Rocky Cape National Park

Rocky Cape National Park is a small park - just 3,064 hectares (7,572 acres) - rich in Aboriginal history, wildflowers, rock pools and opportunities for swimming and boating.

Rocky Cape National Park
 

Rocky Cape National Park

This park is on the north-west coast, between two large geological features - Table Cape near Wynyard and the Nut at Stanley. This park features many interesting formations of its own, including sea caves rich in marine life and coastal caves that provide important insights into Aboriginal cultural life.

Key Attractions of Rocky Cape National Park

In addition to featuring a range of wildflowers that bloom colourfully in spring and summer, Sisters Beach is the location of the only grove of the tree-sized saw banksia in Tasmania. These are the plants with large, elaborate flowers and seed pods that were the inspiration for children's book author May Gibbs' banksia men.

Forty orchid species bloom in the area, and pretty rock pools contain colourful seaweed and starfish. Swimming is popular at Sisters Beach and Anniversary Bay.

Short and longer walks in the park take you to a range of caves. Due to their significance to Aboriginal communities, you are asked not to go inside. However, you can observe a great deal from their entrances, including, in some instances, large mounds called middens, which are composed of tools and the discarded remains of shellfish and scale fish - evidence of 8,000 years of Aboriginal occupation.

Short and Long Walks in Rocky Cape National Park

Take short walks to caves or do the full circuit.

Rocky Cape Accommodation

There is no camping in the park. Some private accommodation is available at the town of Sisters Beach and further east at Boat Harbour.

What is Near Rocky Cape National Park

If travelling west, Rocky Cape is a pleasant place to stop on the way to the historic fishing village of Stanley. Here you can climb the Nut or take a chairlift to its summit, stay in historic Bed and Breakfast accommodation within an easy stroll of the beach, and view penguins and shearwaters returning to their burrows at dusk.

How to Get to Rocky Cape National Park

Rocky Cape National Park is approximately two hours' drive west of Launceston. Take the Bass Highway (A2). Turn off the Bass Highway 12 kilometres (7.5 miles) from Wynyard, to Boat Harbour Beach. About 1.5 kilometres (one mile) from the highway take Irbys Road and travel eight kilometres (five miles) to Sisters Beach. If you are approaching from the west, turn left off the Bass Highway onto the C227 (park access is clearly marked).

Related Links

Parks and Wildlife Information

  • Phone: (03) 6452 4997
    Fax: (03) 6452 4999

Tourist Information

  • Wynyard Visitor Information Centre
    8 Exhibition Link
    Wynyard
    Phone: (03) 6444 8330
    Email: info@wowtas.com
  • Stanley Visitor Information Centre
    45 Main Road
    Stanley
    Phone: (03) 6458 1330
    Email: stanley@tasvisinfo.com.au
 
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This page was last modified on 21/02/08