The north east coast of Tasmania is known for its coastal vistas, fishing grounds and numerous small seaside villages, nestled mainly around sheltered inlets. Their populations increase dramatically in size during the summer holidays and are fairly quiet at other times. The clear water of the rivers, bays and miles of beaches abound with sea life including lobster, abalone and many varieties of scale fish. In stark contrast is the hinterland, a mountainous area where once miners extracted tin and gold from the ground, but today farmers plough patchwork quilts of rich dark soil, where bountiful crops grow alongside verdant pasture.
A diversity of both inland and coastal scenery, quaint old mining towns and seaside resorts, dense rainforests, waterfalls and high mountain peaks contrasted by a rugged granite coastline awaits travellers on this interesting drive through the north eastern corner of Tasmania.
The drive commences in Launceston, and follows the east bank of the Tamar Estuary to the coast, where it turns east and follows the shore of Bass Strait. The lichen-covered granite headlands and boulders of the Bay of Fires mark the far north-east corner the state. The drive finishes at St. Helens, the major town at the northern end of Tasmania's east coast.
Begin the drive by leaving Launceston via the East Tamar Highway towards George Town.
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44 km from Launceston (34 mins drive)
The Piper's River and nearby Piper's Brook farming areas have emerged during the past decade as Tasmania's premier wine-growing district. Although the industry is small and new by national standards, the wines produced within the region are acknowledged as among the best in Australia. Pipers River is an important viticultural region of Tasmania in terms of quality and output. It produces about 30% of Tasmania's wine.
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The Bay of Fires, a beautiful piece of wilderness coastline in the north-east corner of Tasmania, stretches from Eddystone Point in the north to Binalong Bay in the south. Characterised by stunning blue water, fishing lagoons, spotless white sandy beaches and orange lichen covered granite boulders, the area is often mentioned internationally in lists of the world's top beaches.
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Tasmania’s North East has a rich and ancient history, incorporating over 40,000 years of continuous habitation and significant Aboriginal Heritage. The Tebrakunna Visitor Centre near Little Musselroe Bay provides informative displays about the traditional owners, as well as details about the Musselroe Wind Farm (on which this centre is located) and the agricultural history of the Cape Portland Farm still in operation beneath the turbines. The Tebrakunna Visitor Centre is named after the land and includes displays and information about the wind farm, the traditional landowners, the history of the Cape Portland property and the maritime and mining history of the greater North East region.
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164 km from Launceston (2 hrs 15 mins drive)
54 km from St Helens (1 hr 5 mins drive)
Gladstone is the accessway to Mount William National Park, an isolated wilderness area fringed with gorgeous bays stretching from Ansons River to Musselroe Bay. The landscape is one of rolling hills, rugged headlands and pristine white-sand beaches, some strewn with pink-granite boulders, while in the north a string of marshy lagoons sits behind windswept coastal dunes. Nestled in the far north-east corner of the State, the park is an important area for the conservation of Tasmania's coastal heathlands and dry sclerophyll plants. Whether you fish or swim; watch birds or wander by the sea, there's always something more to see in this beautiful national park.
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37 km from St Helens (40 mins drive)
Not far from the small town of Pyengana is St Columba Falls, one of Tasmania's highest waterfalls, with water plunging 90m from the Mt Victoria foothills to the valley of the South George River. There is a delightful walk from the car park to the falls through one of the most captivating rainforests you will see in a long time.
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5 West Street, St Helens
Serpentarium is a heated indoor reptile exhibit and museum displaying exotic captive breed reptiles, unique indigenous artefacts with gem and crystal displays. Featuring the Green Anaconda, Reticulated Python and our Indian Star Tortoises. Experience our interactive and interpretive keeper presentation at 12:00 noon daily.
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50 km from Launceston (36 mins drive)
A coastal town located on the east bank of the Tamar River, George Town is Australia's third oldest European settlement and Australia's oldest town. George Town is today a modern administrative centre. It is economically driven by the aluminium industry at Bell Bay and the tourist industry which attracts people to this attractive area of northern Tasmania. Situated in George Town is the Bass and Flinders Centre, a museum primarily telling the story of British navigators Matthew Flinders and George Bass and their visit to the coasts of Tasmania. In 1798 they sailed around Tasmania in HM Colonial sloop Norfolk and proved it was an island. Other exhibits tells the maritime history of the region. location: 8 Elizabeth Street, George Town.
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55 km from Launceston (42 mins drive)
The waters off Low Head, according to National Geographic, is one of the top five diving spots in the World with magnificent marine life. On this peninsula, Fairy Penguins nest and come home at dusk to feed their chicks. In 1995, the Iron Baron hit the Hebe Reef coming in to the Tamar and oil contaminated the penguins. In a massive operation by the local people, all the contaminated penguins were rescued, washed, fed and rehabilitated in various backyard swimming pools and returned to their nests. Not one bird was lost and the colony thrives. George Town Council operates penguin viewing tours.
