Attractions
Antiques and curiosities - The Shop in the Bush
Address: The shop in the bush, Tasman Highway, St Helens TAS, Australia .The Shop in the Bush, about 20km north at 25977 Tasman Highway, St Helens (20 minutes by car), is a space like no other – an eclectic blend of rustic Australian bush and dazzling antiquities. It offers pieces for the seasoned collector and the casual browser. All items are vintage, with a past life, a fascinating story, and a guarantee of authenticity.
Beaches - Bay of Fires
Address: Bay of Fires, Tasmania, Australia .Bay of Fires stretches over 50 kilometres from Binalong Bay in the south (24km north of Beaumaris, along the Tasman Highway and Binalong Bay Road) to Eddystone Point in the north (60km from Beaumaris). This part of Tasmania’s east coast is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful places in Australia, with orange lichen growing on white granite boulders along the water’s edge. The northern section of the bay is part of Mount William National Park; the southern end is a conservation area. Walk for miles along sugar-white sandy beaches, swim in the impossibly clear ocean, and feel like you’re the only person to have ever set foot here. Other activities which can be pursued in the Bay of Fires area include camping, beach activities, boating, bird watching, fishing, and surfing.
The Bay of Fires was given that name by the 38-year-old Tobias Furneaux, captain of HMS Adventure after he saw a number of fires burning along the shore as he sailed past on 17 March 1773.
HMS Adventure had sailed from Plymouth, England on 13 July 1772 with HMS Resolution under the overall command of 43-year-old James Cook in search of Terra Australis, the southern continent then thought to exist to the south of New Zealand. The two ships had been separated by fog near the as-yet-undiscovered-Antartica on 8 February 1773, and Furneaux was making his way toward the prearranged meeting point in Queen Charlotte Sound, New Zealand when he came across the southern part of Tasmania. He surveyed and charted Tasmania's southern and eastern coast, naming Adventure Bay, the Freycintet Peninsula, St Patrick's Head, St Helen's Point, the Bay of Fires, and Eddystone Point before turning west again at the entrance to what is now known as Bass Strait.
HMS Adventure arrived in Queen Charlotte Sound on 7 May 1773 and was joined by HMS Resolution on 17 May. The two ships continued to explore the southern Pacific but were separated again by storm on 22 October. HMS Resolution returned to Queen Charlotte Sound and waited, but then left again on 26 November after burying a message outlining Cook's plans from that point. Adventure arrived four days later, but Furneaux decided to return to England rather than seek to follow Cook. Adventure arrived at Spithead, England on 17 July 1774, thus becoming the first ship known to circumnavigate Earth from west to east.
Beaches - Beaumaris Beach
Address: Beaumaris Beach, Tasmania, Australia .Beaumaris Beach, directly across the Tasman Highway from the Guest House, is over 3km long. The beach is backed by a band of vegetated dunes, which are part of the Scamander Conservation Area. Yarmouth and Reedy Creeks reach the rear of the centre of the beach and occasionally break out across the beach. The beach is not patrolled by surf lifesavers. There is a car park with beach access south of Beaumaris, giving access to surf breaks and other areas popular with surfers. This section of the beach is also not patrolled by surf lifesavers. Pacific Gulls, Oyster Catchers and endangered Fairy Terns and Hooded Plovers are among the birds which can be seen on Beaumaris Beach.
Beaches - Beer Barrel Beach
Address: St Helens Point Road, Stieglitz TAS, Australia .Beer Barrel Beach, 16km north along the Tasman Highway and St Helens Point Road (12 minutes by car) has an exposed reef break with consistent surf, although in Summer tends to be mostly flat. Surfing is best when the wind is from the northwest. Waves are just as likely from local windswells as from distant groundswells and the ideal swell direction is from the southeast. There are left and right breaking reefs, with good surf at all stages of the tide. It is rarely crowded here, but beware of rips, rocks and isolation.
Beaches - Dianas Beach
Address: Dianas Beach, Tasmania, Australia .Dianas Beach runs north from Beaumaris Beach for 3km to meet Dianas Basin. The wide mouth of Dianas Basin is usually closed to the ocean, but when it is open it has strong tidal currents. Paddy’s Island lies about 1km off shore at the southern end of Dianas Beach, and is a nature reserve. Beach access is from the Paddy’s Island car park (which probably has the best surf access), about 2km north of the Guest House along the Tasman Highway; or across a footbridge another 2km further north near Crockers Arm Creek; or from the picnic areas beside Dianas Basin about 1km further along Stieglitz Trail. Dianas Beach is not patrolled by surf lifesavers. Dianas Basin offers peaceful views, and opportunities for swimming, fishing and canoeing.
Beaches - Falmouth Beach
Address: Falmouth Beach Public toilet, Hammond Street, Falmouth Tasmania, Australia .Falmouth Beach, 17km south along the Tasman Highway and Falmouth Road (16 minutes by car) provides views along the coastline; and access to the Falmouth Blowholes from the end of Howitt Street, Falmouth.
Beaches - Honeymoon Point
Address: Honeymoon Point Road, The Gardens TAS, Australia .Honeymoon Point beach, 35km north along the Tasman Highway, The Gardens Road, and Honeymoon Point Road (30 minutes by car) is a small, secluded beach with gently sloping white sand. It is reached by a short walk, including steps, from a narrow grassy reserve at the end of Honeymoon Point Road.
Beaches - Little Beach
Address: Chain of Lagoons TAS 7215, Australia .Little Beach, about 23km south along the Tasman Highway (18 minutes by car) in the Chain of Lagoons, is one of the east coast’s hidden gems. It is the perfect place for a picnic in the grassy dunes or a refreshing swim on a warm day. Little Beach made the list of Australia’s 101 Best Beaches in 2017. The beach lies in a small valley at the mouth of Little Beach Creek. It is about 200 m long and is bordered by granite rocks. Access tracks are on the left of the Tasman Highway when travelling south, near where the Highway crosses Little Beach Creek.
Beaches - Peron Dunes
Address: Peron Dunes, Akaroa TAS, Australia .Peron Dunes, 14km north along the Tasman Highway and St Helens Point Road (10 minutes by car), is classified as a Vehicle Recreation Area and is used by all types of recreational vehicles including 4WD vehicles, dune buggies and all-terrain vehicles. There is very soft sand at the entry to the Dunes. Driving on Perron Dunes is difficult, and recommended for experienced four-wheel drive and motorbike users only. Deep bogs, steep slopes, and soft sand are likely to be encountered. Care is necessary to avoid accidents. All vehicles must stay within boundary limits marked by signs about 1 km north-east and 3 km south of the entry point onto the beach. Beyond the limits at each end of the access point, along the beach and within the dunes there are sensitive bird breeding areas. The dunes are also a sensitive ecosystem which can be damaged by both foot and vehicle traffic. This can lead to ‘blowouts’ and damage to the sensitive beach environment. For this reason, vehicular use is restricted to an area set aside at Peron Dunes. There are no camping areas at Peron Dunes.
Beaches - Shelly Point
Address: Shelly Point, Beaumaris, Beaumaris TAS, Australia .Shelly Point, about 2km south along the Tasman Highway (2 minutes by car), has its own entry on the left of the Tasman Highway and a car park behind the Point. Shelly Point lies between two beaches – Beaumaris Beach and Wrinklers Beach. It has submerged rocks and is not suitable for swimming. There are surfing breaks at the point and to either side. A variety of shells can be found on the beach. The beaches on either side are not patrolled by surf lifesavers. A free public telescope is mounted on a raised platform behind the Point, and can be used to spot whales as they swim past during their seasonal migrations.
Beaches - Wrinklers Beach
Address: Wrinklers Beach, Tasmania, Australia .Wrinklers Beach starts on the southern side of the Shelly Point rocks and stretches about 2km south to reach the mouth of the Scamander River. The northern part of the beach has its own entry on the left of the Tasman Highway, just after the Highway crosses the ocean outlet for Wrinklers Lagoon and about 4km south along the Tasman Highway (3 minutes by car). The central part of the beach can be accessed by a walkway at the end of Byatt Court, which is also on the left of the Tasman Highway and about another 750m further south. The beach is backed by vegetated dunes and is exposed to southerly waves. There are strong tidal currents at the mouth of the Scamander River when this is open to the ocean. The best place to swim is in the area patrolled by the Scamander Surf Life Saving Club in Dune Street, Scamander, which is about 6km south of the Guest House along the Tasman Highway.
