TOURISM BRANDING

Sharp geometric forms beckon to a honeyed cave Cradle Mountain Visitor Centre is a building of contrasts. It’s imposing but harmonious. It’s an abstract interpretation of nature. And it’s modern with a rightness unrooted in time. Most surprising of all, perhaps, is how the raw exterior unwinds into a warm, soft, delicate timber lining. With wild rainforests, rolling grasslands and roaming Tassie Devils, it’s no surprise Cradle Mountain entices a surging number of visitors. But how can you design a meaningful visitor experience in a footprint never intended to accommodate that number of guests? The Visitor Centre is the first development in a major plan to reimagine the iconic Cradle Mountain experience. The Visitor Centre offers a warm alpine welcome to reflect both the sense of rugged-up anticipation on arrival and the distinctive Cradle Mountain geology. The sculptural, wilderness-inspired development includes an orientation building, commercial services base, shuttle bus shelter and coach transit centre. At every turn, we aimed to honour the significance and sensitivity of this world-renowned national park. Materials to mirror nature We designed the buildings to feel grounded, as if carved from a solid rock by a glacier. The umbrella rain-screen form references the folding angular geology of the site, inviting visitors into the cave-like timber interior. The choice of timber for the interior was about the poetics and qualities of the place. Because timber is natural, guests feel connected to nature. It often evokes a response other materials don’t. Measured tourists footprints The design required an in-depth understanding of visitor movements across the site. It needed to accommodate the wide gap between peak and average visitor numbers and feel inviting in both cases. Our intuitive way-finding strategy creates a flow to subtly guide visitors while they interact with site interpretation and visitor information. We used a hierarchy of space that organises services but lets the staggering natural setting sing out. No mountain high enough The Visitor Centre design went through many iterations as more stakeholders saw the project’s potential. But we’re proud the essence and guiding goals remained constant throughout, even as other aspects shifted around them. It’s quite a feeling to walk inside the sculpted interior timber cave, a completely unexpected gem inside the building. Whilst the triangulated timber volume’s complex geometry proved a technical challenge, it’s all the more satisfying to admire it now knowing the hard work involved. Location Cradle Mountain, Tasmania Client Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service Year 2020 Status Complete Architect Cumulus Studio Videography Jesse Hunningford Discover more: https://cumulus.studio/portfolio/cradle-mountain-gateway/

Cast out a line to the angling adventure of your dreams, exploring remote Gulf waterways in search of prized tropical species such as barramundi and king salmon. Discover historical and culturally significant sites along the way to the mouth of the iconic Albert River, while developing appreciation for traditional fishing practices and the deep culture associated with the rivers, passed down through many generations by the traditional owners of the land. This once-in-a-lifetime trip will leave you in awe of the rich natural beauty of the waterways, with its abundant diversity of wildlife and plentiful opportunities for bird-watching and croc-spotting.

Discover the brilliance of the solar system and universe with a local Gangalidda guide. Behold the drama of the night sky, observed through state-of-the-art telescope against a canvas of absolute blackness on sweeping plains of Australia's largest area of salt pans, north of Burketown. Your guide will share Dreamtime stories of the Gangalidda People and their time-honoured interpretation of the universe during this once-in-alifetime opportunity to discover the true brilliance of our solar system, shining from total darkness in skies free from light pollution.

The Western Wilds Project is a major initiative of Tasmanian State and Local Government and all levels of the tourism industry. Tourism Industry Council Tasmania (TICT) has coordinated the project with the Cradle Coast Authority and Destination Southern Tasmania along with the Tasmanian Government, through Tourism Tasmania and the Department of State Growth.

Cradle Mountain is one of the most iconic and frequently visited sites in Tasmania, however despite this, the supporting infrastructure is outdated and insufficient to deal with the current visitor demands or future forecasted increases. The new Cradle Mountain Master Plan, developed by Cumulus Studio, in conjunction with tourism strategists Inspired by Marketing focuses on the visitor experience, the sense of arrival to Cradle and how the new Visitor Centre will launch the walker, tourist or kayaker into the World Heritage Area (WHA). Developed for the Cradle Coast Authority in conjunction with Parks & Wildlife, Kentish Council and the Tourism Industry Council the plan proposes three key development elements - a new Wilderness Village and Visitor Centre on the edge of the WHA, improved access to Dove Lake via a Cable Car and a new Viewing Shelter on the edge of Dove Lake. From an architectural perspective, it was important that the buildings were designed to be sensitive to the environment and World Heritage Values. It is envisaged that the buildings should feel solid and grounded, as if sculpted from the site or carved from a solid rock by a glacier. Buildings were designed to enhance the visitor experience by revealing views and other aspects of the landscape culminating in a chance to reflect and contemplate the environment in the viewing shelter at Dove Lake

TasVacations make it easy to plan your Tasmanian self-drive holiday. Booking your road trip and touring itinerary around Tasmania is a breeze with our locally based consultants. We love, live and breathe Tasmania and we think it’s pretty special. We will share with you our local knowledge of Tasmania’s attractions, cruises, guided walks, wineries, and even our favourite restaurants. Choose from one of our popular holiday packages including accommodation and car hire or ask us to create a tailored touring holiday just for you. Book with the local experts and breathe life into your Tasmanian touring holiday. Find out more: https://www.tasvacations.com/ Contact TasVacations to book: https://www.tasvacations.com/contact-tasvacations.html

In early 2018, Gordon River Cruises will launch a new vessel that will enable a wilderness cruising experience like nothing else in Australia. The new vessel will be state of the art but as tourism industry legend Simon Currant mentions here, it's not about the boat, it's about the magnificence of the Gordon River. A place that time forgot and that will remain protected forever. We look forward to sharing it with you.

In early 2018, Gordon River Cruises will launch a new vessel with a feature that is unparalleled among vessels like this in Australia - quiet cruising. The ability to cruise the majestic Gordon River in silence is will provide guests with an experience that is entirely in keeping with the intrinsic values of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. The future of sustainable cruising is here and we can't wait to share it with you.

Take a trip through history and meet the characters who shaped Tasmania's west. Step aboard Spirit of the Wild for reflections in time...

No matter when you visit, there are always plenty of things to do in Stanley. Enjoy the beautiful Tarkine and have an experience that will last a lifetime. The area is known for its wonderful seafood, see first hand from one of our local fishermen.

Meet the "rain man" from Tasmania's Stanley and Tarkine region - the freshest air and purest water in the world! When we say "come down for air" - we really mean it