Low Head Lighthouse is Australia's oldest continuously used pilot station. This light is now unmanned and automated. Australia's first lighthouse, Macquarie Lighthouse in Vaucluse, New South Wales was lit in 1793. Australia's second lighthouse, Iron Pot Lighthouse at the entrance to the River Derwent near Hobart, was lit in 1832. Constructed by convict labor and first lit on 27 December 1833, it became Tasmania's second and only the third one to be built in Australia.
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18 km from Low Head (16 mins drive)
55 km from Launceston direct (44 mins drive)
Beechford is a small beach side village where the Curries River enters the Tasman Sea in Bass Strait. The village is surrounded by farmland, and land administered by Crown Lands, the Department of Defence, and Parks and Wildlife, creating a natural corridor of unbroken sea views. This beautiful part of Tasmania, with its warm, relatively dry micro-climate and stunning beach and conservation areas, is still "undiscovered" by tourism, leaving visitors to enjoy the area relatively undisturbed. Once a populated town with its own small shop (closing some time during the mid 1980s) when there were many more permanent residences, Beechford now has no store: the closest shops are in the regional centre of George Town.
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72 km from Launceston via Low Head (56 mins drive)
44 km from Launceston direct (34 mins drive)
Pipers River is a perennial river that was named for Captain Hugh Piper. The river rises below Mount Arthur near Lilydale. It runs through Hollybank Forest, a tourist attraction, before flowing through the outer reaches of Lilydale, and on to the coast. With its red basalt soil and a cool climate moderated by the proximity of Bass Strait, the small but significant boutique Pipers River wine region was established in 1974. With a climate close to that of Champagne in France, it is known simply as Sparkling Tasmania . Many of Tasmania s premium sparkling wines originate here. It is particularly suited to the aromatic white varieties.
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42 km from Low Head (33 mins drive)
44 km from Launceston direct (34 mins drive)
Weymouth is a small township in northern Tasmania on the Pipers River opposite Bellingham. It has a very small permanent population; however, it attracts many visitors during the summer months. Weymouth has a beach, a tennis court and a seasonal shop. The estuary at Weymouth (Pipers River) has a strong tidal inflow and outflow and is popular for recreational angling, swimming and skiing. Species such as Kingfish, sharks and flathead both sand and king are caught here.
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Barnbougle Dunes
120 km from Launceston via Low Head (1 hr 31 mins drive)
59 km from Launceston direct (46 mins drive)
The Barnbougle Dunes are a hidden gem and home to one of the world s top Links golf courses. The golf links, built on undulating coastal dunes, is the work of famed golf architect Tom Doak and Australia s Michael Clayton. The breathtaking landscape upon which the course has been created mirrors the wild coastal links courses of Scotland and Ireland and as Barnbougle continues to develop with age it looks set to follow in the footsteps of these great courses. Barnbougle Dunes has been ranked the No.1 Golf Links public course in Australia and No.7 in the world.
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75 km from Launceston via Low Head (1 hr drive)
46 km from Launceston direct (37 mins drive)
A gold rush settlement that had a population of 5000 at its peak, Lefroy was once the fourth largest town in Tasmania at that time. Gold had been found at Nine Mile Springs at various times, but an 1869 discovery was the find of greatest significance. It was alluvial gold, unlike most of the gold though north-east Tasmania is in reefs, which requires investments of time and money into underground mining operations.
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115 km from Launceston via Low Head (1 hr 27 mins drive)
77 km from Launceston direct (58 mins drive)
A small seaside village on the north coast of Tasmania that is a centre for scallop, trout and lobster fishing industries. Bridport has become a very popular holiday location with the population increasing markedly in summer. It has beaches, swimming, sailing and other water sports. A ferry operates from Bridport to Flinders Island. Commercial fishing operates from Bridport as well as sporting fishing from the rocks or small boats. Popular beaches include Mermaid's Pool, a tranquil cove that at high tide, provides a sheltered swimming hole. Mermaid's Pool is a short walk from the town centre and 500 metres from the popular Old Pier beach.
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37 km from Bridport (36 mins drive)
The Waterhouse Conservation Area in Tasmania's north-east contains many wetland communities, including three major permanent deep-water lagoons - Blackmans Lagoon and Big Waterhouse and Little Waterhouse lakes. Little Waterhouse Lake is listed under the Ramsar Convention as an internationally significant wetland. Waterhouse is popular place for camping, with several sites available. Other popular uses of the reserve include hunting, wildlife viewing, fishing, and recreational vehicle use. On the northern shore of Big Waterhouse Lake is a small camping area used mainly by duck shooters, but also sometimes by fishermen. No facilities are provided.
