An overview of Freycinet, Coles BayWhere else can you find pink granite mountains rising straight from the sea and one of the top ten beaches in the world, Wineglass Bay?The township of Coles Bay, sits at the foot of the Hazards Mountain Range on the edge of the world-renowned Freycinet National Park, surrounded by the crystal clear waters of Great Oyster Bay and the Tasman Sea. Coles Bay remains a small seaside town, with a permanent population of less than 200 people. Facilities range from luxury accommodation and gourmet restaurants to wilderness camping and self-catering cottages. There are two small supermarkets with ATM’s and fuel, a post office, bakery, tavern and bottle shop. For details on the local area, accommodation and services, visit www.wineglassbay.com
Things to do in Coles BayA few of our personal recommendations for things to do while in Coles Bay:
Places to stay in Coles Bay and Freycinet area
History of FreycinetFreycinet itself is steeped in history. Whaling parties, tin and coal miners and pastoralists are amongst those who have lived and worked on the Freycinet Peninsula since the early years of European settlement. Old mine shafts, abandoned farmers' huts and the remains of whalers' camps form part of the rich cultural heritage of the park today. Freycinet was first discovered by Abel Tasman in 1642, when navigating the east coast of Tasmania named Schouten Island and the peninsula Vanderlyn’s Eylandt (believing it to be a chain of islands). This myth was dispelled during the visit of Nicholas Baudin, the French explorer, in 1802-03. The Freycinet brothers were senior officers on Baudin's expedition, although it is unclear which one the peninsula was named after. The majestic beauty of Freycinet's granite mountains and white, sandy beaches have also long been admired by naturalists, artists and writers. The area was reserved as a national park in 1916, making it (along with Mt Field) the oldest national park in Tasmania. Green Globe 21Coles Bay & the Freycinet Peninsula are very proud to have gained Green Globe 21 certification - the global benchmarking, certification and improvement system for sustainable travel and tourism. Coles Bay - Australia's first plastic shopping-bag free town!Since April 2003, all retail outlets in Coles Bay, have banned plastic check-out shopping bags. In the first twelve months, we stopped the use of 350,000 plastic check-out bags. As plastic bag alternatives in Coles Bay, strong reusable paper bags and calico bags are available for purchase.
How to get hereDriving yourselfUse Google Maps to get directions on how to get to Coles Bay. Suggested driving times and distances:
Public transport on the east coast.There are two main coach companies that provide transport to the east coast from either Launceston or Hobart (excl Saturdays):
In the local area, Bicheno Coaches (ph. 03 62570293) offer transport between Bicheno / Swansea / Coles Bay and the Freycinet National Park. |
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