Authentic immersive Tasmanian holiday – just ask us!

Guests wanting an authentic immersive Tasmanian holiday just have to ask us. As they say, nobody knows better than a local!

 

We have been part of the Tasmanian tourism scene for 23 years.
The Woodbridge has been part of the Derwent Valley community for 200 years.

 

However I must confess that things are developing so quickly locally, that I am being challenged to keep up. We are no longer the charming, sleepy back water.

 

But still charming, still a little sleepy (we certainly live life at a different pace), our valley thankfully retains its authenticity. Is it not, and never has been, a tourism construct. It remains genuine small town rural Tasmania, offering what Ella Pashinger brilliantly calls ‘life-seeing, not just sightseeing‘.

 

 

Paths less well trodden

 

A growing group of travellers are beginning to turn away from well-worn tourist paths. More and more reject joining the throngs of visitors to see the same landmarks and take the same pictures to show their friends on social media. But don’t get me started on that!

One journalist quipped that the one criteria for his recent trip to Paris was that “The trip will be successful if I didn’t see the Eiffel Tower…. (I would rather) be at someone’s kitchen table and drink wine from a milk glass.”

 

 

Exploring ‘the mundane’

 

Who doesn’t love sitting in a coffee shop somewhere ‘away’ and just watching the world go by. What is it that is so appealing about the evening promenade amongst the locals and attempting “good evening” in the local language.

 

One of my favourite pastimes when overseas. is browsing the local supermarkets. Yes I like the fresh food markets also, but actually prefer the supermarkets. Here there is the comfort of a degree of familiarity, but also the excitement of the novel and exotic. And taken with a grain of humour, learning how to use local commuter facilities can be an absolute hoot! And a great way to interact with the locals who love to help you!

Some researchers are reporting that travellers are turning their back on the over glamourised hot-spots of travel. They are seeking out the ordinary, routine life of the locals. For travellers, the mundane can be exotic.

 

 

Viral advert

A one-minute and 45-seconds Norwegian travel advert quickly scored nearly 20 million views. A brilliant parody, it was all very tongue-in-cheek, and obviously touched a nerve.

 

The narrator introduces viewers to Norway’s capital, strolling  through a tranquil cityscape with no queues, crowds or selfie-snappers in sight. “Is Oslo even worth visiting?”he asks. “You can just walk from one side of town to the other in, like, 30 minutes.”

Tourism researcher Lauren A Siegel called the promotion “brilliant and on-trend”, appealing to viewers who have become disenchanted with living their lives online

 

Try an authentic immersive Derwent Valley experience

 

The beautiful Derwent Vally is an authentic immersive Tasmanian holiday. Try home-made bread and raw honey from farm-gate stalls. Chat to the locals at  the ‘men’s shed’ and buy the vegetables that they grow. Stop for a bite at tiny ‘shack’ cafes that bake cakes and scones like grandma made. There is so many options.

If you are lucky you might be in town for the local Saturday market or the Autumn month of festivals. Or when the lively local art community is hosting an exhibition or musical event. Come along, join in! Everyone is welcome!