Charter fishing - Georges Bay
Address: Georges Bay, Tasmania, Australia .Georges Bay, St Helens, 12km north along the Tasman Highway (12 minutes by car) is a recreational only fishing area known for its diverse species including garfish, trevally, King George whiting and bream. It is a Shark Refuge Area, so there is no taking of sharks, skates or rays other than elephantfish. Netting is also prohibited in the Bay. Fishers from boats can also catch calamari and Australian salmon, tiger flathead, striped trumpeter, morwong, tuna, blue-eye trevalla and mako shark. The offshore waters offer deep sea and game fishing action. Fishing charters in St Helens supply everything you need – and records are waiting to be broken!
Cinema - Easy Tiger
Address: 7 Pendrigh Place, Saint Helens TAS, Australia .East Tiger cinema, 13km north along the Tasman Highway and Pendrigh Place (13 minutes by car), screens everything from new release blockbusters, thought-provoking arthouse films, and engaging documentaries through to old classics, as well as hosting theme nights and being available for hire. It has 48 premium individual seats with plenty of legroom, and is open every day of the week. Their website at easytiger.au takes bookings for their current shows.
Events - A Festival Called George
Address: 8 Georges Bay Esplanade, Saint Helens TAS, Australia .A Festival Called George, 13km north along the Tasman Highway and Georges Bay Esplanade (12 minutes by car), celebrates Tasmanian Craft Beer, Spirits, Music and Food. It aims to provide a family-friendly festival atmosphere, and will run over three days in 2023. Events are free on the first and the third of these days.
Friday 6 October - four satellite events will be hosted in St Helens
Saturday 7 October - the main Festival event will be held in Percy Steele Reserve on the foreshore of Georges Bay. It will include Craft Beer and spirits and food vendors; and entertainment from The Stitch, Claire-Anne Taylor Band, Ray Singline and The Trawldogs, Geoffrey Williams, and Maximum Thrust. Tickets for this day can be bought in advance through allevents.in and platters can be pre-ordered at the same time.
Sunday 8 October - an all-ages event with live music (including The Pete Cornelius Band), food and a bar will be again presented on the foreshore between 11am and 4pm.
Events - Bay of Fires Arts Market
Address: Bendigo Bank Indoor Stadium, Tully Street, Saint Helens TAS, Australia .The Bay of Fires Arts Market, 15km north along the Tasman Highway and Tully Street (15 minutes by car), will be held between 10am and 4pm on Sunday 8 October 2023. The Market includes artisan stalls, live music, food, wine and coffee. Entry is free.
Events - Bay of Fires Winter Arts Festival
Address: 16 Bel-Air Crescent, Beaumaris TAS, Australia .Bay of Fires Winter Arts Festival is held over long weekend of June each year. The Festival includes activities both north and south of Beaumaris in Binalong Bay, St Helens, Four Mile Creek, St Marys, and Scamander. It includes paintings, sculpture and music, with open studios forming an arts trail, and much more. The winner of the $20,000 Bay of Fires Art Prize is announced on the Friday night; and there is also a Youth Price and a Local Art Prize. The weekend includes a range of arts-inspired activities to keep everyone busy, young and old - and time to view the entries and vote for the People's Choice Awards.
Events - Bicheno Beams
Address: Bicheno Lions Park, Burgess Street, Bicheno TAS, Australia .Bicheno Beams, 63km south along the Tasman Highway (45 minutes by car), is a spectacular laser show which is set to atmospheric music which has taken place just after darkness reaches Bicheno during the first weeks of July each year since 2020. It has been a unique and free family-friendly event, attracting over 10,000 visitors in some years.
Events - Bicheno Food and Wine Festival
Address: Bicheno Lions Park, Burgess Street, Bicheno TAS, Australia .Bicheno Food and Wine Festival, 63km south along the Tasman Highway (45 minutes by car) is an annual event showcasing produce from East Coast Tasmania - wine, cider, beer, spirits, and food - in November. Meet local wine makers, brewers and distillers, chefs and food producers, attend a masterclass, buy some of the delicious local fare and relax on the grass whilst listening to a great selection of local and visiting musicians, viewing the surfboard exhibition, or watching surfboards being shaped. Entry is by pre-purchased tickets, and then on a one-out-one-in basis from about 1pm. Gates open at 10:30am, last food and drink sales are at 5:30pm, and the event closes at 6pm. The main event is held at Lion's Park in Bicheno – and there are to be Partner Events nearby in Bicheno all of that weekend.
Events - Break O'Day Triathlon
Address: 32 Georges Bay Esplanade, St Helens TAS, Australia .Break O’Day Triathlon, 12km north along the Tasman Highway at 32 Georges Bay Esplanade, St Helens (12 minutes by car), has been held on the first weekend in March and aimed to provide a highly professional triathlon for all levels.
The event was cancelled in 2022 by the organising committees in light of a number of changes including 'ownership' of Binalong Bay Road. The committees are still considering their options for the even to proceed in the future.
We have retained this listing of this event on our website to assist with the promotion of their need. Anyone interested in helping with the recovery of this activity as a volunteer or a committee member is welcome to email bodtrichallenge@gmail.com
Events - Campbell Town Show
Address: King St, Campbell Town TAS 7210, Australia .The Campbell Town Show, 107km west along the Tasman Highway, Esk Main Road, the Midland Highway, and King Street (1 hour, 20 minutes by car) is held across the Friday and Saturday of the first weekend in June each year. It is centered on a traditional sheep and agricultural show, and includes a fashion parade; shearing, wood chopping, horse, and dog events; exhibitions; sideshows and rides; a pet parade; and food stalls to appeal to all ages.
Events - Christmas in St Helens
Address: Cecilia Street, St Helens TAS, Australia .Christmas in St Helens, 13km north along the Tasman Highway (13 minutes by car), is to be celebrated again in December 2023. Details of this renewed activity will be included as they are developed.
Events - Come and Try Dragonboating
Address: Perseus Street, Saint Helens TAS, Australia .Come and Try Dragonboating, 10km north along the Tasman Highway at the slipway opposite the intersection of Perseus Street and the Tasman Highway (8 minutes by car) is a weekly opportunity to join the Georges Bay Dragon Boat Club for a fun and friendly session paddling on Georges Bay. Wear comfortable clothing and non-slip footwear - and consider bringing cycling mitts or gardening gloves to improve your grip on the paddle. The $5 fee includes use of a paddle, lifejacket, seatpad, coaching, and a safety briefing.
Sessions are held on Sundays. Arrive between 7:45am and 8am for a briefing and warm-up ready to commence from 8:30am.
Inquiries to 0248 725 177 or 0417 368 726.
Events - Devil's Corner Sunday Music Sessions
Address: 1 Sherbourne Rd, Apslawn TAS 7190, Australia .Devil’s Corner Sunday Music Sessions, 83km south along the Tasman Highway and Sherbourne Avenue (1 hour by car) at The Hazards Vineyard, combines a mini artisan market, wood-fired pizzas and fresh seafood made to order with live music and all-day tastings from the cellar door team. They are usually held on a Spring Sunday - and in 2023 are planned for to feature Clinton Hutton as part of the Great Eastern Wine Week on Sunday 17 September from 12noon to 3pm.
Check under Offers on our website for the discount booking code linked to the Great Eastern Wine Week, and use it when booking to stay with us during this Week.
Events - Festival of Wellbeing
Address: Bendigo Bank Indoor Stadium, Tully Street, Saint Helens TAS, Australia .The Festival of Wellbeing, 15km north along the Tasman Highway (15 minutes by car) is a day to celebrate and learn new ways to care for and create wellbeing in ourselves and in others.
The Festival will be held between 11am and 4pm on Saturday 14 October 2023. Entry is free.
Events - Fingal Valley Festival
Address: Fingal Recreation Ground, Brown Street, Fingal TAS, Australia .Fingal Valley Festival, 44km south along the Tasman Highway, Esk Main Road, and Brown Street (30 minutes by car) at the Fingal Recreation Ground showcases the skills used in mining. The main attractions of the festival are the world coal shovelling championships and the world roof bolting championships. Other attractions include veterans’ cycling, children's entertainment, yard dog trials, sheep shearing, wood chopping, food stalls, and live music. The date for the next festival has yet to be announced. It is usually held on a Saturday in February or March.
Events - Globe at Night
Address: 16 Bel-Air Crescent, Beaumaris TAS, Australia .Globe at Night is an international citizen-science campaign which aims to raise public awareness of the impact of light pollution on the night sky. Globe at Night invites ordinary people to become citizen-scientists, and to measure and share their observations on the night sky in their area. It is easy to get involved – all you need is a computer or a smart phone with internet access. Then use the Globe at Night website at https://www.globeatnight.org/finding to help find the constellation for that month in the night sky, and the latitude and longitude of the location from which you are making your observation. Go outside more than an hour after sunset at a time when the Moon is not up, and after waiting about 10 minutes for your eyes to become accustomed to the darkness match what you can see with one of the seven magnitude charts shown on the website. Note the amount of cloud cover, and report what you have seen.
