Miss Bond is a retail space and artisan studio specializing in handmade jewelry, slow fashion, and…read moreunique artistic treasures. Located within the historic Salamanca Arts Centre ( the shop is run by silversmith and artist Kerrie Bond. With all that going for this shop, I only ended up with a couple Tasmanian-made greeting cards. The jewelry looked tempting for Gayle, but she's been clear that she doesn't need more. Too bad I didn't have more time to make a run at that.

Every town needs a quintessential art supply store, and this is Hobart's. If you want it, they've…read moregot it. Not just the basics, but the unusual stuff too: water reservoir brushes for use with watercolours? They have a range of them! Books on papercraft? Yep! Unusual wrapping papers? Absolutely! Every time I've walked into this shop looking for something out of the ordinary they've come through for me. For local artists, there's a handy announcements board with fliers featuring current competitions and events. The staff are knowledgeable and the vibe is pleasant. Well worth a look. If you're not working on a project now, there's a danger you will be by the time you leave!

One of my two favourite stores at Salamanca, the Maker is full of really beautiful handcrafted…read moreitems. From terrarium kits to winter woollies to stunning dresses to pieces of jewellery, here you will find something unique and worthy of treasuring forever, either as a momento of your holiday in Tasmania (if you're visiting) or a reinforcement of why Tasmania is the best state in Australia (if this is home).

Deja Vu is a nice second hand (and new) bookstore that packs a lot of literature in a very small…read morespace. And if you look at my picture, the inventory spills out nicely into one of the back alleys of Salamanca. The enthusiastic owner (pictured) was more than happy to find and sell me a book of cartoons by the late Jon Kudelka. His iconic "Tasmania is Awful" tea towel can be seen on the phone booth.

Great little second hand book shop in Salamanca, stock is limited cause the shop is so small but…read moreyou can find gems here. Well worth a visit.

Established 1995, Hammer and Hand is a jewelry and metal collective based in the Salamanca Arts…read moreCentre in Hobart. The wide range of handsome offerings are of high quality and not cheap. I purchased a brass sculpture of a "chicken" displayed a nice trunk piece of Huon Pine. I also had a nice conversation with one of the collective artists during my relatively lengthy "browse and buy" stay here.

We were staying at the Macq01 Hotel across the street getting ready for a hike when I decided to…read morepop into this little art gallery. Art Mob focuses on aboriginal artists and art work and I was stunned to see they had quite the collection inside. Unfortunately their space is much too small to display the immense amount of wonderful art work inside however this space is strategically placed to allow for a lot of foot traffic. Over my stay here, I ended up getting several pieces both from aboriginal artists local to Tasmania. One piece by Julian Oates is a wonderful modern piece that doesn't come much with the artist's own interpretation but clearly includes elements of aboriginal style. His brother, Reuben Oates, also paints and I ended up getting a couple of paintings from him as well featuring more classic aboriginal style with Australian native fauna. Euan is the gallery director and is extremely accommodating. For those not local, you can purchase from the website and then have it shipped anywhere. We of course were having it shipped to the US and they will package it all up for us with minimal costs. Some artists are happy to take commissioned art pieces so if something strikes your fancy but it's sold already, get in touch with Euan who can help you get what you want! Wish I had a few more days to browse the collection but alas all great things come to an end. Look forward to my next trip to Tasmania so I can stop by again!

I knew if I dilly-dallied over writing a review for this awesome spot then someone would beat me to…read moreit. Never mind, I'm here now. And boy am I glad the Apple Shed is here now, too! What was once a dusty old apple museum has been completely renovated from the inside out and turned into Willie Smith's Apple Shed, stocking delicious ciders from the lads just down the road, as well as various other lovely local morsels. Don't plan on lunch here, but you'll be sorted well for afternoon tea--or should I say, afternoon cider! Sunday sessions at the Apple Shed have been something to keep an eye out for in 2014, too--live music and food stalls that vary from event to event lead to a rollicking good arvo down the Huon. But don't just wait for a Sunday--drop in ASAP and get yourself a tasting paddle of some of Tassie's finest ciders. Then take a growler home with you of your favourite one.

Great cider, mind blowing apple pie! The cider tasting paddle is great value at $12 for 4 ciders…read more We got a growler for $35 filled and cost about $18 to refill. Good if you live locally or are staying in the area for a few nights. Love the little gift shop as well. They sell an amazing award winning worstershire sauce. Coming here was one of the highlights of our Tassie trip.

Get lost. No, really, it's quite possible to actually get lost inside Willow Court Antique Centre…read more Big rooms, tiny rooms, hallways, all full of antiquities big and tiny (and hallway-sized?) just waiting for you to love them. This is THE Antique place to stop off in New Norfolk (there are others, but this is THE one). Leave your wallet in the car if you're easily parted with your hard-earned dollars, because there are bargains to be had in here--as well as more pricey treasures to add to your collection. It certainly helps that it's part of the old mental hospital grounds, which are creepy as all heck, particularly on strange autumn days. Wander around and latch onto the eeriness. Don't be afraid of the cat, she's real and her name is Lily.

One of the best Antique shops I have ever been in, its quite amazing. The Willow Court Antique…read moreCenter certainly has one of the largest collections in Tasmania ranging from antique motorcycles/cars to old bottles and coasters and everything in between. definitely well worth a visit, you won't be disappointed! The shop used to be part of the Willow Court (Asylum). The Ward itself was known as O Ward or Olga and was built in 1866. For more information please visit: www.willowcourtproject.com