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46 km from Bridport (35 mins drive)
Tomahawk is a small seaside town off the main road (Watergouse Road). Overlooking Bass Strait, Tomahawk is in the heart of a coastal region characterised by superb beaches, dramatic sand dunes and attractive, isolated countryside. It is an ideal destination for people wishing to escape from the hurly burly and have a peaceful holiday walking on the beach, swimming or fishing. Tomahawk Beach fronts the small settlement of Tomahawk, with the Tomahawk River Public Reserve between the beach and houses.
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56 km from Bridport (46 mins drive)
Being at the mouth of the Ringarooma and Boobyalla rivers, in the 19th century Boobyalla became the focal point for the influx of miners and the stores they required, and for the export of tin. For many years there was a regular shipping service, including small steamships and sailing vessels. But, like Bridport, Boobyalla declined as a port after the north east railway was built. Little remains of Boobyalla, now a ghost town, as buildings such as the old hotel and houses were either burned down by bushfires or dismantled. Remnants of the old wharf are still visible at the edge of the silted-up Boobyalla River. A single property now owns the whole site with the main house located at the end of former Hurst Street.
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61 km from Bridport (44 mins drive)
Tasmania's most north easterly township, Gladstone is one of the few in the region still involved in tin mining. The small town has a colourful history as a centre for gold and tin mining activities. Gladstone is the gateway to the largely unknown far north-eastern corner of Tasmania. Though mining has been replaced by tourism, the district has many tin mining ruins, notably at Boobyalla (17 km north west) which was once Gladstone s port. Little Blue Lake (above) is the flooded remnants of a tin mine. These former mine sites are popular destinations for bushwalkers, as are the impressive geological formations of the area.
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From Gladstone, head north-east on Carr Street which runs into Cape Portland Road.
25 km from Gladstone (24 mins drive)
Pointing west across Ringarooma Bay, Cape Portland (25 km north of Gladstone) is the north eastern tip of Tasmania. It was named after the Duke of Portland by Matthew Flinders during his 1798 circumnavigation of the island in the sloop Norfolk with George Bass. It is an important bird breeding area for the Cape Barren Goose, Chestnut Teal and the threatened Hooded Plover. There is a small fishing community at Cape Portland. There is no direct road to our nest destination - Musselroe Bay.
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You will have to return along Cape Portland Road almost back to Gladstone, making a left turn into North Ansons Road. 6.1 km along North Ansons Road is the left turn-off to Musselroe Bay.
24 km from Gladstone (24 mins drive)
The clean, white sand of Musselroe Bay on the east side of Cape Portland, is a popular spot for camping, beach fishing and swimming. Situated within Mount William National Park, it is also known as a place to experience close encounters with Forester kangaroos and other Tasmanian wildlife in their natural environment. Musselroe Bay Conservation Area stretches from Little Musselroe Bay south-east along Great Musselroe Bay to Poole at the northern edge of Mt William National Park. This long, incredibly scenic coastline of deserted white-sand beaches punctuated by windswept headlands, sheltered lagoons and estuaries is a haven for anglers and birdwatchers.
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Little Musselroe Bay is a lovely bay with views of the Furneaux Islands (Flinders Island, Cape Barren Island) and a plethora of birds and wildlife. Like the Bay of Fires, the sand is very clean and white and the water has a rich blue colour. Little Musselroe Bay offers free camping. but you will need to bring your own firewood and drinking water with you. This campground is only for the summer and surrounding warmer months, closing each year after Anzac Day and reopening on November 1st. This campground is only suitable for tent camping and small vehicles.
The Tebrakunna Visitor Centre near Little Musselroe Bay provides informative displays about the traditional owners, as well as details about the Musselroe Wind Farm (on which this centre is located) and the agricultural history of the Cape Portland Farm still in operation beneath the turbines. The Tebrakunna Visitor Centre is named after the land and includes displays and information about the wind farm, the traditional landowners, the history of the Cape Portland property and the maritime and mining history of the greater North East region. The Centre is accessible from the road to Little Musselroe Bay on Cape Portland Road. The Centre is located on the right just before the Little Musselroe Bay recreation area.
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To reach your next destination - Ansons Bay - return to North Ansons Bay (15.5 km), turning left into it towards Ansons Bay (21 km).
Stumpys Bay Campground is just one of just four of the places to camp in Mount William National Park. The campsite here is smaller than that at Musselroe Bay, but it is the best site for tents and it has safer swimming. This camping area is gas/fuel stove-only as fires are prohibited. A day-shelter with gas barbecues is found here. Picnic tables, fire and pit toilets are provided near most of the other campgrounds. Day shelter with gas barbecues can be found at Stumpys Bay No 4 only. There are no garbage bins in the park, so please take all rubbish out with you.
