Bay of Fires Hiking Adventure, Tasmania

Our journey begins at the Hotel Grand Chancellor in Launceston at 7:30am for a 7:45am departure. On the way to the northeast coast, we pass through Lilydale and the Pipers River wine region, stopping briefly at the beachside village of Bridport for a short break. Next, we head to Mt William National Park and the white sands of Cape Naturaliste, the northernmost point of our four-day wander. The first few hours are spent entirely on the beach, allowing you to find your natural walking pace and rhythm. Along the way, you’ll have the chance to observe resident seabirds like Oystercatchers and Hooded Plovers. Your guides can identify curious ocean life washed ashore, such as cuttlebones, urchins, and even shark eggs.

After a break for afternoon tea, we go inland for a one-hour return hike to the summit of wukalina/Mt William. At 216 meters (709 feet), it offers panoramic views of the surrounding area and, in clear weather, the Furneaux Islands, remnants of an ancient land bridge that once connected Tasmania to mainland Australia. We then return to the minibus and head to our accommodation to unpack and settle in.

Meals: Lunch and dinner
Hiking: 12 km / 7.5 miles, 4.5 hours
Difficulty: Easy to moderate
Accommodation: Shearers’ Quarters Cabins

After breakfast and preparing lunch, we set off for our longest day of walking. We return to Boulder Point at the far end of Stumpy’s Bay, continuing south along a scenic coastline dotted with small coves protected by rocky headlands. This section is particularly striking for its large granite boulders covered in bright orange lichen. We then reach the long sandy stretch of Cod Bay, one of the more remote parts of our walk, before following a series of inland tracks that cut through coastal heathland. These tracks are often bright with wildflowers and orchids, especially in early spring.

For lunch, we stop in a secluded spot, where there may be an opportunity for a swim. From there, we continue around a hidden lagoon surrounded by open marsupial lawns, keeping an eye out for wombats, Black Swans, and the Tasmanian Native Hen, a ground-dwelling bird unique to the area. Upon arriving at Deep Creek, depending on water levels, we may need to make a shallow wade across a small outlet to reach our afternoon tea stop, marking the end of the day’s walk. If the weather is good, this is a perfect spot for a refreshing dip. Time (and energy) permitting, you can walk an additional 20 minutes to Picnic Rocks, where the bus will meet us for the return to our accommodation.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Hiking: 14 km / 8.7 miles, 5-6 hours
Difficulty: Moderate
Accommodation: Shearers’ Quarters Cabins

Today’s walk is packed with highlights! We start our day at larapuna/Eddystone Point—adorned with its beautifully grand lighthouse, built in 1889 from locally quarried granite. This natural promontory is a fascinating site of historic importance to both European and Aboriginal Tasmanians, and we will spend plenty of time exploring the area. We then break out onto an expansive dune swept beach, often teeming with birdlife. Here we may observe gulls, terns, albatross and gannets—or occasionally migratory species such as short-tailed shearwaters and ruddy turnstones.

The remainder of the day is spent enjoying seemingly endless coves—each being worthy of their own picture-perfect postcard. There are numerous shelly beaches to inspect, and lovely small bays for swimming. This area also boasts some of the more interesting rock formations of the trip, awaiting decipherment from a creative types’ imagination. After passing across another dune swept beach, we finish our day at Ansons Bay, wading a narrowing in the lagoon to reach our designated afternoon tea spot, and meet back up with the bus.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Hiking: 14 km / 8.7 miles, 5-6 hours
Difficulty: Easy to moderate
Accommodation: Shearers’ Quarters Cabins

This morning, we’ll get a slightly earlier start before heading out for our final walk. Today’s hike is an interesting mix of changing landscapes within the Bay of Fires Conservation & Recreation Area—this walk is a hidden gem, a local’s secret. Consisting of historic Xanthorrhoea grass trees, sclerophyll forest and an array of wildlife, you will encounter ocean views from a higher vantage point and walk through a dynamic coastal environment. Beginning at Moulting Bay, we walk a small stretch of beach around the point towards the Georges Bay inlet, where you will have views of St Helens Oyster farm, Lease 65 and across the bay towards the township of St Helens and St Helens Point Conservation Area.

As we traverse a little higher, we encounter a woodland environment, home to many bird species and providing glimpses of the ocean and coastline through the tall trees. Somewhere along here, we will select a suitable shady lunch spot, and maybe take the opportunity for one last refreshing swim. Passing over a forested hill, it’s not much farther until we reach the end of our loop—this is a beautiful place to finish, before slipping back into the real world. We wave goodbye to the white sand and orange rocks of the Bay of Fires, before returning to Launceston via the lovely sea-side town of St Helens.

Meals: Breakfast and lunch
Hiking: 10 km / 6 miles, 4 hours
Difficulty: Easy to moderate