Touring Tasmania: Freycinet Peninsula
I have a coffee table book at home that friends of ours from Tasmania gave to us as a gift a few years ago. The book is full of incredible photographic images of Freycinet Peninsula in Tasmania and this is one of the places that I was busting to see during our Tassie trip.
Everyone will tell you how spectacular the east coast of Tasmania is with its pristine beaches, pure aqua waters and picture-postcard coastal villages. As we drove north from Hobart for a distance of 167Kms, we were in awe of the amazing scenery unveiling before our eyes of the coastline.
Freycinet Peninsula
Our first glimpse of Freycinet Peninsula and the mighty Hazards were from a lookout just north of Swansea. The peninsula, is a long skinny land formation carved into Tasmania’s eastern coastline. It is mainly renowned for its pink granite mountain range, The Hazards and its sheltered, white sand beaches.
Most of the Freycinet Peninsula is a national park and it is one of the most popular places in Tasmania for walks and hikes. The Wineglass Bay lookout and Wineglass Bay walk is generally upper-most on the majority of visitor’s itineraries when visiting Tasmania. Wineglass Bay is rated as one of the top ten beaches in the world.
As you drive onto the peninsula the first thing that catches your eye are the dramatic Hazards rising from the sea in the distance. These pink granite peaks are seemingly the guardians of this unique place. As the sun shifts during the day the colours of The Hazards alters from grey to light pink and then to a burnt orange.
Coles Bay
Our accommodation for two nights was at Coles Bay Holiday Park that is located right on Coles Bay, a calm water bay sheltered by The Hazards. Coles Bay is noted for its spectacular coastal scenery and its emphasis is on fishing, boating, bushwalking and swimming.
A visit to Coles Bay should include a meal of locally caught and shucked oysters from Oyster Bay. You can buy these direct from the Oyster Farm or dine in at one of the Freycinet’s Restaurants.
Freycinet National Park Walks & Wineglass Bay
A short distance away is the entrance to the Freycinet National Park and access to the many walks and hikes that is has to offer. The walk meanders through giant granite boulders on the way up to The Hazards.
These walks vary in distance and difficulty:
- Mt Amos – 4Km return walk is a steep and difficult climb with panoramic views over Wineglass Bay and the Southern Peninsula
Mt Amos - Wineglass Bay Lookout – 3Km return is a moderately steep stepped track to a lookout with views of Wineglass Bay, Mt Freycinet and Mt Graham
View of Wineglass Bay from Lookout - Wineglass Bay Beach – continue down from Wineglass Bay lookout on a rock scramble to the Wineglass Bay Beach
Wineglass Bay - Isthmus Track Circuit – 9Kms return continues from Wineglass Bay Beach to Hazard Lagoon and Hazards Beach
- Cooks Beach – 29Kms return on the Hazards track to Hazards Beach and then the Peninsula track to Cooks Beach
- Peninsula Track – 30Kms return recommended as a 2 day hike camping at Cook’s Corner overnight.
Cape Tourville
Drive from Coles Bay to Cape Tourville and enjoy a short walk along the boardwalk around the tops of the cliffs surrounding the lighthouse. Views include glimpses of the southern end of Wineglass Bay and also north to Friendly Beaches.
Sleepy Bay is a gorgeous little bay on the same road to Cape Tourville with a track that winds down the cliffs to a little rocky beach with interesting rock formations.
Friendly Beaches
Drive 26Kms north from Coles Bay to a beautiful surf beach, called Friendly Beaches where you can stretch out and walk along the sand for 2 kilometres. There is a primitive camping near the carpark at the beginning of Friendly Beaches Walk and there are also a variety of walking paths down to different beaches that make up the Friendly Beaches.
Swanwick
A sleepy little town located on Oyster Bay and the Swan River that mainly comprises of holiday homes and is a great place to put your boat in for a spot of fishing.
Freycinet Peninsula certainly lived up to my expectations and has earned its place as one of the finest national parks in the world. No wonder this place is considered a jewell of the island state of Tasmania.
