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Freycinet National ParkQuick links to walking notes:Walking in Hobart city, Richmond, Pt Arthur, Freycinet National Park , Track Notes, Hazards, Low Impact Bushwalking Remember you take personal responsibility for the use of any information on this website.IntroductionThere are 5 walks described in this section on Freycinet National Park, ranging from a gentle 300 m boardwalk to a 9.5 km longer walk taking in the Hazards Beach Track. A minimum 2 day stay is recommended. No matter what your fitness or interest level there are walks to cater for all. You will need a Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service Permit either for your car or as an individual bushwalker. If you need to get information about the local conditions you should phone the Parks and Wildlife Service in Bicheno Maps1:50 000 Freycinet National Park - Map and Notes Covers the area from Schouten Island to Bicheno Information and Land Services 2000 Access - All walks in this section of Freycinet National Park are accessed either immediatley east or south from the town of Coles Bay. Track Notes4. Cape Tourville Lighthouse Boardwalk – 300 m return 5. Carpark - Sleepy Bay – Carpark – 2 km return 1. Coles Bay Post Office, Richardsons Beach – Freycinet Lodge – Main Road – Tasmanian Parks Office - 3 km returnRating - easyThis walks begins at the bottom of the road where the Coles Bay Post Office and General Store is located. It is suitable for the whole family. From the general store walk to the bottom of the hill towards the water and you will see a track heading off to the left. Follow this across until it comes out at Richardsons Beach. This beach is part of Coles Bay after which the township is named. The 4 mountains that are known as The Hazards, Mounts Amos, Dove, Baudin, and Parsons dominate the bay and are stunning in their beauty. This is usually a lovely gentle beach, great for walking and swimming. Walk along the beach until you to come to award winning environmemtal lodge called (of all things!) Freycinet Lodge. The public can get morning/afternoon teas and lunch and a short stay around the area is worthwhile. After leaving the lodge walk up to where the Freycinet Lodge Rd joins the main road back to Coles Bay. Continue for a kilometre or so and you will come across the Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service Office which is worth a drop in – to get first hand information on the area, permits and books and souvenirs. You have 2 options back to town - along the main road or if you go behind the Parks Office you will pick up a track which will go pass a small parks camping area, back down to Richardsons Beach and then up to the Post Office. If you are unsure of which route to take, ask at the Parks Tasmania office. 2. Carpark, Wineglass Bay Track, Wineglass Bay Lookout, northern end of Wineglass Bay Beach and return – 5kmRating – medium (optional extension add 2 km).From the carpark, walk to the trackhead. It is about a half an hour’s walk up to a saddle which runs between Mt Amos and Mt Mayson. Although a gradual climb up, it is really worth the effort of getting to the top. You will not be disappointed. The view from the lookout is fabulous, and you will be at the same spot most postcards of Wineglass Bay are taken from. If you do not wish to continue any further you can retrace your steps to the carpark (3 km return) If continuing on down towards Wineglass Bay, it will take you another half an hour or so to reach the bottom and Wineglass Bay Beach. Many tourists take a picnic with them and have it here on the northern end of the beach, enjoying the water and the views. If not continuing any further, retrace your steps up to the saddle where the lookout is and then it’s downhill all the way back to the carpark. You have the option of walking all the way along Wineglass Bay Beach to a small camping area for overnight backpackers. It is tucked away in amongst the banksias, usually has a few wallabies looking around for handouts and has a pit toilet. The beach walk will add approximately 2 km to the walk. Retrace your steps to the lookout and the carpark.
Wineglass Bay from the saddle lookout 3. Carpark, Wineglass Bay Track, Wineglass Bay Beach, Isthmus Track, Hazards Track – circuit walk of 9.5 km returnRating – mediumAlthough this walk is longer than the 2 described above, it is a much more interesting walk, revealing more about the area. It is not so crowded with tourists and avoids backtracking along the same route on the return journey. From the carpark, walk to the trackhead and ascend the saddle between Mt Amos and Mt Mayson until you reach the lookout. Descend to Wineglass Bay Beach on the other side. This is a great spot for your morning tea and a swim if the water is not too cold! You have the option as in Walk 2 above of walking up the length of the beach which will add another 2 km to the walk. Instead of retracing your steps up to the Lookout, at the northern end of the beach is a track which heads off to the left (south westerly direction), known as the Isthmus Track. It heads away from Wineglass Bay across to Promise Bay and comes out at Hazards Beach. Because not as many people take this track, you are more likely to see birds along here; close to the track and off to the left which contains a wetland area known as Hazards lagoon. Watch out also for Aboriginal middens as you get closer to the beach. Promise Bay is as stunning, if not more so, than Wineglass Bay, for once again, high granite peaks dominate the landscape. The Hazards are replaced this time by the 620m peaks of Mt Freycinet and the 579m Mt Graham. When you reach the beach, turn right and head in a north westerly direction for about 500m until a set of rocks is reached. A track then leads up into the casuarinas and follows the shoreline from slightly higher up. Look out for 2 common lizards in this area in amongst rocks along the path – the little Southern Dragon and the larger White’s Skink. All the way along this track are stunning views of Promise Bay, back towards Mt Freycinet, and as you round Fleurieu Point, wider views of Great Oyster Bay. The track follows around the bottom of Mt Mayson, and the pink granite typical of the area is evidents in these rocks. As you get closer to the carpark, Coles Bay once again comes into view.
4. Cape Tourville Lighthouse Boardwalk – 300 m returnRating: EasyTake the road out of Coles Bay towards Freycinet National Park and Wineglass Bay. Approximatley 2 km out of town, turn left into Cape Tourville Rd and follow it all the way out to the Cape Tourville lighthouse. Total distance from Coles Bay to the carpark is about 9 km. From the carpark, this walk follows a boardwalk up to Cape Tourville Lighthouse which is suitable for all walkers including wheelchairs. The lighthouse was built in 1971 and is fully automatic. Compared to many other Australian lighthouses this is a ‘baby’ in comparison. Spectacular views are all around you - from near the lighthouse you can see north up to the Friendly Beaches and to the south are Carp Bay, Sleepy Bay (see track notes below) and into Wineglass Bay. Make sure you take your cameras with you! Retrace your steps to the lighthouse.
5. Carpark - Sleepy Bay – Carpark – 2 km returnRating: Easy (some steep steps just at the beginning/end)Take the road out of Coles Bay towards Freycinet National Park and Wineglass Bay. Approximatley 2 km out of town, turn left into Cape Tourville Rd and follow it for 1.5 km until you come to the Sleepy Bay turnoff to the right. The carpark is a short distance in front of you. Total distance from Coles Bay is about 6 km. From the carpark, steps lead down which follow around the cliffline. Fabulous views can be had across to the rocky point which separates Sleepy Bay from Carp Bay. Continue until you reach a rocky beach, with a small creek coming into it. There are great rock formations here which are great for children to explore and to play in. On good weather days, this a very gentle beach for swimming (depending on water temperature!). Retrace your steps back up to the carpark.
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