Hobart, Hobart and South, Tasmania, Two Palms © Tourism Australia
Where to go in…Hobart
We spoke with Shelley Bickerstaff, Brand Manager at Frogmore Creek, on where to eat, drink and explore in Hobart for your next incentive program.
With more than a decade at Frogmore Creek, Shelley Bickerstaff has helped shape the brand, events and guest experiences at one of Tasmania’s leading cool-climate wineries. Deeply connected to Hobart’s food, wine and hospitality scene, she brings a local’s insider perspective to the people, places and experiences that are not to be missed in the southern city.
What’s new in Hobart, Tasmania?
Not new but you can't go past the Cascade Brewery, it's steeped in history and is an iconic institution with its locally brewed beer. It's a great venue for group bookings offering 'historic' and 'behind the scenes' tours finished off with drinks in the gardens.
Frogmore Creek, Hobart and South, Tasmania, The Precinct Studios © Tourism Australia
When you want to book a restaurant, where do you book?
We’re spoilt for choice come nighttime in Hobart. I love an Arctic Martini and snacks seated at the bar at Institut Polaire. A new favourite is Don Frico, tucked behind Salamanca — they serve great pizza and wines and it’s a super fun venue to take over for an event.
When you want to connect to Country?
With so many layers to Hobart and Tasmania’s history, spending a morning on the takara nipaluna (Walking Hobart) tour offers a powerful insight into the palawa perspective and the Aboriginal history of the city. The walk follows the route taken in 1832 by members of the Aboriginal resistance as they made their way to the old Government House to negotiate an end to the war.
Blak Led Tours, Hobart, Tasmania © Jillian Mundy
Where do you go for arts and culture?
For me, it’s the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery — or TMAG — on Hobart’s waterfront. It’s free, beautifully housed in old sandstone buildings and moves easily between natural history, Tasmania’s colonial story and contemporary art. Right now, they are showing The World of Seashells, running through to March 2027.
What’s an unmissable part of the event experience at the Frogmore Creek venues?
For corporate groups and incentive events, we love using the terrace and grassed amphitheatre — an open-air setting looking straight over the vines with the Coal River Valley and its waterways rolling out behind you. There’s something about hosting outdoors with a glass in hand that changes the whole tone of the event.
Our events team and chefs are meticulous, but they also know when to let an event roll so guests can simply have a great time. Pair that with Frogmore Creek wines, a thoughtful Tasmanian menu and that view, and guests leave with very good memories.
Frogmore Creek, Hobart and South, Tasmania, The Precinct Studios © Tourism Australia
What’s top of your visit list for Tasmania’s wine trail?
There are so many great wine regions in Tasmania, but top of my list is the Coal River Valley, just 20 minutes from Hobart. Frogmore Creek shares the valley with a number of renowned wineries, all within easy reach of each other. Between the rolling hills you’ll also come across the historic town of Richmond with its antique shops and boutique makers like Richmond Botanicals.
Be sure to have lunch at Frogmore Creek, it’s become an institution and the menu is built to match our wines. Afterwards, sit out on the terrace with a glass of iced Riesling and a cheese board overlooking the vines. Being only 10 minutes from Hobart Airport, we’re often referred to as the best airport lounge in the country.
What local Tasmanian ingredients should visitors try?
Grapes into wine is the obvious one for me. Our cool-climate site in the Coal River Valley produces some exceptional Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. But just up the road from Frogmore Creek is Frankham Figs, a working fig orchard with an onsite cafe that’s become one of my favourite morning stops. Their chocolate-dipped figs are a local treat, alongside excellent coffee. It’s this kind of small, seasonal producer that sums up the Coal River Valley for me — a fig orchard and the Frogmore Creek cellar door all within a few minutes’ drive.
Pennicott Wilderness Journey, Hobart and South, Tasmania, Jarrad Seng © Tourism Australia
Where do you go for nature and wildlife?
For a curated wildlife experience, Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary is fantastic. My personal favourite though, is getting out on the ocean and pairing nature and wildlife with a food and wine experience. You can see dolphins, whales and seals cruising alongside the boat, and on dedicated seafood tours like Penicott Wilderness Journeys, your guide dives for fresh crayfish, sea urchin and other seafood before servicing it up with local wine. Ocean, wildlife, incredible produce and wine — it’s pretty much the best of Tasmania in one day out.
What can visitors look forward to in Hobart in the coming year?
Tasmania’s hospitality and events scene is incredibly vibrant and competitive right now, which is creating some brilliant new experiences for visitors. At Frogmore we’re launching a new dinner series — it’s so new we haven't even named it yet! — where our winemaker will host your group and showcase current and back vintage wines. I am always checking in with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra for upcoming shows — the program is set well in advance, so if you're visiting you can pre-book in to amazing events.
