Peaks, Falls & Furry Locals: Mt. Field & the Derwent

Mount Field gives this private Hobart outing its real punch: you move from towering gumtrees and ancient ferns to Russell Falls, then on to Tasmanian devils, wombats, kangaroos, and echidnas at Bonorong. A private guide also lets you linger when a forest walk catches your eye.

I like the pairing of wild forest and native animals, two very different sides of Tasmania in one day. I also like the choice of a picnic lunch or the Agrarian Kitchen in New Norfolk, though the restaurant option runs only from Friday to Sunday and is not included in the price. The main drawback is cost: at $710.07 per person, this is a serious splurge, especially for one or two people.

• Four hours at Mount Field gives you time for waterfalls, rainforest, lakes, and walks suited to different fitness levels.
• Russell Falls is the signature stop, with a forest setting that makes the short visit feel far more special than a quick roadside photo.
• Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary brings you close to Tasmanian devils, wombats, kangaroos, echidnas, birds, and other native animals.
• Private touring means your group controls the pace instead of following a large coach.
• The Agrarian Kitchen offers a farm-to-plate lunch option in New Norfolk on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, subject to availability.
• Named guides include Daniel, Sonia, Noella, Angus, Penny, and Noah, with the guide making a large difference to the day’s depth and flexibility.

Why Mt Field Makes a Strong Hobart Day Trip

Hobart is a fine base for exploring southern Tasmania, but the city does not show you the island’s full range. This trip heads into the Derwent Valley and Mount Field National Park, where the mood changes quickly from urban streets to cool forest, falling water, open country, and mountain weather.

The day begins at 9:00 am and lasts about eight to nine hours. That is a generous block of time for a private outing, but the distance and number of stops mean you should still expect a full day rather than a relaxed half-day jaunt.

I like the structure because the main attractions do not duplicate one another. Mount Field is about walking and scenery. Bonorong is about seeing Australian animals at close range. Lunch, if arranged at the Agrarian Kitchen, adds a food stop with a local farm-to-plate focus.

The private format matters here. A large group would have to keep to one walking speed and one lunch plan. With your own group, you can tell the guide if you want to spend more time on a forest path, stop for a better look at wildlife, or avoid pushing too hard on a cold or wet day.

Walking Beneath the Trees at Mount Field

You get up to four hours at Mount Field National Park, which is the heart of the experience. The park includes temperate rainforest, waterfalls, lakes, towering gumtrees, and walks for a range of fitness levels.

Russell Falls is the headline attraction. It is an easy-to-recognize Tasmanian scene: water dropping through a green forest of ferns and tall trees. The appeal is not simply the waterfall itself. The walk through the surrounding forest is part of the reward, and the trees give the stop a sense of age and scale.

You should not treat the park as a quick photo stop. Four hours allows room for more than Russell Falls, although the exact walking plan depends on conditions, your interests, and your guide. Angus, for example, has led walks that focused on the different eucalyptus trees and the details of the forest. That sort of guiding can turn a pleasant stroll into a better understanding of what you are seeing.

The park also has vast lakes and longer walking options, though the supplied plan does not promise a particular lake walk or trail length. Tell your guide early how much walking you want. Most people can take part, but your comfort level still matters because forest weather and mountain conditions can change.

One important tip: pack layers. A day at Mount Field can feel cold, and snow has been seen at the top during one outing. Hobart may be mild when you leave, while the park feels like a different climate. Comfortable walking shoes are a practical choice, even if you plan to stick to the easier paths.

The natural setting is the strongest reason to book this trip. You get a proper forest visit rather than a quick stop at a lookout, and the private format gives you a better chance to ask questions. If your main goal is a demanding hike, though, confirm the walking plan before booking. The experience promises varied walks, not a specific long-distance trek.

Russell Falls and the Value of a Good Guide

Russell Falls is easy to appreciate without much explanation, but a good guide can add more to the stop. Angus Templeton has been praised for explaining the park’s trees and calling for help when a question needed a more exact answer. Daniel has also been singled out for taking extra care with the day’s details.

Those names do not guarantee your guide, so you should not book on the assumption that one particular person will lead the tour. Still, they show the level of personal guiding that can shape a private day. Other named guides connected with the experience include Sonia, Noella, Penny Dyer, and Noah.

Sonia has led the full-day route with attention to Tasmanian history, plants, animals, and Hobart. Penny has guided this outing as well as a separate wine and wildlife day. Noah has adjusted the day around what a group had already seen and hoped to see next, helping avoid repeated stops.

That flexibility is useful if you have several days in Tasmania. You can tell the guide what is already on your plan and ask for the day to complement it. The tour is not simply a fixed bus route with a guide delivering the same speech at each stop.

Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary and Tasmania’s Furry Locals

After Mount Field, the trip turns from forest scenery to native animals at Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary. You spend about an hour here, with admission included.

The sanctuary is a chance to see animals that can be difficult to find in the wild, including Tasmanian devils, wombats, kangaroos, echidnas, and a range of native birds. The stop works especially well if Tasmania is one part of a larger Australia trip and you want a reliable introduction to animals from the island.

The wildlife experience can be hands-on. Feeding and petting kangaroos has been part of the visit, although you should treat any animal contact as dependent on the sanctuary’s arrangements on the day. The real value is the variety: you can see a Tasmanian devil, then a wombat, then move on to kangaroos and smaller native species without spending hours searching.

One hour is enough for a useful visit, but it is not an all-day wildlife program. If animal encounters are your single biggest reason for booking, you may wish the stop were longer. Here, it works as the second half of a well-balanced day rather than the whole focus.

Noella has led outings that combined Bonorong with a riverside lunch and Mount Field. Daniel has also guided visits centered on the sanctuary’s Tasmanian species. The guide can help you understand what makes each animal distinctive, rather than leaving you to move from enclosure to enclosure without context.

