Field Notes
HikingFreycinet Peninsula Circuit Tasmania
Freycinet National Park, Tasmania, Australia
The Freycinet Peninsula Circuit is a short but intense multi day hike located on the East Coast of Tasmania. Framed by beautiful beaches, surrounded by aqua colored water and home to famed Wineglass Bay. This quick multi day hike makes a great adventurous summer escape.
42° 08′ 44.91″S 148° 17′ 21.08″E
Freycinet Peninsula Circuit – The Stats
Official Track Name: Freycinet Peninsula Circuit
Location: Freycinet National Park, Tasmania, Australia
Distance: About 30km
Time: 3 days (can be done in 2 if you’re a bad-ass)
Trail type: Circuit
Mostly well-formed tracks and beach walking. Some short sections of cliffs. Some boulder climbing is needed to summit Mt Freycinet.
Difficulty: Day 1 and 3 are easy. Day 2 is moderate to hard.
Highest Point: 579m if you strictly stick to the circuit. 620m if you summit Mt Freycinet.
Elevation gain: 620m
Permit needed: A Tasmanian Parks Pass is needed to access any hikes on the Peninsula. You need no further permits to hike the circuit.
Freycinet Peninsula Circuit – Trail Notes Day 1
Carpark to Wineglass Bay Campsite
The Freycinet Peninsula Circuit can be hiked in either direction; clockwise or counterclockwise. There’s no forced direction unlike some other trails in Tasmania this time of year. We chose to go clockwise.
Starting from the car park, simply follow the Wineglass Bay lookout walk. Past the lookout, keep walking until you hit the beach. The first campsite is at the end of the beach.
Other than a short section of stairs, which can be quite grueling under the blazing sun, the first day of walking is an easy one and only takes about 1.5 hours. The campsite is hidden behind the dunes. Some spots have a view of the bay, but they’re scarce so leave early if you want to snatch one up.
The Wineglass Bay Campsite has pit toilet at the back where tomorrow’s trail begins, but beware. When we were staying there they were very dirty. How someone manages to poop upwards on the underside of a seat still baffles me…
FREYCINET PENINSULA CIRCUIT – TRAIL NOTES DAY 2
Wineglass Bay Campsite to Cooks Corner
Are you ready? Because it’s going to be an intense day. To escape the summer heat, we started walking at the crack of dawn. Low clouds and haze surrounded us most of the way up. It did give us some much-needed sun protection, but unfortunately, it also meant we didn’t get to see much at lookouts. There are a fair few places to gaze down at the beautiful beaches, so make sure to occasionally climb a boulder or veer slightly off track.
The trail is reasonably steep but well-formed and easy to follow. About half the trail gives tree coverage and an equal amount is open. Tasmania’s UV index regularly gets above 10 and even passes 15 at times. A hat, good sunglasses, and enough sunscreen to reapply every 2 hours are a must.
Once you make it to the top of Mt Graham (579m, which takes about 4 hours to get to), the trail quickly drops 200m in elevation before meeting the side track to Mt Freycinet.
It’s a tough climb to the top, but a short one. The return trip takes 1 to 1.5 hours and is well worth it. You’ll need to climb up some boulders and the track can be a bit hard to follow at times. You could leave your pack at bottom of the track, but since the area is home to snakes and Jack Jumper ants (which have painful bites) we decided to take them with.
Luckily the clouds cleared a little to allow us a glimpse of the beautiful view.
Once you meet the circuit again, the remainder of the way down is mostly through bush until you make it to Cooks Beach. The campsite is at the other end. It’s about 2 hours from the Mt Freycinet track to the campsite.
Cooks Beach campsite is large and stretches out till pretty much the end of the beach. The chances of a beach view spot are much better here than Wineglass Bay. There’s a small hut here (not for camping in though) with hut wardens staying next to it. Wardens can supply you with weather reports may you need it and can show you around the hut if you like. The pit toilets here are nice and clean and there’s also a water tank for restocking water supplies.
Freycinet Peninsula Circuit – Trail Notes Day 3
Cooks Corner to Car Park
Day 3 is spent half walking along the beach and half through the bush. The sand on the beach is firm and the trail is pretty much flat most of the way, so it’s easy walking. Especially just north of Hazards Beach, the mosquito population was insane, so some bug protection is essential. The whole thing takes about 3.5 hours.
Freycinet Peninsula Circuit – How to get there
From Hobart, take the Tasman Highway to the airport. Keep following the Tasman Highway all the way into Coles Bay. The whole way is very well signed, you really can’t miss it. Once you’re in Coles Bay, follow the signs to Freycinet National Park. The road past the Visitors Center takes you to the car park where you can leave your car overnight.
Freycinet Peninsula Circuit – About the National Park
Water: The only place to get water in on the Freycinet Peninsula Circuit is at Cooks Corner Campground, so you’ll need to carry enough water for the first two days. It’s a rainwater tank and purifying or boiling is highly recommended. There are many creeks along the trail, but their water supply is unreliable at best. Check with the staff at the Visitors Center what the levels of the water tank are before leaving.
Nearest ranger station: There’s a Visitors Center at the start of the National Park.
Activities: Other than hiking the area is a great place for boating, sea kayaking, and swimming. There’s plenty of fine foods (think oysters, wine etc.) grown / harvested / sold in the area. And Several companies offer scenic flights of the Peninsula.
Where to get a map: You can get a TasMap topo map for Freycinet National Park at visitor centers, most outdoor stores, and Service Tasmania Offices.
Where to get a map: You can get a TasMap topo map for Freycinet National Park at visitor centers, most outdoor stores, and Service Tasmania Offices.
Freycinet Peninsula Circuit – What’s near?
Nearest accommodation: Take your pick! Coles Bay pretty much runs on accommodation. The Visitors Center has campsites, but they’re very popular throughout summer and there’s a ballot system in place for large parts of the season.
Wherever you go in nature, please make sure to stick to the Leave No Trace Seven Principals to keep this place as beautiful for the next generations as it is now.
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