Freycinet And The East Coast Guides Attractions Events in Tasmania

Bicheno, just north of the Freycinet Peninsula on Tasmania’s stunning east coast, is known for its laid-back lifestyle and outdoor activities.
If a holiday relaxing by white, sandy beaches, dining on fresh seafood and playing leisurely games of golf sounds appealing, you’ll love Bicheno.
More than 700 people live in the town, and water’s its lifeblood. Crayfish, abalone and Australian salmon are often brought ashore with the daily fishing catch.
You can explore the coast at your own pace in a sea kayak, or pick up some local knowledge on a guided boat trip. Marine life and sea birds abound in Governors Island Marine Reserve – stay dry in a glass-bottomed boat or scuba dive amid sheer rock walls, deep fissures, caves, sponges and sea whips. Tasmania is considered one of the best temperate water dive sites in the world.
There is plenty to do on dry land as well. Motor tricycle tours, a Grape Escape wine tour, and walks to Rocking Rock and the blowhole or along the sandbar to Diamond Island Nature Reserve are popular. Penguin tours are one of the town’s most popular attractions, while the local wildlife park has a wide array of fauna, including kangaroos, Tasmanian devils and pelicans.
Waterfalls tumble to tranquil lakes and river ravines in nearby Douglas–Apsley National Park, while to the south, in Freycinet National Park, you can take the famous walk to Wineglass Bay, one of the best beaches in the world.
Formerly known as Waubs Boat Harbour, Bicheno was established as a whaling centre in 1803. The town was named after James Ebenezer Bicheno and expanded in 1854 with the discovery of coal in the Denison River.
Bicheno has mild weather, with an average maximum of 21 degrees Celsius (70 degrees Fahrenheit) in January and 14.5 degrees Celsius (48 degrees Fahrenheit) in June.
The town is 182 kilometres (113 miles) north east of Hobart via the Tasman Highway.

The east coast village of Coles Bay sits beneath pink granite mountains at the entrance to Freycinet National Park. With a small permanent population of less than 200 people, the town caters to local and visitor needs.
The Coles Bay area is one of our Island’s most popular holiday spots for visitors and locals. It overlooks crystal clear Oyster Bay – ideal for swimming, snorkelling, kayaking, boating and fishing.
Prior to European settlement the Great Oyster Bay and Big River aboriginal tribes made the annual trek, in the cooler climate, for seafood and swan eggs.
European settlers arrived in the early 1800s, and the area was developed by sealers, whalers, miners and farmers. After Freycinet National Park was declared in 1916 the area became increasingly popular as a holiday destination.
Coles Bay is about 45 minutes’ drive from Swansea and around 30 minutes from Bicheno..

If there's a single keynote for Tasmania's north-east, it’s colour. As you travel through this part of the Island, the hues of the land, the sky and the sea change before your eyes.
Take romantic strolls on uncrowded beaches and linger over meals of the freshest seafood – the wines, the coffee and the views are superb. Or simply watch islands float on the horizon from your stylish waterside accommodation.
The picturesque fishing port of St Helens is the north-east coast's largest town. Beyond the sand bar, the ocean offers up game fish, while to the north are the exquisite beaches, wildlife and Aboriginal middens of the Bay of Fires and Mount William National Park.
If you love a tasty true farm cheese, head inland to Pyengana cheesery – the cloth-bound cheddar is in a class of its own. Or drive along a mountain pass to the Mt Elephant Pancake Barn, and then loop back through St Marys.
The Bay of Fires Walk, the Freycinet Experience and Maria Island Walk are just a few of the guided multi-day hikes that take you through some of the most breathtaking scenery in Australia. When you are not walking or cruising, you’ll be pampered in quality accommodation or standing camps. And there’ll be plenty of time to socialise and indulge yourself over a gourmet meal and a glass of wine.
Your adventurous spirit will be inspired at Freycinet National Park. Above the peninsula’s main settlement of Coles Bay, climbers and abseilers test their skills on The Hazards’ pink and grey granite rocks, while sea kayakers paddle in the waters below, and quad bikes head for Friendly Beaches.
If you prefer something more romantic, take the short walk across a saddle to the perfect half-moon of Wineglass Bay.
Near the beachside towns of Bicheno and Swansea are vineyards and berry farms – stop for berry ice cream or a boutique cool-climate wine. Or head for Triabunna to catch the ferry to Maria Island, a national park with a surprising history of convicts and industrious dreamers. Dive in the marine park, hike to fossil cliffs and make friends with the local menagerie.

Spectacular views, miles of unspoiled white sand beaches, and low-key camping by the sea are the main features of The Friendly Beaches, which were added to the Freycinet National Park in 1992. Gravel roads lead to car parks overlooking the beaches.
Basic camping is permitted at Isaacs Point and Ridge Camp, though there is no fresh water. Isaacs Point also has pit toilets.

The holiday township of Orford lies at the mouth of the Prosser River at the end of Paradise Gorge on the east coast, just 80 kilometres (50 miles) north of Hobart.
The town has a population of 500 and is opposite Maria Island, making it a perfect base for exploring the island national park and its surrounding marine reserve. There are number of great swimming beaches close to the town, including Raspins, Shelley and Spring beach. The latter two are linked by an easy two kilometre coastal walk that takes in the 19th-century sandstone quarry that provided the hand-hewn stone used for Melbourne’s General Post Office among other buildings.
Orford is a popular fishing destination, with Prosser Bay, the Mercury Passage, and the clean ocean waters off Maria Island yielding a bounty of fresh seafood such as flathead, abalone and southern rock lobster (crayfish).
In February 2007 an artificial reef and dive site was created from the scuttling of the ship the 590 tonne, 55 metre (181 foot) coastal trader, Troy D, in the Mercury Passage approximately one kilometre off Maria Island, to further bolster the area's reputation as a premier location for scuba diving.
The first European in the Orford area was Dutch explorer Abel Tasman, in 1642, but it wasn’t until 1825 that the township was permanently settled as a whaling station and local garrison supporting the penal settlement at Darlington on Maria Island. Today you can still see signs of Orford’s convict history: as you drive along the banks of the Prosser River look out for the remains of the original convict road built between 1841 and 1855. Just past the bridge over the river a stone entry takes you to a 40-minute walk along the Old Convict Road.
Despite its small size Orford is well serviced with two supermarkets, several cafes and eateries, a hotel and accommodation.
The weather on Tasmania’s east coast is typically settled and warm, with an average maximum temperature of 22.5 degrees Celsius (72.5 degrees Fahrenheit) in summer and 10-15 degrees Celsius (50-75 degrees Fahrenheit) in winter.