From the soft white sand beaches and clear turquoise waters of sheltered Wineglass Bay, to the stunning pink granite peaks of the Hazard Range, Tasmania’s Freycinet National Park is one of the most spectacular corners of Australia. For generations, it has been a majestic magnet for vacationers who want to experience the beauty first hand by swimming, kayaking or hiking, and for those who just want to kick back, relax, and enjoy the view.
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 19th 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.
For any family vacation, it is important to offer the best of both worlds: relaxation and history. Every hard Sydney or Melbourne city worker deserves a week or two every year to rest and unwind, release the built up stress from the 9 to 5 work week, but the kids need to be entertained as well. Luckily, the small fishing town of Mallacoota offers something for everyone, a combination of historical aspects surrounded by panoramic landscape.
If the daily 9 to 5 grind in Sydney or Melbourne is starting to take its toll, then it might be time to head out on the Princess Highway to Mallacoota, an isolated paradise, and not just for golfers.