Wineglass Bay is a curved beach in Freycinet National Park on Tasmania’s east coast. Most visitors take in the view from the lookout on the saddle, the low point between two peaks above the bay. Fit walkers can continue down to the sand. A valid parks pass is required to enter the park. The walk is Grade 3. The nearest town is Coles Bay, and the visitor centre is open daily from 9am to 4pm.
Pass costs, walk times, the best time to visit, car-free access, the camping booking changes from November 2026 and nearby places are covered below.
What Wineglass Bay is
The bay sits on the Freycinet Peninsula, in a national park of about 16,800 ha. A mountain range called the Hazards lies between Coles Bay and the bay itself, which is why the beach is reached over a saddle rather than along the coast.
The Parks and Wildlife Service page, reviewed on 10 March 2026, describes the walk as leading to the saddle, followed by approximately 1000 stairs down to the beach. An extra 20-minute stroll along the sand reaches the southern end of the beach. The same page notes that whales and dolphins can be spotted in the bay during the migratory season.
Entry passes and prices
Every visitor needs a valid parks pass, because the managing authority requires one for entry to all of Tasmania’s national parks. The pass covers the vehicle, so a car with up to eight people needs one 24-hour vehicle pass. Check the official entry fees page for current prices before you travel, because fees change.
| Pass | Approximate price |
|---|---|
| 24-hour vehicle pass (up to 8 people) | About $47 to $50 |
| Holiday pass (all parks, up to two months) | About $95 to $100 |
| Annual pass (all parks except the Cradle Mountain Shuttle Service) | $104.75 general, $83.85 concession, $39.65 seniors |
The figures in the table are approximate. Check the official entry fees page for current prices before you travel.
The simplest option is to buy online at passes.parks.tas.gov.au before you arrive. If you will drive a vehicle you do not own, such as a hire car, choose the hire-and-drive option. Passes are also sold at the Freycinet visitor centre, at other national park visitor centres, at some travel information centres, at Service Tasmania centres and aboard the Spirit of Tasmania. The visitor centre accepts cash, Visa and Mastercard.
A seasonal fire alert has applied since 20 December 2025 in parks and reserves in the Glamorgan-Spring Bay municipality, which includes Freycinet. It bans campfires, pot fires and other solid fuel fires. Gas stoves and gas barbecues are still allowed. Check the alert on the Parks and Wildlife Service page before you travel, because it is seasonal.
Opening times and contacts
The Freycinet visitor centre is open daily from 9am to 4pm and sits within the main park entrance. It sells passes and answers questions about tracks and conditions. You can reach it on 03 6256 7000 or at Freycinet@parks.tas.gov.au. The postal address is Private Bag 5, Bicheno TAS 7215.
The park itself is open all year. The tracks have no gates or ticketed sessions, so the practical limits on your day are daylight, weather and the car park. Allow time to be back at the car before dark, especially in winter.
Best time to visit
The warmer months run from October to April. December to February is the most popular time, with warm weather suited to swimming and kayaking at the bay. That popularity brings crowds and a busier car park. Winter has far fewer people, and the beach side is cool and windy, so winter visitors need warm layers.
Time of day matters as much as season. Early morning is the quietest time, especially in summer, and parking is easier. Late afternoon is the next best option. The car park fills by mid-morning in peak periods, so arriving before 9am gives the best chance of a space in the main lot.
Tasmanian weather is unpredictable, so pack layers and a lightweight rain jacket even on a warm day. The lookout track is mostly exposed, hot and dry, so carry water and sunscreen as well.
The walk and how long it takes
The Parks and Wildlife Service lists the full Wineglass Bay walk as 6 km return, 2.5 to 3.5 hours, Grade 3, with some bushwalking experience recommended. Grade 3 means short steep sections, a rough surface and many steps. The page calls returning by the same track the shortest and easiest route, and recommends allowing extra time if you are less fit.
Walkers who only want the view can stop at the lookout. That walk is 2.6 km return, about 45 minutes up and 1 to 1.5 hours for the round trip. The climb is 214 m of total ascent. The extra effort to continue down the stairs to the sand brings you to the beach, but you then climb all of those stairs back up. Allow additional time for the 20-minute stroll along the beach and for any swimming or resting.
A full day suits the 11 km loop via Hazards Beach, which turns the walk into a circuit rather than an out-and-back. Plan it only if you are comfortable with a long day on rough track, and carry all the food and water you need.
The track is not suitable for everyone. Discover Tasmania says the site does not cater for people with access needs, and Trailhiking advises that the steep track is not recommended for people with health concerns or limited mobility. Stay within the designated barriers at the lookout.
Facilities and rules
The walking-tracks car park has toilets, a picnic area and a water refill station. After that there are no facilities along the track until you reach Wineglass Bay, where there is a composting toilet. There is no food and no drinking water source on the trail, so fill bottles at the car park.
The beaches are unpatrolled, so children must be supervised. Walking boots are recommended. The beach has no bins, so carry your rubbish out.
