There is a small oasis on the highway between Launceston and Devonport. Christmas Hills Raspberry Farm is a restaurant, venue for special occasions and a retreat from the nearby highway. If you don’t have time for a proper stop, you should at least purchase some chocolate-coated raspberries. Bite through the chocolate for a tangy raspberry hit that is far superior to the lolly version of this treat. Buy the bigger container. As my husband says, “that should last us for the rest of the journey”. He’s joking, but his time frame isn’t out by much!
My favourite thing about Christmas Hills Raspberry Farm is the lake. Surrounded by beautiful, old trees and filled with lilies, it is serene. The owners have created bridges and a newly renovated path so that you can stretch your legs for a short walk around the pond. The path used to be a bit bumpy but is now smoother if you’re a bit unsteady on your feet. There are plenty of places to sit and drink in the view and there are even two alpacas to say hello to! The path leads you past the raspberries but, as the farm is a commercial operation, you cannot enter this area.
My second favourite thing is the food. One thing can be said about the staff at Christmas Hills Raspberry Farm: They love experimenting with raspberries! While some past experiments haven’t been so successful, they seem to be hitting the nail on the head consistently now. My favourites are the raspberry fizz drink, the raspberry sorbet dessert and the hot raspberry drink (which you can even order with soy or almond milk!). If you need more than just dessert and drinks, there are breakfast and lunch options too, many of which include raspberries. There are also options for people with dietary requirements.
Christmas Hills Raspberry Farm is a popular place. We arrived at about 12:30pm today (Sunday, off-peak tourist season) and were lucky to be seated at a table inside. I would suggest that you book ahead if you would like to have lunch at the farm on a weekend as this gem is no secret to locals! If you haven’t booked or if you’re in a rush, you can buy fresh raspberries, frozen raspberries, chocolate-coated raspberries and just about any raspberry concoction you can imagine and take it with you. Raspberry scented socks, anyone?
Getting There
You can find Christmas Hills just north of Deloraine (and just south of Elizabeth Town) between Devonport and Launceston on the Bass Highway. The farm is about 40 minutes north of Launceston and 30 minutes south of Devonport. Reliability is important when you run a business on a highway; Christmas Hills Raspberry Farm achieves this with excellent opening hours. You can visit the farm seven days a week from 7am – 5pm, excluding Good Friday and Christmas Day. The early morning opening time makes it perfect for breakfast after leaving the Spirit of Tasmania!
Cost
It won’t cost you anything to walk around the lake (this takes about five minutes). It is worth also purchasing a large tub of chocolate-coated raspberries (for approximately $16) and a drink. Most drinks and meals come in two sizes (small and regular) which means that you can be a bit savvy cash-wise if you would like to. Basically, you can spend as much or as little as you like. Make a purchase and you’ll even be able to taste a chocolate-coated raspberry for free! That will cost you though, as you’ll then need to purchase more… Enjoy your visit!
Heading south from Christmas Hills Raspberry Farm? To read more about my journeys in northern Tasmania, click here. Heading north? For other posts about Tasmania’s north-west, click here.
