Freycinet National Park

French explorer Nicolas Baudin named the land mass in 1802 after one of two Freycinet brothers, who were officers on his ship. The highest peak in the Hazard Range is Mt Freycinet at 620 metres (2,034 feet). US magazine Outside has named Wineglass Bay one of the top 10 beaches in the world.

The park is famous for Wineglass Bay, just one of its white sandy beaches and the pure clear turquoise waters that are perfect for sea kayaking, swimming and scuba diving. The Hazard Range offers climbing, abseiling and mountain walking, and the coastal heathlands have wonderful day walks.

Bird lovers may see a white-bellied sea eagle gliding overhead or large Australasian gannets diving for food. In the forested areas you will often see or hear small nectar-feeding birds such as eastern spinebills and yellow-throated or crescent honeyeaters and yellow-tailed black cockatoos, which often feed and fly in raucous groups. Moulting Lagoon Game Reserve, just outside the park on the Coles Bay road, is a wetland of international importance.

• Cape Tourville (20 minutes)
• Wineglass Bay Lookout (1-1.5 hours)
• Wineglass Bay (2.5 hours)
• Hazards Beach (3.5 hours)

• Freycinet Circuit (two days)

Camp sites are available just inside the park boundary. Because the area is so popular over the Christmas/New Year period a ballot is drawn for sites, so please check the Parks and Wildlife website.

The park offers a variety of basic powered and unpowered camp sites, some with cold showers. Outside the main summer/Easter period no bookings are taken, so you must check in at the Visitor/Interpretation Centre when you arrive.

Coles Bay village offers a range of accommodation, as does Swansea, 45 minutes’ drive to the south, and Bicheno, 30 minutes’ drive to the north.

To reach Freycinet National Park, turn off the A3 11 kilometres (six miles) south of Bicheno and travel the good sealed two-lane road 27 kilometres (16 miles) to Coles Bay.

• National parks and reserves
• Preparing to walk in the outdoors
• Park entry fees

• Phone: (03) 6256 7000
  Fax: (03) 6256 7090
  Email freycinet@parks.tas.gov.au

• Triabunna Visitor Information Centre
  Esplanade
  Charles Street
  Phone: (03) 6257 4772
  Email: triabunna@tasvisinfo.com.au