There’s something alluring about leaving the traffic and the hectic work schedule behind to wake up to the sound of birds and not much else.
Key points:
- In 2022 visitors spent $2.7 billion in Tasmania
- Seven out of 10 tourists are seeking out agritourism experiences in the state
- Farmers are jumping at the chance to diversify income streams
You could be in a scenic valley surrounded by vineyards, a windswept paddock overlooking a wild coastline, or a sandstone colonial homestead in front of crackling fire.
Tasmania is brimming with these vistas and farmers consider themselves lucky custodians.
As domestic tourism booms after COVID, many are jumping at the chance to open up their slice of paradise to the public.
Tourism Tasmania research shows that seven out of 10 domestic travellers are looking for an agritourism experience.
Over the past 18 months consultancy firm Optimum Standard and Regionality has been mentoring about 100 farmers and food producers to bring their agritourism vision to life.
Regional food expert Rose Wright said it was important farmers had a clear picture of what they wanted from their business before they diversified.
“Just having a short-term holiday rental on the farm with a text message saying, ‘Here’s the key code, garbage goes out at Wednesday,’ is not an agritourism experience,” she said.
“It’s really important that farmers connect the people, the farming community around them, the place itself, the landscape, the history and the produce of the farm and of the region.”
The Opening the Gate program was born from a need to kickstart domestic travel as part of the federal government’s COVID-19 Relief and Recovery Fund.
It was designed to build on the 280 existing agritourism experiences in the state and to turn Tasmania into a destination for people wanting to connect with their food.
A breath of fresh air
Program participants Melinda and Craig Dwyer jumped at the chance to diversify their income stream.
They purchased their farm at Stanley, in the north-west, in 2016.
Ms Dwyer was working as a nurse and Mr Dwyer was a vet when they decided to take a leap into beef farming.
They have also been busy restoring the farm’s original homestead, the heart of which was built in the 1800s.
“What we really want to do is to showcase to people where food comes from,” Ms Dwyer said.
“For me, it’s a little bit about allowing people to come and take a breath, just soak up the space, the sounds and the view and just decompress.”
A refreshing drop
In the Coal River Valley, in southern Tasmania, Will and Clare Eddington are celebrating 200 years of the family’s merino sheep property Richmond Park Estate.
It now has a vineyard and plans are underway for a cellar door.
They are also looking to create natural wetlands on the farm to conserve 15 per cent for flora and fauna.
“The focus for me at the moment is creating a product that people want to come back for, ” Mr Eddington said.
“What I would recommend is speaking with as many people as you can and getting support from the people that have done it before you.
“Getting some mentors to talk things through, get your numbers right and jump in the deep end.”
From the city to the soil
At the other end of the state, Anna and Jason McNeill are also preparing to open the gate of their beautiful rural property at Forthside after “falling in love” with it about 20 years ago and setting up a lifestyle farm.
“It’s something we thought about for a long time,” Ms McNeill said.
“The timing is really good for that right now — the market is clearly wanting those sort of experiences.”
With planning approval for two “boutique sheds” tucked into a bushy corner of the property, the McNeills are getting close to finalising a design and beginning the build.
“We want people to learn about where their food comes from and how it’s produced,” Ms McNeill said, pointing to rows of rhubarb growing on a sweeping slope.
“And they can get their hands dirty from time to time, depending on what we’re doing on the farm.”