Freycinet National Park |
Sticking out into the sea on Tasmanias mild east coast is the rugged and beautiful Freycinet Peninsula.
Freycinet National Park consists of knuckles of granite mountains all but surrounded by azure bays and white sand beaches. The dramatic peaks of the Hazards welcome you as you enter the park. Freycinet is effectively two eroded blocks of granite - the Hazards and the Mt Graham/Mt Freycinet sections of the peninsula - joined by a sand isthmus.
Freycinet is a great place to go bird watching. You may be lucky enough to see a white-bellied sea-eagle gliding overhead or large Australasian gannet diving for food in the ocean.
Freycinet National Park offers a wide variety of activities. Take a walk to the pass overlooking the perfectly shaped Wineglass Bay, trek the entire length of the Freycinet Peninsula on an three day walk or try less strenuous activities like beach strolls, swimming or wildlife spotting.
The park is about 2 1/2 to 3 hours from either Hobart or Launceston. Turn off the Tasman Highway (A3) (which runs down the east coast of Tasmania) onto the Coles Bay Road (C302) 12 km south of Bicheno. (The turnoff to the Friendly Beaches section of the park is via a gravel road about 2 km after leaving the highway).
The main park entrance and visitor reception are just after Coles Bay township about 30km from the highway on a good quality sealed road.
Please take care when driving between sunset and sunrise as you are sharing the road with wildlife.
Visitor Centre
Located within the entrance to the park, the centre introduces the natural and cultural heritage of this region through creative displays. Staff are on hand to help with your enquiries. The centre is open daily from 8am to 5pm November - April and 9am to 4pm May - October.
Park Shop
Inside the visitor centre is a Park Shop, which sells a range of products including park passes, postcards, posters, film, clothing, and an extensive range of natural history books. Many of the products are exclusive to the Park Shop, having a special Freycinet logo embroidered or printed on them.
Day visitor facilities
Electric barbecues, picnic tables, water and toilets are located at Honeymoon Bay and Ranger Creek.
Camping
Camping is extremely popular over the summer months and at Easter. Due to the high demand for campsites, a ballot system operates from the 18th December until the 10th February and for Easter each year. The ballot is drawn early August with successful applicants being notified by mail. Payment in full is required by mid September.
To protect the environment, camping is limited to the barriered areas on allocated sites. In the fragile sand dune area, camping is restricted to tents only, with one car per site. No caravans, campervans, camper trailers or minibuses are permitted in the sand dune area. Excess cars (other than the one allowed per site) must be parked in the overflow carparks located amongst the dune sites or in the carpark at Ranger Creek. Please note that we do not have laundry or hot shower facilities.
The park offers a variety of basic powered and unpowered campsites - some with cold showers. Some sites are available all year round, though the Honeymoon Bay campsites are only open over summer and Easter. Limited sites are available at the Sand Dune area over winter. Only the main campsite at Richardsons Beach has powered sites. Outside of the main summer/Easter period, no bookings are taken and campers must check in at the visitor centre first. Booking and other details are found on the display board outside the visitor centre.
Please see the Parks Tasmania website via the link below for camping rules and restrictions, along with more information about the best places to camp.
Short Walks in Freycinet National Park
Cape Tourville
With stupendous coastal views of the Freycinet National Park, this very easy walk provides a great alternative for those who dont feel inclined to tackle the steep hill on the Wineglass Bay lookout walk.
Highlights:
The lighthouse at Cape Tourville was constructed in 1971 to replace the inaccessable Cape Forestier Lighthouse which was decommissioned the same year.
The lighthouse was constructed as an automatic light and was never manned.
More Information:
Time: 20 minute circuit walk
Access: From Tasman Highway (A3) take road C302. Once inside Freycinet National Park, follow the main road, then turn left onto the Cape Tourville Road. (The 7km Cape Tourville road is unsealed but is suitable for two-wheel drive vehicles.)
Fees: Park entry fees apply.
Facilities: Toilet, picnic and electric barbecue facilities 7.5km away at Ranger Creek and Honeymoon Bay.
Grade: Easy - the track is wide, with even surfaces and gently graded slopes. It may suit wheelchair users, who have someone to assist them, and walkers with strollers
Cautions: Steep cliffs; please remain behind the safety fences and supervise children.
Prohibited No pets, firearms or bicycles.
Wineglass Bay Lookout
The crystal clear waters and white sandy beach of Wineglass Bay are a tremendous sight. This is a steep uphill walk on a rocky, well-constructed track within the Freycinet National Park.
Highlights:
The rock type along this walk is granite which was formed during the Devonian. Although not common in Tasmania, granite forms some spectacular features in the Freycinet National Park.
More Information:
Time: 1 - 1.5 hours return
Access: Road C302 from highway A3 to Wineglass Bay car park inside Freycinet National Park
Fees: Park entry fees apply.
Facilities: Toilet facilities at car park. Picnic facilities nearby.
Grade: Difficult. Steep uphill climb over 1.3km with over 600 rough bush steps
Cautions: Rigorous uphill walk is not suited to those with health or mobility concerns
Prohibited: No pets, firearms or bicycles
Wineglass Bay
This walk in the Freycinet National Park follows on from the walk to the Wineglass Bay lookout. It is one of Tasmanias most celebrated locations. Take your time, enjoy a picnic, walk on the beach and paddle in the crystal clear water.
Highlights:
The two large blocks of Devonian granite which form the two mountain complexes of the peninsula are linked by the Wineglass Beach and Hazards Beach tombolo (isthmus) , an unusually wide and well developed tombolo-dune barred lagoon system.
More Information:
Time: 2.5 hours return
Access: Road C302 from highway A3 to Wineglass Bay car park inside Freycinet National Park
Fees: Park entry fees apply.
Facilities: Toilet facilities at car park. Picnic facilities nearby.
Grade: Difficult. Steep uphill climb over 1.3km with over 600 rough bush steps.
What to take: Group A items plus drinking water and lunch
Cautions: Safe swimming beach but children should be supervised
Prohibited: No pets, firearms or bicycles
Hazards Beach
This walk follows on from the Wineglass Bay short walk. Hazards Beach is reached after an easy 30 minute walk across an isthmus. It is recommended you return to the car park by retracing your steps via Wineglass Bay. The alternative coastal track has some rough rocky sections and can be slippery when wet.
Highlights:
This walk is within the Freycinet National Park. The low, marshy isthmus across which this walk takes you is an unusually wide and well developed tombolo-dune barred lagoon system. This isthmus is composed of Holocene sand and alluvial deposits and also has low hills of weathered granite which are distinct from the bare granite outcrops of the Hazards and Mt Freycinet-Mt Graham mountains.
More Information:
Time: 3.5 hours return via Wineglass Bay
Access: Road C302 from highway A3 to Wineglass Bay car park inside Freycinet National Park
Fees: Park entry fees apply.
Facilities: Toilet facilities at car park. Picnic facilities nearby
Grade: Difficult. Rigorous uphill climb to reach Wineglass Bay lookout. Grade is moderate after lookout.
What to take: Group A items are required plus drinking water and lunch
Cautions: Beaches are not patrolled. Swim with caution and supervise children
Prohibited: No pets, firearms or bicycles
❊ Address ❊
⊜ Freycinet National Park Freycinet View Map
❊ Web Links ❊
➼ Freycinet National Park
➼ www.parks.tas.gov.au
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