Looking for things to do in Freycinet National Park? Freycinet National Park in Tasmania is an area of unrivalled beauty. From secluded bays and quiet beaches with crystal clear water, to amazing wildlife, there is so much to see on this peninsula. Located on the East Coast of Tasmania, this is one place you do not want to miss when visiting this incredible island in Australia.
Things to do in Freycinet National Park
1. Climb Mount Amos
1st on the list of amazing things to do in Freycinet National Park is climb Mount Amos. If you want to get an unforgettable view of Wineglass Bay and the surrounding area, then a climb up Mount Amos is highly recommended.
To get there, go to Coles Bay first and then take C302 to Wineglass Bay Car Park. From here, you should be able to easily find signage for the hike up to Mount Amos. Do take note that in peak season these car parks fill up fast. So to make sure you can park somewhere nearby, get here early in the day.
The track starts out relatively easy, but after quite a few switchbacks, towards the top it turns out to be mostly rock and involves quite a bit of scrambling. If you don’t feel experienced with this, or the weather isn’t so great, then I’d recommend instead to head to the Wineglass Bay Lookout through the separate hike to that. It’s a bit easier, however, the views are better from Mount Amos because it’s a higher vantage point that the Wineglass Bay Lookout.
One you reach the top, the views of the surrounding area are spectacular. You will definitely want to spend some time up here enjoying it. There are plenty of rocks up top to get different vantage points, just be sure to watch your footing as it would be a terrible place to twist an ankle.
Once you finish, the way back down is the way you came up, so take your time and slowly make your way back down to the car park. In total this hike is about 4km and should take you 2 to 3 hours to finish.
Please don’t try this hike if it looks like it’s going to rain or storm as the rocks would become very slippery when wet. Also, be sure to check the fire danger forecast to be certain certain trails aren’t closed because of fire risk during certain seasons.
2. Watch Sunset at Honeymoon Bay
2nd on the list of amazing things to do in Freycinet National Park is to watch sunset at Honeymoon Bay. Honeymoon Bay is a bay within Coles Bay and a short walk from some of the popular hotels in the area like the Freycinet Lodge and is an incredible place to watch the sunset.
This secluded bay is small but the views from here are incredible as you have a great view of the Hazards Mountain range and calm clear water.
Be sure to stick around long enough to fully enjoy the sunset. The sand here is really soft and if you get here earlier in the day, the area is really popular for snorkelling as well.
Below is a map of where honeymoon bay is located:
3. Hike the Hazards / Wineglass Bay Circuit
3rd on the list of amazing things to do in Freycinet National Park is the Hazards / Wineglass Bay Circuit Trek. This is a lengthy hike, but will give you a great feel for Freycinet National Park and you will be able to visit some of the iconic locations like Wineglass bay and Hazards Beach. In total, this hike is about 11km and should take between 4-5 hours.
To get there, head out from Coles Bay and take road C302 to the Wineglass Bay Car Park. From here, follow signs to the Wineglass Bay Lookout. The climb up to Wineglass Bay lookout is steep in sections, however, it’s not as difficult as the hike up to Mount Amos as I mentioned earlier in this post.
From the wineglass bay lookout, you will take a signed trail for wineglass bay. This trail will head roughly down to the beach at wineglass bay. Entering this area is amazing as you leave the woods and find yourself on beautiful white sand and emerald water. Definitely take the time to enjoy this idyllic place.
After exploring and enjoying the time at the beach at Wineglass Bay, the trail continues on to the right from where you entered the beach at Wineglass Bay. There should be signs to continue on towards Hazards Beach. This next section should take about 45 minutes, crosses the peninsula and is occasionally board walked through swampier sections.
Eventually, you will come to a small climb up a sand dune and you will reach the equally beautiful Hazards Beach.
Hazards Beach is an incredible white sand beach that seems to go on forever. As with the beach at Wineglass Bay, I recommend spending some time here and walking up and down the beach and admiring the views.
From Hazards Beach, continue your hike to the right and continue straight. The trail will skirt the coastline for another 6km back to the car park.
Even with this section though, it passes some beautiful little coves that would be perfect for taking a dip if you are really hot from the hiking.
4. Visit Cape Tourville Lighthouse
4th on the list of amazing things to do in Freycinet National Park is to visit the Cape Tourville Lighthouse. This is a lighthouse that was built in 1971 to provide guidance for ships out in the water. It’s a perfect location for more great views of the Freycinet Peninsula and National Park and is the reason I’m adding it to the list of things to do.
To get to the Cape Tourville Lighthouse, leave Coles Bay and take road C302. Once inside the National Park, follow signs for the lighthouse. The road to the lighthouse is 7km and is unsealed but is still suitable for 2 wheel drive vehicles.
Once you park your car at the car park, the path to the lighthouse is nice and wide and is a boardwalk, so it’s very easy to get to. You can then walk around the boardwalk and catch all the amazing views.
Below is a map of where Cape Tourville Lighthouse is located:
5. Watch the Southern Lights over the Hazards
5th on the list of things to do in Freycinet National Park is to watch the Aurora Australis or Southern Lights over the Hazards. This one will require a bit of luck, but if you are lucky like I was, it’s an unforgettable experience.
I was staying in Coles Bay and had heard that afternoon that there was a possibility of seeing the Southern Lights that night. So that evening when it got dark enough, I walked down to the water and made sure to go to a dark location. I set up my tripod and pointed it South and took a long exposure photograph with my tripod.
Sure enough, purples showed up in the picture. It wasn’t really strong enough to see it with my eyes, but it was definitely the Southern Lights or Aurora Australis. If you are headed to Tasmania and want to check and see if there might be a chance for the Southern Lights, you can check out spaceweather.com to see if activity is high.
Where to Stay in Freycinet
*Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links through booking.com, which means I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link.
Freycinet has a wide variety of places to stay. From hostels to high end boutique hotels, you will surely find the right place to stay.
Big4 Iluka on Freycinet – This is well priced option in Coles Bay which is only around 1km outside the national park and where most of the hotels for Freycinet are located. The holiday park has just about everything you need for your vacation from a bakery, bar and supermarket on site and tennis courts and bbq facilities.
Otherwise, feel free to use the search box below to find some of the hotels through booking.com
Other Tips for Freycinet
- The entry fee for Freycinet at the time of this writing was $24 a day per vehicle. Most of the things listed in this article are with in the national park area, so require the entry fee.
- As I wrote earlier, during peak season a lot of the parking lots fill up fast, especially around lunch time. To avoid this, it’s best to arrive early.
- For Tasmania, I highly recommend renting a car. It gives you a lot more freedom to travel around and if you book it early enough, it doesn’t cost too much money per day.
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