A Tasmanian Cheese and Charcuterie Guide: The Art of Gathering Well
How to assemble the perfect board from Tasmania’s seasonal larder.
Tasmania produces food of extraordinary quality. The cold, clean air, the rich soils and the island's deep commitment to small-scale, considered production have created a food culture that punches well above its size. This is evident in its cheeses, smallgoods, honeys and accompaniments. Assembling a Tasmanian cheese and charcuterie board from local producers is not merely a snack: it is a genuine expression of place.
At Captains Cottage, the courtyard garden is the perfect setting for exactly this kind of afternoon. Here is where to find the best of what Tasmania has to offer in Hobart, and how to put it together beautifully.
The Cheese
Bruny Island Cheese Co. is perhaps the most celebrated of Tasmania's cheesemakers, and for good reason. Their washed-rind and Otto (a hard cheese aged in ash) are benchmarks of Australian artisan cheesemaking. Look for their cheeses at Wursthaus Kitchen on Montpelier Retreat, which stocks one of the finest selections of Tasmanian and international cheese in the city.
Images: Bruny Island Cheese Co, Farm Gate Markets and Pigeon Whole Baker.
Grandvewe Cheeses in the Huon Valley produces a range of sheep's milk cheeses that are unlike anything else made in Australia. Delicate, complex and deeply expressive of their landscape, they deserve a place on any serious board.
For a selection assembled closer to home, Eumarrah in Hobart stocks a thoughtful range of local cheeses alongside whole foods and pantry essentials, while Salamanca Fresh in Battery Point carries reliable everyday staples including quality dairy and deli items, just a short walk from the cottage.
The Charcuterie
Tasmania's smallgoods tradition is growing in both ambition and quality. Wursthaus Kitchen remains the definitive destination: their house-cured meats, pâtés and terrines are exceptional, and the shop's approach to provenance means everything on the shelf has a story worth knowing. The staff know their shelves intimately – a word with them is never wasted.
The Accompaniments
A board can only be elevated by what surrounds it. Tasmanian honey is among the finest in the world: Tasmanian Leatherwood Honey in particular carries a floral intensity that pairs beautifully with washed-rind and blue cheeses.
For bread, Pigeon Whole Bakers provides the ideal foundation: naturally leavened sourdough with enough structure to hold a generous slice of cheese without disappearing under it. Their focaccia, torn or lightly toasted, is equally at home on the board.
The Farm Gate Market on Sunday mornings is an excellent source of pickles, preserves and seasonal accompaniments from small producers who rarely appear elsewhere. Arrive with an open mind and leave with more than you planned.
A Final Note from Captains Cottage
Tasmania has always had a strong connection to the land, and its artisan food culture reflects the seasons, landscapes and makers who shape it. Some of the most memorable moments of a stay are often the simplest — a beautifully arranged cheese and charcuterie board, a bottle of Tasmanian wine, the glow of afternoon light and nowhere else you need to be. Captains Cottage was created for these slower moments, where local flavours can be enjoyed at your own pace in the privacy of your own heritage retreat.
Gather a selection of Tasmania’s finest produce, settle into the garden or curl up indoors, and experience the pleasure of discovering a place through the food, stories and makers that make this island unique.