Freycinet National Park

On Tasmania’s spectacular east coast, Freycinet National Park protects one of Australia’s most photographed and most deeply loved coastal landscapes — the distinctive pink granite Hazards mountain range, the enclosed aquamarine waters of Wineglass Bay, and a dramatically serrated peninsula of extraordinary geological and ecological beauty jutting into the cold Tasman Sea. The Wineglass Bay Lookout track — a vigorous 45-minute ascent through coastal heath and over a granite saddle — rewards climbers with what is consistently ranked among the ten most beautiful beach views anywhere in the world: a geometrically perfect arc of pale white sand enclosing impossibly blue water, backed by forested slopes and framed by the distinctive blushing granite peaks. For those willing to continue the steep descent to the beach itself, the full round trip takes approximately three hours and delivers a swimming and picnicking experience of rare natural perfection in a sheltered environment. The Freycinet Peninsula Circuit, a four-day multi-day walk, circumnavigates the entire peninsula through environments spanning sheltered coastal heath, open granite headland, and remote southern beaches with wildlife including resident dolphins, fur seals, white-bellied sea eagles, and seasonally migrating whales. The township of Coles Bay at the park entrance has developed an excellent range of quality accommodation and outstanding local seafood restaurants — the local Pacific oysters and southern rock lobster are outstanding when in season — making Freycinet equally rewarding as an ambitious day trip from Hobart or as a relaxed multi-day base for extended exploration of this extraordinary coastline and its pink granite architecture.