The town is about a two-hour drive north of Hobart, and it offers an incredible variety of holiday activities. From golf and hiking, to scuba diving and boating, to just lazing around in the sun and going out for dinner, there are endless ways to spend your days in the sun all around Bicheno.

The town was originally called Waubs Boat Harbour, named for an Aboriginal woman who is said to have saved two settlers whose boat smashed on rocks in a storm in the 19^th century. Once a whaling centre , then a coal town, Bicheno was almost abandoned in the late 1800s when local miners left to follow the Victoria gold rush. For years, it stayed a sleepy fishing village, until the 1940s, when vacationers discovered the region was still rich in tourism possibilities.

Bicheno is natural playground. The coastal waters are home to incredible coral reefs and migrating humpback whales. On land, there are dozens of lovely wineries, pristine golf courses and incredible nature hikes. The nearby Freycinet National Park has incredible walks along the beautiful East Coast headlands, and nearby Wineglass Bay is said to be one of the best beaches in the world.

When it comes to finding the perfect place to stay, there are great Bicheno accommodation options for every kind of vacation. From pretty campgrounds and caravan parks, to vacation cottages and guesthouses, to full-service beach resorts, there are great choices available for everyone here.

Whether you are bringing the love of your life for romantic dinners, wine tours, and long walks at sunset along the soft beach in Wineglass Bay, or you’re coming to explore the history of the town at the Old Court House and Gaol, your visit to Bicheno promises to be memorable.

The kids will love walking along the sandbar at low tide to spy on the colony of fairy penguins living on nearby Diamond Island, and a visit to the dozens of species making their home at the East Coast Birdlife and Animal Park.

If you want to play in the water, there are deep-sea fishing excursions, scuba diving, snorkelling, swimming and even glass bottom boat tours. You can also spend hours exploring the shoreline and the waves in a sea kayak.

Make sure to work up an appetite! The rivers and coast line are rich with Australian salmon, scallops and abalone, which makes its way into the fresh and wonderful cuisine in the region’s world class restaurants.

You must also make sure to pay a visit to Bicheno’s famous Rocking Rock, a massive granite boulder that actually sways with the movement of the tide, creating a spectacular blowhole that will soak you if you get too close.

So whether you’re planning an active family escape of swimming, scuba and sunshine, a golf trip with friends, or a relaxing vacation of fine dining and fine wine, you can find exactly what you need right in the heart of Bicheno, Tasmania.

Nestled on the east coast of Tasmania, about one hundred kilometres north of Hobart, Freycinet is the oldest national park in Tasmania, founded back in 1916. The park covers most of the Freycinet Peninsula, a sunny plot of land, covered with eucalyptus forest, and ringed with some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. On average, this stunning peninsula sees more than 300 days of sunshine every year.

Being one of the oldest national parks in Australia, there have been plenty of facilities built here to suit every visitor and every kind of vacation. Whether you want to spoil yourself with luxury Freycinet accommodation, incredible views and world class restaurants, or you would prefer a more back-to-nature experience at a campground, you can find the perfect place in Freycinet.

You can stay right in Freycinet National Park itself, at a lovely campsite or at the historic Freycinet Lodge. There are also lots of charming hotels, bed and breakfasts and self-catering villas and cottages all around the region, and the nearby villages of Coles Bay, Swansea and Bicheno offer a wide range of accommodations.

Whether you are looking for a family beach vacation in a perfect ocean cottage with a view, or a romantic escape at one of the stylish private cabins at the Freycinet Lodge, a visit to Freycinet will put you in the heart of some of Tasmania’s most stunning scenery.

The peninsula was home to the Tasmanian Aboriginal people for more than 30,000 years, trading and hunting across the entire east coast. It was named in 1802 after the French navigator Louis de Freycinet, and settled by Welsh immigrants who built the towns and the farms out of the rocky headlands. Once a centre for whaling and bushrangers in the 19^th century, today peaceful Freycinet is a vacationer’s dream.

The perfect half moon-shaped curve of Wineglass Bay has been named as one of the top ten beaches in the world by several international travel magazines. Whether you spend your day scuba diving or kayaking along the picturesque shores, or just playing in the soft white sand, this sheltered cove offers everything you need for a lovely day at the beach.

