A view of Burnie.
Experiences

The pit stop: Burnie

Burnie is a city on the rise. Once a centre of heavy manufacturing, now it’s bringing art into its heart and crafting some of Australia’s finest whisky.

Eat 

Serving heavenly food inside a refurbished 1890s city-centre chapel, The Chapel’s all-day cafe menu features the likes of braised spiced cauliflower, mushroom bruschetta and The Chapel’s own house-brewed beer. Watch this space – the cafe is soon to open a brew pub around the corner.

Stay

Large rooms, large mirrors, large artworks, large views – boutique goes big at the Ikon Hotel, where 12 huge suites with iron-lace balconies provide a stay with real charm inside a landmark building.

The Chapel

Credit: The Chapel

Hellyers Road Distillery

Credit: S. Group

Little penguins.

Credit: Chi Kueng Renault Wong

Shop

Industrial in appearance, and industrious inside, the Makers’ Workshop dominates Burnie’s foreshore. While the Makers’ Workshop has recently closed its doors to the public, work has begun on a new model for this community hub. Watch this space.

See

Burnie’s inner-city residents aren’t all human – every evening, little penguins shuffle ashore behind the Makers’ Workshop, where there’s an observation centre for easy viewing and, much of the year, volunteer guides on hand with a wealth of penguin intel.

Drink

Go to the source with a whisky tasting at Hellyers Road, the distillery created by local dairy farmers. It was crowned with the title of Australia’s best single malt whisky at the 2021 World Whiskies Awards. Distillery tours and cafe feeds are also on the menu.

Details at the Makers' Workshop

Credit: S. Group

Homewares, gifts and art at the Makers' Workshop

Credit: S. Group