Smithton: Culture, Cheese and Takayna / Tarkine

Smithton lies on the edge of Takayna / Tarkine and offers different ways to shape your stay: local culture at the Circular Head Heritage Centre, dairy experiences at Duck River Meadows and tours of the processing facilities at Tarkine Fresh Oysters. The Smithton Visitor Information Centre also provides maps and help with planning adventures. You can plan your stay around whether culture, food production or nature is your main focus.

Culture at the Circular Head Heritage Centre

The Circular Head Heritage Centre in Smithton has an extensive collection. It includes fossils and geological specimens; local Aboriginal cultural objects and information about them are also on display. Natural history exhibits and cultural content sit side by side here. You can browse the collection at your leisure or ask to see particular items. If you want to view specific items, check the current visitor arrangements in advance, as these may change.

Dairies, cheese and oyster processing

Duck River Meadows Robotic Dairy in Smithton offers daily tours of its automated dairy. Tour times and booking options may change, so check them before your visit. A tour of Duck River Meadows ends at the Duck River Meadows Pavilions, where visitors can taste and buy artisan cheeses. The La Cantara Cheese factory is also located at Duck River Meadows Robotic Dairy. If you want to taste particular cheeses, ask about the current selection in advance.

At Tarkine Fresh Oysters in Smithton, tours take you through the on-site processing facilities; advance booking is required. The difference in focus from Duck River Meadows is clear: here, the emphasis is on oyster processing, while there it is on the automated dairy and artisan cheese.

Getting your bearings

The Smithton Visitor Information Centre offers maps, help with planning adventures and souvenirs. The Centre also has a café and a theatre room. If you want to plan around any of these offerings, check the latest service information in advance, as services and facilities may change.

Choose accommodation to suit your plans

If the Heritage Centre, dairy experiences and Visitor Information Centre in Smithton are the focus of your trip, look specifically for hotels in Smithton. If nature destinations in the broader destination of Circular Head Council are more important to your trip, take their specific locations into account when deciding.

Nature in the broader destination of Circular Head Council

In the broader destination of Circular Head Council, the Nut Summit Circuit crosses a plateau. The 2.7-kilometre loop takes about an hour. The Nut State Reserve is a breeding ground for short-tailed shearwaters, peregrine falcons, Australian kestrels and little penguins.

Rocky Cape National Park is also in the broader destination of Circular Head Council. It is primarily a day-trip park and is best explored on foot. Sea caves, rock pools and secluded beaches define the park; the beaches are suitable for fishing and swimming. Before your trip, check the latest conditions for tracks and facilities, as these may change.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Poatina, Coningham, Ranelagh, Lalla, Coles Bay, Cranbrook, Port Sorell, Grove.

To the broader travel guide: Tasmania.