Beyond the icons

When picturing Tasmania’s east coast, iconic images spring to mind of beautiful Wineglass Bay, tranquil Maria Island and pristine Bay of Fires. With summer adventures fast approaching, let’s take a moment to explore beyond the icons.

Pyengana St Helens Scamander

St Marys

Cranbrook Bicheno and Apslawn Coles

Swansea Bay

Rocky Hills Freycinet Peninsula Triabunna Orford

Buckland FOR THE ADVENTURERS Freycinet Peninsula

Experience the peninsula from the water with Wineglass Bay Cruises. Go off the beaten track on a quad bike with ALL4Adventures. Or enjoy an idyllic paddle or snorkel into an underwater paradise with Freycinet Adventures.

St Helens

St Helens Mountain Bike Trails offer family friendly rides. There’s also a range of experiences in the area from fishing and biking, to guided walks and boating, including Bay of Fires Eco Tours.

FOR THE FOODIES Orford

You won’t want to leave Darlington Vineyard without a bottle of their cool-climate pinot noir. Or dine on the waterfront at Spring Bay Seafood Restaurant and Café.

Triabunna

The Fish Van is as fresh as it gets and guaranteed to please the entire family. Travel on to Little Swanport to visit Boomer Creek Vineyard for wine, local produce and breathtaking views.

Swansea

Coffee and art lovers will love the exhibits at Artifakt Gallery and Café, or indulge at Tellers in the courtyard or in front of the fire. A few minutes away you’ll find Melshell Oyster Shack.

Cranbrook and Apslawn

A wine lovers heaven – visit Milton Vineyard, Spring Vale Wines, Gala Estate Vineyard and Craigie Knowe Vineyard. Travel over Cherry Tree Hill to be greeted by amazing views

Wineglass Bay Cruises

at Devils Corner Cellar Door and on to Freycinet Vineyard. A short drive away, the kids will love an ice cream at The Pondering Frog.

Coles Bay

Get your caffeine fix at Granite Freycinet, fresh seafood at Freycinet Marine Farm and enjoy local produce and amazing views at Freycinet Lodge in the national park.

Bicheno

The Farm Shed Wine Centre is hard to beat for tasting local gin, whisky or wine. Visit Overtime Vineyard for wine tasting overlooking the sea. For seafood lovers, Tasmanian Coastal Seafoods and The Lobster Shack at The Gulch are a must-do.

St Marys

The Purple Possum Café is a great stop for a bite to eat, while the St Marys Hotel entices many a weary traveller to take a load off.

Scamander

Swims East Coast Coffee is a favourite, and the beach and playground across the road are perfect for the kids.

St Helens

Located in a 1920s shearing shed, Priory Ridge Vineyard Cellar Door offers tastings and sales daily. Enjoy the delights of award-winning Furneaux Restaurant or Meresta Eatery at Binalong Bay.

Pyengana

The Pyengana Dairy Company continues its 130-year cheesemaking heritage. The café is jam-packed full of goodies. Just nearby meet Priscilla, the beer-swilling swine that calls the Pub in the Paddock her home.

Flow Mountain Bike

FOR THE NATURE LOVERS Rocky Hills

Mayfield Bay Coastal Reserve offers beautiful camping spots overlooking Great Oyster Bay. A short drive north is Kelvedon Beach for shell collecting and stretching cramped legs.

Coles Bay

Spend your day rock hopping on easily accessible, uncrowded beaches, or explore the many walks through the Freycinet National Park.

Bicheno

Walk, surf, paddleboard and play at Redbill Beach, while at Waubs Bay you can walk the entire coastline in one loop. If you’re in the area during whale season, keep an eye out for these beautiful creatures passing by. Discover what’s lying beneath the surface on Bicheno’s Glass Bottom Boat. Spot penguins and learn about conservation with Bicheno Penguin Tours, while East Coast Natureworld is home to Tassie devils, kangaroos, wombats and many other furry or feathered locals in need of care. Explore waterholes and diverse rainforests at Douglas Apsley National Park.