Lunch Choices in the Derwent Valley

Lunch is one of the day’s flexible points. You may have a picnic in the natural setting or arrange a meal at the Agrarian Kitchen in New Norfolk. The restaurant option is available Fridays through Sundays only, subject to availability, and it costs extra.

The Agrarian Kitchen is presented as one of Tasmania’s best farm-to-plate restaurants, with cooking classes also associated with the site. That makes it a good fit if food is an important part of your Tasmania plans and you prefer a planned dining experience to a packed lunch.

The picnic option is more practical and gives the day a simpler outdoor rhythm. It may also be the better choice if you want to keep the schedule flexible or avoid paying more after an already expensive tour.

Do not assume the restaurant is automatically part of your booking. It is optional, not included, and limited by day and availability. If your visit falls Monday through Thursday, plan around the picnic choice instead.

A riverside lunch has also been part of this route, though the exact lunch setting is not promised. Ask what is possible when you arrange the tour, especially if you have dietary needs or a strong preference for the Agrarian Kitchen.

Is $710.07 Per Person Good Value?

The listed price is $710.07 per person. That is high for a day trip, so value depends heavily on group size and what you want from the experience.

For a couple, the total cost is substantial. You are paying for a private vehicle and guide, hotel pickup, a full day of service, admission to Bonorong, and the ability to shape the pace around your group. Mount Field admission is listed as free, but transport into the park and the guide’s time are central parts of the cost.

For a larger private group, the price may feel more reasonable because the personal service is shared across more people. Group discounts are offered, so ask about the exact rate for your party rather than assuming the per-person figure tells the whole story.

The price makes less sense if you only want to see Russell Falls and take a quick look at animals. You could spend less by arranging separate public or self-guided visits, though you would give up the private transport, local interpretation, and flexible timing.

I see the value most clearly for people with limited time in Hobart, families who want a private pace, and small groups that care about both nature and animals. It is also useful for anyone who does not want to drive unfamiliar Tasmanian roads or manage several stops alone.

Lunch at the Agrarian Kitchen is extra, and you should factor that into the budget. The non-refundable booking terms also make it wise to confirm your date, group size, lunch preference, and likely walking plan before paying.

Who Will Enjoy This Private Tasmania Experience?

This tour suits you if you want a broad taste of southern Tasmania in one day. You get a national park, waterfalls, rainforest, wildlife, food options, and a guide who can explain the area as you go.

It is a particularly good match for:

• Couples who prefer a private day to a fixed group schedule.
• Families wanting close access to kangaroos, wombats, and other native animals.
• First-time visitors who want help with Tasmania’s plants, wildlife, geography, and local stories.
• Small groups that want to share the cost of private touring.
• People who enjoy easy to moderate outdoor walks but do not want a technical hike.
• Repeat visitors who want the guide to avoid places they have already seen.

It may be less suitable if you want a cheap sightseeing option, a full day devoted only to hiking, or a long wildlife encounter at Bonorong. Four hours at Mount Field gives you real time in the park, but the day still includes driving and a one-hour sanctuary visit.

The route also demands some flexibility. Weather can affect the feel of Mount Field, and the restaurant lunch is not available every day. That is part of Tasmania’s appeal, but it means you should arrive with sensible clothing and realistic expectations.

Practical Details Before You Book

Hotel pickup is offered, and the start time is 9:00 am. The experience lasts about eight to nine hours, so leave your evening open rather than scheduling a tight dinner reservation.

The tour is private, meaning only your group takes part. It is near public transportation, but pickup is the more useful feature if you are staying in Hobart and do not want to arrange your own route.

Confirmation is sent within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability. Most people can participate, but you should explain any mobility limits or walking concerns when arranging the day so the guide can plan appropriately.

Bring clothing that can handle changing conditions, especially if you are visiting Mount Field in a colder season. Wear shoes suitable for forest walks and decide in advance if you prefer a picnic or want to request the Agrarian Kitchen when it is open.

The booking is non-refundable and cannot be changed for any reason. Since the cost is high and the terms are strict, check the date carefully before you commit.

Should You Book Peaks, Falls and Furry Locals?

Book it if you want a private, full-day introduction to Mount Field, Bonorong, and the Derwent Valley, and you value a guide who can adjust the pace. The strongest part is the combination of a genuine forest visit with close views of native animals, not any single stop alone.

I would especially consider it for a small group that can use the group discount, a family that wants a comfortable private vehicle, or a couple who would rather pay for personal service than drive and organize the day themselves.

Skip it if $710.07 per person strains your budget or if your priority is a long hike. Also pause before booking if the Agrarian Kitchen is the main attraction, since that lunch is optional, extra, limited to Fridays through Sundays, and subject to availability.

For the right group, this is a polished way to see two very different sides of Tasmania in one day: cool rainforest and roaring falls first, then devils, wombats, kangaroos, and echidnas. Ask for your preferred walking pace, confirm the lunch plan, and treat the guide as part of the value.

FAQ

What time does the tour start?

The tour starts at 9:00 am.

How long does the experience last?

The experience lasts approximately eight to nine hours.

Is this a private tour?

Yes. Only your group participates in the private activity.

What places are included?

The experience includes Mount Field National Park and Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary. An optional lunch at the Agrarian Kitchen in New Norfolk may also be arranged, subject to availability.

Is admission to Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary included?

Yes. Admission to Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary is included. Mount Field National Park is listed with free admission.

Is lunch at the Agrarian Kitchen included?

No. Lunch at the Agrarian Kitchen is optional, not included in the price, and available Fridays through Sundays subject to availability.

Can the booking be canceled or changed?

No. The experience is non-refundable and cannot be changed for any reason.