Freycinet & Bicheno

Tasmania's east coast: the perfect arc of Wineglass Bay in Freycinet National Park, and farther north the orange-lichen rocks, white sand and turquoise sea of the Bay of Fires.

The Coles Bay and Bicheno area lies in the middle of Tasmania's east coast, one of the sunniest and mildest stretches of coast on the island. The A3 east coast highway (the Great Eastern Drive) runs from Orford and Swansea in the south, through Coles Bay on the Freycinet Peninsula, and north to Bicheno. The core is Freycinet National Park, where the pink granite Hazards range hides the perfectly curved Wineglass Bay. You can walk the lookout track, climb Mount Amos, hike the Wineglass Bay–Hazards Beach circuit or take a cruise. Cape Tourville Lighthouse, Sleepy Bay, Honeymoon Bay and Friendly Beaches are all on the peninsula, and Freycinet Marine Farm serves freshly shucked oysters. To the north, Bicheno has little penguins returning to their burrows and a blowhole; inland is Douglas-Apsley National Park, and along the way are wineries such as Devil's Corner. To the south, you can take a ferry from Triabunna for a day trip to Maria Island to see wombats and convict ruins. The best season is November–April, when summer days are long and the water is swimmable but chilly; winter is quieter but windy. Getting there: driving from Hobart to Coles Bay takes about 2.5–3 hours, and from Launceston about 2.5 hours. Public transport is minimal, so driving is strongly recommended. Plan 2–3 days, and you can continue north to the Bay of Fires and St Helens. Notes: a Parks Pass is required for the national park (available online), and in peak season the Wineglass Bay car park fills up early in the morning. At dusk and at night, watch out for kangaroos and other wildlife crossing the road.

Top sights

• Wineglass Bay – The white-sand bay with a perfect curve in Freycinet National Park; the classic view from the granite saddle lookout is Tasmania's most fam…
• Mount Amos – A granite peak in Freycinet's Hazards Range; from the summit you can look down over the whole of Wineglass Bay, a more striking view than t…
• Maria Island – A car-free island within a national park, where wombats graze on the grasslands, along with convict-era ruins, painted cliffs and fossil cl…
• Cape Tourville Lighthouse – A small lighthouse on the granite sea cliffs of the east side of Freycinet Peninsula. A wheelchair-friendly loop boardwalk overlooks the Ta…
• Honeymoon Bay – A small bay on the west side of Freycinet Peninsula, where pink granite reefs meet calm water. It is the classic spot to watch the sunset o…
• Sleepy Bay – A rocky bay along the road to Cape Tourville. Orange lichen-covered boulders contrast sharply with the deep blue sea, and a short trail bri…
• Friendly Beaches – A long strip of white sand on the northern side of Freycinet National Park, facing the Tasman Sea. It is quiet, with fine sand, and ideal f…
• Freycinet Marine Farm – A direct-sales oyster farm shop near Coles Bay, serving freshly shucked Pacific oysters, mussels and abalone. It is the best-known seafood…
• Bicheno Penguin Tours – Guided walks along the Bicheno coast at dusk to watch little blue penguins come ashore to their burrows. It is the most popular night activ…
• Bicheno Blowhole – A natural blowhole in the granite coast on the edge of Bicheno town. Waves surge into the rock crevices and burst skyward. It's free, and y…
• East Coast Natureworld – A small wildlife park north of Bicheno where you can get close to Tasmanian devils, kangaroos and wombats.
• Douglas-Apsley National Park – A national park northwest of Bicheno that protects dry eucalyptus forest. Apsley Waterhole is a refreshing gorge pool for a swim.
• Devil's Corner Cellar Door – A winery beside the East Coast Road. A timber lookout tower overlooks the vineyards, Moulting Lagoon and the distant Hazards.
• Spiky Bridge – A 19th-century stone bridge south of Swansea, built by convicts. Its parapets bristle with sharp upright slabs of stone, giving it a distin…
• Hazards Beach – A long, arc-shaped white-sand beach on the far side of the Wineglass Bay isthmus, facing the Hazards. It forms the western half of the Wine…

Where to eat

• Freycinet Marine Farm – Roadside seafood outlet on Coles Bay Road, serving farm-raised oysters and mussels fresh from the water.
• Bicheno Lobster Shack – Lobster specialist at Bicheno's harbour, known for its lobster roll and whole southern rock lobster, open almost every…
• Geographe Coles Bay – Coles Bay's top-rated all-day restaurant, known for wood-fired pizza and coffee, with a terrace overlooking the Hazards.

Itineraries

• Tasmania Clockwise Loop Self-Drive – From Hobart, head up the West Coast, passing through Cradle Mountain, the Bay of Fires, and Wineglass Bay, before retur…
• Tasmania East Coast: Maria Island to Bay of Fires – Head north from Hobart to Launceston, linking Maria Island, Wineglass Bay, penguins, and the Bay of Fires.
• Tasmania In-Depth Loop via Melbourne Ferry – Bring your car across from Melbourne on an overnight ferry, completing a full island loop plus Bruny Island and Stanley