Great Eastern Wine Week to bring tourists to warmest region

Four Tasmanian festivals will share in funding as organisers of a wine weekend on the East Coast expand their offering to 11 days of tasting, touring and socialising. DETAILS >>

• Spectacular expansion at popular vineyard
• An eat, stay, play guide to Tasmania’s east coast

FOUR Tasmanian festivals - including one which is expanding its popular offering to 11 days of wine tasting and other adventures - will share in over $350,000 as part of a federal government initiative to boost tourism.

The government has put up $363,200 to support the Beaker Street Festival, the Bruny Island Bird Festival, Great Eastern Wine Week and the Junction Arts Festival.

While border closures continue to complicate festival plans across Tasmania and the mainland, the Great Eastern Wine week is going ahead from 3-13 September with almost 50 festival events across 221km of spectacular coastline on the State’s East Coast.

Great Eastern Wine Weekend, Tasmania. Winemaker Claudio Radenti of Freycinet Vineyard. Picture: Amanda Ducker

The festival will include wine tastings, live music, fine dining, wildlife experiences, hiking and masterclasses. Visitors will also be able to meet the winemakers along the East Coast Wine Trail at their cellar doors and hear the stories behind their cool-climate drops.

“After an overwhelming response to 2020’s Great Eastern Wine Weekend we are thrilled to announce an extended offering this year with the inaugural launch of the wine week over 11 days in spring,” East Coast Wine Trail Association chair Glenn Travers said.

“Increasingly visitors are adding the East Coast to their itineraries as a year-round food and wine destination in addition to coming for our natural wonders. We have some of the best winemakers, producers and artisans in the country who are creating incredible expressions of terrior and “merrior” and this event is an opportunity to bring them together in a celebration of the creativity of craftsmanship of the area.”

East Coast Tasmania Tourism CEO Rhonda Taylor said the festival would prove particularly significant after a “rollercoaster” year in tourism.

“We truly feel fortunate to be able to offer experiences that create a sense of camaraderie in the region and be able to welcome in our neighbours who are able to travel right now,” she said.

“As the warmest region in Tasmania it's the perfect place to take a deep breathe and explore world-famous beaches, beautiful landscapes. adventures and creative experiences all accompanied by the best food and wine in the region.”

Breaking News Breaking News Wild Abundance at Twamley Farm.

Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment Dan Tehan said the festival funding was part of a $13.5m in Tasmanian tourism by the government.

“Our government has a four-stage plan that will see travel restrictions lifted when 80 per cent of adults over 16 are fully vaccinated,” Mr Tehan said.

“We are supporting exciting new Tasmanian festivals because the best thing our Government can do for tourism businesses is to get tourists back travelling and spending money,” Mr Tehan said.