Stanley.

 

I never tire of visiting Stanley.

Day trips, a long weekend stay, an afternoon visit to climb the Nut then drive home again, I’ve done it all...  repeatedly. 

This gorgeous little seaside town’s popular attraction is “The Nut”. The volcanic plug is a short, steep and rewarding climb, but for those of us who may not enjoy the 15 minute trek to the summit there is a chairlift from which you can look down on the poor struggling individuals who are regretting their choice to walk the 143 metres to the top (but will look self important once they get there, and look down their noses at those who took the chairlift… AKA me). 

Once at the top, enjoy the panoramic views and the 4.6km circuit around the Nut, which will take approximately an hour. Take a jacket as it is always windy at the top, and decent walking shoes goes without saying. Once you have made it to the summit it is not a difficult walk, but there are steps and varying grades of path.

Stanley is the main fishing port for the north west coast, so the kids can watch the tug boats come in and out from various lookouts and keep a lookout for whales.

Settled in 1826, Stanley is full of history. Named for Lord Stanley, the British Secretary for State for War, this bustling little town was where Van Diemen's Land Company operated from. The town was also named Circular Head by it’s “discoverer”, Matthew Flinders in 1798 and described the Nut as “a cliffy round lump, resembling a Christmas cake”. Australia’s first Tasmanian Prime Minister, Joseph Lyons, was from Stanley, and the movie Light Between Oceans was filmed here as well. For a small town on the North West Coast of Tassie, Stanley has had its fair share of claim to fame.

Stanley boasts of many beautiful Airbnbs with stunning views of the Nut and the Bass Strait, and cute cafes and restaurants- many showcasing the beautiful local seafood that come in off the boats at Stanley’s port.

Stanley is only 25 minutes away from Burnie, and Boat Harbour is on your way so be sure to stop in and enjoy one one the most beautiful beaches in Australia (link Boat Harbour post here) on your way. Cradle Mountain is a 2.5 hour drive from the coastal town, and offers a stark contrast with wild scenery.