St Marys

The journey through Elephant Pass is an experience in itself. The winding, narrow roads and the change of smell from salty goodness to luscious rainforest transport you to another world. Marvel at panoramic views of forest, coastline and the Tasman Sea at St Patricks Head and South Sister Peak. Drive to the Fingal Valley to Evercreech Forest Reserve to visit the White Knights, the tallest white gum trees in existence.

Adventuring Pals

Tourism Tasmania & Freycinet Adventures

St Helens

The Serpentarium Wildlife Park is a treat for all ages, complete with a café serving coffee and light snacks.

Pyengana

Visit St Columba Falls, the highest waterfall in Tasmania.

FOR THE HISTORY BUFFS Buckland

Stay in boutique accommodation at Twamley Farm, hosted by the Turvey family who’ve been working on the land since 1842. Meet the animals, explore the farm and admire the historic buildings. At St John the Baptist Church, you’ll find local family names on the stained glass windows and gravestones from the mid-1800s. Ye Olde Buckland Inn is another stunning building, built around 1841. Entering the pub is akin to stepping into 1970s country Tasmania, complete with local characters and a roaring fire.

Orford

One of the many ways to fill your days is a bush walk along Old Convict Road which runs beside the Prosser River to the ruins of the Paradise Probation Station.

Swansea

Don’t forget to stop at the convict-built Spiky Bridge. Can you see why they call it spiky?

St Helens

Travellers enjoy way more time than anticipated at the St Helens History Room. The Warship & Marine Corps Museum features a collection established in 1960 with over 10,000 catalogued items. CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Spotting whales from Wineglass Bay Cruises, Freycinet Peninsula; Collecting shells on Kelvedon Beach, Rocky Hills; Enjoying the serenity and delicious produce at Pyengana Dairy Company; Paddling at Freycinet with Freycinet Adventures.

MAKE YOURSELF AT HOME

If you’re on the east coast using your ‘Make Yourself at Home’ travel voucher, we hope we’ve inspired you to explore even more of this beautiful part of the world.

STAY WITH US

Don’t forget, if you’re looking for a place to stay in the heart of Freycinet National Park, RACT members get 25% off and access to exclusive packages at Freycinet Lodge. For more information visit

freycinetlodge.com.au.

FROM

ALL ABOARD

The West Coast Wilderness Railway is back on track, taking visitors on a heritage steam train journey through the ancient wild west.

Whether you’re new to this part of Tasmania or you keep coming back for more, the half-day ‘Rack and Gorge’ tour is perfect for those who want to immerse themselves in the history and scenery of this unique place.

Where you’ll go

Your four-hour journey will start at Queenstown Station. As you travel deep into remote rainforest, you’ll stop at historic stations at Lynchford, Rinadeena Saddle and finally Dubbil Barril.

What you’ll do

You’ll hear stories of the people who shaped the west, from the railway itself to the rich mining history, and all in one of the toughest natural environments imaginable.

You might strike gold at Lynchford as you pan for hidden treasures, or you can discover the collection of gem stones in the museum.

The spectacular views of King River Gorge will take your breath away before a short walk in the rainforest at Dubbil Barril. Watch the train being turned by hand on the original turntable, marking the start of your journey back to Queenstown.

FUN FACTS

The West Coast Wilderness Railway is the only steam rail journey in the Southern Hemisphere that operates with an Abt rack-and-pinion system. If you don’t know what this is, your friendly guide will fill you in along the way.

The west coast’s gold rush took off when Cornelius Lynch found a gold nugget the size of a cricket ball in the 1880s.

The railway has three original Abt locomotives, with the oldest at 124 years old.

The ‘Rack and Gorge’ journey features the steepest steam haul in the Southern Hemisphere.

History that moves you wcwr.com.au | (03) 6471 0100 | reservations@wcwr.com.au