You can participate wherever you are, through the website at globeatnight.org - but there are good night skies in Beaumaris!
Southern Hemisphere Globe at Night dates for 2023 are 13 to 22 January, 12 to 21 February, 13 to 22 March, 12 to 21 April, 11 to 20 May, 9 to 18 June, 8 to 17 July, 7 to 16 August, 5 to 14 September, 4 to 13 October, 3 to 12 November, and 3 to 12 December.
Events - Great Eastern Wine Week
Address: Priory Ridge Wines, Ansons Bay Road, Saint Helens TAS, Australia .The Great Eastern Wine Week is a ten-day celebration including over 40 events at boutique wineries and local businesses along 220km of the eastern coastline of Tasmania. Priory Ridge Wines, near Beaumaris Beach Guest House, is one of these wineries.
The Festival focuses on the individuals, the locations, the natural beauty and the stories of the East Coast, with opportunities to meet winemakers, growers, producers and the people behind the wines - and to taste these award-winning products.
The Great Eastern Wine Week will be held from 8 to 17 September in 2023. Check under Offers on our website for the discount code to use when staying here at Beaumaris Beach Guest House for the Great Eastern Wine Week!
Events - Military Brotherhood Military Motorcycle Club RoundUp 2024
Address: St Helens RSL Ex Service and Citizens Club, Quail Street, Saint Helens TAS, Australia .The Tasmanian Sub Branches of the Military Brotherhood Military Motorcycle Club (MBMMC) are hosting all members of MBMMC for RoundUp 2024 in the Break O'Day region between 8 and 11 November 2024.
The weekend will have something for all attendees, starting with a catch-up evening and finishing with a 36km Thunder Run and an official Remembrance Day event at St Marys. Pistol shooting, archery, deep sea fishing, and wine tasting are among the activities planned for the weekend.
Attendees at the RoundUp 2024 will receive a 5% discount off the standard tariff for accommodation in any room at Beaumaris Beach Guest House between 1 and 20 November 2024 subject to availability at the time of booking. This can be gained by entering the code "MBMMC" when booking direct through our website.
More information is at https://mbmmc-roundup.org.au. The discount code expires on 21 November 2024.
Events - St Helens Athletic Carnival
Address: Tully Street, St Helens TAS, Australia .St Helens Athletics Carnival, 14km north along the Tasman Highway (15 minutes by car) is conducted in January each year at the St Helens Sports Complex in Tully Street by the St Helens Athletic club, and has been held annually since January 1954. The date has yet to be announced for 2024. Events are held in three main disciplines of running, chopping and cycling, attracting crowds of over 1,000 visitors to St Helens in the middle of the holiday season. The Carnival includes a licensed bar area and a golf “Hole in One” competition; and has also developed a Car and Bike Show as a separate event the following weekend. Prizemoney awarded during the Carnival almost reaches $20,000 each year.
Events - St Helens Market
Address: Cecilia St, St Helens TAS 7216, Australia .St Helens Market, 18km north along the Tasman Highway (20 minutes by car) in held in and around Portland Hall in St Helens. The Market has stalls with fresh local produce, plants, patchwork quilts, arts and crafts, homemade clothing and jewellery, biscuits and cakes, jams and sauces, bric-a-brac, furniture, and books. There is also a barbeque. The Market also raises funds for Search and Rescue and other community services and charities in the Break O’Day area. It is held from 9am to 1pm every Saturday morning from November to Easter; and from 9am to noon on the second and fourth Saturday mornings between Easter and October.
Events - St Marys Christmas Market
Address: Main Street, St Marys Tasmania, Australia .St Mary’s Christmas Market, 23km south along the Tasman Highway and Esk Main Road (16 minutes by car) has been held from 1pm to 5pm on the last Friday in November each year. This has yet to be confirmed for 2023. The event is held at the St Marys Hall, where local artisans offer unique handmade gifts, Christmas treats and trinkets while live musicians play holiday tunes.
Events - Succulent Sundays
Address: Scamander Beach Resort, Scamander Avenue, Scamander TAS, Australia .Succulent Sundays, 6km south along the Tasman Highway (6 minutes by car) is a monthly opportunity to swap and sell plants. Food and refreshments are available on site.
Succulent Sundays are held between 10am and 2pm on the last Sunday of each month.
Events - Targa Tasmania
Address: Tasman Highway, Beaumaris TAS, Australia .Commencing in 1992, Targa Australia has provided high quality tarmac rally events in unique destinations within Tasmania, Victoria and Queensland, including competitive races and touring events. Targa Tasmania aims to provide both a desirable tarmac rally competition and a must-have tour driving experience for all car enthusiasts, with access to some of the world’s ultimate driving roads.
The next run of Targa Tasmania aims to cover over 2,000km of Tasmanian roads and is planned for 8 to 13 April 2024. Leg 2 of Targa 2024 is to pass through Beaumaris on 9 April 2024.
Events - Ten Days on the Island
Address: 16 Bel-Air Crescent, Beaumaris TAS, Australia .Ten Days on the Island was established by the Tasmanian Government in 2001 to develop and deliver a State-wide cultural festival of national significance that provides opportunities for Tasmanian artists and companies to present their works to a wider audience, provides opportunities for the Tasmanian community to be exposed to national and international artists and companies of the highest quality, and assists in providing the state of Tasmania with a legacy of expert professional arts infrastructure. It is a biannual event. The festival was held in March 2023, and the dates for 2025 are yet to be announced.
Events - Wheels, Wine and Dine
Address: Georges Bay Esplanade, St Helens TAS, Australia .Wheels, Wine and Dine is held from 9am to 3pm at the Georges Bay Esplanade, St Helens (12km north along the Tasman Highway). The date has yet to be announced for 2024, but it is usually held on the Saturday of the Australia Day holiday weekend around 26 January. Wheels, Wine and Dine features fine foods, craft beers and wines, children’s entertainment, live music, an outdoor dance floor, Lions Carnival Corner, helicopter rides, fireworks and much more.
Food and drink - Eureka Farm
Address: 89 Upper Scamander Road, Scamander TAS, Australia .Eureka Farm, about 9km south along the Tasman Highway (6 minutes by car) at 89 Upper Scamander Road, Scamander, has been growing fruits and berries since 1993 and sells these with their own brand of jams and chutneys through St Helens Market and using distributors across Tasmania.
Food and drink - Ironhouse Point Brewery, Winery and Distillery
Address: 21554 Tasman Highway, Four Mile Creek TAS, Australia .Ironhouse Point Brewery, Winery and Distillery, about 28km south along the Tasman Highway (18 minutes by car) at 21554 Tasman Highway, offers four handcrafted unpasteurised brews made without additives or preservatives to traditional recipes using quality ingredients and water sourced from its own spring. It has 60 hectares of vines located on rolling hills overlooking the Tasman Sea, producing sparkling, sauvignon blanc, chardonnay and pinot noir wines – and has just released its own vodka. Reservations are preferred for lunch and dinner and can be made by telephoning (03) 6372 2228.
Food and drink - Lease 65 Oyster Farm
Address: 444 Binalong Bay Road, St Helens TAS, Australia .Lease 65 Oyster Farm is 17km north along the Tasman Highway, at 444 Binalong Bay Road, St Helens (17 minutes by car). The Lease produces some of the best Pacific Oysters in Tasmania. When their sign is out visitors can buy unopened or opened oysters; and can inspect the equipment used to maintain and to harvest the oysters. The Lease does not have space for eat-ins, so plan to take the oysters to the beach with you for a picnic. Payment is only accepted by cash.
Food and drink - Priory Ridge Wines
Address: 280 Ansons Bay Road, St Helens TAS, Australia .Priory Ridge Wines is a boutique vineyard 18km north along the Tasman Highway, at 280 Ansons Bay Road, St Helens (20 minutes by car). The vineyard is six hectares of north-facing hill-sides on a rich Devonian granite soil which is unique in Tasmanian vineyards and so gives a special ‘terroir’ to the wine. Priory Ridge produces aromatic whites and full-bodied reds from hand-picked grapes that are fermented in their own yeasts, including Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, and small quantities of Pinot Gris, Traminer and Chardonnay. The Cellar Door is open from 11am to 4pm between 1 September and 10 June. Telephone ahead to confirm opening hours, on (03) 6376 1916 or on 0408 479 699; or for opening times outside these dates. Priory Ridge is closed on New Year’s Day, Easter Friday and Easter Sunday, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day.