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Called Larapuna in the local Aboriginal language, Eddystone is part of the traditional territory of Tasmanian Aborigines. They have re-occupied Eddystone Point since 1999 when the Tasmanian Government agreed in principle to the return of Eddystone Point and Mt. William National Park. The point is essentially one huge midden and there are over ninety individual middens, nearly sixty artefact sites and some burial sites in Mt. William National Park, which surrounds the point. Please do not disturb any sites you may come across. Eddystone Point can be reached by a 14.9 km unsealed road from Ansons Bay
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29 km from Gladstone (26 mins drive)
43 km from St Helens (41 mins drive)
Ansons Bay is the name of both a geographical feature and a small township on the extreme north-east coast of Tasmania. For much of the 20th century the timber industry was predominant but it is now mostly involved in fishing and tourism. This small fishing village on the far north eastern coast of Tasmania hasn't changed since the 1940s. The temporary fibro houses, the tinnies waiting to be pushed off in search of fish and the quiet and sleepy holiday ambience make it one of those wonderful secrets which is known only to the locals and a select group of anglers. The best time to visit is in October and there are plenty of great fishing spots. The Bream fishing is especially good,and there are also plenty of great Australian Salmon to be caught on the Anson River.
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Ansons Bay sits on the Bay of Fires, a beautiful piece of wilderness coastline in the north-east corner of Tasmania, stretches from Eddystone Point in the north to Binalong Bay in the south. Characterised by stunning blue water, fishing lagoons, spotless white sandy beaches and orange lichen covered granite boulders, the area is often mentioned internationally in lists of the world's top beaches. A place of tranquil beauty and one of Tasmania's most popular tourist destinations, this 29-kilometre ribbon of sea, surf and sand is renowned for its island beach culture, cosy cottages and nature walks, not to mention its natural beauty. The bay's unusual name was given to the area by Captain Tobias Furneaux, in 1773, when he saw the smoke from the fires of the local Kunnara Kuna tribe.
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20 km from St Helens (21 mins drive)
The Gardens is a picturesque area was named by Lady Jane Franklin, the wife of Governor John Franklin, who spent some time in the region. If your visit to the area is a brief one, the drive along the coast to The Gardens from Binalong Bay is recommended. Along the way are Jenneret Beach, Swimcart Beach, Cosy Corner and Sloop Point, all of which give access to the beach; some have camping facilities. Cosy Corner and Sloop Point have some great photo opportunities.
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11 km from St Helens (13 mins drive)
The little community of Binalong Bay marks the beginning of the Bay of Fires when approached from the south. Noted for its rock and surf fishing, it is here that most visitors first see the bay's large expanse of untouched coastline, lined with clean, white beaches punctuated by picturesque granite outcrops covered in orange lichen. With an array of accommodation, fishing and diving facilities, and a general store and cafe, Binalong Bay is an idyllic location for those seeking a 'holiday in heaven' and an ideal starting point for walks along the coastline.
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67 km from Gladstone (1 hr drive)
152 km from Launceston via Scottsdale (2 hrs 25 mins drive)
166 km from Launceston via St Marys (2 hrs 6 mins drive)
Situated on Georges Bay, St Helens is the largest town on the north-east coast of Tasmania, though it must be remembered that its population is only 2,200, so don't expect it to be a buzzing metropolis. A popular resort for fishing, swimming and other aquatic activities, its position makes St Helens a good base from which to explore the whole north-east corner of Tasmania. The town is famous for its crayfish, scallops, abalone and flounder. The Scamander River is noted for its bream. St Helens' economy is dependent on fishing, timber and tourism. And, when it comes to tourism, the town prides itself in its warmth and sunniness - the result of a microclimate produced by surrounding hills and warm ocean currents.
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Extending down the east coast to the Freycinet Peninsula, inland to the Central Highlands and north to the coast at Devonport, the north east part of Tasmania is an area of extreme beauty. It is a region with a fertile, productive agricultural inland, peaceful beaches, fishing villages, world class scenery and history at every turn. Remnants of a tin mining industry can be found in some of the small townships of the north east corner.
Launceston is Tasmania's second largest city and gateway to the northern and eastern regions. Often referred to as 'the garden city', it has many parks and reserves including the 13-hectare City Park. At its heart is the magnificent Cataract Gorge Reserve. The Tamar River links Launceston with its ocean port of Bell Bay. The Tamar Valley contains many vineyards, orchards and forest areas.
Apart from Launceston, only small country and seaside towns dot the landscape. It is an area of small farms growing a variety of produce including grapes, potatoes, dairy cattle to name a few. The small seaside villages increase dramatically in size during the summer holidays and are fairly quiet at other times. The clear water of the rivers, bays and miles of beaches about with sea life including lobster, abalone and many varieties of scalefish.
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