Bird in Hand celebrates love for Tasmania

Andrew and Susie Nugent have an ongoing love affair with Tasmania and its cool-climate wines.

The founders of Adelaide Hills winery Bird in Hand - known for its outstanding restaurant - now control two vineyards on the island state and have opened their new hospitality venture at the lovely Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens in Hobart.

With former Saffire head chef Paddy Prenter heading the kitchen brigade, Bird in Hand this week celebrated the opening of its new restaurant, kiosk and a wine tasting facility in the gardens.

The Friday night opening was blessed with some rare balmy autumnal Tasmanian weather.

The tasting room, restaurant and kiosk will all offer different experiences and Bird in Hand will also manage weddings and bespoke events. 

I can't imagine anywhere nicer than the veranda to enjoy a glass or two on a sunny day.

The Nugents expect a restaurant dining dining experience akin to Bird in Hand’s LVN Restaurant at Woodside, with the  spectacular dining room showcasing local produce, art, flora and fauna of Tasmania.

The tasting room will showcase Bird in Hand cool-climate wines - including those from the East Coast and West Tamar vineyards - alongside a selection of other locally crafted beverages.

The 14-hectare Botanical Gardens has housed rare, native and intriguing plants for over 200 years. It also offers a thriving kitchen garden.

"We've long known about the quality of wines from Tasmania, and now we have our own vineyard at Seymour, north of Bicheno, and custodianship of  Waterton Hall in the Tamar, as well as the very special privilege of being in Hobart," Nugent said at the launch. 

"We'd known about the potential of sparkling wines from Tasmania but to be perfectly honest we didn't understand what an extraordinarily special place this is - the beauty of the land and its people is unsurpassed. 

"We want to contribute to the community, to the producers and the environment.

"We will do our very best to do justice to this magnificent site."     

* The writer was a guest of Bird in Hand

Stay for one night, get a second night free

Dusit Hotels and Resorts has adopted a version of "Buy One Get One Free" for direct hotel bookings.

The Thai-based hotel group is inviting travellers to extend their stays with the launch of ‘A Night on Us’, a limited-time offer featuring complimentary nights on eligible stays of two to eight nights.

Available for just six days, until April 27, exclusively on dusit.com, the offer covers a selection of Dusit properties in Guam, Malaysia, the Maldives, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand.

The offer covers island escapes such as Dusit Thani Maldives (above) and Dusit Thani Lubi Plantation Resort in the Philippines, to beachfront retreats including Dusit Thani Hua Hin, Dusit Thani Pattaya, and Dusit Thani Guam Resort.

City stays include Dusit Princess Melaka, Dusit Thani Laguna Singapore, Dusit Princess Chiang Mai, and Dusit Thani Manila.

Guests can enjoy up to four complimentary nights when booking stays of up to eight nights, for stays from now until December 20.

The deal is: Pay for 1 night, stay for 2; Pay for 2, stay for 4; Pay for 3, stay for 6 or Pay for 4, stay for 8.

Dusit Gold membership is complimentary and can be activated at dusit.com/signup, unlocking benefits including preferential room rates and dining offers.

Heading for the World Cup? Warning: You could be Trumped

Planning to head to the US for the FIFA World Cup later this year? 

 
More than 120 civil society organisations and fan groups have advised extreme caution in a letter to visiting fans, The New York Times reports. 

Among the signatories to the letter are Amnesty International USA, Reporters Without Borders, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). The total includes organisations from each of the World Cup’s 11 host cities. 

The US is a co-host of the event with Canada and Mexico. 

The letter warns that those from immigrant communities, racial and ethnic minority groups, and LGBTQ+ individuals are “most vulnerable to serious harm” when travelling within the country due to government policies. 

The advisory, published Thursday, is directed towards fans, players, journalists, and other visitors, calling upon each individual to “exercise caution and have an emergency contingency plan” amidst what they term as the “Trump administration’s rising authoritarianism and increasing violence”.

Evidence cited as part of the advisory includes 48 deaths in US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody since the beginning of 2025, total or partial restrictions on entries for visitors from 39 countries, and the presence of ICE agents at airports across the US over recent months.

Both FIFA and the White House rejected these concerns in statements to The Athletic, the New York Times' sports outlet.

The advisory warns of six separate risks to visitors, saying these are “in breach of the United States’ human rights obligations under domestic and international law”. 

These are:

*The arbitrary denial of entry and risk of detention and/or deportation
*Expanded limitations on travel and entry into the U.S.
*Invasive social media screening and searches of electronic devices
* “Violent and unconstitutional” immigration enforcement, including racial profiling and other discrimination
* “Suppression” of speech and protest
* Serious risk of mistreatment while being held in immigration detention facilities

They advise that visitors secure electronic devices by removing sensitive information and turning off facial recognition or fingerprint passwords, as well as alerting friends and family to their exact itinerary.

“FIFA has been paying lip service to human rights while cosying up with the Trump administration, putting millions of people at risk of being harmed and their basic rights violated,” said Jamil Dakwar, human rights program director at the ACLU. 

“The Trump administration’s abusive actions continue to threaten our communities, tourists, and fans alike - and it’s past time that FIFA uses its leverage to push for meaningful policy changes and binding assurances that will make people feel safe to travel and enjoy the games.” 

Representatives from Trump’s administration and the White House’s World Cup Task Force strongly pushed back at any suggestion questioning the tournament’s safety, the newspaper reported.