Food and drink - Pub in the Paddock
Address: Pub in the Paddock, Saint Columba Falls Road, Pyengana TAS, Australia .Pub in the Paddock is 41km north along the Tasman Highway, at 250 St Columba Falls Road (37 minutes by car), and is one of the oldest hotels in Tasmania and the home of Priscilla the beer drinking pig. The hotel was first licenced in 1880, and is usually offers meals for lunch and dinner, and morning and afternoon teas. The Pub usually opens about 10:30am. It closes at 4pm on Sunday and Monday; at 10pm on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday; and at 11pm on Friday and Saturday. Bookings on (03) 6373 6121 are recommended during the Winter months as hours may vary in response to the level of patronage.
Food and drink - Pyengana Dairy
Address: Pyengana Dairy Company, Saint Columba Falls Road, Pyengana TAS, Australia .Pyengana Dairy is 44km north along the Tasman Highway and St Columba Falls Road (40 minutes by car). The current Dairy began making cheddar cheese in 1992, based on a recipe that had been used by farms in the Pyengana Valley since the late 1800s. Pyengana Real Milk was first bottled at the Dairy in 1995; and the Café was opened in 2002. The Dairy is open 7 days a week, from 9am to 5pm between October and March; and from 10am to 4pm between April and September. It is closed on Christmas Day. Weekday visitors can usually watch the cheesemakers at work handcrafting Pyengana cheeses between 8am and 11am subject to milk availability (call ahead on (03) 6373 6157 to confirm if you wish to be sure the cheesemakers will be at work when you visit). Cheese tastings are available, and cheeses and other Tasmanian products can be purchased to take with you or can delivered to your home at a later date by arrangement. The Café menu includes a gourmet cheese platter with a matching Tasmanian wine or beer, and can be enjoyed on the deck overlooking the picturesque Pyengana valley.
Food and drink - Sterling Heights
Address: 114 Ansons Bay Road, St Helens TAS, Australia .Sterling Heights Vineyard, 16km north along the Tasman Highway and Ansons Bay Road (17 minutes by car).
Food and drink - Surfside Hotel
Address: Surfside Hotel/Motel Beaumaris, Tasman Highway, Beaumaris TAS, Australia .Surfside Hotel Restaurant is about 400m south along the Tasman Highway (2 minutes by car) at 269 Tasman Highway, Beaumaris. The restaurant offers lunch and dinner, with a simple menu of American style delicious burgers coming hot out of our kitchen. The bar is open from 4pm.
Food and drink - The Hazzards Vineyard
Address: 1 Sherbourne Road, Apslawn TAS, Australia .The Hazards Vineyard, about 83km south along the Tasman Highway and Sherbourne Avenue (1 hour by car) at 1 Sherbourne Avenue, Apslawn, has stunning views over Great Oyster Bay to the Hazards at Freycinet and is the home of the Devils Corner range of wines. The site office, which doubles as a cellar door, opened in January 2013 to coincide with the new look labels for Devils Corner, which feature the artwork of Tasmanian artist, Rebecca Birrell. Tastings are offered daily at the Vineyard from 10am to 5pm.
Galleries - Gone Rustic
Address: 3 Story Street, St Marys TAS, Australia .Gone Rustic, 23km south along the Tasman Highway, Esk Main Road, and Story Street (23km by car) is the gallery and studio of textile artist Rita Summers. Rita aims to create products and source materials as ethically as she can by finding and reinventing vintage and preloved clothing, fabrics and other materials using natural dyes, paints made from the earth and deconstruction techniques. The material she uses for her natural printing and colouring processes are mostly foraged from the land where she lives.
The studio and gallery are open between 11am and 3pm from Thursday to Sunday, or by appointment.
Galleries - Kerry Agius
Address: 27 Quail Street, Saint Helens TAS, Australia .This Gallery, 13 km north along the Tasman Highway and Quail Street (13 minutes by car) contains a range of works by Kerry Agius and other artists. Born in Adelaide in 1959, Kerry drew and painted all through her childhood and in her teenage years. At 18 Kerry exhibited her work at the Greenhill Gallery in Adelaide; and has since exhibited in solo and joint exhibitions around Australia.
Kerry moved to Tasmania in 1983, and then to other locations in Australia. She returned to Tasmania in 2016, and opened this gallery in 2017.
Galleries - MinT
Address: 41a Cecilia Street, Saint Helens TAS, Australia .MinT Gallery and Gift Shop, 13km north along the Tasman Highway (12 minutes by car) offers quality gifts made in Tasmania by a collection of local talented artisans, as well as souvenirs, art, photography, macrame, jewellery, woodwork, leather craft, sterling silver and Tasmanian precious gem jewellery, and many other items.
MinT Gallery opens from 10am to 4pm.
Galleries - Suncoast
Address: 27b Quail Street, Saint Helens TAS, Australia .Suncoast Arts and Crafts Gallery, 13km north along the Tasman Highway and Quail Street (12 minutes by car) offers a range of art and craft items made by locals.
It opens from 10am to 3pm.
Golf courses - Scamander River Golf Club
Address: Scamander River Golf Club, Coach Road, Scamander TAS, Australia .Scamander River Golf Club, 5km south along the Tasman Highway at the Scamander Sports Complex in Coach Road, Scamander (5 minutes by car), has a picturesque and well-maintained par 72, nine-hole course with large greens and well grassed fairways and roughs. Course length is 5,778 metres. The fourth hole is the longest par 5 in Tasmania. Golf carts and clubs are available for hire and green fee players are welcome anytime. Competition days are Tuesday (ladies), Wednesdays and Saturdays. The clubrooms offer bar service and meals each Friday evening, restrictions permitting.
Golf courses - Malahide Golf Club
Address: Malahide Golf Club, Mangana Road, Fingal TAS, Australia .Malahide Golf Club, 50km south along the Tasman Highway, Esk Main Road, Brown Street, and Matthina Road at Mangana Road, Fingal (35 minutes by car) is reported to be one of the best 9-hole courses in Australia. Picturesque and beautifully maintained, it follows a gently undulating landscape with few hills. It is open all year round and bookings are not necessary with visitors welcome. Men’s competition is held on Saturday at 11am and Ladies' competition on Wednesday at 11am. The Clubhouse has a bar and snack facilities, and barbecue facilities are also available.
Golf courses - St Helens Golf Club
Address: St Helens Golf Club, Hills Road, St Helens TAS, Australia .St Helens Golf Club, 15km north along the Tasman Highway and Medeas Cove Esplanade at Argonaut Road, St Helens, (18 minutes by car) is a challenging 18-tee, nine-hole, par 71 course, with a clubhouse and fully stocked bar, set in picturesque bushland on the boundary of the town. The course is open to the public every day with competition days held on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday.
Golf courses - St Marys Golf Club
Address: ST Marys Golf Club, Gray Road, Saint Marys TAS, Australia .St Marys Golf Club, 24km south along the Tasman Highway and Esk Main Road at Gray Road, St Marys (17 min by car), is a flat, easy to walk, nine-hole, 18-tee par 68 course. The club also includes a horse track, football and cricket oval and a lawn bowls green.
History - Carved memorial trees
Address: LEGERWOOD CARVED MEMORIAL TREES, Main Street, Legerwood TAS, Australia .The Carved Memorial Trees at Legerwood, 94km north-west along the Tasman Highway, Carisbrook Lane, and Main Street (1.5 hours by car) are the remnants of nine trees planted as an avenue in 1918 honour those of that district who had served in the armed forces during the recently concluded World War I.
In 2001 these trees were declared dangerous and were to be cut down. A committee of local residents lobbied for two years to retain the stump of each tree, and then raised money to employ the chainsaw carver Eddie Freeman, from Ross, Tasmania to sculpt these stumps into likenesses of the man for whom each was planted. The resulting sculptures are now maintained, with explanatory signage and other supporting installations.
History - Eddystone Point Lighthouse
Address: Eddystone Point Lighthouse, Eddystone Point Road, Eddystone TAS, Australia .Eddystone Point Lighthouse, 60km north along the Tasman Highway, Ansons Bay Road, and Eddystone Point Road (50 minutes by car) is 35 metres tall and was built from local granite between 1879 and 1889 to warn ships away from dangerous rocks and reef on the north-east coast of Tasmania. The crystal lenses once cast a beam 26 nautical miles out to sea and protected the entrance to Banks Strait while directing ships around the offshore hazards of Victoria and Georges Rocks.
The Lighthouse is now within the Mt William National Park. Visitors are not able to go inside the lighthouse, but can still get close to the outside and enjoy the site of the lighthouse and its surrounding scenery.
Eddystone Point was given that name by the 38-year-old Tobias Furneaux, captain of HMS Adventure as he sailed past on 17 March 1773. HMS Adventure had sailed from Plymouth, England on 13 July 1772 with HMS Resolution under the overall command of 43-year-old James Cook in search of Terra Australis, the southern continent then thought to exist to the south of New Zealand. The two ships had been separated by fog near the as-yet-undiscovered-Antartica on 8 February 1773, and Furneaux was making his way toward the prearranged meeting point in Queen Charlotte Sound, New Zealand when he came across the southern part of Tasmania. He surveyed and charted Tasmania's southern and eastern coast, naming Adventure Bay, the Freycintet Peninsula, St Patrick's Head, St Helen's Point, the Bay of Fires, and Eddystone Point before turning west again at the entrance to what is now known as Bass Strait.
HMS Adventure arrived in Queen Charlotte Sound on 7 May 1773 and was joined by HMS Resolution on 17 May. The two ships continued to explore the southern Pacific but were separated again by storm on 22 October. HMS Resolution returned to Queen Charlotte Sound and waited, but then left again on 26 November after burying a message outlining Cook's plans from that point. Adventure arrived four days later, but Furneaux decided to return to England rather than seek to follow Cook. Adventure arrived at Spithead, England on 17 July 1774, thus becoming the first ship known to circumnavigate Earth from west to east.
The group of some 100 islands that reach from Tasmania to Victoria at the eastern edge of Bass Strait are collectively named after Tobias Furneaux.
There is a 90-minute return walk up Mount William near the Lighthouse which offers views of the southern part of the Furneaux Group of islands in Bass Strait. Wedge-tailed eagles, wombats and wallabies can also be seen.
History - Mainly Maritime: Warship and Marine Corps Museum
Address: 13 Pendrigh Place, Saint Helens TAS, Australia .Mainly Maritime, 18km north along the Tasman Highway and Pendrigh Place (20 minutes by car) is a selection from over 10,000 artifacts owned by the Museum, exhibited in more than 150 displays housed across 12 rooms. It represents the personal collection of the owner, who began gathering these items in1960 with the aim of preserving Naval history.
The collection covers Naval, Maritime and Space history. It includes models, paintings, documents, publications and artefacts, some over 600 years old. The display illustrates some of the great stories of world Naval history and maritime exploration.
Mainly Maritime is open between 10am and 5pm each day and offers limited on-site parking.
History - St Helens History Room
Address: 61 Cecilia Street, Saint Helens TAS, Australia .St Helens History Room, 19km north along the Tasman Highway (20 minutes by car) is situated at the St Helens History and Visitor Information Centre, behind the St Helens Library, with the entrance marked by the sculpture of a fire-breathing dragon. It contains displays telling the story of the Chinese who lived and worked on the tin fields in north-east Tasmania; the oldest churches and places of worship in the region; Tasmanian Aboriginal stone tools; flora and fauna around St Helens; maritime history; early settlement; and mining.
The display includes a horse-drawn hearse, model boats, and a working 1:24 scale model of the biggest water wheel built in the southern hemisphere at the Anchor Tin Mine.
The History Room is open from 9am to 4pm Monday to Friday, and from 9am to 3:30pm on Saturday and Sunday. Entry is free for all during August each year.
History - The Trail of the Tin Dragon
Address: Tasman Highway, St Helens TAS, Australia .The Trail of the Tin Dragon is about 80km long and highlights alluvial tin mining activity in the area of Pyengana during the late 1800s, and the influence of the large numbers of Chinese miners who came to that area. Relics of the era can be found along the Trail, including stampers and the remnants of the Anchor Tin Mine. Various endemic plants including the giant man fern and buttongrass plains, can also be seen. Ralph Falls, St Columba Falls, and Halls Falls are all on the Trail, as is the Blue Tier Reserve. The Pyengana Dairy Factory and the Pub in the Paddock are also near this Trail.
The Trail of the Tin Dragon follows the Tasman Highway. It starts with a reflection on the experience of the Chinese miners in the older streets of St Helens. The Pyengana interpretation station provides information on the Anchor Mine and the Mountain of Tin. Remnants of an old iron ‘siphon’ can be seen at the river junction on the road to St Columbia Falls. The cemetery at Moorina contains a memorial erected by the Chinese community to the Chinese miners whose remains are buried there, and a restored burning tower overlooking the picturesque valley. In Derby, The Tin Dragon Interpretation Centre and Cafe include interpretive displays, videos, and the story of the 1929 flood. The Derby Schoolhouse Museum is next door, and the Ginko Memorial Garden overlooks the valley nearby. At Branxholm, see the Bridge which was central to the miners confrontation in 1877, and at the top of the hill overlooking Branxholm at the intersection of Ruby Flat Road and the Tasman Highway read the interpretation marker to learn about Ah Moy. The Trail ends at the Temple of Guan Di in the Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery, Royal Park, Launceston.
Mountain bike trails - Flagstaff Stacked Loop Trails
Address: St Helens Trail Head (Stacked Loop), Flagstaff Road, St Helens TAS, Australia .Flagstaff Trails, about 9km north along the Tasman Highway and Flagstaff Road (10 minutes by car), are a network of 11 stacked loops:
Ø Trailhead, an easy 300m, is a small loop on the northern side of the Trailhead which provides the start and end to most of the northern trails including Townlink, Rock Lobster, Wedged-in, Humpback and Pearla.
Ø Over There, an easy 280m, is a fun and short loop aimed to get the kids primed for a mountain bike trail ride. It also provides the start and end to the southern trails including Swell Done and Eagle Eye.
Ø Swell Done, an easy 845m, is a small entry-level trail designed to take beginner riders out into the bush on a nice rolling trail. Riders experience a similar sensation to the rolling swell of the ocean.
Ø Eagle Eye, an easy 1.2km, is a great warm up loop for riders to get their eye in before venturing further into the network. This trail introduces beginner riders to some rollers and other small features of a mountain bike trail to build confidence in the company of family and friends.
Ø Humpback, an easy 1km, aims to provide a taste of what the network has on offer. It is an ideal beginner loop, designed to build bike handling skills.
Ø Pearla, an easy 1.8km, includes berms and rollers, and gives access to the greater trail network of trails at intermediate level.
Ø Town Link, an easy 3.8km, is a shared-use two-way trail allowing riders and walkers to easily traverse between St Helens and the Trailhead. It passes through the Boggy Creek Valley, where the resident Sea Eagle nests.
Ø Seeya Later, a more difficult 4km, starts with amazing views overlooking St Helens then swoops down through berms and along a flowing trail. A shuttle service is available to access this trail from Flagstaff Road, departing regularly between 9am and 1:30pm.
Ø Wedged-in is also a more difficult 4.4km and sits slightly higher in the hills, wedged amongst large granite outcrops as it weaves in and out of gullies. Eagles can be seen soaring on thermal drafts when riding on the open ridgelines. There are also a few technical features off to the side of the main ride line.
Old Salty Dog is a more difficult 6.2km, starting with spectacular coastal views from high on Loila Tier then following some fast gravity-fed ridgelines linked by a mellow climbing link midway. This is a changing terrain with big granite features and deep moss-covered gullies.
Mountain bike trails - Bay of Fires Trail
Address: Blue Tier, Weldborough TAS, Australia .Bay of Fires, about 44km north along the Tasman Highway, Lottah Road, and Poimena Road (54 minutes by car), is a 42km more difficult one-way adventure trail like no other. Starting 751m above sea level high up on the Blue Tier in sub-alpine terrain, the trail provides endless vistas of the surrounding mountain ranges and stunning coast line. The trail ducks under majestic myrtle trees, huge tree ferns, and Giant Ash trees. The descent is shaped in perfect dirt, following a forestry road to cross Ansons Bay Road into a contrasting untouched terrain where the trail winds and climbs through monolith granite boulders. Glimpses of the Bay of Fires lead to the final descent across endless ridge lines before reaching the pure white sands of Swimcart Beach. Allow at least 4.5hrs to complete the entire trail, and as there is some climbing an e-bike is recommended. Parts of the trail do not have mobile telephone reception, so travel with a friend or leave clear details of your plans before starting out. A shuttle service operates to the trail head from St Helens, and then collects riders from Swimcart Beach. It can also drop or collect riders at the Ansons Bay Road crossing, allowing the option to ride the top or the bottom half of the trail. The service departs at 9:30am and returns at 4:30pm – contact Gravity Isle Shuttles on 0474 371 365.
