A D VE N T U R E S
F R E Y C INE T N P, TA S
“NO SEASCAPE MAGNETISES TRAVELLERS QUITE
LIKE FREYCINET’S FAMOUS WINEGLASS BAY”
CLOCKWISE FROM
ABOVE: The lookout
over Wineglass Bay
delivers one of Tassie's
most famed vistas; the
rocky shoreline of Great
Oyster Bay; wild Bennetts
wallabies are frequently
seen around camp at
Friendly Beaches.
FRIENDLY BY
NAME
After a busy day on the trail
to Wineglass Bay, there can
be no better place to unwind
than at the Friendly Beaches. Added
to the national park in 1992, the Friendly
Beaches is a solitude seeker’s dream come
true, with windswept bush campsites
nestled into the coastal heath at Isaacs
Point, along a seemingly endless stretch
of coastline. Some are perfectly snug for
tent campers, while other sites are large
enough for a caravan-towing vehicle to
turn around, and spacious enough for
groups to share.
There are no fees to stay here, although
national park admission fees still apply,
but bear in mind that only pit toilets
are provided. Because it lies within the
national park, you can’t bring pets here or
light a campfire, and you’ll need to dispose
of rubbish when you head back into town
to top up on drinking water and supplies.
That said, campers who would rather be
closer to the beach than an ablution block
may well find this is a destination that's
difficult to leave.
On our most recent winter-time stay, we
84
ADVENTURES
spent long afternoons dawdling along the
sand, equally mesmerised by the surfers
riding the beach breaks and the dazzling
cowrie shells caught among colourful
rocks. As we strolled south towards the
Cape Tourville Lighthouse, translucent
seas revealed great gardens of thick kelp
swaying in the swell that washed piles of
shells against tessellated rock pavements.
With our campervan parked to make the
most of the awesome water views, we spent
the hours before dusk watching Bennett’s
wallabies and pademelons feeding on the
grassy foreshore, sipping champagne as
we clicked off ever-improving images of the
setting sun.
On this unpopulated stretch of coastline
you might spot white-bellied sea eagles
circling overhead, hear yellow-tailed
black cockatoos or glimpse nectar-feeding
spinebills and honeyeaters. Don’t miss
the great flocks of black swans and other
waterfowl that gather on Saltwater Lagoon,
an easy 20-minute walk behind the beach.
TIME TO EXPLORE
At Cape Tourville Lighthouse, a sealed
600m interpretive trail provides excellent
views of Wineglass Bay and the Friendly