SHOPPING AND MARKETS CYGNET

The Wooden Boat Centre is a boat building and visitor centre at Franklin, in Tasmania's south. Franklin is an historic Huon Valley town, 40 minutes' drive south of Hobart (45 kilometres). Sitting on the banks of the Huon River, the Wooden Boat Centre comprises the Wooden Boat Discovery Centre and Wooden Boat School. In the Discovery Centre you can see displays interpreting the history of wooden boat building and water transport along with maritime tools and artefacts. A number of small vessels are on display and you can also see some of Tasmania's unique boat building timbers including Huon pine, King Billy pine, celery top and Tasmanian blue gum. There is also a gift shop where you can choose from a range of nautical gifts and Wooden Boat Centre merchandise.Tea and coffee is available. The Wooden Boat School offers boat-building courses ranging in length from one day to full-time certificate courses. The Certificate in Wooden Boat Construction teaches traditional wooden boat-building methods and focuses on the construction of large timber vessels through all stages from lofting to launch. You can watch the students and boatbuilders working on current projects from the viewing platforms in the Centre, which is open daily for guided tours, except Christmas Day.

True to name, this hillside vineyard looks across the Huon River to the Hartz mountains. In the chapel-like tasting room you can sample not only owners Robert and Anthea Pattersons wines but those from 10 other Tasmanian vineyards. Bearing the Hartzview label are wines made from riesling, chardonnay (wooded and unwooded), sauvignon blanc, semillon, pinot gris, pinot noir and cabernet sauvignon grapes, including a sparkling pinot noir made methode champenoise. There also are fruit ports, liqueurs and mead. Tastings, door sales and cheese platters are available. The 3 hectare vineyard was established in 1988 on the site of an old gooseberry farm. If you cant get enough of the panoramic view, accommodation is available in a colonial-style homestead.

Stanley's Studio and Gallery - Fine Art and Craft are located in Cygnet, Southern Tasmania. Stanley's Studio and Gallery resides in one of the first general stores in Cygnet, circa. 1905. A vast open space with high ceilings gives room for large canvases and drawings, artworks and glass jewellery. Meet Richard Stanley, resident artist and talk about his work. Listen to ambient music as you peruse his paintings and limited edition prints. The Gallery is located in a beautiful rural setting with mountain and river views. Richard offers a unique experience to art and craft lovers. All work is Tasmanian produced with the majority being made on the premises by Richard himself. Works include original oil and pastel paintings, limited edition framed and unframed prints, cards and bookmarks. Artworks are based on landscapes in Tasmania with emphasis on the South. Richard also produces dichroic glass jewellery in pendant, hanging earring, stud earring and brooch form which sells in his gallery. Richard is also a stained glass artist having done many commissions throughout Australia. You can see his work in the front Entry Doors of his Gallery. Cygnet is a 49 minute drive (55 kilometres /34 miles ) South of Hobart.

Elsewhere Vineyard is situated just 45 minutes from Hobart and only six kilometres west of Cygnet. The vineyard produces six different wine styles: A traditional method Sparkling made from Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier, a still Pinot Noir, still Chardonnay, Riesling, Gewurztraminer and Sylvaner. These are all dry grown on the 12.5 ha vineyard and made by Terry Doyle who is a qualified winemaker. The vineyard is in a beautiful setting just off the banks of the Huon River which is over two kilometres wide in front of the vineyard. The snow capped Hartz mountains form the western backdrop to this lovely part of Tasmania. A tour of the vineyard can be arranged.

Enchanted Woods is a gallery and shop at Castle Forbes Bay in Tasmania's Huon Valley. Castle Forbes Bay is a 10-minute drive south of Huonville (16 kilometres) and an hour from Hobart (64 kilometres). Enchanted Woods features work by Tasmanian wood-turner Sue MacBeachen. You can browse the range of individually-crafted pieces, made from Tasmanian specialty timbers including Huon pine, black heart sassafras, myrtle and blackwood. The shop also offers a range of crafts including stained glass, wood craft and collectables. Enchanted Woods is rimmed by gardens and an apple orchard and has views of the Huon River, Mount Wellington (1270) and surrounding mountains. There are a number of artists and galleries in the Huon Valley and D'Entrecasteaux Channel area. You can see examples of fine timber furniture at the Southern Design Centre in Geeveston; visit the studio of potter John Martin at the Woodfired Pottery in Glen Huon and see quality Tasmanian art and craft at The Regnan's Gallery at Peppermint Bay, near Woodbridge.