Night sky - Beaumaris
Address: 16 Bel-Air Crescent, Beaumaris TAS, Australia .Some find few sights more romantic than the sky filled with stars at night. Others wonder at the vastness of the universe, or enjoy discovering so many more stars than can be seen in the light-polluted cities of their homes. We are still learning where to find the best views of the sky nearby – but take a moment to stroll outside after sunset for a glimpse of what can be seen, or ask us for other suggestions.
Rewilded grounds
Address: Beaumaris Beach Guest House, 16 Bel-Air Crescent, Beaumaris TAS, Australia .The rewilded grounds and gardens of Beaumaris Beach Guest House include the diversity of plants and flowers which are representative of the coastal heathland of eastern Tasmania, and a small section of introduced flora. Guests and other visitors are welcome to wander the grounds to admire these - and are encouraged to safely remove any identified weeds they may find along the way!
Rivers - Scamander River
Address: Scamander River, Tasmania, Australia .Scamander River, about 6km south along the Tasman Highway (4 minutes by car), is popular with anglers and has many good fishing spots dotted along its banks. Sea bream can be found near the bridges at Scamander.
Skate park - Scamander
Address: Skate park, Scamander TAS, Australia .This fun concrete park has an open bowl, boxes, ledges, banks and steps, is beside the Scamander Surf Life Saving Club, and has views across the nearby beaches and Scamander River.
Sunrise, sunset
Address: Beaumaris Beach Guest House, 16 Bel-Air Crescent, Beaumaris TAS, Australia .With uninterrupted views of much of the vast dome of heaven, Beaumaris Beach Guest House provides a perfect place from which to enjoy the colours of sunrise and sunset. Bring your camera - or just appreciate the ever-changing spectacle heralding the new day and drawing in the curtain of the night.
Towns and villages - Beaumaris
Address: Beaumaris TAS, Australia .Beaumaris is the small settlement in which this Guest House is located on the north-east coast of Tasmania. It was named after the Welsh town of Beaumaris, which was originally a Viking settlement but then took its name from the castle commissioned to be built there in 1295 when Edward I of England completed his conquest of Wales. The Norman-French builders named the castle “beaux marais”, which translates as "beautiful marshes". Beaumaris, Tasmania, is mostly beach-side properties, many of which are holiday or rental accommodation. In the 2021 census the population of Beaumaris was 362, comprised of approximately 46% females and 54% males, living in 208 private dwellings. The average age of the population of Beaumaris was 50 years of age at that time.
Towns and villages - Scamander
Address: Scamander TAS, Australia .Scamander, about 6km south along the Tasman Highway (4 minutes by car), is a small town at the mouth of the Scamander River and a popular holiday destination with wide, sandy beaches and views of the ocean. Recreational activities include surfing, swimming and fishing for sea bream in the river. The wide river mouth has been a challenge to bridge builders – the first bridge was made of timber in 1865, but it collapsed around May in 1875 while a large herd of cattle was being driven across it. The second and third bridges were washed away in floods in 1889 and 1911. The next bridges succumbed to flood and shipworms, with the last timber bridge collapsing in 1929. A truss bridge was built in 1936 and was removed in 2022. The concrete bridge that carries the Tasman Highway was officially opened on 26 June 1991. On the evening of 11 December 2006, 18 houses and a restaurant were razed by a bushfire that swept around Scamander. On 30 January 2009 Scamander recorded Tasmania's highest ever temperature to that date, at 42.2oC. The 2021 census recorded the population of Scamander as 803, with approximately 48% females and 52% males, living in 526 private dwellings. The overall average age of this population was 51 years. Scamander has a doll museum, and a nine-hole golf course. Services available in the town include the Scamander Post Office, the Resort Hotel and Bottle Shop, a small supermarket, a petrol station including a mechanic, a fast food shop, a surf shop, and a café, book and video shop.
Towns and villages - St Marys
Address: St Marys TAS, Australia .St Marys, about 23km south along the Tasman Highway (16 minutes by car), is a small township sitting under an impressive rocky outcrop. It offers spectacular scenery and great bushwalking in the surrounding mountains, forests and valleys. The buildings of its main street reflect its former days as a convict working station; and the original railway station is now a quirky museum of local relics and oddities. St Marys also has some great cafés, shops selling local craft, and the St Marys Pub which was built in 1916 in the centre of the town. The 2021 census recorded 738 people living in St Marys, with about 49% females and about 51% males living in 423 private dwellings, and an average age of 56 years.
Towns and villages - St Helens
Address: St Helens TAS, Australia .St Helens, about 13km north along the Tasman Highway (13 minutes by car), was voted Tassie's Top Tourism Town 2020 and is the largest town on the north-east coast of Tasmania. It is located on Georges Bay, recognised as the game fishing capital of Tasmania. It is also known for the quality of the oysters which grow on nearby leases. St Helens began as a whaling base in the early 1800s, and then became an important port after tin was discovered in the region. The restored Marshall Steam Engine on display in the town was used to cut sleepers for the Siberian Railway. St Helens is now a popular tourist and holiday destination; and the offices of the local Break O’Day Council. The 2021 census gave the population of St Helens as 2,206, with approximately 51% females and 49% males living in 1,367 private dwellings, and an overall median age of 57 years. St Helens has studios for the community radio station Star FM, which broadcasts on 93.7mHz for Pyengana, Binalong Bay, St Helens and Beaumaris; 98.5mHz for Bicheno, Swansea, Coles Bay, and Lake Leake; and 100.3mHz for Scamander, Falmouth, Four Mile Creek, St Marys, and the Fingal Valley. Star FM presents contemporary music from the 1960s through to the today and has specialty shows in the evenings. A number of shops can be found in St Helens, including supermarkets, cafés and restaurants, clothing stores, petrol stations, and art galleries.
Towns and Villages - Pyengana
Address: Pyengana TAS, Australia .Pyengana, about 40km north along the Tasman Highway and St Columba Falls Road (36 minutes by car), is a quiet rural area surrounded by some of Tasmania's most beautiful dairy country and set in a forested landscape dominated by the Blue Tier section of the North East Highlands. Like much of the area it developed in support of local tin mining. It is now visited by tourists seeking some of Tasmania’s most spectacular views. At the time of the 2021 Census the population of Pyengana was 96 and was comprised of 50.5% males and 49.5% females, living in 48 private dwellings. The average age of this population was 48 years of age.
Walks and waterfalls - Apsley Gorge
Address: Apsley Gorge, Apsley Gorge Track, Douglas-Apsley TAS, Australia .Apsley Gorge, about 65km south along the Tasman Highway and Rosedale Road (45 minutes by car) is an 8km circuit rated as ‘medium grade’ which includes river and ridge walking, waterholes and a beautiful gorge. The clear waters of Apsley Waterhole are a short stroll from the signposted car park at the entrance to the walk from Rosedale Road. After crossing the waterhole’s outlet, the track turns left to follow the multi-day Leeaberra Track walk and climbs through dry sclerophyll forest to the top of the ridge before descending rapidly into Apsley Gorge. Crossing the river and turning left to the first line of cliffs will lead to the gorge’s most spectacular pool, at the base of a low waterfall. During times of high water levels (such as August to November), walkers should turn back to return along the track from this point. If water levels are low return to the Apsley Waterhole by scrambling and rock-hopping down the river. Watch for snakes in warm weather.
Walks and waterfalls - Blue Tier Giant Walk
Address: Blue Tier Giant Walk, Weldborough TAS, Australia .Blue Tier Giant Walk, about 41km north along the Tasman Highway, Lottah Road, and Lehners Ridge Road (41 minutes by car), is an easy to moderate walk along a hand-built 3.5km loop track passing the Chapel Tree, with a side trail to the Big Tree. It presents stunning valley and fern-forest views, crosses a stone arch bridge over an agricultural water race, and passes many tall trees including the ‘Cradle Tree’. The Big Tree, a swamp gum or giant ash, is about 60 metres tall and is the widest living tree in Australia. It has a girth of almost 20 metres at chest-height; and a hollow which began to form when the tree was around 150 years of age. Giant ash are the tallest flowering trees in the world, and in the Blue Tier area provide nesting places for rare or endangered birds including the wedge-tailed eagle, the white goshawk, and the pink robin.
