It was difficult to wipe the smile off his face for the rest of the day, as he and his nine-year-old brother (who rode a horse called Guardian) recounted the joy of feeding – and riding – the horses, which was a clear highlight of our stay at Launceston’s Country Club Resort.

Despite being only about 10 minutes from the CBD, Country Club Resort is set on sprawling grounds at Prospect Vale. And as well as offering accommodation in a range of rooms and spacious suites, the property is home to an 18-hole championship golf course, a lake, a pool, a water feature, tennis and squash courts, restaurants, bars, and – of course – stables. Daily pony rides and trail rides give kids and adults an opportunity to enjoy a taste of country life.

My boys loved ambling through surrounding bushland on horseback, and they also loved having the opportunity to meet each of the horses beforehand, tentatively stretching out their arms to hand-feed the horses from a big bucket of carrots.

It wasn’t their first time on a horse – they actually rode horses at Country Club 2½ years ago – but with limited riding experience the excitement was real. There were wide grins as each child clipped on a helmet, stepped onto the wooden platform, slid one foot into the metal stirrups, swung their other leg over the horse, and then wriggled their bottoms into the saddle, ready for the friendly and experienced guides to lead the horses – and their eager riders – along a bush trail.

The boys actually had a lot of reasons to smile during our two-night stay at Country Club Resort, a destination which caters well for families.

The boys enjoyed the comfort of an executive room, with an internal door opening into our larger Golf Suite, which had a spacious bedroom with a super-comfy kingsize bed, a separate lounge, a grand bathroom with a deep spa bath and a luxurious five-jet shower, two TVs and a private balcony overlooking the golf course.

The golf course is currently undergoing a redevelopment, which is due to be completed next year, although golf enthusiasts will be pleased to know that work has been staged so that nine holes will be playable at any one time.

Feeding the resident ducks, geese and swans was also a highlight for the boys – the honks and amazingly long necks of the hungry black swans had the boys fascinated and terrified in equal measure – with free bags of duck food available from reception.

The other great thing about Country Club is that it’s an easy drive into Launceston’s CBD – where the boys begged to visit Riverbend Park. They also had a great time playing at Blackstone Park – which has a flying fox and an outdoor basketball court – and is only a short drive from the resort.

But mostly they were happy to hang out at the resort, swimming in the pool and spa, and indulging in plenty of delicious meals.

There’s a shuttle bus that connects Country Club Resort to nearby Country Club Villas – which has its own pool and playground – and we used the shuttle to take us to dinner at Bolters Grill on our first night.

There’s a pizzeria and bar here, with an adjoining grill/restaurant area at the rear, which is where we chose to eat. This casual dining option is great for families – there’s a playroom for the kids and pencils and colouring sheets which the boys enjoyed bringing to our table. A southern fried chicken burger, lemon pepper calamari, fish and chips and a double chocolate brownie with berries and Caramilk crème were among the meals enjoyed by all.

The following evening we opted for the buffet dinner option at Country Club Resort’s Links restaurant – after all, what child – or adult, for that matter – doesn’t love a good buffet? And with a huge variety of delicious menu options, it didn’t disappoint.

But perhaps more impressive than the main meal options was the dessert buffet, brimming with all manner of amazing cakes. “I love it, it’s like a dream,’’ my youngest son enthused as he loaded yet another mint chocolate meringue onto his plate.

Links was also the place we ate a buffet breakfast each morning, and we were impressed by the attentiveness of the staff here.

On the final day of our stay, our youngest child celebrated his seventh birthday.

In anticipation of the big day, he’d requested fairy bread for breakfast, so we came prepared with sprinkles to add to buttered white bread from the buffet.

When a friendly staff member realised it was his birthday, she quickly scurried off to the kitchen, returning with a little plate of cakes, complete with a candle, and started singing Happy Birthday, which was a lovely surprise.

We had time to feed the ducks one last time before we headed back to Hobart to continue the birthday celebrations.

It definitely felt like we’d had a relaxing and enjoyable getaway, without having to travel too far from home.

The author was a guest of Country Club Resort.

MAKE A NOTE

Country Club Resort is at Prospect Vale, a 10-minute drive from Launceston’s CBD.

Drawcards include the 18-hole championship golf course, pool, lake, tennis and squash courts, restaurants, bars, and stables. Pony rides are $12 per child, trail rides are $35 for hotel guests, or $49 for non-guests. Rooms start at $161 per night, but current offers include a 20 per cent discount on two-night stays, or a value direct offer which gives guests a $20 food and beverage credit for each night of their stay. Book at countryclubtasmania.com.au