The Cygnet Public Golf Course is a nine-hole country course in the Huon Valley. The course overlooks Port Cygnet Bay and the township of Cygnet, and is a 50-minute drive south of Hobart (66 kilometres/41 miles). The Cygnet Public Golf Course offers nine diverse holes and a layout that makes the most of the course's natural landscape. No two holes here are the same and the natural hazards, including dams and creeks, make for an interesting round of golf. Green fees give you access to the course for the day and club and buggy hire are available - bookings for hire equipment are recommended. Change rooms and refreshments are also available. Holes: nine, Par: 33, Length: 1,760 metres

Located in Cygnet, Tasmania is Lovett Gallery operated by the Huon Exhibitions Group. HAEG is primarily a group of local artists that initially got together to support each other and organise exhibitions. They now run their own gallery "Lovett Gallery" to display and market the work of their members. The Gallery is located at the rear of the Town Hall, Mary St, Cygnet and open every weekend, Fridays during daylight savings and most public holidays from 1000 to 1600 HAEG now have 120 members and coordinate two major biennial exhibitions - 'Watermark' and 'Southern Exposure' as well as mini exhibitions for member artists. Works at Lovett Gallery are constantly changing and include paintings in all genres, photography, sculpture, ceramics and jewellery. Some members also produce greeting cards. Works can be viewed anytime on the website. Many tourists and local visitors on the Huon Trail also use the visit to enjoy the cafe culture now blossoming in and around Cygnet. Cygnet is 50 minutes' drive (55 km / 34 mile) south of Hobart.

Panorama Wines is a vineyard and wine centre in Tasmania's Huon Valley. The vineyard is located at Cradoc on the eastern shore of the Huon River, a 40-minute drive south of Hobart (65 kilometres). Panorama's 12 hectares (30 acres) of vines include riesling, chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, gewürztraminer and pinot noir. You can sample Panorama's range of award winning, cool climate wines in the wine tasting room. Try the elegant pinot noir, medal-winning riesling, oaked and non-oaked chardonnay, sauvignon blanc and a refreshing, family-recipe pear liqueur. You can relax with a picnic in the gazebo and gardens or enjoy Panorama's seasonal program of concerts and live music. Cellar door sales are available at the vineyard. You can also purchase Panorama Wines at the Apple Valley Teahouse at Grove, north of Huonville.

Tas-Saff, at Glaziers Bay, southern Tasmania, is Australia's first commercial saffron grower. Glaziers Bay is located in the Huon Valley, 50 minutes drive south of Hobart (70 kilometres). Tas Saff is a family-owned, multi-award winning Tasmanian business. Established in 1991 on three acres of land overlooking the sea at Glaziers Bay, Tas Saff is now a thriving commercial saffron producer and has developed a network of 40 growers throughout Australia. You can visit Tas Saff by appointment to discover the process of growing fine quality Tasmanian saffron. Saffron is the name given to the dried, red stigmas of the flower of the Crocus Sativus plant. It is treasured for adding flavour, colour, and aroma to food, and also has medicinal qualities. Growing and harvesting saffron is a labour-intensive undertaking. Each crocus plant produces just one flower, and each flower grows three stigmas. The plant flowers over a 35-day period in autumn and the delicate process of picking, stripping, weighing and packing the filaments is all done by hand. Around 220,000 flowers are needed to produce each kilogram of Australian saffron.

The Hartzview Vineyard Heritage listed Pickers Hut Village is at Gardners Bay, in Tasmania’s South.

Take a stroll into history as you enjoy a self-guided discovery walk of the seven different restored small fruit pickers huts that families lived in during the picking season. Les and Lillian Polley established the fruit farm in the 1920’s. During World War two, some of these huts were home to Italian prisoners of war, who replaced agricultural workers serving overseas.

You can also visit the cellar door which is open every day and taste from the estate Reserve Pinot Noir, Chardonnays and the large range of preservative free fruit Ports, Liqueurs (Blackcurrant, Blackberry, Cherry, Blueberry, Raspberry, Tasmanian Cassis) and Mead.

The Vineyard Cafe is also open every day from 1000 to 1700 and serves all day lunches specialising in vineyard and cheese platters. Treat yourself to a delicious Hartzview dessert made especially with one of their fruit Ports or Liqueurs.

At the end of the day, unwind and stay a while to experience true luxury in Hartzview Vineyard’s self-contained spa homestead, relaxing in front of the log fire with a platter and glass of Hartzview Pinot Noir.

Gardner’s bay is a 45 minute drive (46 kilometres / 28 miles) South of Hobart.

Held the last Sunday in every month
10:00am - 2:00pm

The Franklin market is a lively country market, it has a great atmosphere and you’ll always find a few treasures. Stallholders range from home grown produce, hand-crafted products, quality secondhand and antique items, home-baked cakes, barista coffee, organic cafe and lots more. Thee is live music and lots of friendly faces, come and join us!