Often described as one of the shiniest jewels on Tasmania’s crown, the Freycinet National Park is the East Coast’s best hiking destination, bar none. This is the Tasmania of postcards, home to resplendent Wineglass Bay, undoubtedly the most photographed highlight of all.
The wonderful thing about Freycinet, aside from its ridiculously good looks, is that it offers an array of great trails so can can choose to take a short walk to a stunning lookout or immerse yourself in the verdant wilderness for an entire day. Or three.
With a stunning array of great day walk options both in and around this sensational peninsula, Freycinet is the place to head to when you want to stretch your legs, soak up startling views and experience the best of Tasmania, up-close and personal. Here are five great day walks in Freycinet you won’t want to miss.
* At the time of writing, activities and places mentioned in this guide are at varying stages of recovery from COVID-19. Please check government and business websites for specific details on opening times and any restrictions before you travel.
Wineglass Bay Lookout Walk: 3km – 45minutes, one way
Starting from the Lookout Car Park about 4 km past the Visitor Centre, take this short but steep walk up to the famous Wineglass Bay Lookout. It is from here that the most iconic photos are taken. The sweeping views below to the Wineglass Bay Beach and across to Hazards Beach are simply breath-taking, and as the clouds move in and out of the bay, you’ll see the light and colours change dramatically.
As you rest here, you'll have time to take countless photos. Depending on what month you visit, you could potentially be sharing this spot with quite a few people, but not everyone continues on to the full trail (below). Even if there isn't a lot of space to move around, people are generally courteous so everyone gets the chance to take photos from the best spot – a huge protruding rock (you'll see what I mean when you get there). If you don’t want to continue down to the bay and across to Hazards Beach, you can simply return to the car park on the same trail.
Wineglass Bay Beach: 1.5km - 1.5hrs hours, one way
From the lookout, take the trail that leads you to the beach below (you’ll see signs on the left-hand side), being careful not to slip on the wet rocks (if it’s been raining) and enjoy the stunning views that emerge in-between the forest cover at various times along your descent. Once you’re down at the bottom, you’ll realise just how spellbinding this beach really is.
A long stretch of blinding white sand, rolling waves and just a few luxury yachts lucky enough to reach this spot by sea. Many visitors stop to swim here but if you decide to continue on to Hazards Beach, you may find it a little more alluring for swimming. Much like the trail to the lookout, the descent to the beach is not that long but it is quite steep and hard on the knees.
That’s why so many people, once they make it down to Wineglass Bay Beach, choose to continue on to Hazards Beach rather than retrace their steps. In the end, whether you return to the carpark the way you came, or continue to the full trail, you can still expect the entire walk to take over 3 hours.