“Under President Trump’s leadership, the White House World Cup Task Force has worked relentlessly to ensure the 2026 World Cup will be the most incredible sporting event in U.S. history,” said Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the White House’s World Cup Task Force.

A Tasmanian rural retreat just down the road from Hobart Airport

 

When you have to wait for a mother chicken and her fluffy chicks to get out of your way before you enter reception you know you are staying somewhere a little different. 

Iron Creek Bay Estate is a hotel, a dining establishment, a vineyard, a function centre, wedding venue and a farm stay all rolled into one. 

You'll find it overlooking the water just outside Sorrell. down the road from Hobart Airport on the route to Port Arthur and the Tasman Peninsula. 

Talented chef Jesse Allardyce has built up quite a following for his seasonal, produce-driven cooking at the on-site Orana restaurant (above), which is becoming a popular weekend destination for Hobartians. 

He showcases local produce including Boomer Bay oysters, Marion Bay Poultry and Tongola Goat Cheese, as well as using fruit and vegetables from the property's gardens and orchards. Think cherries, apricots, plums, figs, apples and pears.

I tried calamari in pork and kombu broth with lardo and sesame oil; kingfish with buttermilk, snow pea and dill (both delicious), and a pear and chocolate creation that was deliciously decadent.  

Pair your meal with a glass of wine made from riesling or pinot noir grapes grown on the estate - the wines are made by Jeremy Dineen from Haddow and Dineen, previously chief winemaker at Josef Chromy.    

Breakfast is pretty basic, and, I suspect, a work in progress.   

There are several accommodation options - from colourful pavilions to to pods - offering free wifi, Smart TVs, Orana bathroom amenities, air conditioning and energy saving lighting. 

On-site facilities include a gym, laundry and lounge 

Kids, particularly urban kids, will enjoy getting up close to chickens, ducks, peacocks, ponies, alpacas, sheep, rabbits and horses. 

Buckets of pellets are available at the reception for anyone wanting to immerse themselves in the Tasmanian rural experience and feed the critters. 

Wildlife also abounds with echidnas, wallabies, pademelons all residents of the estate. There are 5km of pathways suitable for a stroll, or a trail run. 

The original estate on the site dates back to 1834 and is now owned by the Tao family, who live on site. 

 

You are just 10 minutes from Hobart Airport and a short drive from the town of Sorell. The Tasman Peninsula, wineries including Bream Creek and Bangor and historic Port Arthur are close by. 

A great venue for anything from business meetings to a family getaway. 

Iron Creek Bay Estate, 394 Arthur Highway, Sorell 7172. (03) 6292 5030. www.ironcreekbay.com.au 

* The writer was hosted by Iron Creek Bay Estate    

 

Sprite takes on a new energy and adds new flavours

What's old is new again with the launch of a new campaign behind soft drink Sprite.

Rolling out across diverse markets in ASEAN and the South Pacific, Sprite’s new global image aims to combine a new look, a brand sound, and cultural partnerships rooted across spicy food, basketball, music.

The new marketing plan for the top 20 selling lemon-lime soda showcases everyday street culture and aims to be down to earth.

"Sprite is more than just a drink - it's part of how people experience refreshment in the heat, through food, sport, and shared moments," said Mark Dee, Category Marketing Sr. Director of Sparkling Flavors for Coca-Cola ASEAN & South Pacific (wow!).

"It's That Fresh celebrates authenticity, originality, and the bold spirit of the region's youth, bringing global brand strength together with local culture in a way that feels real and relevant."

Which means nothing at all, but is impressive marketing speak. 

From bustling sari-sari stores in the Philippines to warungs in Indonesia, late-night mamak stalls in Malaysia and supermarket fridges in Australia and New Zealand, Sprite is being positioned as being perfect for pairing with spicy food. 

Sprite is leaning into its 'Hurts Real Good with Sprite' platform in the region - celebrating the joy of bold, spicy flavours paired with the chilled soft drink. 

Sprite is being billed as complementing some of the region's most loved dishes, from tom yum and laksa to satay and other street-food favourites "delivering crisp lemon-lime refreshment that cuts through the heat".

Sprite will also be adding flavours with Sprite Chill Lemon Mint being launched across selected markets, while Sprite + Tea is inspired by "the viral social trend" of consumers steeping tea bags in Sprite. Missed that one. 

See Sprite.com.

Fancy an autumn weekend in the Yarra Valley?

Fancy a couple of autumn night away in the vineyards of the Yarra Valley? 

Balgownie Estate Yarra Valley has unveiled a new Winery Retreat Package, designed to bring together wine, dining, relaxation and luxury accommodation in one experience. 

The resort is located just over an hour’s drive from Melbourne CBD and has 70 accommodation options ranging from comfortable rooms to luxurious suites.

The Winery Retreat Package includes overnight accommodation in a premium room or suite; daily breakfast at Restaurant 1309; a  hosted wine tasting at the cellar door; a dining credit for the seasonal menu at Restaurant 1309, two bottles of Balgownie Estate wine and an in-room cheese plate, along with an endota spa voucher for use during the stay.

 “This package brings together everything guests love about visiting the Yarra Valley, without needing to plan each element separately,” said Rachel Caldwell, marketing, brand and business development manager at Balgownie Estate. 

“It’s about creating a seamless, high-value experience that feels considered from arrival through to departure.”

Stays start from $539 for two nights. Only available for direct bookings, from now until the end of September.

See https://www.balgownie.com/experience/winery-retreat-package/