Owners Chanel and Ricky put the opening of Havilah (pictured), their cosy bar and wine shop, down to “a love of food, wine and Launceston”. The drinks list is global but local drops are repped to the hilt. In fact, on Sundays Havilah becomes a cellar door for Ricky’s Two Tonne Tasmania label. If Havilah isn’t intimate enough, head to Bar Two, a cool hole-in-the-wall wine and gin bar tucked into a CBD arcade.

The biggest challenge at this time of year is rising before the sun but what a pay-off. Look on as your ride from Hot Air Balloon Tasmania inflates then clamber aboard and let that nippy breeze carry you over a patchwork of vineyards, green pastures and farmhouse roofs. Of course, it didn’t happen if it’s not on Instagram so each balloon is equipped with a GoPro. Hungry? A buffet breakfast awaits earthside.

Once daggy, then decrepit, now dynamic, Penny Royal – an adventure theme park drawing on the state’s history – is now thriving thanks to Tasmania’s wine and tourism king Josef Chromy, who bought the site next to Cataract Gorge in 2014. With gold prospecting, ziplining and a “haunted” island, it’s kind of for kids but grown-ups aren’t forgotten with a toasty wine bar, a pub and Alida, the site’s new mod-Oz restaurant.

The mission of premium aviation outfit Unique Charters is to blend the thrill of flying with personalised food-and-wine experiences. Take a chopper and a loved one to the exclusive Swan Island off the northern Tasmanian coast, for instance. Find a possie on the sand or amid the island’s convict ruins and tuck into a hamper loaded with local produce. Questions have been popped in less memorable places.

What used to be a bleak industrial precinct is now Riverbend Park, a massive outdoor playground next to Peppers Silo Hotel. There’s a dizzying number of things to have fun with – including swings, sandpits, a water-play area, musical instruments and full-sized sports court – but the biggest drawcards are the Sky Walk and Confluence Net, two of the largest pieces of play equipment in the country.

Making the most of a region stitched with grape vines and home to dozens of cellar doors is best done with a dedicated driver in tow. Take a small-group tour of the Tamar Valley with companies such as Prestige Tours to taste wines you won’t readily find elsewhere (local pinot noir and an open fire, anyone?). If time permits, drop into Tamar Valley Truffles and Turner Stillhouse. As the latter’s sign says, “Let the fun be GIN.”

Winter is truffle time in Tassie and nobody makes better use of the delicacy than Craig Will, chef and co-owner of Stillwater. Whether shaved over scrambled eggs or enhancing a steak on the dinner menu, the truffle heralds winter at this fine-diner. Make an occasion of it and stay at Stillwater Seven (pictured), the well-appointed rooms upstairs.

Just across the river from the fabled Dunes golf course, 20-hole Barnbougle Lost Farm is appearing in serious rankings around the world (it’s currently placed as the third best public-access course in the country by Golf Australia magazine). Constructed on even steeper sand dunes than its sibling, Lost Farm follows the dramatic topography of the northern Tassie landscape. The latest addition? Bougle Run, a short but sweet 14-hole course on the dunes between Lost Farm’s front and back 9.

Stillwater’s Craig Will has another eatery in the city, one that bills itself as “Tasmania on a plate”. Black Cow Bistro takes pride in dishing up free-range, grass-fed local beef devoid of hormones and antibiotics, though impressive seafood offerings (including kingfish sashimi and chargrilled tiger prawns) and innovative veggie sides lift it out of the carnivore-only zone.

If you’re going to establish a pastry temple, a butter factory is a smart place to start — and winter is a brilliant time to visit. Every day of the week, the Tasmanian Butter Company’s on-site eatery and café, Bread + Butter slides fresh pastries and sourdough bread out of its ovens and onto the shelves, where they don’t have time to get comfy. Factor it into your visit to Harvest, the Saturday produce market.

Whether it’s a flat and easy cycle around Launceston’s waterways for an hour or two, the popular and more challenging Trevallyn Reserve near Cataract Gorge or multi-day adventures for experienced mountain bikers, Mountain Bike & Rock Climbing Tasmania will deliver a bike to your hotel, shuttle you around with your own wheels or take you on guided tours so you don’t have to waste time on pesky maps. Beginners welcome.

Not the real things, obviously, but coconut- and chocolate-covered balls of marshmallow deliciousness that locals have savoured (and kept secret) for decades. As one fan puts it, “You just want to bury your face in them.” Along with acid drops, snowballs are among the best-selling items at Gourlay’s old-school confectionery shop in the city. The company has been making sweets here since 1896 and still uses the equipment and methods it began with.

Design Tasmania, a non-profit showcase of Apple Isle craftsmanship, has the silent aura of a cathedral and much within its stark white walls to worship. The wood collection (pictured) rules – with 80 pieces on permanent display – and a pop-up store has glass, ceramics, homewares (including merino throws from the local Waverley Mills) and furniture to buy instore and online.

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