The Margate Train (once the iconic Tasman Limited) stands today as Tasmania’s last surviving passenger train, lovingly restored and reimagined as a vibrant local attraction. Built in England in 1950, the train faithfully carried travellers between Hobart and Launceston until its final run in 1978. 

Now permanently stationed in Margate, its vintage carriages have been transformed into a charming retail precinct open daily.

Each carriage offers something different: arts and crafts, quirky bric‑a‑brac, a specialist book exchange, and even a cosy pancake restaurant. The original buffet car has found new life as a welcoming café, inviting visitors to pause for coffee or a light meal, and perhaps do antique shopping nearby, as well as a children's play area, toilets, baby change facility and plenty of car parking.

We settled in at the Pancake Train Restaurant for a hearty breakfast (though the name is a bit of a misdirection, because the menu goes far beyond pancakes). What immediately caught my attention wasn’t just the food but the café’s playful Halloween makeover. 

They’d transformed the old carriage using discarded odds and ends, eerie trinkets, and a collection of vintage photographs that looked like they belonged to Margate’s earliest settlers. The effect was charmingly spooky, as if the past was peeking through the décor.

Our meals arrived in generous portions, the kind that make sharing feel natural and lingering over breakfast almost mandatory. It was exactly what we needed after an early start… comforting, filling, and served with that relaxed Tasmanian friendliness that makes you feel like you’ve stumbled upon a local secret.

Between bites, I found myself glancing around the carriage, fascinated by how the space blends nostalgia with a touch of whimsy. Even the practical details are thoughtfully considered; the café has its own dedicated toilet, which is always a welcome convenience when you’re on the road.

The Pantry Train Restaurant 

1567 Channel Hwy, Margate TAS 7054

Opens Daily from 9:00 AM to 04:00 PM

After our delicious, hearty breakfast, we decided to pay a visit to the nearby antique shop. 

It is an enormous antiques warehouse housed in a former IXL apple packing shed that tempts treasure hunters with its eclectic mix of retro furniture, curios, and second‑hand finds.

This antique shop feels like stepping into someone’s memory… layered, colourful, and wonderfully unpredictable. This one belongs firmly to the latter. The moment you walk in, you’re greeted not by silence but by a gentle hum of history, the kind that invites you to slow down and look a little closer.

At the heart of the room stands a tall glass cabinet, glowing softly like a jewel box. Inside, porcelain teapots, delicate vases, and hand‑painted figurines sit together in quiet conversation. Each piece feels like it has travelled far across homes, decades, and perhaps continents before finding its place on these shelves. 

Above them, a serene Buddha statue watches over the room, framed by a misty forest backdrop that adds a touch of calm to the visual abundance.

The walls are a joyful riot of colour… sunny yellow, deep red, ocean blue, each one carrying its own collection of masks, paintings, and quirky signs. A chandelier hangs overhead, slightly mismatched with the rest of the décor, yet somehow perfect in this eclectic universe.

What makes spaces like this so irresistible is the feeling they evoke. You’re not just browsing objects; you’re brushing up against stories. A chipped teacup might remind you of your grandmother’s kitchen. A carved wooden mask might spark memories of a long‑ago trip. 

There’s comfort in the clutter, beauty in the chaos, and a sense of discovery around every corner. You never know what you’ll find: an unexpected treasure, a forgotten craft, or simply a moment of nostalgia that warms you from the inside out.

Antique shops like this aren’t just places to shop. They’re places to feel. To remember. To imagine. And to reconnect with the quiet magic of objects that have lived many lives before they meet yours.

The moment I stepped into the room filled with wooden planks and offcuts, a familiar scent rose to meet me. It stopped me in my tracks. Suddenly, I was back in my late father’s workshop, surrounded by the warm, comforting aroma of freshly carved Huon pine, also known as Macquarie pine (Lagarostrobos franklinii). 

The memory washed over me gently, like an unexpected embrace, and I felt a wave of emotion I didn’t realise I’d been holding. That distinctive, resinous fragrance reminded me just how deeply I miss him. 

Of course, I couldn’t leave without taking a small piece of Huon pine home… a simple $12 keepsake, but one that carries a world of meaning. 

I reckon this is one of the finest antique shops I’ve visited in Australia. The prices are surprisingly reasonable, with plenty of pieces that feel like a genuine find. I only wish I could pack more treasures into my luggage to take home with me.

1567 Channel Hwy, Margate TAS 7154

On Sundays, the area comes alive with the Margate Train Sunday Market. Stalls brim with antiques and collectables, handmade crafts, pre‑loved clothing, plants, and fresh local produce, creating a lively community atmosphere that makes the train precinct a must‑visit stop for anyone exploring southern Tasmania.

