Bay of Fires Highlights Walk – 3 Days

Day 1 – Mt William Summit and Cape Naturalist to Boulder Point

Distance: 12km, 4.5 hours walking (Approx) Grade: 3 (Moderate)

Our journey begins from the Hotel Grand Chancellor in Launceston. On the way to the north-east coast, we pass through Lilydale and the Pipers River wine region, before stopping by at the beach side village of Bridport for a short break.

It’s then on to Mt William National Park, we stay inland to tackle a one-hour return walk to the summit of wukalina/Mt William. At an elevation of 216 meters, this is the highest point in the surrounding area – providing walkers with a far-reaching panoramic view of the area encompassed on our first two days of walking and beyond. In clear weather, the Furneaux group of islands stand proud as lofty remnants of what remains of an ancient land bridge which once connected Tasmania with mainland Australia.

Our afternoon takes us to the white sands of Cape Naturaliste – the most northern point of our three-day wander. These beautiful afternoon hours are spent entirely on the beach, pleasantly easing one into their own natural walking pace and rhythm. Along the way, there are often resident sea birds to observe – including Oystercatchers and Hooded Plovers. Your guides will also be able to decipher any bizarre looking ocean life that has been washed ashore with the changing tides. We may discover cuttlebones, urchins, and even shark eggs.

Pausing for an afternoon tea break, we then return to the bus, before heading back to our accommodation to unpack and settle in.

This evening we enjoy pre-dinner nibbles, followed by a delicious two-course meal prepared by your guides in our warm and cosy accommodation.

Meals: Lunch & Dinner

Day 2 – Eddystone Poin tto Ansons Bay OR Humbug Point Loop

Distance: 9-10km, 4-5 hours walking (Approx) Grade: 2 – 3 (Easy to Moderate)

Our 2nd day is open to variation to account for weather and group preference. Your guides will choose the most suitable itinerary for the day once on tour. Your day will look something like:

Eddystone Point to Ansons Bay
10km, 4-5 hours walking, moderate grade.

This walk is packed full of highlights. We start our day at larapuna — Eddystone Point – adorned with its beautiful grand lighthouse, built in 1889 from locally quarried granite. This natural promontory is a fascinating site of historic importance to both Aboriginal and European Tasmanians, and we will spend plenty of time exploring some of the wonderful natural and man-made attractions in the area.
Leaving the lighthouse, we break out onto an expansive dune swept beach, often teeming with birdlife. Here we may observe gulls, terns, albatross and gannets – or occasionally migratory species such as short-tailed shearwaters and ruddy turnstones.
The remainder of the day is spent enjoying seemingly endless coves – each being worthy of their own picture-perfect postcard. There are numerous shelly beaches to inspect, and lovely small bays for swimming if you want to brave the cold. This area also boasts some of the more interesting rock formations of the trip, awaiting decipherment from a creative types’ imagination.
After passing across another dune swept beach, we finish our day at Ansons Bay – wading a narrowing in the la-goon to reach our designated afternoon tea spot, and meet back up with the bus.

Humbug Point Loop
10km, 4 hours walking, easy to moderate grade.

Humbug Point is an interesting mix of changing landscapes within the Bay of Fires Conservation & Recreation Area – this walk is a hidden gem, a locals secret. Consisting of historic Xanthorrhoea grass trees, sclerophyll forest and an array of wildlife, you will encounter ocean views from a higher vantage point and walk through a dynamic coastal environment set on higher ground above the beach.
Beginning at Moulting Bay, we walk a small stretch of beach around the point towards the Georges Bay inlet, here you will have views of St Helens Oyster farm, Lease 65 and across the bay towards the township of St Helens and St Helens Point Conservation Area.
As we traverse a little higher, we encounter a woodland environment, home to many bird species and providing glimpses of the ocean and coastline through the tall trees. Somewhere along the trail, we will select a suitable lunch spot, taking the opportunity to listen to sounds of nature.

St Columba Falls, Weldborough Rainforest walk, Halls Falls, Pynegana Dairy, Giant Tree walk
9km, 4 hours walking, easy to moderate grade

A series of short walks make up today’s exploration. After an hours drive through some of the East Coast’s less frequented roads, we begin our first walk through a pocket of Tasmania’s temperate rainforest—dominated by the endemic Nothofagus, sassafras, leatherwoods and giant-sized tree ferns, we have time to stop and take in this unique and ancient wonderland.
From here we continue along the Weldborough Pass to the Giant Tree walk where we wind our way along a hand-built track to the giant ash — Eucalyptus regnans. With a girth of 19.4 meters and a height of around 60 meters, this is one of Tasmania’s tallest living giants. With hollows that started to form at 150 years old, this tree houses an array of rare and special birds, mammals and invertebrates.
Further along the pass, we enter some of Tasmania’s most fertile dairy country. After a coffee and cheese stop to sample some local produce, we continue onto Tasmania’s second tallest waterfall. St Columba Falls at 90 meters tall is an easy walk through rainforest and over crystal clear streams, you can hear the water pounding down the falls before you even exit the van.
If time permits, we have the opportunity to visit the famous Pub in the Paddock, Halls Falls and the Shop in the Bush – all local hidden gems.

This evening’s dinner will consist of nibbles, followed by an excellent two-course meal prepared by your guides.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner

Day 3 – Mt Cameron Regional Reserve – Little Blue Lake to Cube Rock

Distance: 5km, 3 hours walking (Approx) Grade: 3 (Moderate)

On our final morning, we pack up and depart our accommodation. After a short drive through Gladstone to Little Blue Lake, we embark on our last walk up the southern side of Mt Cameron to the granite outcrops of Cube Rock. A monolith perched atop Windy Ridge, Cube Rock dates back 380 million years.

Legend has it that Thylacines were commonly seen along this track, but today you may sight a Bennets wallaby amongst the curious granite formations. With a rich Indigenous heritage, and expansive 360 degree views, you can imagine the significance of this special place.

After lunch and an easy amble back to the bus, we depart for Launceston with some final stops along the way. We pass through Derby – the mountain biking mecca of Tasmania, Scottsdale – the home of the Tasmanian Pink Eye potato, and through the Lilydale wine region where we will have the opportunity to stop off and do a tasting of some of Tasmania’s finest before we say goodbye.

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch