This 13,899 hectare (34,345 acre) park on Tasmania's far north-east coast is idyllic. Low, undulating grasslands and dunes meet sweeping beaches and an ocean varying from emerald and azure in the shallows to bright blue and ultramarine in deeper waters. Kangaroos feed on the plains at dawn and dusk, and throughout the day birds twitter and bustle in the coastal heath.
The granite boulders encrusted with bright-orange lichen dotting the foreshore are the source of the fine white sand that gives the area so much of its allure: granite's high quartz content produces exceptionally pure sand.
Forester kangaroos are prolific, as are pademelons and Bennetts wallabies, all of which are best spotted at dawn or sunset. Echidnas, on the other hand, can often be seen ambling about during the day, while Tasmanian devils scavenge here at night. In spring and summer the heathlands abound in wildflowers, and the park is visited by approximately 100 species of birds.
This is one of the best places to snorkel in a State renowned for the excellent visibility of its temperate waters. Swimming and boating are also popular, though you should take care - the tides are strong and reefs just below the surface can be a hazard. Scuba-diving is best undertaken with a guide, as good sites are some distance from the shores of the park.
The Eddystone Point Lighthouse was built at the southern end of the park in 1889. This impressive and well-preserved structure is popular with visitors, though no tours of its interior are available.
Short strolls and long beach walks are magical, and the summit of Mount William itself is an easy 90-minute return walk. You must carry your own drinking water wherever you go in the park.
On some walks you will find evidence of Aboriginal occupation in the form of large middens created by the discarded shells from long-ago meals of seafood. These are precious places that must be respected and protected by all visitors to the park.
One of Tasmania's exceptional guided walking experiences - the Bay of Fires Walk - is conducted in this park.
There are many sheltered camp sites in the park but you must bring all your own drinking water.
Mount William National Park is quite remote. However, inland areas of the north-east are rich in mining heritage, waterfalls (notably St Columba Falls) and forests, while the coast to the west and south is dotted with fishing and holiday villages.
From Launceston, travel to Gladstone via Scottsdale (A3 and B82), or via the East Tamar Highway and Bridport (A8 and B82). From Gladstone it is 17 kilometres (10.5 miles) on gravel roads C843 and C845 to the entrance at the northern end of the park.
The southern end of the park, near Eddystone Point, can be reached by gravel roads from St Helens via Ansons Bay (C843 and C846) or from Gladstone on the C843. The nearest petrol is available at Gladstone.
When driving between sunset and sunrise, please remember that you are sharing the road with wildlife.
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