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Adam Gibson
The 2020 Flinders Island Food and Crayfish Festival has been cancelled, but the island remains open for business and locals are welcoming visitors as always. The festival will return in 2021 – stay tuned.
In between Australia’s mainland and Tasmania, amid the sparkling waters of the Bass Strait, lies Flinders Island. With a population of just under 900 people, the island is known for its welcoming hospitality, pristine beaches and spectacular scenery. Being surrounded by sea allows for a year-round bounty of fresh seafood, providing culinary inspirations upon which the island has built a name for itself (alongside its wallaby, muttonbird and lamb dishes, of course).
November to April is crayfish season, which sees tourists and chefs flock to the island to explore the untamed wilderness and feast on the season’s freshest catch. The inaugural Flinders Island Food & Crayfish Festival in 2018 sparked and solidified the island’s status as a gourmet holiday destination.
The Festival will return this year, welcoming esteemed chefs from around Australia. From 15 to 19 April, the island will showcase its local cuisine and produce, with Tobie Puttock, Karen Martini and Jesse McTavish joining a host of Flinders Island chefs for a long weekend of food and culture.
Experience unforgettable views and flavours on Flinders Island. Photo: Kara Rosenlund
Getting there
Flinders Island is an hour direct flight from Melbourne, or a 45-minute scenic flight from Launceston with Sharp Airlines
Chartered planes are also available from Flinders Island Aviation and Unique Charters
Getting around
Hire cars are available from Flinders Island Car Rentals
Vans and hire cars are available from Flinders Island Car Hire And Campervan Rentals
Friday
Start your Flinders Island stay with brunch at the Flinders Island Bakery in Whitemark, a local hotspot that serves up a daily selection of golden pastries. The wallaby pie is a must-try and if you’re lucky, you might even pick up a few of the season’s last hot cross buns. Fancy a crayfish pie? These coveted goodies are only sold during the festival, so you’ll need to get in early to avoid missing out.
Continue the local immersion with a visit to EM Bowman & Co newsagents to check out the Bowman History Room and meet the ‘wombat lady’, Kate Mooney, who has rescued more than 120 orphaned wombats across the island. Join Mooney and her rescues for a wombat picnic lunch on the County Women’s Association’s lawn.
And while you’re in Whitemark, stop by Flinders Island Condimental to sample some of their famous sourdough and homemade pickles and sauces.
Local chefs will join Tobie Puttock and Karen Martini at the Friday Food Feast, who will be sharing their take on island dishes. Photo: Adam Gibson
After lunch, head to Lady Barron and join local Aboriginal John Wells on a rare muttonbirding tour of Great Dog Island. Flinders Island is one of the only places in Australia where you can eat muttonbird, and experience a 10,000-year-old hunting tradition that has been carried out by Indigenous communities across Tasmania.
If spirits are your tipple of choice, jump aboard the booze cruise to sample local whisky, gin and vodka from Furneaux Distillery. The tour also takes you to the cellar door of the island’s two wineries, Butterfactory Boys and Unavale, so you can sip and savour your favourite Flinders Island drop.
Spend your evening at the Friday Food Feast and enjoy a smorgasbord of local cuisine. Watch as Tobie Puttock and Karen Martini experiment with the island’s unique and diverse produce to create plates rich in authentic Flinders flavour.
Saturday
Peruse the art market and shop wares from Flinders Island artists, photographers, jewellers and sculptors, or head to the Sports Club for a round of barefoot bowls and golf.
Tour Vansittart Island, a historic deserted island, with local guide Chris ‘Rockjaw’ Rhodes. The island is a 15-minute boat or scenic helicopter ride from Lady Barron, and lunch is provided on the day. Expect a menu of Wiltshire lamb, local oysters and Cape Barren Geese.
Take a seat at the table on Saturday 18 April and celebrate Flinders flavour, music and culture. Photo: Adam Gibson
For an afternoon of local culture and cuisine, join the Flinders Island Aboriginal Association for a long table lunch at the Furneaux Tavern, where consultant head chef Toni Wood will host a banquet with a Bass Strait twist for 200 guests.
Sunday
Regain your zen at a beach yoga session, followed with an organic herbal tea and homemade apricot, berry or pear crumble, courtesy of local yogi Kathleen Ives-Heap. Yoga not your thing? Book a mountain biking tour along the turquoise trail, or join Kathleen and her husband Dave for a bush walk tour to see the true beauty the island has to offer — gourmet lunch included.
If you prefer a more sea-worthy adventure, Flinders Island Experience offers a range of fishing, snorkelling and diving experiences.
Spend your Sunday afternoon seaside at the Killiecrankie Bay yacht race, where local sailors will be testing their skills and their skiffs around the bay.
Make your visit one to remember and book an exhilarating Bass Strait adventure. Photo: Chris Crerar
Stay
Partridge Farm: Four-star bed and breakfast at Badger’s Corner with views of the Strzelecki ranges and Furneaux Group islands. The farm is home to a range of animals, stunning orchards and olive trees, and a vineyard.
Flinders Island Gourmet Retreat: Hire a room or book the entire house at this spacious beachside retreat. Seasonal artisanal meals are available upon request and you can join owner and chef Wendy Jubb-Stone for a cooking class.
Mountain Seas: Situated at the foot of Mount Strzelecki, this remote lodge features mountain and ocean views, onsite walking tracks and wildlife aplenty. Enjoy a wholesome breakfast daily, cooked with the freshest local ingredients.
Furneaux Tavern: Set on an acre of native gardens with views across to Cape Barren, the tavern features 12 generous units with an option of continental or fully cooked breakfast.
Interstate Hotel: A family run hotel in the heart of Whitemark. Barbecue and picnic lunches are available on request.
Flinders Island Glamping: This property, just two minutes from the airport in Whitemark, features furnished tent pods and multiple walking tracks to take you into down or onto the beach.
Flinders Island Accommodation: Offering three family-sized homes on picturesque properties across the island — Allports Beach House, Green Valley Homestead and Echo Hills Cottage — you’ll find the perfect pad for your weekend getaway.
The 2020 Flinders Island Food and Crayfish Festival has been cancelled, but the island remains open for business and locals are welcoming visitors as always. The festival will return in 2021 – stay tuned.
Brought to you by Flinders Island
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