East Coast Tasmania
Painted Cliffs, Maria Island, Tas. Photo credit: Alice Hansen/Tourism Tasmania. All rights reserved
East Coast Tasmania
There are lots of ways to see Tasmania’s east coast, stretching from Weldborough in the north to Buckland in the south. But to see it at its very best, we suggest you get on your bike.
No wonder travelling Tasmania’s east coast is so popular with cyclists. It’s a spectacular journey, but if you’d rather travel under someone else’s horsepower there are bus services that will get you around.
Things to do on Tasmania’s east coast
Flinders Island
Flinders Island is the biggest of the Ferneaux Group: 52 islands that once formed a land bridge between Tasmania and the Australian mainland.
You can visit all-year-round, flying from Melbourne or Tasmania, or catching the ferry from Bridport.
Flinders is alive with nature. Take a tour or explore the beautiful nature reserves and the wonderful Strzelecki National Park, dominated by the 756m Mt Strzelecki.
Orford
This laid-back little town has some superb fishing, great food, and some lovely beaches. You start unwinding the moment you cross its boundary.
Triabunna
6km from Orford, this port village is how you access the staggering Maria Island. The award-winning 4-day guided Maria Island walk is rightly world renowned as one of Tasmania’s finest natural attractions but there are plenty of equally magnificent shorter trails brimming with wildlife. You’ll also find a World Heritage listed former convict settlement too.
Cruise the coast
Travel Tasmania’s east coast a different way. East Coast Cruises run a good variety of excursions.
Swansea
This little town’s colonial history is still evident in some of its buildings, and the welcome is always relaxed and friendly.
- There are vineyards to tour just out of town, and some great beaches line its outskirts. Try Jubilee, Nine Mile, or Spiky for long stretches of white sand – you’ll be sure to find a spot for yourself.
- To explore the history of the area visit the Glamorgan War Memorial Museum and Swansea Bark Mill (which also boasts a rather good tavern and bistro).
Coles Bay
Watch the migrating whales or dolphins. Try kayaking. Or just enjoy the view – including the mesmerising ‘Hazards’, huge pink granite outcrops that punch the sky.
Wineglass Bay
This is paradise. No, really. One of the best beaches on the planet is only accessible by boat or on foot, but you really should try – it’s breathtaking.
Freycinet National Park
This rugged granite landscape offers some brilliant wildlife and excellent bushwalking. Take the 1.5 hour return trip from Coles Bay to visit the enchanting Wineglass Bay lookout.
Bicheno
A great place to stroll around, and as it’s a fully operational fishing port it’s never too crowded with tourists.
- One of the best Bicheno walks is the Foreshore Footway which takes in the ‘blowhole’, ‘Peggys Point’, and ‘The Gulch’.
- At low tide walk out to Diamond Island – just be sure you don’t get caught out and leave yourself stranded.
- Four Mile Creek, north of Bicheno, is great for surfing. You’ll find scuba diving and glass-bottom boat trips in Bicheno itself.
- Bicheno Motorcycle Museum has over 50 vintage cycles on display.
- The Douglas-Apsley National Park is 5km from Bicheno, and has undisturbed eucalypt forest, gorges, waterfalls, and great wildlife. A little to the north is the Scamander Conservation Area, rich in indigenous history.
Bay of Fires
The evocatively named Bay of Fires conservation area runs from Binalong Bay to Eddystone Point. It’s a region of beaches and national parks where camping and surfing are less a pastime and more a way of life. The internationally acclaimed Bay of Fires walk will eat up four days of your schedule, but it’s a brilliant way to explore this stunning area.
Find places to stay in Tasmania
Van Diemen’s Land?
Some people are never satisfied. Take Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies, Anthony Van Diemen, for example.
In 1642 he asked Dutch explorer Abel Tasman to map ‘New Holland’ (Australia). Tasman failed to complete his task, but did discover New Zealand and an area he generously called Van Diemen’s Land.
On Tasman’s return to Holland, Van Diemen was unimpressed and sent Tasman straight back again to finish the job.
So it’s perhaps fitting that Van Diemen’s Land is now known as Tasmania.
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