Fantastic walking areas. Thanks Kathy, one day, one day, I will make it there x
Freycinet National Park is world-renowned for its walks and hikes. Such a picturesque area of Tasmania. I would love to be fit enough to do a two day hike sometime. Might have left my run too late! :)
Gorgeous. Imagine how peaceful it would be to retire in Swanwick. Wish I was there now.
There wasn’t much in Swanwick and it would definitely be peaceful! I did love the Freycinet Peninsula but the extremes of weather would do me in. It blew a gale both days we were here and apparently that is fairly normal. :)
OK the walk to the Lookout and scramble to the beach at Winehouse Bay are my choice. That view is amazing. Oh and I nearly got sidetracked with the oysters.
Yes that is exactly what we did and that was difficult enough. I would need to pick up my fitness levels to do a longer hike in the Freycinet National Park. The climbs were very steep and rocky in places and were hard on the knees. My husband was sore for days afterwards (and he is very fit). But a worthwhile experience to observe one of the top-rated beaches in the world.
I do not know how to describe these photos:amazing, wonderful or beautiful. I may use the three adjectives. It is not a surprise that Wineglass Beach is top in the world. That beach and its environments are very unique. Fingers cross that I can visit one day.
Until my friends gifted me the coffee table on the Freycinet National Park I had never even heard of the place. It is a very unique, pristine and untouched environment which absolutely took my breath away. :)
I too have wonderful memories of this beautiful area, although I don’t think we had such beautiful sunny weather when we walked down to Wineglass Bay.
We were lucky to have such clear weather, although it was a chilly windy day which was ideal for hiking. Freycinet is one of the most scenic places I have travelled to in Australia, apart from The Kimberleys in WA. :)
I have never heard of the Freycinet Peninsula before…it’s gorgeous
Well now you do! I had never heard of it either before my Tassie friends gave me the wonderful coffee table book on the Freycinet. I had seen photos of Wineglass Bay but never really associated it with Tasmania for some reason. Tassie is certainly full of national treasures! :)
Thanks for linking up with Weekend Travel Inspiration! Come back every week for more!
You’re very welcome Corinne. I will try to remember to link up on a more regular basis!
Australia has so many beautiful spots. I’ve never heard of Freycinet Peninsula – it’s gorgeous and almost deserted. Did you go during the off season or is it always like this?
Freycinet Peninsula is one of those little known places in our vast country, Australia. It is so pristine and untouched, which is what I liked about it most. We were there in November, which is late spring/early summer here. :)
Tassie has magnificent scenery. Your post takes me back there. We didn’t actually make it down to the beach at WIneglass Bay. Next time! I would love to do some of the longer walks in Tassie…one of these days….
The rock scramble down to Wineglass Beach was pretty hard on the legs and even worse on the trek back up! I would love to do some more walks in Tassie too. One day!!If you think this place was scenic just wait until you see my next instalment – The Bay of Fires.:)
I have seen so many lovely programs about that part of Australia and I hope to see it in the next few years. Your photos are just fantastic!
Well Tasmania is pretty close to New Zealand so that shouldn’t be a problem. Tasmania is a great place to visit. It is so scenically abundant – you would love it! :)
I’m loving your tour of Tassie. We didn’t make it to Freycinet or Wineglass Bay, but definitely want to return. We’d love the walking, but would heed your advice about the need to be quite fit. Blowing a gale doesn’t sound so good – when we went in March the weather was also off and on. I guess coming from England originally, I should be able to cope with that ;)
I think that the weather is the big drawback in Tasmania and the expense of travelling here. Airfares aren’t cheap and the alternative Spirit of Tasmania ferry is extremely dear. Unfortunately when we were in Tassie I wasn’t at my fittest as I was suffering from headaches, dizziness and neck pain (which I have since sorted out). I keep saying next time! I would love to do some more hikes on this beautiful island. :)
Oh my! East Coast Tassie is so stunning!! I love Freycinet. I have climbed up Mt Amos to see Wineglass and I have also done the 30km Peninsula trek – not as difficult as it sounds and so so beautiful. Lovely post :)
Good for you! You are a lot fitter than me Julie! I was a little under the weather during our trip to Tassie so wasn’t at my peak (excuse the pun!) I did however do as much walking as I could manage. It is really the only way you get to see the real Tasmania. :)