The Meander Valley is the beginning of the Cradle to Coast Tasting trail which is noted for the range and quality of its fine food and alcohol products. On a day tour you can visit 41 Degree South salmon farm to taste the hot smoked fresh water salmon products and even feed the fish. From there it is only a short distance to 3 Willows Vineyard who have a variety of hand made wine to taste. From there it is well worth a visit and Ashgrove Cheese, Seven Sheds Brewery, Ghost Rock winery and House of Anvers for hand made chocolate.

The Mole Creek Caves are 55kms (1 hour) drive away and are some of the most spectacular limestone caves in the southern hemisphere. Tours depart regularly during the day. We recommend after a trip to the caves you return via the gourmet food trail sampling raspberry cheescake, wine, cheese and hot smoked salmon on the return journey.

The Great Western Tiers, while not having the reputation of Cradle Mountain offers a variety of walks and wildlife experiences as well as spectacular mountain scenery. However many people find that a visit to the Cradle Mountian National Park is a must see experience on thier visit to Tasmania. From Forest Walks Lodge it is a 5 hours return trip and although this makes for a long day it will take you through some beautiful farming country and forested mountain scenery along the base of the Great Western Tiers. The drive still leaves time for a walk around Dove Lake and a visit to the information centre at Cradle Mountain National Park as well as the wilderness photo gallery at the Chateau.

If you have a taste for whisky the Nant Distillery is 100kms away in the Central Higlands of Tasmania. Situated on the historic National Trust listed Nant Estate (circa 1821) at Bothwell, the Nant is a rare farm based whisky distillery. At the centre of the distillery complex is the Old Water Mill built on the estate in 1823 and still used today for gristing barley to make single malt whisky. We recommend you stop on the way to or from the Lodge if you take the Mountain Lakes Rd. The drive takes you through the alpine wilderness region and gives you the opportunity to stop and take in the interpretation of the alpine vegetation at Pine Lake.