A regional city best known for its busy container port and major industries, Burnie unveils a wealth of unexpected places to visitors with a few hours up their sleeve or a day or two to set aside.

Pioneers and Paper
Settled in 1827 (before Melbourne) as Emu Bay, Burnie's early heritage was dominated by the towering rain forests that cloaked the land and more than a century later, by the pulp and paper mill that helped shape the city as it is today.

Leaf through the pages of Burnie's history at the city's Pioneer Village Museum which has brought to life the trials, tribulations and trivialities from the pioneers to present day.

Waves and Wildlife
With sand and surf almost lapping at the door, Burnie's central business and shopping district provides a thoroughfare to the beachside boardwalk and to a 17-kilometre walking trail that skirts the city.  In about the time it takes to enjoy a cappuccino you can be working it off along the beautiful pathways of Burnie Park through native rainforest to a dramatic waterfall.

Or (if you're lucky) you can catch a glimpse of platypus just a few minutes drive east of the city at Fernglade, a tranquil retreat for picnicking or simply meandering along the banks of the Emu River.

Gourmets and Gardens
When you've worked up an appetite head up the hill to sample the region's famous cheeses at the Lactos Cheese Tasting Centre and take advantage of the local prices and vast array of Tasmanian speciality produce from pickles and native peppercorns to the best Tasmanian wines.

Continue south and you'll reach spectacular Annsleigh Gardens and Tea Rooms (open September to May) and the renowned Rhododendron Gardens (open August to February) - superb displays of more than 9,000 wild and hybrid rhododendrons in a natural 12-hectare amphitheatre.

Or further still to Australia's biggest eucalypt tree farm - the Surrey Hills Tree Farm Estate - and enjoy a scenic drive though some of the richest farmland in Tasmania.

Return to the city via Guide Falls - a gentle cascade in summer flowing to a torrent during winter.