Flinders Island – we are a no-fuss community of passionate farmers, growers and producers
Located in Bass Strait, north east of Tasmania, Flinders Island is the largest in the Furneaux Islands region with a population of only 900 islanders. Famous for untouched beaches with crystal clear waters and some of Australia’s greatest produce, the island has been a chef’s secret pantry for many years.
On Flinders Island we are about raw, pure, untouched basics: the way food was grown before mass production and chemical interference. We grow and farm the world’s finest beef, lamb, garlic, honey, fruit, vegetables and seafood. You’ll also find premium Tasmanian whiskey, gin and beer.
THE FLINDERS WHARF
Produce. Experiences. Hospitality. Sustainability.
Clinging to the north-east corner of Tasmania and surrounded by the often wild seas of Bass Strait, Flinders Island seems to hold the secrets of its elemental beauty and bountiful produce close. Now, with the opening of The Flinders Wharf in April, the best of this tiny island can all be found in the one place. The Flinders Wharf is the key to unlocking all that the island has to offer.
Conceived and created by local couple Tom and Jo Youl, The Flinders Wharf is both a destination in itself and a stepping off point for those who want to explore and experience the unique flavours of the island.
Local businesses including A Taste of Flinders, the zero-waste Furneaux Distillery, Flinders Skin & Spa, Unique Charters, Flinders Island Aviation and accommodation provider Quoin Flinders Island will be operating from the Wharf. A retail outlet and providore shop, live crayfish tank and a working bee hive in the wall will also feature (BYO jar and fill with fresh honey straight from the hive).
The Flinders Wharf is a licensed cafe/restaurant open seven days, offering breakfast lunch and dinner using the best produce the island, and Tasmania, has to offer. An exciting guest chef program is also planned for the venue with dates confirmed for David Moyle (8-10 May), Ali Currey-Voumard (31 May-2 June) and Luke Burgess (5 July-7 July). Guest chefs will spend the week prior to their residency exploring the island and devising a menu to be served exclusively during their weekend takeover. “We’re excited to welcome our guest chefs to Flinders island. We know that our unique landscape will inspire them and we can’t wait to see how that translates into a spectacular food offering for diners,” says Jo.
The wine list and bar menu have been curated by Hobart-based sommelier, Alice Chug (Ettie’s), complemented by a specially created non-alcoholic offering by Chloe Proud (Vita Whole Foods, Tasmanian Juice Press, Alceme). The mezzanine level of the venue offers incredible sea and sunset views along with a private function area for group dining events and meetings. Upstairs also features a number of workspaces and single desks that can be booked in advance as ‘hot desks,’ with unlimited internet, a rarity on this remote island.
In addition, The Flinders Wharf is offering bespoke activity and dining packages that will provide guests with unique ways of experiencing the island. These packages include activities such as scenic flights, diving, walking and foraging – all paired with a long lunch and drinks at a private location. Experiences start from $150 per person. “The opportunity to give guests to the island a unique experience is something we’ve been dreaming of for a while,” says Tom. “We know that combining food and wine with exploration is a great way for people to have an unforgettable holiday.”
Accommodation is also on offer at The Flinders Wharf, which operates The Cray Shack, Killiecrankie Beach House (familyfriendly, self-catered house on the shores of Killiecrankie Beach) and Dwarfs Cottage on a nearby farm. Catering packages are available through The Flinders Wharf.
CALLING FLINDERS ISLAND HOME
Jo & Tom Youl – Our Story
Tom Youl grew up on a wool farm near Campbell Town in the Midlands, Tasmania. He left school and became a qualified landscaper, ski bum/traveller and then he moved to Flinders Island to complete his building apprenticeship approximately 8 years ago. He is now a Licensed Builder. Jo grew up on a cropping farm north of Melbourne. After school Jo studied in Geelong, completing a Bachelor in Farm Business Management. Jo specialises in Agribusiness Marketing before she moved to Flinders Island approximately 7 years ago to be with Tom. Tom fell in love with the lifestyle on the Island and convinced Jo to move not long after. Jo and Tom were married in 2013 and now have a four-year-old daughter Alice, one-year-old son Billy and one on the way.
Funnily enough, Jo’s family (her grandmother’s father) purchased a farm on Flinders Island and it has remained in the Hay and Clarke family since the 1930s. The Quoin has approximately 900 hectares of arable land that is best used to run beef cattle. A renovator’s delight, Tom and Jo now run about 500 Angus breeding cows and are improving the pastures and infrastructure year on year.
Jo started a business called A Taste of Flinders in 2015 that specialises in working with local producers. The ethos is to provide great local Tassie food and drink options for the community and visitors to Flinders Island. Jo is passionate about continually improving the visitor experience and is developing a new visitor hub on the waterfront in Whitemark. This will mean that visitors can go straight to the Wharf Shed to access the best and well-known produce such as crayfish, Tasmanian whiskey, fresh produce and order something off the menu in a great setting.
For more about Jo & Tom’s story go to Quoin.
THE FLINDERS WHARF
Our Team
The team behind the Flinders Wharf Experience are dedicated to quality and deliciousness. In the peak season between January and April, we are offering some short-term positions for a chef and front of house couple and bar/baristas.
This coming season we are thrilled to have Chloe Proud and Josh Andree joining our team. Chloe owns and runs Vita Foods and Juice Press in Hobart and Josh is a keen artist and chef.
Operations and front of house will see Jana Monnone back on Flinders and joining the team to launch the Flinders Wharf. We have known Jana for many years and we’re seriously excited to have her back on Flinders Island. With her energy and experience, we know we can get things done.
FLINDERS ISLAND, BASS STRAIT & MOTHER NATURE
Freedom to live by the natural order
Mother Nature on Flinders Island is not passive. It is raw, elemental, peaceful and breathtakingly beautiful. Mother Nature in the Bass Strait is wilder: powerful and unpredictable. We are forced therefore to be at its mercy. It’s untameable, we need to be in harmony, just breathe, and go with the flow.
Human nature – evolved from the early settlers, alone in the Bass Strait, we’re self-sufficient and independent. We nurture and co-operate, with a shared sense of responsibility. We go at our own pace, in our own way; our own unwritten law of the land. We exist as a community.
