🇦🇺 Launceston Day Trip | Cradle Mountain & Winterfell Vibes

Arrived in Tasmania on Sept 30 after flying from Shanghai—first stop: Launceston, a sleepy European-style town where something poetic feels imminent. Think: dog walkers by the Tamar River, blooming spring trees, and dockside yachts. 🏔️ Cradle Mountain (Klook Tour) Moody skies but no rain—hiked Dove Lake (<1hr, sadly). Blackened peaks loomed like Winterfell’s walls. Fun fact: Learned about Gustav Weindorfer, the German immigrant who championed the national park (his forest cabin = air so clean, it’s lung spa-worthy). 📌 Pro tips: 🧥 Gale-force winds—layer up! (Visitor center sells jackets, but no pants—classic Aussie logic.) 🛍️ Grab souvenirs here—reasonably priced patches/magnets (regret alert!). 🚐 Pit Stops 📍 Sheffield (Mural Town): Skip unless you need coffee. 📍 Ashgrove Cheese Farm: $15 berry-topped cake = decent, but lime ice cream tasted like toothpaste 🥲. Cheese samples = fun for dairy fans (but we struggled). 🍽️ Cataract on Paterson Oysters + squid rings = fresh AF. Beef cheek = melt-in-mouth. Handwritten note on the bill: “Have an amazing evening!” 🥹 🏨 Mercure Launceston 🚖 Uber = $$$ | Taxis = 50% cheaper. #TasmaniaDiaries #CradleMountain #NoCarNoProblem 🌿