Tasmania's oldest national park (along with Mt Field) is dominated by one very famous beach, but look beyond the perfect curve of Wineglass Bay and you'll find equally beautiful, less-crowd-drawing bays and beaches, excellent coastal bushwalking and the pink-tinged slopes of the granite Hazards mountains, which might provide the finest views of all.
Cheers to Wineglass Bay
With its curvaceous arc of talc-white sand fringed with clear waters, Wineglass Bay is unquestionably Tasmania's most famous beach and one of the very symbols of the state. Just don't come expecting a lazy day at the beach. Getting onto its celebrated sands requires a 6km return walk, crossing through a low pass in the Hazards. The majority of visitors pull up short at the Wineglass Bay Lookout (2.6km return) clipped onto the slopes of the Hazards, giving a wide view over the bay.
If you want to reduce your step count, jump aboard the Freycinet Aqua Express (freycinetaquaexpress.com.au; adult/child one way $75/60, return $120/100) water taxi, which heads to Hazards Beach five times daily. From here, you can walk across the isthmus to Wineglass Bay in less than 30 minutes. Wineglass Bay Cruises (wineglassbaycruises.com.au; adult/child from $200/125) runs daily five-hour boat trips from Coles Bay around the southern point of Freycinet Peninsula and into Wineglass Bay.
Locally based Freycinet Air (freycinetair.com.au; per person $325) operates 25-minute scenic helicopter flights, providing the upstairs look at the bay.
Other Walks Around Wineglass Bay
The Wineglass Bay and Hazards Beach Circuit, one of the state's 60 Great Short Walks, follows the main walking route to Wineglass Bay, but instead of retracing your steps back over the Hazards, take the trail that crosses the isthmus to parallel Hazards Beach. From here, the 11km circuit rounds the western base of the Hazards to return to the Wineglass Bay car park.
Freycinet's grandest adventure on foot is the Freycinet Peninsula Circuit, a two- to three-day, 27km loop of the park. Setting out from the Wineglass Bay car park, it can be walked in either direction, taking in Hazards and Cooks beaches on the Great Oyster Bay coastline, crossing Mt Graham and striding the length of Wineglass Bay. Camping and water supply need planning.
Beyond Wineglass Bay
The 20-minute wheelchair-accessible circuit around Cape Tourville is one of the national park's most popular short walks. There are glimpses into the mouth of Wineglass Bay, and it's a good spot to see migrating whales.
Down the slopes from the Cape Tourville car park, a smaller car park marks the start of the 500m return walk to Sleepy Bay. A well-formed track firstly leads through the forest – keep an eye out for the occasional echidna – before a stepped trail continues down to a compact and rocky bay with lichen-encrusted rocks and turquoise waters.
In the park's north, stretching in a long sandy line, the Friendly Beaches provide a long stretch of unbroken beach walking.
Adventures on the Water
Freycinet Adventures (freycinetadventures.com.au; adult/child $145/115) runs three-hour guided kayaking trips, crossing Coles Bay to the granite toes of the Hazards, passing a former granite quarry and stopping in at quixotic Honeymoon Bay.
For more water play, hire a SUP from Freycinet Paddle Boards (freycinetpaddleboards.com.au; half/full day $50/70) and go exploring on Coles Bay's (usually) sheltered waters. It also rents out sit-on-top kayaks as well as gear for snorkeling, fishing, camping and surfing.
