Tasman National Park, Tasmania

The Tasman Peninsula offers a perfect mix of intriguing Tassie history, set alongside dramatic coastal scenery, including the highest vertical cliffs in Australia. There is a beautiful campground right on the beach at Fortescue Bay, with a fantastic swimming beach and a boat ramp, where you could easily spend the entire weekend — but you wouldn’t want to miss out on everything else there is to see.

Fortescue Bay

Tasman National Park accommodation

Fortescue Bay, 22km south-east of Port Arthur, has bush camping facilities, including drop toilets and coin-operated hot showers. For enquiries, ring the Parks and Wildlife office on 03 6250 2433 or email fortescue.fortescuebay@parks.tas.gov.au. Cost is $13 per couple per night — bookings are advisable.

Find and book holiday parks near Port Arthur.

Attractions

Cape Hauy

The Tasman’s Arch, the Devil’s Kitchen, the Blowhole and the Tessellated Pavement are awe-inspiring sites of natural grandeur. To lose the crowds, follow Waterfall Bay Road (turn off Blowhole Road) and absorb the views at Morley’s Lookout without having to wait your turn. The last couple of kilometres are dirt, but it is a perfectly good road. On a clear day there are beautiful views of Waterfall Bay, with the cliff walls rising straight out of the water.

Time permitting, visit the Port Arthur Historic Site — but allow at least a full day to do the place justice.

Tasman NP is also a bushwalking mecca. The famous Tasman Coastal Track follows the cliffs from Waterfall Bay through to Fortescue Beach, out to Cape Hauy and on to Cape Pillar. Walks range from a couple of hours to extended four-day hikes. For a more leisurely stroll, or something more suited to families, follow the track at the northern end of Fortescue Beach to the rocky shore at Canoe Bay.

Of course, there are plenty of 4WD tracks to explore, just be sure to have a detailed map handy and be careful on forestry roads. In a nutshell, Tasman NP has something for everyone and you’ll want to go back to see more.

Itinerary

Day 1: Visit the Tasman’s Arch, Devil’s Kitchen, Blowhole and Tessellated Pavement

Day 2: Experience Port Arthur Historic Site

Day 3: Enjoy a stroll along the beach or a bushwalk

Discover more places to visit in Tasmania on Turu Australia.