If you are planning a first visit to Freycinet National Park on Tasmania’s east coast, this guide covers park entry, getting to Coles Bay, the Wineglass Bay walk and places to stay. The park is best known for Wineglass Bay, granite peaks, beaches and walking tracks, and was reserved in 1916. You need a valid Tasmanian parks pass to enter, including for the Wineglass Bay walk.
Allow more time for Wineglass Bay than the distance suggests. The return walk to Wineglass Bay Lookout is 2.6 km and takes about 1 to 1.5 hours, according to Parks and Wildlife Service Tasmania (PWS). Continuing to Wineglass Bay beach makes the walk 6 km return and takes about 2.5 to 3.5 hours. The return route includes a climb from the beach back to the lookout.
The lookout walk and a shorter walk elsewhere in the park fit into a full day. An overnight stay gives you more time for the beach, swimming and longer walks.
Camping at Richardsons Beach, Honeymoon Bay or Ranger Creek keeps you close to beaches and tracks. Check PWS’s current Freycinet camping information for availability, bookings and facilities before travelling.
For a room with a private bathroom and nearby dining, book accommodation in or near Coles Bay, including Freycinet Lodge. Reserve campsites and accommodation before leaving home, especially for school holidays, long weekends and other fixed travel dates.
Get to Coles Bay
Driving gives you the most direct access to Freycinet’s tracks, beaches and lookouts. PWS estimates the drive from Hobart or Launceston takes about 2.5 to 3 hours. Leave the Tasman Highway (A3) for Coles Bay Road (C302), 12 km south of Bicheno. The sealed road runs 28 km through Coles Bay to the main park entrance. The visitor centre is just inside the gate.
Friendly Beaches is in a separate part of the park. Take the signposted gravel-road turnoff from Coles Bay Road, about 9 km from the highway, and allow extra time for the unsealed road.
Public transport and organised tours reach the area but offer less flexibility after arrival. Before booking, confirm transport between Coles Bay, the main entrance, track car parks and Friendly Beaches. Local services do not necessarily link these places.
Summer brings warmer beach weather, busier campgrounds and more visitors. Winter is quieter and coincides with the humpback whale migration along Tasmania’s east coast.
Check the weather forecast before a walk, and avoid driving after dark where practical because wildlife is common on Tasmanian roads. Check PWS park information and alerts before leaving for current access conditions.
Pay for park entry
Visitors need a valid Tasmanian parks pass to enter Freycinet National Park. From 1 July 2026, a Parks and Wildlife Service Tasmania (PWS) 24-hour pass costs $49.15 per vehicle for up to eight people. Visitors arriving by bus, bicycle or on foot pay $24.55 per person. PWS reviews pass prices annually.
For a longer trip, the Holiday Pass covers entry to Tasmania’s national parks for up to two months. It costs $98.35 per vehicle or $49.20 per person for visitors arriving by bus, bicycle or on foot.
Buy your pass online or at a park visitor centre. Self-service machines are available at the Freycinet visitor centre and the Wineglass Bay trailhead. Passes are non-transferable and refunds are limited, so check the PWS pass FAQs before buying.
Carry enough drinking water for your planned walk. Water is available at the visitor centre, Honeymoon Bay and the Wineglass Bay walking-track car park, but do not rely on finding it elsewhere in the park. Wear sturdy footwear on steep granite and loose gravel. Secure food and bags, and do not feed wildlife; possums investigate unattended belongings.
Choose your walks
Choose a walk based on track grade, distance and available daylight. PWS uses track grades to indicate difficulty. Grade 4 tracks require bushwalking experience and may be long, rough, steep and lightly signed.
For a short outing, use the shared Freycinet Walk and Cycle Track. It runs 4 km one way from the visitor centre to the walking-track area, is Grade 2 and takes about one hour each way. The 600 m Cape Tourville circuit is Grade 1 and takes about 20 minutes. Its moderate gradient means wheelchair users may need assistance.
A wheelchair-accessible circuit beside the visitor centre takes about 10 minutes. PWS also offers a free TrailRider all-terrain wheelchair, which requires advance booking through the visitor centre. Check PWS walk and access information before setting out.
Wineglass Bay lookout
The Wineglass Bay Lookout track starts at the Wineglass Bay walking-track car park. PWS lists the return walk as 2.6 km, Grade 3, with a walking time of 1 to 1.5 hours. Allow time for breaks and the view.
There are no facilities along the track. Toilets and drinking-water taps are at the car park, so fill water bottles before starting.
Walk down to the beach
Continue beyond the lookout to reach Wineglass Bay beach. The full return walk is 6 km and takes about 2.5 to 3.5 hours. The track descends to the beach, then climbs back to the lookout on the return.
Wineglass Bay is unpatrolled. Carry enough water for the return climb and take all rubbish with you.
Longer peninsula walks
The Wineglass Bay and Hazards Beach circuit is an 11 km Grade 4 walk that PWS lists at 4 to 5 hours. It includes steep sections and unpatrolled beaches. Wear suitable walking footwear, carry enough water and allow for the experience required on a Grade 4 track.
Mount Amos is a 3.6 km return Grade 4 walk that takes about three hours. The route crosses steep granite and requires suitable footwear and bushwalking experience. Avoid the track in wet conditions, when the granite is hazardous underfoot.
The Freycinet Peninsula Circuit is a 27 km Grade 3 walk that takes two to three days. Plan water, food and overnight arrangements before starting.
