duck-billed enigma dives back into the depths, leaving you questioning everything you know about mammals! Book a platypus viewing tour with Pepper Bush Adventures.

pademelons and eastern quoll feeding after dark — See Nocturnal Wildlife with Pepper Bush Adventures

Spot nocturnal wildlife… Embark on a nighttime safari with Pepper Bush Adventures, where the spotlight isn’t on you. The focus is on the bush’s most mysterious, wide-eyed creatures! Armed with nothing but a spotlight and excitement, you’ll see the Tasmanian wilderness as it comes alive under the stars. It’s like being backstage at a wildlife concert. Imagine wombats waddling onstage, possums peeking out like curious understudies. The eastern quolls make a grand appearance with all the antics that you’d expect. As your guide regales you with quirky facts, you’ll realise that the landscape at night has a whole cast of characters—some cute, some toothy, and all of them wonderfully wild. By the end, you’ll be feeling like a nocturnal explorer, having shared a secret world with Tasmania’s best night owls!

Birdwatching Activities

Go birdwatching – Birding (or birdwatching) has been experiencing a massive surge in popularity, especially in the Western world. Grab your binoculars and channel your inner bird whisperer on a Tasmanian birding tour. Feathered friends of all shapes, sizes, and songs await. From the moment you step into the wild, it’s like entering a birdy Broadway show, with each species auditioning for your attention—whether it’s the cheeky call of a green rosella or the flash of a flame robin showing off its fiery wardrobe.

As you tiptoe through lush forests and serene wetlands, you might find yourself negotiating with a Tasmanian native hen to stay still long enough for a selfie, or catching sight of a wedge-tailed eagle that looks like it should be starring in an epic nature documentary. By the end, you’ll be fluent in ‘bird,’ and fully convinced that Tasmania has the quirkiest cast of winged performers around! Book a birding tour with Pepper Bush Adventures.

Things to do in Tasmania - Birding with Pepper Bush Adventures — Things to do in Tasmania – Birding with Pepper Bush Adventures

Visit National Parks in Tasmania

Travel to Tasmania’s highest drivable point – Prepare yourself for the ultimate Tasmanian road trip. Asphalt morphs into a sky-high adventure as you wind your way up Ben Lomond, Tasmania’s version of an alpine rollercoaster. As you climb higher, you might feel like you’re driving into the clouds. Along the way, you’ll navigate Jacobs Ladder, a zigzag of six hairpin bends. They look like a mountain-loving mad scientist designed them. Once you’ve conquered the twists and turns, you’ll be rewarded with jaw-dropping views. There’s a brag-worthy parking spot at the highest drivable point on the island. Just don’t expect valet service at 1,570 meters above sea level!

Things to do in Tasmania - walk the Mt William National Park beaches — Things to do in Tasmania – walk the Mt William National Park beaches

Walk along a pristine beach – Strolling along the shores of Mt William National Park feels like walking through nature’s perfectly curated art gallery. With the sand as your red carpet, and the only audience is a curious wallaby or two. With each step, your feet sink into sugar-white sand so soft it could double as cake flour, while the turquoise waters lap gently at the shore, as if to remind you that paradise is real and you’re standing in it.

The beaches stretch so far, you might start to wonder if you’ve somehow wandered into your own private island. Imagine the soundtrack is nothing but the whoosh of ocean breezes and the distant squawks of seabirds. Every shell you pass seems perfectly placed for your admiration, and as the sun starts to dip, painting the sky in fiery oranges, you’ll feel like you’re walking through a postcard!