Location: 1640 Channel Hwy, Margate TAS 7054

The historic Brookfield Shed was built in the early 1940s for a German man named Eugene Klinger and originally served as a facility for collecting flower and vegetable seeds for Yates Seeds. Remarkably, the original slatted drying floor remains intact. Over the years, the shed has taken on many roles, including housing Chandlers Seeds, supporting hops production, and later operating as a Co‑Op apple shed for Henry Jones & Co.

Today, the site has evolved into a vibrant destination featuring a vineyard, function centre, and a welcoming café‑restaurant—well worth a visit. The mezzanine level adds an unexpected charm, home to the Tudor Court Model Village and the German Model Train World.

The café and restaurant offer a healthy, diverse menu suited to both al fresco and indoor dining. The bright Canary Room provides a lively contrast to the mellow theatre space, which often resonates with live music showcasing both local and international artists. 

Channel Heritage Museum  

Location: 1755 Channel Highway (entry off Parish Lane), Margate, Tasmania.

The Museum offers a rich collection of permanent exhibits that trace the region’s story from early exploration and Aboriginal heritage to timber and boat building, fruit growing, fishing, sport, churches, transport, the 1967 bushfires, and militaria. It's recreated schoolroom, general store, and colonial‑style rooms, including a kitchen, bedroom, laundry and workroom, bring the everyday life of the past vividly to life.

A dedicated display highlights the Electrona Carbide Works, a site unique in Australia. Nearby, a growing collection of vintage farming machinery is housed in a separate exhibition space, forming an ongoing restoration project that continues to evolve.

Entry Fee: $AUD7.50 per adult / Free for children aged 16 years and under.

Location: Dru Point Rd, Margate TAS 7054

This gentle 30‑minute return walk (1.8 km) traces the picturesque banks of the North West Bay River, offering serene views across the estuary and all the way to the summit of kunanyi / Mt Wellington. It’s the kind of stroll that invites you to slow down, breathe deeply, and simply enjoy the rhythm of the landscape.

Bird lovers will find plenty to admire here. A diverse range of waterbirds feed along the estuary, and if luck is on your side, you might even spot a swift parrot darting among the black gums, sipping nectar from their blossoms—a rare and memorable sight.

Near the beginning of the trail, an Aboriginal Garden has been thoughtfully established to honour the First Nations people who once camped along these riverbanks. Planted with species of cultural significance, it offers a quiet moment of reflection and a gentle reminder of the deep history woven into this place.

Inverawe Native Gardens is a remarkable Tasmanian landscape shaped with a gentle nod to traditional garden design. When work began in 2001, the site was little more than 22 acres of weeds. The transformation started at the centre, which remains the most developed area today, while restoration continues across the more remote corners of the property.

Created as a living showcase of Tasmania’s natural flora, the gardens blend semi‑formal plantings with meandering walking paths that guide visitors through two distinct environments: a remnant woodland and a former tidal swamp now softened into rich, grassy flats. At the northern edge of these grasslands rises Rabbit Hill, offering sweeping views across the gardens and down North West Bay toward Bruny Island.

This meeting place of forest, pasture, wetlands, and tidal flats forms a fringe habitat teeming with life. It’s an especially rewarding spot for birdwatchers, who can linger among the shifting light and birdsong as the landscape reveals its quiet, layered beauty.

Entry Fee: $12.00 adults, $4.00 children (7 to 14 years) - Concessions welcome

Margate offers a small but varied collection of places to stay, with options dotted around town to suit different budgets. Travellers looking for something simple will find a comfortable three‑star hotel at an easy price point, while those craving a touch of indulgence can book into one of the area’s more exclusive retreats—properties known for their tranquillity and sought‑after appeal. And if unwinding is high on the agenda, a dedicated spa on the edge of town provides the perfect excuse to slow down and recharge.

        * Villa Howden 

            77 Howden Rd, Howden TAS 7054

        * Margate Cottage Boutique Bed And Breakfast 

           31 Miandetta Dr, Margate TAS 7054

        * Waterview Gardens B&B 

            59 Frosts Rd, Margate TAS 7054

I love visiting op shops in every town we explore, they are often where I find my most meaningful travel souvenirs. If you enjoy bargain hunting while supporting local communities, Margate has a couple of charming op shops worth adding to your itinerary.

        * Ten Lives Cat Centre Op Shop 

           1717 Channel Hwy, Margate TAS 7054

        * Vinnies Margate 

           Margate Shopping Centre, Shop 12-13, 1708/12 Channel Hwy, Margate TAS 7054

Margate is an ideal escape for travellers who want to experience Tasmania without being swept up in the energy of Hobart. Just 20 kilometres south, Margate offers a gentler rhythm, slower, friendlier, and wrapped in the warmth of a close-knit community.

Stopping here turned out to be one of those simple travel pleasures… a good meal, a quirky setting, and a moment to soak in the character of Margate before continuing our journey.

        * A Therapeutic Walk at the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens 

        * Visit Mount Gambier, South Australia