After a few busy days in Melbourne, I left the Park Hyatt Hotel for the airport, which is colloquially known as Tullamarine, a name derived from indigenous sources. It’s the second busiest field in the country, after Kingsford Smith in Sydney and is comprised of four terminals, including one international, two domestic and one for budget carriers such as Virgin Australia and Jetstar Airways. On this occasion, I was booked on an early afternoon domestic Qantas flight to Hobart, Tasmania and headed for Terminal 1. Surprisingly, the carrier operated a Business Class service on this short, one hour, fifteen-minute flight and check-in and security clearance were both fast and efficient during the late morning hours.
Then I was off to the Qantas Business Class Lounge, which I found could be at home in any international terminal. This lounge is open to Business Class travelers and Platinum-grade frequent flyers and is a step above and not to be confused with the Qantas Club next door, which is reserved for premier members of their frequent Flyer Program. This Qantas Business Class Lounge offers exceptional airport views from one end to the other and I appreciated the abundance of natural light which filled the space, aided by the occasional skylight. Meandering through the Business Lounge, I discovered a range of seating choices. Those began with work benches just behind the reception area, with power points at the ready. This location also tended to be a rather quiet place, just perfect for relaxing before the flight. Exploring the lounge, I found it to be largely rectangular in shape and divided into a number of smaller spaces. This helped avoid the lounge from feeling “too big,” while also maintaining an air of spaciousness.
The dining area centered around the Business Lounge’s Spice Bar, which opens at Noon each day. Options here may vary from one visit to the next, but Szechuan Noodles were the order of the day during my stop, accompanied by either chicken or pork. The dish arrived in moments and the spice level appeared set to “medium,” which was a happy middle-of-the-road range to suit the tastes of most travelers. If a visitor’s spice tolerance didn’t go beyond mild though, they wouldn’t have gone hungry as two assisted service stations nearby delivered a broader range of bites. One side offered soups while the other featured a collection of snack plates, sweet treats and more filling options like sandwich rolls. Nibbles and sweets were also made available at the Central Bar. But, knowing there was another meal waiting for me in Qantas Business, I stoped after sampling the noodles at the Spice Bar.
Qantas was operating a Boeing 717-200 on the route that afternoon. The carrier’s only one of three in the world to offer passenger services with that aircraft, the others being Delta Air Lines and Hawaiian Airlines. Interestingly, the Boeing 717 was not created by the Boeing Company, but rather by their former competitor McDonnell Douglas. The aircraft was initially designated as the MD-95, but was changed after McDonnell Douglas merged with Boeing in 1997. The forward cabin in my Qantas aircraft had twelve seats in a 2x2 configuration, each being 20” wide with a 37” pitch. Upon boarding, I took my favorite seat 2C on the port side of the aircraft. Our flight attendant was warm and friendly, welcoming us aboard by name and pretty soon we were underway. The takeoff was smooth and immediately after the seatbelt sign went off, the inflight service began. I was pretty surprised to be offered a hot meal on such a short flight and chose the chicken teriyaki on rice with warm bread and it was very tasty! Our flight attendant came around with a selection of both red and white wines, which were all local to Australia’s Yarra Valley and she was very knowledgeable about each being offered. After about half an hour in the air, the captain announced our descent into Hobart, The crew were very efficient in clearing the cabin and getting it ready for landing, which occurred about 2:30 that afternoon.
I was booked into the Tasman, a Luxury Collection Hotel by Marriott, located right in the heart of Hobart, adjacent to Tasmania’s Parliament. It's across the street from leafy St. David’s Park, and just about a block from the waterfront and the bars and shops of Salamanca Place. The hotel comprises an engaging mix of architectural styles. Its wings comprise hand-hewn, sandstone Georgian building remnants that date back to the 1840s; an Art Deco-era wing upon which construction began in 1937 to house the state’s departments of taxation, public works, forestry and agriculture; and gleaming glass-and-steel contemporary additions. I discovered plaques and photos, as well as display cases with unearthed trinkets, around the hotel detailing the history of each building’s site, including some structures which are no longer standing. My room was in the Art Deco wing and took that era’s design as its inspiration. The most eye-catching features included sculptural chrome light fixtures and richly toned fabric and leather upholstery on the furnishings, as well as a geometrically patterned carpet with concentric rectangles. Even the bathroom was dramatic, tiled with striated gray limestone. There was a single marble sink and a spa-like shower, complete with amenities by Australian botanical brand Grown Alchemist. The Tasman’s flagship restaurant is a contemporary Italian eatery called Peppina from chef Massimo Mele, and it’s situated at the end of the Heritage Building along the ground floor with its main entrance on Parliament Square. It offered a fine dining experience in a lovely setting with superb service, which I enjoyed during a business dinner one evening.
When my free day rolled around, we did some exploring. Hobart is the capital city of Tasmania, a beautiful Australian island. My first stop was Salamanca Place, which consists of rows of sandstone buildings, formerly warehouses for the port of Hobart Town, that have since been converted into any number of galleries, theaters, restaurants, clubs and specialty shops. The boutiques sold everything from souvenirs and clothing to various jars of honey from different flowers, as well as woolen goods, jewelry, and beautiful Huon Pine pieces and carvings from this old and rare timber.
The Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery (TMAG) was another treasure waiting to be discovered. Located on Hobart's historic waterfront, it’s the second oldest museum in Australia and has its origins in the collections of the country's oldest scientific society, the Royal Society of Tasmania, which was established in 1843. It’s home to a sizable collection of art, history and science artifacts and was the perfect place to spend a leisurely afternoon. Of particular interest to me was the Tasmanian Devil. Sitting in its box in one of the Bond Store Galleries, this creature had undergone taxidermy of course, but still looked quite menacing. The devil’s mouth was wide open, its pointy teeth were on full display, and the sharp claws looked ready to attack. Though the marsupial appeared small up close and personal, these creatures are known for being rather feisty and deserve a wide berth!
In the late afternoon we drove to Port Arthur, a small town and former penal settlement about a ninety-minute drive southeast of Hobart via the Tasman Highway. At the Port Arthur Historic Site, we learned that from 1833 until 1877, it was the destination for those thought to be the most hardened of convicted British criminals. This is one of the most important historical sites in Australia and a UNESCO World Heritage Site with a grim history that fascinates with horror stories of early convict settlements. By 1840, over two thousand convicts, soldiers and free officers and their families lived here. It had become a major industrial settlement that produced ships, bells, furniture, shoes and clothing, among other things. We spent several hours touring that afternoon as there are more than thirty historic buildings and ruins to explore spread over one hundred acres.
Having the opportunity to briefly tour both Melbourne and the Hobart area whetted my appetite for further travel “Down Under.” As a remote yet highly developed country, Australia captivated me with its unique natural wonders and friendly citizens. I believe it’s one of the few countries where, no matter what your travel taste or budget may be, will deliver a travel experience that can’t be found anywhere else. Australia is one of the best places I’ve had the good fortune to visit and well worth the long flight from the US or Europe.
Until next time…safe travels.
A nice insight into some of the character of Tasmania ...