48. Bay of Fires and Binalong Bay to Wine Glass Bay in Freycinet National Park. Part 4 of our road trip doing the lap of Tasmania, Australia.
Would you like to know about the place on Tasmania’s east coast that the Lonely Planet calls one of the world's hottest destinations?
Well keep listening and all will be revealed.
But first we start in St Helens on Georges Bay which is the game fishing capital of Tasmania and where we had one of the best meals, with the best views we have ever had.
Then we take you with us to the famous Lonely planet location of Binalong Bay and The Bay of Fires. We describe just how spectacular this area is with its white powder sand, beautiful blue water and fire orange rocks and boulders. Lyle shares just how those boulders get their colour.
After St Helens we drive to Bicheno which is best known for its penguins, fish and chips and of course the blow hole.
We tell you about some of the amazing wineries you can visit in this area, and one of our all time favourites.
And finally we share the most spectacular views of Great Oyster Bay and the world famous Wine Glass Bay in the Freycinet National Park.
We tell you about the hikes you can do and the superb luxury accommodation nestled in the trees, right on the edge of Great Oyster bay.
Listen to the end where you hear what a stupid mistake we made at Freycinet Lodge and the pretty horrible reason Wine Glass Bay got its name.
Enjoy Episode 48 as we continue our lap of Tasmania.
SHOW NOTES AND PICTURES BELOW
St Helens
St Helens is the biggest town on the north east coast of Tasmania. It is situated right on Georges Bay and is the game fishing capital of Tasmania and is renowned for its oysters - and yes they are amazing.
We stayed in the Queechy Motel which was a really nice, well-priced motel within a very easy walk of the main of the town and the wharf area.
We had one of our favourite meals in all of Tassie at the Wharf Bar and Kitchen. The seafood laksa was to die for as were the views over Georges Bay through the floor to ceiling glass windows.
Binalong Bay and Bay of Fires
One of the main reasons people visit St Helens is to visit the beautiful seaside village of Binalong Bay and the stunning area of the Bay of Fires.
The Bay of Fires extends 50km from Binalong Bay to Eddystone Point.
As you can see from the pictures it really is a stunning place. No wonder Lonely Planet said the Bay of Fires is one of the world’s hottest destinations.
The rocks and boulders are covered in lichen which is what forms the orange colour.
There are many spots where you can stop and walk on the beaches and take photos of the stunning landscapes and views.
Bicheno
This little town of just under one thousand people is only 75km south of St Helens.
Bicheno is best known for three things, its penguins, the best fish and chips and of course the Bicheno Blowhole. (oh and the friendly locals as well)
There are some great local wineries in the area around Bicheno. If you don’t have time to visit them, you can go to the Farm Shed East Coast Wine Centre in town where you can taste wines from the area including wines from smaller producers that don’t have tasting rooms. It is $29 for 5 tastings and it is open from 10am - 5pm each day.
Two of the bigger more well known vineyards in the area are Freycinet Vineyard and Devil’s Corner which is only 10 minutes south of Bicheno.
Freycinet National Park
The national park is best known for the stunning beauty of Wineglass Bay, although when you first arrive at the national park the first bay you see is Great Oyster Bay on the Coles Bay side.
From here you can see the red and pink granite peaks known as the Hazards on the Freycinet Peninsula.
The Wineglass Bay Lookout Walk is a reasonably easy hike. It is 6km and should take about 1.5 to 2 hours. There are many places to stop on the way for views back towards Great Oyster Bay and Coles Bay township.
Once you reach the top you have a spectacular view of Wineglass Bay. You can take the many stairs down to the bay or just enjoy the view from the top.
Frecycinet Lodge
We spoiled ourselves and stayed at Freycinet Lodge (it was my birthday). The rooms are very nice with views through the trees to Great Oyster Bay.
There are two places to eat, Hazards Bar and Lounge and the Bay Restaurant. We enjoyed meals at both, and they were spectacular. The views from the outdoor patio area are amazing, especially at sunset.
If you want a really nice place to stay and enjoy Freycinet National Park, then definitely try Freycinet Lodge.
This is the fourth part of our road trip doing the lap of Tasmania. You can see all the previous podcasts, pictures and shownotes by clicking the button below.