Pets, firearms and bicycles are prohibited in the park, and the lookout track is not open to dogs. The car park is the busiest in the park. A separate section for campers and larger vehicles sits a little behind the main car park. Motorhomes can park there, but camping and overnight stays are not allowed at the site.
Other things to see and do
Beyond the walk, the most direct way into the bay is by water. The Wineglass Bay Cruise travels from Coles Bay along the Freycinet Peninsula and enters the bay. The Freycinet Aqua Taxi takes about 25 minutes to reach Hazards Beach, followed by a 30-minute walk. Check each operator directly for departure times and fares.
Cape Tourville Lighthouse is a short drive from the main walks. A walk around the lighthouse takes about 20 minutes and offers good coastal views. For those without a car, guided tours from Hobart can include the Wineglass Bay Lookout hike, Cape Tourville Lighthouse and Honeymoon Bay.
In summer the bay is a popular spot for swimming and kayaking. Whales and dolphins are seen in the bay during the migratory season, so keep an eye on the water from the lookout.
Getting there by car
The park is about 2.5 to 3 hours’ drive from either Launceston or Hobart. From the Tasman Highway (A3), turn onto Coles Bay Road (C302), 12 km south of Bicheno. The visitor centre and main entrance are reached by driving through Coles Bay township, 28 km from the highway on a sealed road. Once inside the park, follow the main road to the walking tracks car park, which is about 10 minutes’ drive from Coles Bay.
The distances to Wineglass Bay are 195 km from Hobart (minimum 2.5 hours), 175 km from Launceston (minimum 2.25 hours) and 255 km from Devonport (minimum 3.25 hours). Bicheno is 42 km away (30 minutes) and Swansea is 60 km away (45 minutes). Allow extra time for the winding last stretch, which is sealed, and for stops along the east coast.
There are no car rental outlets in Coles Bay or in Freycinet National Park, so arrange a car in Hobart, Launceston, Devonport or another regional centre. There is no general bicycle hire in Coles Bay, although Freycinet Lodge has e-bikes available to guests. Bicycles are prohibited on the park’s tracks regardless.
Getting there without a car
Connecting services to the East Coast run from Hobart, Launceston and Devonport. Seats to the East Coast are booked with TassieLink from Hobart or Devonport, or with Calows Coaches from Launceston. Reaching the Freycinet Peninsula requires a connecting service to Coles Bay, which is booked with Calows Coaches. Check fares and timetables directly with TassieLink or Calows Coaches before you travel, since services and seasons vary.
From Coles Bay you still need to cover the distance to the walking-tracks car park, so confirm that last leg when you book. A guided tour from Hobart removes the need to connect between services and includes the lookout along with other stops, but you leave when the tour does and only have the time it allows at the lookout.
Camping bookings from November 2026
Camping inside Freycinet changes on 3 November 2026. The new Parks Online Booking System will require advance booking and payment at 10 fee-charging campground areas, including the Freycinet campgrounds at Richardsons Beach, Ranger Creek and Honeymoon Bay.
Fees become a flat per-site rate for up to six people: $18 for a standard site, $24 for a premium unpowered site and $35 for a powered site. A parks pass is still required in addition to the campsite booking. Book before you leave, because turning up without a reservation will no longer secure a site.
Nearby places
Coles Bay is the nearest town, with an ice creamery and the base for cruises and tours. Bicheno, 42 km from Wineglass Bay, and Swansea, 60 km away, are the next towns along the east coast and work as overnight stops on a drive between Hobart and Launceston.
Inside the park, Hazards Beach is reached by boat or by the 11 km loop from the lookout car park. Honeymoon Bay is a secluded beach and one of the Freycinet campground areas. Cape Tourville Lighthouse suits an easy short walk on a day when cloud or wind rules out the longer track. Hobart is 195 km away and Launceston 175 km away, so both cities work as bases for a long day trip, although a night on the peninsula gives you the early-morning start that the car park rewards.
Summary
- Buy a parks pass before you arrive: A pass is required for entry, and a 24-hour vehicle pass costs about $47 to $50. Buy it online at passes.parks.tas.gov.au and confirm current prices on the official fees page.
- Start early: The walking-tracks car park fills by mid-morning in peak periods, so arriving before 9am or in late afternoon gets you easier parking and fewer people on the track.
- Choose the walk to match your fitness: The lookout is 2.6 km return and takes 1 to 1.5 hours. The full walk to the beach is 6 km return and takes 2.5 to 3.5 hours, with about 1000 stairs down to the sand.
- Bring your own water and food: The track has no facilities until the composting toilet at the bay, and the beach has no bins or patrols.
- Arrange transport before you reach Coles Bay: There is no car hire in Coles Bay or the park, and public transport needs connecting coaches from TassieLink or Calows Coaches.
- Book campsites ahead from 3 November 2026: Freycinet’s campgrounds move to advance online booking at $18, $24 or $35 per site, plus a parks pass.
