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🗺️ Farm Day Trips guide
Things to Do Near the Lavender Farms of the Huon Valley, Tasmania
Huon Valley apple country 40 minutes from Hobart: Willie Smith's orchard dates to 1888, and Hartz Mountains' Arve Falls walk takes just 20 minutes.
5 places · updated October 17, 2026
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The Huon Valley is Tasmania's apple country, about 40 minutes south of Hobart, where the Huon River widens past Huonville, Franklin and Port Huon toward the D'Entrecasteaux Channel. Orchards have shaped the valley since the 1800s: Franklin was a busy river port shipping fruit and dried apples, and cider makers still press local apples today. Beyond Geeveston, the southern forests climb into Hartz Mountains National Park on the edge of the World Heritage area.
Campo de Flori in Glen Huon grows lavender alongside olives, honey and saffron, but it has been closed to visitors since October 1, 2022, under council rules; its tours, workshops and farmgate shop no longer run. You can still find its culinary lavender and other goods through Tasmanian stockists and at markets and festivals. This guide covers the rest of the valley within about an hour of Glen Huon.
The lavender farms
- Campo de FloriLavender farm · Glen Huon
Not open to the public: farm, studio and farmgate shop closed to visitors since October 1, 2022. Produce sold at markets, festivals, stockists and online.
Best time to visit
This is the Southern Hemisphere, so summer is December to February: the best months for river walks in Franklin and the Hartz Mountains, where waratahs flower in late spring and early summer and wildflowers bloom in spring (September to November). The Cygnet Folk Festival is held each January. Winter (June to August) brings snow to Hartz, which can close the road; chains are required in snow. Hastings Caves' thermal pool stays at 28°C year-round, making it a good cold-weather stop. Geeveston's Twilight Feast runs 5 to 8 p.m. on the first Thursday of each month, and the Huon Valley Studio Art Trail opens artists' studios October 23 to 25, 2026.
Places to see nearby parks, trails, beaches and landmarks
- Franklin🏘️ Town · Franklin · about 11 mi, 20 min drive
The first town on the Huon River, laid out after Lady Jane Franklin bought land here in 1838. Walk the riverbank track along the foreshore, which has a playground and barbecue shelter, and look in at the Palais Theatre's shop (Friday to Sunday, closed in winter).
- Tasmanian Wooden Boat Centre🏛️ Museum · Franklin · about 11 mi, 20 min drive
A wooden boatbuilding school at 3333 Huon Highway whose workshop doors open onto the river; visitors are welcome and guided tours are offered.
- Port Huon🏘️ Town · Port Huon · about 16 mi, 25 min drive
Once the port where apple ships loaded for export; today the foreshore at Shipwrights Point looks over the Huon River toward Bruny Island and the Hartz Mountains.
- Geeveston Heritage Park🏞️ Park · Geeveston · about 19 mi, 30 min drive
A park beside the town centre where a resident platypus family lives along the Platypus Walk, with a kids' adventure playground, the Tasmanian Forest Workers Memorial and the Town Hall Visitor Centre nearby. The town is also where the TV series Rosehaven was filmed.
- Cygnet🏘️ Town · Cygnet · about 16 mi, 25 min drive
An arts town on Port Cygnet with galleries, craft shops and cafés; Burton's Reserve at the south end of town has a waterside walk, picnic area and playground, and the Cygnet Coast Road runs past wineries and berry farms.
Cygnet Folk Festival each January
- Hartz Mountains National Park🌳 State park · via Geeveston · about 34 mi, 65 min drive
Alpine walks from the main car park: Waratah Lookout (300 m, 5 minutes), Arve Falls (1 km return, 20 minutes), Lake Osborne (2 km, 45 minutes) and Hartz Peak (7.4 km, 3 to 5 hours). The last 10.5 km of road is unsealed.
Year-round; snow can close the road in winter
Tasmanian parks pass required
- Dover🏘️ Town · Dover · about 32 mi, 50 min drive
A fishing village at the head of Port Esperance Bay looking out to Faith, Hope and Charity islands, with a foreshore playground, free barbecues, a dog walking area and the Dover Museum and Gallery.
- Hastings Caves State Reserve🌳 State park · Hastings · about 47 mi, 75 min drive
Hourly guided tours of Newdegate Cave and a thermal spring pool kept at 28°C, plus a short wheelchair-friendly platypus boardwalk; a longer drive from Glen Huon but a full half-day. Dogs are not allowed.
Visitor centre daily 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
No parks pass needed; cave tour tickets sold at the visitor centre
Where to stop: farms, food and stays
- Willie Smith's Apple ShedCidery (21+) · Grove
Cider made from an orchard first planted in 1888, served in the Apple Shed with a kitchen open daily (until 8 p.m. on Fridays).
- Frank's Cider House & CaféCidery (21+) · Franklin
The Clark family has grown apples at Franklin since 1836; taste their ciders and visit the Franklin Apple Museum alongside the café.
- Home Hill WineryWinery or vineyard (21+) · Ranelagh
Ranelagh winery established in 1992 with a cellar door open daily and a chef's-hat restaurant Thursday to Monday.
- Harvest and LightRestaurant · Geeveston
Geeveston picklery and wine bar making small-batch preserves on site, served on cheeseboards Thursday and Friday from 11.
A one-day plan
- 10:00 AMFranklin riverfront and Tasmanian Wooden Boat Centre · about 20 min drive
Campo de Flori is closed to visitors, so begin in Franklin: walk the river track and look into the boatbuilding workshop; about 1 hour.
- 11:05 AMPort Huon · about 5 min drive
Stop at Shipwrights Point for the river and mountain views; about 20 minutes.
- 11:35 AMGeeveston Heritage Park · about 10 min drive
Walk the Platypus Walk and the main street's carved statues; about 45 minutes.
- 12:30 PMHarvest and Light · about 2 min drive
Lunch on a preserves-and-cheese board (Thursday or Friday); about 1 hour.
- 2:05 PMHartz Mountains National Park · about 35 min drive
Walk to Arve Falls and Lake Osborne; about 1.5 hours. Register at the booth by the car park.
- 4:45 PMWillie Smith's Apple Shed · about 65 min drive
End with dinner on a Friday, when the kitchen stays open until 8 p.m.
Tips
- Buy a Tasmanian parks pass before visiting Hartz Mountains; Hastings Caves does not need one.
- The last 10.5 km to Hartz is unsealed, and the road can close for snow in winter; avoid driving there at night.
- Several stops keep short hours: Harvest and Light opens Thursday and Friday, and Willie Smith's kitchen closes at 3:30 p.m. Monday to Thursday.
- Dogs are not allowed at Hastings Caves State Reserve; Dover's foreshore has a dog walking area.
- Dover is the last good place to buy fuel and groceries before the Far South.
Checked in October 2026 against official park, tourism and business websites. How we check listings
Questions
Can you visit Campo de Flori lavender farm?
No. The farm and studio have been closed to visitors since October 1, 2022; its products are sold through stockists and at markets.
How far is the Huon Valley from Hobart?
About 40 minutes to the valley, about an hour to Geeveston, and about 1 hour 45 minutes to Hastings Caves.
Do I need a parks pass in the Huon Valley?
Yes for Hartz Mountains National Park; no for Hastings Caves and its thermal pool.
Is Hartz Mountains open in winter?
Yes, but snow can close the road, and chains are needed to drive on in snow.
🪪 Collect a stamp at every stop
The free Lavender Passport keeps a stamp for each farm and stop you visit, in real life and in the Lavender Farm Simulator. At the farm, play Field Quest to collect plant varieties as you walk, climb the leaderboards and unlock sponsor rewards.
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