Penny Royal is a tourist attraction which harks back to Tasmania’s convict past as well as providing adrenalin thrills.
When I was growing up in Launceston in the 1980s Penny Royal was a little bit kitsch and daggy. During the 1990s it fell into disrepair. In 2014 it was bought and renovated by JAC Group headed up by Josef Chromy OAM and since April 2016 it has become a fun attraction for families.
Given I haven’t been to Penny Royal is almost 30 years I was curious to see what had changed when I was invited to visit.
We start our visit with a trip on the Dark Ride, an animatronic tour of the Penny Royal’s undercroft which tells a rather creepy bushranger story of Matthew Brady. If you have kids who are easily frightened sit on the left side of the boat as most of creepiest scenes happen on the right.
We pan for gold and go gemstone fossicking (and yes there is real gold to be found)…
…. go for a barefoot sensory walk…
Find Hotels and Airbnbs near Penny Royal Launceston
….go rock-climbing and play with the motorised toy boats….
….and sail on the lagoon aboard the Brig Tamar (or ‘pirate ship’ according to Baby 2.0) then make a landing on the tiny replica Sarah Island to inspect the haunted jail.
There’s also an exciting exchange of cannon fire and the kids get to ‘steer’ the ship (which is on rails under the water)!
The only activities we miss due to the weather are the Cliff Adventures – a cliff walk, climb jump and zipline. Heights aren’t really my thing anyway!
If you get peckish you can eat at Penny Royal’s restaurant and Brady’s Tavern without paying an admission fee (or joining any of the adventure experiences).
We enjoy breakfast by the lagoon with a vegetarian breakfast of poached egg on an Asian herb salad with tamarind dressing and chilli jam ($15) and fluffy pancakes with banana, cinnamon, maple syrup and ice cream ($15).
For lunch we have pizza from Brady’s Tavern, sitting inside the lounge of the wine-tasting area of Relbia Estate’s Cellar Door. Pizzas start at $18 for a margherita.
Don’t forget to try one of the ice creams made with fresh Tasmanian berries at the Ice Creamery Cafe!
Penny Royal is a really fun day out and you should add it to your family-friendly itinerary for Launceston and Tasmania. You can do most of the activities at Penny Royal in a half-day or a day, depending on what the weather is like and whether you’re up for some of the more high-intensity adventures. It’s close to the entrance of Launceston’s most visited attraction; the Cataract Gorge, and Launceston itself makes an appealing weekend destination for families.
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