Triabunna’s new digs helps guests reconnect with nature

A retreat on the ridge of a former wood chip mill pays tribute to thousands of years of history, and provides idyllic respite. PICS + DETAILS >>

There is new life springing from Tasmania’s inglorious past at this regenerated East Coast retreat.

At an old woodchip mill site, which saw hundreds of trees decimated, a railway line turn circle has been hollowed out into an amphitheatre with a circular sundial at its heart, overlooking Spring Bay.

The site which for thousands of years hosted middens from the traditional owners of the land – the Paredarerme people –has again become a spot for hearts and minds to meet.

The husk of an industrial manufacturing epicentre has been transformed into a space for concerts, conferences, workshops, weddings and barbecues.

The peaceful view from Spring Bay Mill, at Triabunna on Tasmania’s East Coast. Picture: Supplied.

On this particular weekend, people had flocked to the hub to catch the blues stylings of C.W. Stoneking. Afterwards, they explored Spring Bay Mill’s grounds and facilities in awe.

I had retreated to the Ridge Quarters suite – an apartment with two dreamy king beds basking in views of the crystal blue bay beside a lonely lighthouse andsheep station atop a grassy hillock, and in the distance, Maria Island’s monumental Bishop and Clerk pinnacles.

I enjoyed a similarly stunning view from the bathroom and shower bay.

The amenities were simple but sophisticated; biodegradable cork slippers, fluffy robes, recycled toilet paper, Wallawa Indigenous Botanical Skincare soap and shampoo, gorgeous cooking appliances, and a jar of organic honey made onsite.

The unit was compact, yet felt spacious largely because each room had an east-facing wall entirely made of floor-to-ceiling glass. The common link between the rooms, which flowed into one another in a row, was the reminder of the beautiful world outside.

The dining lounge area at Spring Bay Mill’s new Ridge Quarters accommodation. Source: Supplied

Rough-sawn spotted gum walls, Tassie oak floors, cleverly placed skylights and broad mirrors created warmth and light.

We sat beside the fireplace at sunset on a cosy wraparound couch. It was the ideal place for a glass of bubbly and a grazing plate, which we rested on top of the coffee table made from an upcycled woodchip chute.

During a twilight walk we came across a murky industrial settling pond, which had transformed into a perfectly still haven for a flurry of welcome swallows.

The inky blue birds didn’t seem to mind our company, darting and circling around us in almost silence. We listened to their wings beating in the evening air.

Ridge Quarters’ comfy wraparound couch and free-standing wood heater in the cosy living/ dining area. Picture: Supplied

In the morning, I retreated to the deck for an omelette and cuppa, taking in more of the stillness and watching the rosellas dance between the eucalypts.

From this vantage point I could see the mill site in 360 degrees; its industrial ruggedness softened by the stylish newer architecture and natural surrounds.

Near the amphitheatre was a landscape of aeolian mounds where several paths met.

The site’s operational manager had told me a core theme behind the sustainable accommodation was connecting guests with nature, and with each other.

From the outside, the Ridge Quarters was a long, curved outdoor corridor fixed together with tin, timber and exposed beams and pipes.

To the east of the corridor were 12 small, stylish pods for couples, colleagues, friends, or families, and to the west was a row of matching bathrooms for each respective pod.

The serene coastal view from one of the bedrooms at Spring Bay Mill’s new The Ridge Quarters accommodation. Picture: Supplied

The idea was to wake up to a gorgeous view of the coast, and to walk into the elements for a moment while moving from bedroom to bathroom.

The common room at the northern end of the Quarters had a shared kitchen, a long table, fireplace, bookshelves and curved settee next to a panoramic window.

Despite staying in the comfortable and more private suite on the very southern end of the Ridge Quarters, we were itching to get outside when we woke.

We wandered down a gravel path past the moss-covered pond and private beach shacks to Windlass Bay – a sparkling beach only guests of Spring Bay Mill could access.

Cuttlebone bobbed in the sheltered shallows near clusters of shimmering fish, and because it was high tide we walked carefully down the scree and shell covered beach – but pale sand wasn’t far beneath the shallow, aquamarine water.

One of the fire pits at the Spring Bay Mill accommodation sites. Picture: Supplied.

The walk down the bay got us nice and close to the bleating sheep at the adjacent property, while a surprise visit from a curious echidna was another reminder of why we ventured outside our cosy suite.

Spring Bay Mill was as soothing and restorative for us as it was for the 43 blissful hectares of coastal land, no longer abuzz with the destruction and wreckage of the world’s largest woodchip mill.

The author was a guest of Spring Bay Mill

The amphitheatre at Spring Bay Mill, Tasmania.

MAKE A NOTE

■ Ridge Quarters is located at Spring Bay Mill, 555 Freestone Point Rd, Triabunna.

■ The Ridge Quarters’ suite is available from today, October 9, for $700 a night, while the self-contained pods are $280 each.

■ For a more private getaway, the site has four shacks to choose from with beach views close to the water, barbecue equipment and an outdoor hot tub. The wedding package includes a night’s stay at the shacks.

■ The Glamping Field further inland offers king, queen or twin bed tents and a shared kitchen.

■ Try the fare from the on-site organic produce garden, including fruit, vegetables and herbs at the Spring Bay Mill restaurant looked after by in-house chef Michael Santamaria. Take a garden-to-plate workshop, or purchase packages of leafy plants and green seeds to take home.

■ Take a half-day or full-day guided walk through some 500ha of old-growth forest.

■ Pop over just 30 minutes away to Maria Island National Park on Spring Bay Mill’s private boat.