Tasmania is about to become the sweetest destination in Australia – and, perhaps, the world. Picture this: you step off a ferry in Hobart’s Claremont precinct, and you’re greeted by the unmistakable scent of chocolate wafting over the Derwent, leading you towards what will soon be the Cadbury Chocolate Experience, a $150 million, world-class parkland wonder set to open in 2027.
Spearheaded by legendary tourism developer Simon Currant, the new attraction is more than a factory tour. It’s a celebration of 100 years of Cadbury magic in Tasmania, heaped with indulgence, innovation, and a sprinkle of local pride. This isn’t the dusty old chocolate museum of your primary school excursion – Cadbury’s vision, brought to life by Cumulus Studio and the creative wizards from Art Processors (yes, the people behind MONA’s quirky magic), promises a place where “wonder” is not just a word, but the guiding principle.
From the outside, the Chocolate Experience will echo the factory next door, but step inside and you’ll be lost in a Willy Wonka-esque universe: pipes and conveyors up high, rivers of chocolate, and surprises at every turn. Chocolate Central will be the pulsing heart, surrounded by studios where you can make your own custom bars, try your hand at a masterclass, or simply sink into the rich velvet chairs of the Chocolate Lounge, decadent treat in hand. The immersive tour takes you from the cocoa bean to the final glossy block, delving into Tasmania’s own chocolate backstory and introducing the region’s very best producers along the way.
And let’s talk about the numbers. The developers expect more than 550,000 visitors each year (that’s a lot of chocolate cravings), delivering a $120 million boost to Tassie’s visitor economy, along with 300 jobs during construction and 200 ongoing roles. It’s a private-public partnership that puts community front and centre, ensuring that everyone – from local farmers to ferry operators – shares in the chocolatey goodness.
Getting there will be half the fun. In partnership with the MONA ferries, two flashy new boats will whisk visitors from Hobart to Claremont in just 30 minutes. Forget traffic – this is a river adventure with a chocolate reward waiting at the end.
As Simon Currant puts it, “This is a uniquely Tasmanian story embracing 100 years of Cadbury, provenance, and artisan chocolate production, with the entire State sharing in the benefits.” I say, start planning your sweet escape now: Tasmania’s never looked so tempting, and the golden ticket? It’s one we can all afford.