Another of the top draws in Freycinet is hiking. Whether you plan a short 20-minute walk around the lovely Cape Tourville, or you take on the challenge of the two-day Freycinet Circuit, the varied terrain, dramatic seaside cliffs and incredible coastal views offer some of the most scenic walking trails in all of Australia.

Birdwatchers come here to watch the sea eagles soar, the gannets dive, and to visit the Moulting Lagoon Game Reserve, a rich and diverse wetland. Food lovers come for the fresh ingredients and the world class cuisine. Wildlife enthusiasts love the whale watching excursions into the Tasman Sea, where humpback whales migrate and dolphins play.

Whatever you plan for your perfect vacation, whether it’s a week of camping and rock-climbing, or a weekend getaway of wine and fine dining, you are bound to find what you are looking for in Freycinet, Tasmania.

While its unspoiled natural beauty and mild climate attract visitors all year ’round, St Helens really comes to life in March each year, when the St. Helens Gaming Fishing Classic is held. As the records tumble and fishermen from all over the world learn about the abundance of game fish in the waters off north-eastern Tasmania, the Fishing Classic is increasingly achieving world renowned status. Over 20 Australian records have been broken here over the years and a further half dozen world records for southern bluefish tuna.

Aside from the fact that 120kg (nearly 265lbs) blue fin tuna are regularly caught off the shores of St. Helens and that marlin fishermen have caught as many as 200 of these elusive trophies in a single season, another remarkable fact about fishing in St Helens is that you needn’t look very hard to find them. You can be doing serious deep water fishing within half an hour of leaving the boat ramp on one of the many chartered fishing vessels that are available in the area.

As the largest town in north-eastern Tasmania, St Helens also serves as the place where northern Tasmanians go for entertainment. The biggest event of the year is the annual Suncoast Jazz Festival, held here each year in June. The biggest names in Australian jazz turn up each year, both to entertain the crowds and to play with each other. One of the highlights of the festival is the "mix and match" registration system, which teams individual musicians with each other for 30 minute sessions. For 16 hours a day in late June, music fills the air in St. Helens. Close your eyes and you could be in New Orleans! The grand finale of the Suncoast Jazz Festival is a huge public concert and street parade.

Needless to say, you can enjoy some of the finest seafood in the world in St. Helens. Aside from seafood, though, St. Helens offers an abundance of other culinary delights. Apples, blueberries and raspberries are free for the picking in surrounding areas and many of the vegetable dishes on offer are locally grown in the rich soil of the surrounding region. Wine lovers will not be disappointed, either, since many award winning cool climate wines are produced in the region.

St. Helens, Tasmania may have a small population, but it is large in attractions in the Freycinet area. While the fisherman in the family is out breaking world records, everyone else can enjoy the magnificent scenery while bushwalking and feasting on wild blueberries. Back in town, you can spend hours browsing in the quaint shops, enjoying fresh and delicious food (St Helens is famous for its "Elephant Pancakes" – both sweet and savoury) or just relaxing in this wonderful and unspoiled corner of the world.

Take a self-guided stroll through Swansea, passing historic landmarks like Schouten House, Meredith House, and Morris’ General Store. Keep an eye out for Spiky Bridge, an odd crossing just outside of town.

Swansea is renowned for its unbelievably fresh harvests, taken from both land and sea. At the Wine and Wool Centre, you’ll have the chance to taste some of the great local produce, including oysters, olives, and fish. Nestled around Swansea are as many beaches as you could ever ask for, as well as Shearwater (mutton bird) colonies that stretch as far as the eye can see. You’ll never get tired of afternoon walks along the coast.

Discovered in 1798 by Captain Cox, Swansea wasn’t converted to a military post until 1827. As the power of the fort grew, local Aborigines moved inland as more and more European whalers plied the coast.

Swansea is graced with great temperature all year long. In June, the coldest month, the average doesn’t dip below 14 degrees Celsius, while in January you can expect a comfortable 22 degrees Celsius. Only 135 kilometres from Hobart along the A3 highway, Swansea is only a pleasant day trip away, or stay over for the night in one of the comfortable Swansea Accommodation options.