Tasmania's east coast is the island's most temperate and sheltered side, a stretch of coastline from the Tasman Peninsula north to St Helens that delivers some of Australia's most spectacular beaches, the extraordinary Freycinet Peninsula, good food and wine, and a pace that seems calibrated to the idea of unhurried exploration. While the more dramatic landscapes -- Cradle Mountain, the Southwest Wilderness -- get most of the attention, the east coast is where most visitors spend the most satisfying days.
The Route: South to North or North to South?
The east coast road trip works equally well in either direction. Most people arriving by air at Hobart start from the south and work north; those flying into Launceston start from the north. The route itself follows the Tasman Highway for much of its length, dipping east to the coast at regular intervals through a series of small towns and national parks.
Total driving distance from Hobart to St Helens via the east coast is approximately 350 kilometres without detours -- about five hours of driving -- but the right itinerary spreads this over four to six days to allow proper time at Freycinet, the Tasman Peninsula, and the Bay of Fires.
The Tasman Peninsula: Start Strong
The Tasman Peninsula, southeast of Hobart, is one of Tasmania's most dramatic landscapes. The Three Capes Track -- a four-day guided or self-guided multi-day walk -- traverses headlands and sea cliffs of staggering height and takes walkers through eucalypt forest to coastal viewpoints that are among Tasmania's most spectacular. The Cape Raoul formation, seen from the track, rises vertically from the Southern Ocean in a series of columnar dolerite pillars that look more like a painting than a coastline.
Port Arthur Historic Site -- the former convict settlement and Australia's most significant colonial heritage site -- is an essential stop on any Tasman Peninsula visit. The site is extensive, the interpretation excellent, and the landscape of the peninsula itself (viewed from the water on the Isle of the Dead cruise) provides a context for the history that the buildings alone don't fully convey.
Freycinet: The East Coast's Crown Jewel
Freycinet National Park and the Wineglass Bay lookout are the most photographed images in Tasmania, and the view from the saddle above the bay -- framed by the pink granite of the Hazards peaks, the white sand curving around the turquoise bay -- lives up entirely to the photographs. The walk to the lookout takes about 45 minutes from the car park; the walk down to the beach itself adds another 30 to 40 minutes each way and turns a viewpoint into a full beach experience.
Sleepy Bay and Honeymoon Bay, accessible from the same car park, offer close-range granite scenery and calm swimming in conditions ideal for snorkelling. The full Freycinet Peninsula Circuit (multi-day walk) traverses the spine of the peninsula with coastal views on both sides -- one of Australia's best multi-day walks.
The Bay of Fires: The North's Answer to Freycinet
The Bay of Fires -- named for the fires of Aboriginal peoples seen by European explorers rather than for any geological feature -- is a stretch of coast north of St Helens characterised by crystalline white beaches, startlingly orange lichen-covered boulders, and water of an unlikely tropical clarity for a southern latitude. The Bay of Fires Walk, a guided four-day walking experience operated by Tourism Tasmania, is one of Australia's most coveted walk experiences and is booked well in advance.
East Coast Food and Wine
The east coast is oyster country: Freycinet Marine Farm, near Coles Bay, is one of Australia's best oyster producers, and a stop at the farm gate for freshly shucked oysters and a glass of Tasmanian sparkling is one of the great simple pleasures of any east coast trip. The towns of Bicheno and Swansea have good cafes and bakeries rather than destination restaurants -- honest food to fuel a walking day. Devil's Corner Winery, visible from the highway on the Apslawn headland, has a deck overlooking the water and wines (particularly Riesling and Pinot Noir) that are among Tasmania's best.