Things To Do in Scottsdale, Tasmania

Northeast Tasmania has a treasure trove of natural wonders and activities with Pepper Bush Adventures. Scottsdale, Tasmania, serves up small-town charm with a cheeky grin and plenty to keep curious travellers busy. Start with a splash at the Scottsdale Aquatic Centre, where the pools are warm, the slides are fun, and the vibe says “holiday mode activated.” Then march over to the RSL Military Museum, packed with stories, artefacts and a surprising amount of “wow, I didn’t know that!” Follow the trail of military tree carvings, quietly guarding the streets with their wooden salute. Thirsty? Climb aboard the quirky tasting boats at Darby-Norris and Little Rivers for spirits and brews with personality. Wander into the iconic Scottsdale Shoe Shop, a local legend for footwear finds you weren’t expecting on a country adventure. Add a browse through boutique retail, then settle into cosy cafes or the town’s much-loved award-winning Cottage Bakery for something delicious. Scottsdale: quirky, friendly and full of surprises.

Great personalised tour of Ben Lomond I did a personal tour of Ben Lomond National Park in early November 2022. I enjoyed my experience thoroughly. You need a certain type of vehicle to get into Ben Lomond National Park and I found it fascinating. My guide made plenty of stops along the way, I had lots of photo opportunities and the scenery is just stunning. I highly recommend. It's a great spot off the beaten track that a lot of tourists dont' think to go to. The wildlife is lovely as well as the lookouts and scenery. Very peaceful place. Even received some delicious fresh sandwiches from the award winning scottsdale bakery. Yum :) Thanks for a great half day trip.

Michelle P

25/02/2023

Tassie wildlife We did a 3 night / 2 day tour enjoying both Mt William & Ben Lomond NP our guide was informative and the meals supplied were more than sufficient The best part was watching the playful baby quolls enjoying their evening seach for food, so small, playful and moved so fast

MAW

09/12/2022

Lifelong memories My wife and I had booked the Canopy Capers’ excursion with ‘Pepperbush Adventures’ as part of our road trip in Tasmania. Ben came promptly at 5 pm and we were taken to a nearby irrigation pond to look for platypuses. Whilst there were a few glimpses it was very difficult to see as it was quite windy so the water was quite rippled. We left there and drove to an area of private land where there was a small cabin overlooking a lake. There were some kookaburras, and we saw some pademelons and some possums. Ben prepared a meal for us to eat - there was an appetiser tray of smoked wallaby and smoked chicken, salmon, grapes and strawberries. After that he cooked steaks on the barbecue which we had a with some beans, new potatoes and salad. We finished off with some cheesecake and fruit. There was wine and soft drinks to accompany our meal - pre-arranged with the company. We stayed until it got dark. Although the animal sightings were rather scant, this was offset by the passionate and educational input from Ben. He is the consummate host / guide and we greatly enjoyed learning so much about the flora and fauna of the area. The next day we enjoyed a full day out with Ben on another excursion - aptly named ‘The Quoll Patrol’. Ben arrived just before 11 am as arranged. We had another look for platypuses but again the sightings were fleeting even though it was much less windy. We then had a long drive into Ben Lomond National Park in the extreme north-east of Tasmania. We had periodic stops, whenever there was a wildlife sighting or a point of interest. We had a stop at a lookout where we had lunch - rolls and sandwiches bought from the cottage bakery back in Scottsdale. We drove further up to reach Ben Lomond village - it was only 5 degrees there. We stopped to look at the interesting geological formations - 300 metre tall dolorite columns with huge areas of rocky boulders beneath. Ben dropped us at the village - we did a short trail for about 20 minutes where we met up with him again waiting for us in the car. We drove back down from the National Park and again made a number of stops, smelling and tasting some of the roadside plants. We reached our final destination, a cabin surrounded by pasture. Ben set the fire and we were able to view and feed the kangaroos which lived there - it was an unofficial nature reserve of about 100 acres. The original kangaroos had come from Bonorong and now numbered about 40. It was a very engaging experience watching the kangaroos as we had our first course - a range of appetisers similar to the previous day. Ben then prepared wallaby meatballs with onions and courgettes. We thought this was the main course but later we were given some salmon and salad - my wife couldn’t eat any more as she was full already. The dessert course was chocolate fudge cake served with raspberries and blackberries. During the evening we sat beside the fire, watching the Eastern Quolls appearing, followed by the pademelons and finally the possums. As it got dark there was a long drive back to Scottsdale. We were exhausted at the end of the day but felt utterly thrilled by the experiences we had. As a guide Ben is truly fantastic. His personable nature, coupled with his commitment to the natural world, will remain in our memories. We thoroughly enjoyed his company - such a kind and generous spirited man. PS. We went to the irrigation pond on our last day as we were leaving Scottsdale and guess what - we saw two platypuses at the surface of the water. We managed to bag some quality photos - result! Thanks again, Ben. You’re a top guy. Good luck with your new hobby of crafting in metalwork.