Walks and waterfalls - Evercreech Falls and the White Knights
Address: Evercreech Falls Walk, Mathinna TAS, Australia .Evercreech Falls and the White Knights, about 75km south along the Tasman Highway, Esk Main Road, Mathinna Road, Evercreech Road, and Egans Road (1 hour by car) is a 2.1km walk on well-formed track with few steps which passes through fabulous rainforest, making this one of Tasmania’s 60 Great Short Walks. Evercreech Falls cascade gently down a steep slope then drop about 4m at the base. The area is a magnificent haven for different varieties of fungi. Continuing on the loop track past the Falls will return the walker to the barbeque area, but requires a short walk through the rivulet at the end – so return along the path after seeing the Falls if you do not wish to do this. The second loop walk from the barbeque area passes through dry forest to reach a viewing platform from which the 90m white gum trees known as the ‘White Knights’ can be viewed. The forest reserve has gas barbeques, Eco toilets, seating and a parking area. Evercreech Rivulet Falls are a difficult 800 metres upstream from Evercreech Falls. With no track leading to these Falls they are only recommended for very experienced bushwalkers with specialised skills such as navigation and emergency first aid.
Walks and waterfalls - Goblin Forest Walk
Address: Mount Poimena, Weldborough TAS, Australia .Goblin Forest Walk, about 45km north along the Tasman Highway, Sweets Hills Road, Lottah Road, and Poimena Road (55 minutes by car), is a short, 400m loop walk through rainforest that is regenerating after the ravages of local tin mining. Mounted panels identify points of interest and the contributions of historical figures. The walk leaves from the Mt Poimena car park. It is easy and wheelchair-friendly with assistance, with constructed boardwalk in places.
Walks and waterfalls - Grey Mare's Tail
Address: Grey Mares Trail, Saint Marys TAS, Australia .Grey Mares Trail, about 20km south along the Tasman Highway and Esk Main Road (15 minutes by car) is a 600m walk along a formed track with five steps immediately before the viewing platform, and is rated as ‘easy’. The trail winds through a forest of tall straight trees to reach a lookout platform with a view of the top section of the Grey Mares Tail Falls. Ferntree Glen Creek drops in this section some 20 metres, with the Falls continuing about the same distance again a little further below. There is a good view down the valley just before the lookout platform. Beware of falling tree branches during strong winds. Gray Mares Trail is on the right of Esk Main Road just after the top of St Marys Pass when travelling from Beaumaris, about 500m before reaching Lower German Town Road. There is a small picnic area beside the parking area, between the start of the Trail and Esk Main Road.
Walks and waterfalls - Halls Falls
Address: Halls Falls, Anchor Road, Pyengana TAS, Australia .Halls Falls, about 37km north along the Tasman Highway and Anchor Road (35 minutes by car), is a scenic 90-minute return stroll through dense centuries-old tree ferns and towering eucalypt forest to a weir built by timber workers in the late 19th century and a small but charming cascading waterfall on the Groom River. The mainly flat track passes above and below Halls Falls and its charming rock pools, presenting many excellent photo opportunities. It is only steep at the brief descent to the base of the Falls. The track has a number of side branches to various local sites. There are also immense tree stumps, all that remains of the tall trees felled over a century ago by early settlers.
Walks and waterfalls - Ironbark Falls
Address: Transit Track, St Helens TAS, Australia .Ironbark Falls, about 20km north along the Tasman Highway, Argonaut Street, Trafalgar Track, and Transit Track (24 minutes by car) is a rough unformed track of up to 15km with no markers or signposts, and is recommended for very experienced bushwalkers with specialised skills such as navigation and emergency first aid. Ironbark Falls itself is a small waterfall situated on Constable Creek, surrounded by a rather sparse eucalyptus forest that is similar to the outback areas of the Northern Territory and Queensland. There are several other small waterfalls in the area which are also worth looking at if water flows are good, including Echo Falls and Ferntree Falls, although this will mean the walk may take over 3 hours. Access to the Falls is along unnamed tracks which are only suitable for experienced drivers of 4WD vehicles. As the area is generally flat, with only some small hills to climb down surrounding the creeks, exploring the region by foot can be easy. Ironbark Falls is best visited in the wetter months, typically between August to November, when water flow along Constable Creek is more likely. A GPX file suitable for GPS devices is at https://waterfallsoftasmania.com.au/waterfalls/ironbark_falls and gives directions to the Falls.
Walks and waterfalls - Moon Valley Rim Walk
Address: Mount Poimena, Weldborough TAS, Australia .Moon Valley Rim Walk, about 43km north along the Tasman Highway, Sweets Hill Road, Lottah Road, and Poimena Road (55 minutes by car), is a 3.4km loop rated as ‘moderate’. It starts at the Poimena day use area. The walk leads directly to the summit of Mt Poimena along a gently graded track through open tea tree and beech groves with guide posts to follow. After enjoying panoramic views of the Blue Tiers area and the coast, walkers continue through scattered boulders to descend along the edge of Moon Valley to the historic Gough Battery tin mine. After exploring battery and adjacent sites the trail follows Sun Flats Road back to the trailhead and picnic area.
The Blue Tier is an exposed plateau and weather conditions can deteriorate rapidly. A waterproof jacket or a warm jumper is recommended on all walks. Note also that the marked tracks avoid dangerous rock faces created by the historical mining operations in the area.
Walks and waterfalls - Off the Track Sculpture Trail and Georges Bay Multi-user Track
Address: St Helens Wharf, Saint Helens TAS, Australia .The Georges Bay Multi-user Track takes cyclists, walkers and other pedestrians and wheel users around Georges Bay from St Helens Wharf, 10km north along the Tasman Highway (12 minutes by car), towards Stieglitz. The walk provides opportunities to enjoy the local birdlife, views and serenity. There are places to sit and appreciate the location; and also toilet and drink facilities.
Sculptures placed in locations chosen by the artists beside the Multi-user Track develop the Off the Track Sculpture Trail. This Trail complements and showcases the environment of Georges Bay while providing a unique experience and conversation topics for Track users. Off the Track Sculpture Trail contains the following works:
- Sea Sculptures, by Gavin Wagner (2022) - deformed steel bar
- Rhythm and Flow, by Andrew Redman (2022) - wood, concrete, galvanised steel
- The Lady of the Bay: Gazing Out Across the Track of Time and Tides . . . , by Anita Denholm (2023) - Diddleum Plains granite
New pieces are added to the Off the Track Sculpture Trail by a local committee as resources are obtained through grants and other funding sources to continue the interest and variety of this Trail.
Walks and waterfalls - Ralph Falls
Address: Ralph Falls Car Park, Cashs Gorge Circuit, Ringarooma TAS, Australia .Ralph Falls, about 58km north along the Tasman Highway, St Columba Falls Road, Forest Lodge Road, Mount Victoria Road, and New River Road (1 hour by car), has a 4km loop walk with purpose-built lookouts overlooking Ralphs Falls and Cashs Gorge. Ralph Falls is one of Tasmania's 60 Great Short Walks, and is an ideal visit for families. It has a drop of 90 metres over sheer cliff face, making it one of Tasmania's highest waterfalls. Access is provided from Mt. Victoria Forest Reserve, which has a picnic area, barbeque facilities, and toilets.
Walks and waterfalls - St Columba Falls
Address: St Columba Falls, Pyengana TAS, Australia .St Columba Falls, about 49km north along the Tasman Highway and St Columba Falls Road (46 minutes by car), is at the end of a 600m well-formed track with few steps and a relatively easy walk. A drop of over 90 metres makes St. Columba Falls one of Tasmania's tallest waterfalls and the constant flow of water over the Falls throughout the year makes this a popular place to visit. The walk to the Falls starts in the St Columba Falls State Reserve, with picnic and toilet facilities but limited parking along the road. The walk is well maintained, but presents a steady climb back from the base of the Falls to the carpark.
Walks and waterfalls - St Patrick's Head
Address: St Patrick's Head Track, Saint Patricks Head Track, Saint Marys TAS, Australia .St Patrick’s Head, about 23km south along the Tasman Highway, Esk Main Road, and Gillies Road (17 minutes by car) is an unrated walk of about 5km along unformed track with markers, taking about 2.5 hours. The vigorous short climb across an area with steep drop-offs to the trig station at the summit of the Head does not need to be attempted to gain views of the Tasman Sea from Bicheno to St Helens, the Fingal Valley, the Ben Lomond plateau, and the layers of the Great Western Tiers. The entry to the track is not clear, and various sites give information which is no longer current. We have asked those who live nearby to provide us with clear directions, and encourage intending walkers not to park on or cross private property to access the trail. There had been an intentions book at the trailhead, but this is now reported to have been removed. Walkers are encouraged to advise others before undertaking this walk.
