It’s night-time and I’m walking along a pitch-dark, lonely lane in Stanley, a tiny fishing village on a remote peninsula in the north-west corner of Tasmania (also known as Lutruwita Lutruwita, the Palawa Tasmanian Aboriginal name for the island). The patchwork of stars above me is radiant, but my nerves are taut, despite my rational mind knowing there’s little to fear. I freeze, startled, as a wallaby emerges from the darkness, before bouncing away. Finally, the sound of breaking waves on the shoreline swells – and I reach my destination unscathed.
The fine golden sands of Godfreys Beach are home to a small colony of little or “fairy” penguins – and it’s past their bedtime. From the safety of a dedicated viewing platform illuminated by special red lights designed not to disturb these charming creatures, I watch with delight as the tiny birds hop, tumble and waddle their way back from the ocean to the safety of their sandy burrows. Standing no taller than a tube of kitchen roll, these pint-sized birds are the smallest of their species in the world, making this twice-daily journey a long one for short legs. The penguins can only be found in southern Australia and New Zealand, making this nature spectacle the perfect end to what has already been an unforgettable day.
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With a population of around 600 people, Stanley is on the way to nowhere – but well worth the journey. As well as the penguins, it’s also home to Hursey Seafoods, which was named the best restaurant in Australia at the 2024 National Seafood Industry Awards. Despite the accolade, it’s a relaxed, family-run joint dishing up a mouth-watering selection of locally sourced seafood. I’m seated at a table with a glorious view of the perilous Bass Strait which separates Tasmania from mainland Australia and presented with an enormous southern rock lobster, known here as “crayfish”, bathed in garlic butter. Sinking my teeth into the bouncy white flesh, I close my eyes and savour the moment.
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