Guide to East Coast Tasmania Australia

The East Coast of Tasmania is amongst the most natural, unspoiled places in the world. First discovered by Abel Tasman who mistook the Peninsula for an island. In 1791 Nicholas Baudin named the Peninsula after the French explorer Louis de Freycinet.

The French went onshore and the Botanist Nicholas Baudin established a garden with some French plants that he transported across the ocean. Known as Baudin’s garden, some of the plants are still alive today, and are protected as a part of the Freycinet Peninsula National Park.

The East Coast of Tasmania is a beautiful place to visit. The weather on the Peninsula is mostly mild, with a few cold days during winter in July and August, when the maximum temperature is 14 degrees C. So this makes the best time to visit from September to June, and the easiest way to get there is to fly to either Hobart or Launceston airport and hire a car.

From Launceston, it is about a three-hour drive, and from Hobart airport about two and a half hours drive. You will need to pre-book accommodation in the area, Take your walking boots and jacket as you will be doing some serious walking.

Wineglass Bay

Wineglass bay covers an area of 65 square kilometers. Coles Bay is a good place to stay, as you will find excellent accommodation in the area. You are then ready to take the walk to Wineglass Bay, the walk is about 3 km, and no trip to East Coast Tasmania is complete without it.

It takes in some rugged, unspoiled, natural scenery. If you are not able to walk, a Freycinet Aqua Taxi can take you to Hazards Beach from Coles Bay, and some people prefer this option, as they only have to walk along the beach.

To thoroughly explore the East Coast Tasmania, takes about a week, and makes an original holiday experience. Some Tourism companies offer
Glamping Trips, with walking all day and Dinner and Glamping set up for you at night. People who have seen the area this way say it is an exceptional experience, enabling the traveler to observe the wildlife up close at all hours of the day and night.

You require a valid pass to enter the Nationa Park, and camping you will see lots of wildlife including Bennets Wallabies, Pademelons, Echidnas
Maybe even some Tasmanian Devils (nocturnal animals). Off the coast, you see migrating whales and porpoises. Lots of native bird life that you don’t see in other places.

Bay of Fires

Bay of Fires extends from Binalong Bay to Eddystone Point and was named by Captain Furneaux from the French expedition who saw the many fires of the Aboriginal people on the beach at night.

In 2005 Bay of Fires was named by Conde Nast as the world’s second best beach, and since then has become a number one tourist destination for travelers from across the world. To the Aboriginal people, it is a sacred site as it was a meeting place for family groups.

There is still an abundance of seafood to be found on the East Coast of Tasmania, including Abalone and Crayfish. The Crayfish live in the Kelp near the shore and are caught in pots, while Abalone is in deeper water, where it is dived for by expert Abalone Divers. Until recently most of the Abalone was sold to Japan and China.

There are several wineries on the Freycinet Peninsula, including Milton Vineyard, Devil’s Corner, and Spring Vale. You can sample the wines at the Cellar Door as they are unique boutique wineries with a truly local flavor and you may want to add some of them to your own cellar.

East Coast Tasmania is a child-friendly holiday, especially in the Summer when the kids can swim and snorkel in the pristine waters around the Freycinet Peninsula. The camping ground right on the beach, at Coles Bay can be booked well in advance, or alternately there are Motels and B&Bs. Sometimes in mid-summer, the weather becomes extremely hot with temperatures in the high 20 Centigrade, however, this is a place that is never overcrowded possibly due to the remote location. You and your family will be spellbound by what it offers the tourist, and you will want to return next year.