The East Coast of Tasmania

Freycinet National Park

On our penultimate day in Tasmania, we are going to go for a short walk in the Freycinet National Park up to a lookout overlooking Wine Glass Bay between Mount Amos and Mount Mayson.

The park runs some distance down the coast and is well organised. Users have to pay a day fee ($24 2011) or a larger fee for a longer period.

There are three main walks (with variations): a walk uphill to the Wineglass Bay Lookout plus optionally down to the bay and back; or the 5 hour day walk around the Hazards Circuit; or the 3 day walk around the

peninsular. We (unfortunately) only have time for the shortest walk.You are encouraged to

register your intent at a shelter at the start and then set off on a well signposted walk. The timings given are reasonably accurate although I think assume a slower pace of walking than we are used to, perhaps more suited to those we see on the route wearing thongs (aka flip flops UK).

This particular walk has been well designed to fit into the landscape with boulders left where they fell presumably some millennia ago. If this were a 3-D photo, you would see that this boulder overhangs this walker in a somewhat gravity defying way.

Moeraki style boulders are on the track side

 

although some look like they are from the Henry Moore Centre at Perry Green.

As you climb the hill you get great views back over Coles Bay,

and of the forest running up the hill side which has just started to come out of Winter and heading into Spring.

There are numerous examples of one of our favourite Australian trees – the Paper Bark Tree.

 

There is a arty chair to rest on (unfortunately near the top rather than mid way)

and eventually you get to the lookout over Wine Glass Bay. No one knows why it is called that and various theories abound related to blood spilt during whale hunting or its shape.

      

and a the lookout are two walkers there looking rather pleased with themselves. 

We are resolved that the next time we come to Tasmania, we are going to schedule in a much longer period here and do all of the walks including the three day if possible.    

Coles Bay to Hobart

The road back to Hobart, follows in the main

the coast and due to the geography of the coast line, for the first 70 kms or so, Freycinet National Park is on the other side of the bay

and there are a  number of nice places like Spikey Beach which make a fine stopping place for lunch.