Walks and waterfalls - South Sister Walk
Address: German Town Road, Saint Marys TAS, Australia .South Sister Walks, about 30km south along the Tasman Highway, Esk Main Road, and German Town Road (28 minutes by car), are six marked trails showcasing wet and dry sclerophyll forest with pockets of temperate rainforest including sub-alpines around the summit (832m); and panoramic views of the east coast, north to Flinders Island and south to the Fingal valley and Freycinet Peninsula. Various endangered flora species can be easily identified on the walks. Shops in St Marys can provide information on the walks, which are:
- South Sister main track to Summit (Fire Tower) Lookout at 832 m, a fairly steep walk to the summit giving breathtaking 360-degree views which are definitely worth seeing;
- Track to Derrick's Marsh and Nicholas Range, an easy walk that follows the old road to Derrick's Marsh and beyond, with beautiful mountain views;
- Floral Loop, a beautiful track through Wet Sclerophyll forest highlighting South Sister's amazing understorey with its diverse flora and fauna, many of which flower during Spring and Summer;
- Old Logging Track, which loops though a previously logged area and shows how the understorey does not recover well after logging;
- Brookeriana track, following the Telstra telephone line from the South Sister Road to North Sister and skirting above the Brookeriana Reserve through dry sclerophyll forest; and,
- North Sister Summit, a harder walk which is steep and rugged in places, traversing the western side of the peak before going up a gully and a rock scramble to the summit.
Walks and waterfalls - The Gardens
Address: The Gardens TAS, Australia .The Gardens, 32km north along the Tasman Highway and The Gardens Road (about 30 minutes by car) offers great views of the Bay of Fires, and easy access for splendid photographs. It was named by Lady Jane Franklin, wife of Sir John Franklin, who lived with him in Tasmania while he was the Lieutenant-Governor of the colony between 1836 and 1843. Lady Jane was determined to play more than a passive role in the development of the colony. Her contributions include the establishment of botanical gardens and a museum of natural history in Hobart. Later in her life she organised a seven-year search for her husband, after Sir John's expedition was lost as it returned from the successful discovery of a North-West Passage in the Arctic.
Lady Jane called this area of Tasmania 'The Gardens' in recognition of the abundant wildflowers then in the area.
The Gardens lookout is a short and partly paved walk from the car park at the end of The Gardens Road. Nearby there are good beaches, including the secluded small beach at Honeymoon Point. Wildlife can be seen in the area, including dolphins and whales during the migration season.
Walks and waterfalls - Winifred Curtis Reserve
Address: Winifred Curtis Reserve, Tasman Highway, Scamander TAS, Australia .Winifred Curtis Reserve, about 8km south along the Tasman Highway (10 minutes by car), is a private reserve based around dry coastal sclerophyll bushland, marshland and heathland. It is dominated by coastal Black Peppermint forest or woodland, chiefly containing Black Peppermints, but with other eucalypts such as White Gums, Black Gums, Blue Gums and Ironbark. The understorey has a high diversity of legumes (such as Showy Bossia and Running Postman), heaths (such as Common Heath, White and Pink Beardheaths) and shrubs (such as several wattle species, Blue Dampiera, Twiggy Daisybush, and several guineaflowers). There are also Grasstrees, many herbs, sedges (such as Sand Swordsedge), some native grasses and lilies. This type of forest supports many species of plants and animals, including many honeyeaters. It is spectacular when in flower. The endangered New Holland Mouse can be found in this kind of habitat, although none have been seen here in recent times . . . or if they have, then no-one is saying!
There are seven kilometres of easy walking tracks in the reserve, and these take the visitor through all of the Reserve's 16 ecosystems. There are reusable maps near the main entrance. Visitors are advised to wear clothing appropriate for walking, and to use insect repellent.
Dr Wilifred Curtis is Tasmania's most distinguished professional botanist, best known for a five-volume series of books describing the native and naturalised flowering plants found in Tasmania. She was a frequent visitor to this Reserve, regarding it as a rare example of pristine bushland.
Wildlife - East Coast Natureworld
Address: East Coast Natureworld, Tasman Highway, Bicheno TAS, Australia .East Coast Natureworld, about 57km south along the Tasman Highway at 18356 Tasman Hwy, Bicheno (36 minutes by car) sits in 150 acres of natural parkland and lagoons and is the perfect place to experience Tasmania's unique animals, birds, reptiles including quolls, the Tasmanian devil, wombat, koala, bettong, possum, pademelon, wallaby, Whitney the Wombat, Teddy the Koala, Tasmanian Bettong, Golden possum, Pademelon, Bennett’s wallaby. The Tiger Snakes are fed at 10:45am each day in the warmer months, but ring on (03) 6375 1311 to confirm if you specifically wish to see this. Entry fees apply. Natureworld is open 9 to 5 daily except on Christmas Day. The grounds are wheel chair and pram friendly. Food and drink are available from the Gallery Café, and there is a range of souvenirs with a wildlife theme. There is an extensive display of Tasmanian wildlife photography.
Wildlife - East Coast Whale Trail
Address: Shelly Point, Beaumaris, Beaumaris TAS, Australia .The East Coast Whale Trail is a collection of identified coastal sites where visitors have an opportunity to see whales as they pass along the east coast of Tasmania. Each location has information signage to help with your visit. The nearest Whale Trail site to us is at Shelly Point - and there are 13 other sites along the area from The Gardens to our north down to Eaglehawk Neck to the south. Binoculars are mounted for public use at Shelly Point and at Cape Tourville near Coles Bay.
Wildlife - Henderson Lagoon
Address: Henderson Lagoon, Tasmania, Australia .Henderson Lagoon has an entrance about 9km south along the Tasman Highway (6 minutes by car). The Lagoon has clear waters and seven kilometres of well-marked walking trails. There are hundreds of varieties of native flora (including four which are classified as rare in Tasmania) and around 80 species of woodland and marshland birds on and near the Lagoon. The nearby heathland supports many orchids, with 35 species recorded in the area. Aboriginal heritage sites exist on the sand spit between Henderson Lagoon and the beach, and should be treated with respect.
Wildlife - Insects, birds and other creatures
Address: Beaumaris Beach Guest House, 16 Bel-Air Crescent, Beaumaris TAS, Australia .Rewilding of our grounds has brought an increase in the numbers of insects, birds, creeping things, and other creatures we see in our grounds. Some of these can be watched from our verandah - and all can be appreciated.
There are four animals to be cautious of in Tasmania. All Tasmanian snakes are venomous. Most are as wary of humans as we are of them, and can be left to go their own way. The most recent person to die from snake bite while outside lost their life in 1966. The Tasmanian Tiger Snake grows to two metres long, and can be aggressive if it feels threatened. A bite from this snake can be fatal if it is left untreated for a number of hours. We have briefly seen one of these snakes on our grounds, over two years ago. The Lowland Copper Snake can also kill a human if its bite is left untreated. The White-lipped Whip Snake is extremely shy, and is unlikely to be seen during your entire visit. We have not seen either of these snakes at any time. The entire area around any snake bite should be bandaged with a broad and firm bandage, and kept immobile while assistance is sought.
Jack Jumper ants are also dangerous. These ants are black and may have orange legs. Their bodies are covered in a soft hair, and are about 12mm long. They have the ability to leap short distances from a standing start, and do this as they forage or move about. They are inclined to attack when they feel threatened. Their venom is among the most powerful in the insect world. It usually causes a mild reaction for most humans, but can produce an anaphylactic shock in some people. Jack Jumper ants are widespread, and are found across Tasmania, Victoria, the Australian Capital Territory, and in parts of New South Wales, South Australia, Western Australia, and Queensland. They nest in bushland, woodlands, and dry open forests, surrounded by gravel and sandy soils.
Wildlife - St Marys Camel Farm
Address: 58 Gray Road, Saint Marys TAS, Australia .St Mary's Camel Farm has six adult camels and one calf, Damper, who was welcomed to the caravan. Their camels love to be visited - and there is a gift shop with a range of camel-themed items. There is plenty of room for a bring-your-own picnic. The Farm is open for visitors between 10am and 4pm, Wednesday to Sunday, from September to May. If you would like to check before visiting, contact the Farm on 0400 866 557.
Wildlife - Serpentarium Wildlife Park Tasmania
Address: Serpentarium Wildlife Park Tasmania, West Street, St Helens TAS, Australia .Serpentarium Wildlife Park Tasmania, about 15km north (17 minutes by car) at 5 West Street, St Helens, is an indoor reptile exhibit which presents exotic captive-bred reptiles in a museum setting. There is opportunity for keeper-assisted handling of some of the reptiles. Displays include gemstones, cultural indigenous artefacts, billboards and presentations. There is also a microscope research station, an outdoor rope climb play area, and a café. The Park is open between 10:00am and 5:00pm each day. A range of admission fees apply.
