24 hours in Launceston

WHETHER it's the mighty Cataract Gorge or Boags liquid gold – you'll taste the spirit of Tasmania in Launceston, says Lee Taylor.

FROM art and culture to one of Tasmania's natural wonders – you'll have no problem losing yourself to Launceston.

Cataract Gorge

Cataract Gorge, or 'The Gorge' as the locals call it, is Launceston's biggest rock star.

Wowing crowds with magnificent rock formations that rise from the Tamar River and cool fern glades, it's hard to believe this urban reserve is only a twenty-minute walk west of the city centre.

Tucked away at the northern end of Patterson Bridge is a pathway that hugs the Tamar River, and leads you along one of the best short walks in Tasmania.

Within minutes the vibrations of the traffic is replaced by the gushing of water coursing through the raging South Esk River, and birds bathing in the shallow streams.

The 15-minute walk is a photographer's dream, presenting plenty of lookouts and the perfect vantage point along Kings Bridge – which was floated into place in 1867.

Further along the pathway opens out spectacularly to reveal the First Basin with its lush, rolling lawns, turquoise swimming pool and the longest single span chairlift in the world. Built in 1972 and spanning 457m across the entire basin, the chairlift climbs from the south until dangling legs disappear into the ferns and treetops, never to be seen again.

In contrast, the shady northern side, named the Cliff Grounds, is a Victorian garden where wilderness is created with more ferns and exotic plants.

Like all good walks there's a kiosk and restaurant to revive parched adventures. But be warned: lurking in the nearby trees is a muster of hungry peacocks, whose elegance and grace has been lost to their craving for hot chips.

Cataract Gorge is more than just a pretty face. Tasmanians tapped in to its natural beauty in 1893 by creating the Duck Reach Power Station, which used hydro electric to light the city in 1895. The power station is now an Interpretation Centre, which details the history of the area.

Boags Brewery Tours

Like Kane and Abel, Tasmanians are locked in bitter rivalry when it comes to who has the best brew. While Hobart in the south will contest that Cascade beer is the drink for true Tassies, Launceston locals wouldn't be seen dead drinking anything other than the local liquid Boags.

Why not taste for yourself by taking a Boags Brewery tour, where you'll learn the history and secrets behind the special brew, and more importantly, sample the company's prized amber liquid in the Boag's Centre for Beer Lovers.

Where: 39 William Street. The tours are at 11am, 12 noon and 2pm, and take approximately one-and-a-half hours.

Cost: $18 for adults or $14 for children aged between 5 and 17 years.

Contact: Call [phone] or email [e-mail]

Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery

Having been compared to the Tate Modern in London, the Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery is one of the world's few industrial museums to incorporate a stylish art collection.

From derelict railway workshops to Australia's finest collections of early colonial paintings, prints and watercolours – the museum is Launceston's cultural heartbeat and gateway to Tasmania's history and character.

The museum is located on two sites: the original purpose-built building in Royal Park and the Inveresk site, once the Launceston Railway.

Where: The Inveresk site is in Invermay Rd, while the Royal Park building is at 2 Wellington Street. Both sites are open from 10am until 5pm.

Cost: Free.

Contact: Call [phone].

Mill Providore

Before you tackle Cataract Gorge, pop into Mill Providore for a tantalising taste of Tasmania on the banks of Launceston's Tamar River.

Set in an 1830s flour mill and part of the acclaimed riverfront restaurant Stillwater, the Mill Providore has delectable local produce, including cheese, chocolates, olive oils, vinegars and its own breads. There's even an art gallery upstairs.

Where: Richies Mill, Patterson Street,

Contact: Call [phone].