Owen Thesaints

07/12/2022

A fantastic wildlife experience The 2 days we spent with Craig was the highlight for us of a month travelling around Tasmania and a fantastic opportunity to see wildlife, especially the nocturnal creatures you don't usually get to meet. Craig has a wealth of knowledge and experience of living in the bush, so we learned alot about the flora and fauna of the north-east part of Tasmania and saw platypus on several occasions, along with wallabies, echidnas , kangaroos and, padmelons during the day. The Canopy Capers and Quoll Patrol experiences are both amazing. After a great meal in the open air, we watched as the wildlife drew near at dusk - possums, quolls, wombats. It's an incredible, magical experience, I can't recommend enough.

Island Sue

10/04/2020

A great wildlife experience A great day with Bushy seeing visiting Ben Lomond, learning so much about the flora and fauna of Tasmania, topped off by a delicious bush meal, sharing the site with possums, quolls, wombats and more

D H

31/03/2020

A Wonderful Backwoods Experience With Bushy The Ben Lomand and Quoll Patrol adventure was fantastic. We drove up Jacob's ladder at Ben Lomand and Bushy took us into the forest for exploring. Dinner at the cabin and the night adventure with the Kangaroos, Wallabies, Paddymellons and Quolls was a highlight. You can't believe the wildlife here.

Laura R

24/03/2020

Marvellous Some good walks and opportunity for wildlife viewing. The evening barbecue with kangaroos, wallabies and quolls was magical. A very good insight into local life - the farming and cheese making. Fabulous scenery all around.

Sally G

11/03/2020

Amazing We had a 1 day tour with Craig and it was truly amazing. Started with a sighting of a platypus and then an echidna. A great scenic drive up Ben Lomond via Jacob's ladder and then sightings of some iconic wildlife including wombats, quolls, tawny frogmouths and wallaby's and kangaroos. The bush supper with quality wines was a great success. We loved the whole experience.

LondonWelshboyo

07/02/2020

Outstanding bush experience, some of the best wildlife viewing in Tasmania We thought we had already had some amazing wildlife experiences in Tasmania, but Ben's Quoll Patrol with us was truly over the top. Lots of wildlife, including a number of elusive quolls. You have to see it all to believe it! Kangaroos, wallabies, pademelons, bushy-tailed opossums, eastern quolls, short-snouted echidna, come to mind. Meeting his mob of kangaroos is an experience not to be missed. And on top of it all, Ben cooked us an excellent meal out there in the bush. All in all, a very memorable experience.

LafayetteJohn

Outstanding experience in the Tasmanian bush We spent 9 hours with Craig who took us to the Ben Lomond National Park and its surroundings, watching for a wide variety of Tasmanian wildlife. This ended with an excellent and copious dinner he cooked around a fire in the open surrounded by Kangaroos, Wallabies, Wombats, Pademelon, Possums....and even sighting a platypus and a quoll. We are amazed by the extent of Craig's knowledge of the bush, its flora and fauna and his ability to communicate his passion for them to us. He enabled us to experience at first hand many examples of the plants and animals unique to Tasmania. An amazing and unforgettable experience.

Peter B

26/01/2020

Regional - See & Do, Tours and Product