Freycinet Peninsula Circuit

Walk Overview

There are lots of walking options in Freycinet National Park, and walking tour operators have been inventive in developing a range of offerings, but the Freycinet Peninsula Circuit is the classic multi-day walk in the National Park. It takes you deep into the southern section of the Park, away from the busy tracks.

The Freycinet National Park is renowned for its pink granite mountain range ‘The Hazards’, its sheltered bays, azure waters and white sand beaches. Of those beaches, Wineglass Bay is the most celebrated and regularly features in listings of the world’s best beaches.

This walk serves up all these attractions and more. In particular, it gives you Wineglass Bay to yourself from late afternoon when the last of the day-trippers departs.

The walk is a loop walk and can be done in either direction. The Tasmanian Parks & Wildlife Service encourages walkers to undertake the walk in an anti-clockwise direction (to help stop the spread of a plant pathogen that causes root rot) and most walkers abide by that.

The walk is generally reasonably easy-going except that the second day is long and involves a climb up to the Mt Freycinet saddle and over Mt Graham. This hard going section of the track is amply rewarded when you reach the day’s end point at Wineglass Bay. 

Further information:

• A three day itinerary is described below.

• For more information on walking in the Freycinet National Park, click the button below.

Itinerary

The walk takes 3 days to complete. An itinerary completing the entire track is shown below.

Day 1

Wineglass Bay Car Park to Cooks Beach

Distance: 12 km

Time: 5 hours

Accommodation: Camping

Day 2

Cooks Beach to Wineglass Bay

Distance: 14 km

Time: 9 hours

Accommodation: Camping

Day 3

Wineglass Bay to Wineglass Bay Car Park

Distance: 5 km

Time: 2 hours

Accommodation: Coles Bay (Many options)

Walk Options

Guided

Several tour operators offer this walk as a guided trip. Usually, this is done as a full pack camping trip following the three day itinerary described above.

The walk can also be done on a guided basis with luxury lodge or resort accommodation. This is done by using a water taxi to ferry you to and from the track. The walk is done in two days rather than three which is feasible given you are carrying day packs only.

The luxury guided option includes:

• Transfers to and from Hobart

• Very comfortable accommodation

• Qualified guides

• Boat transfers

• Day-pack walking

• Breakfasts, dinners and packed lunches

• National Park admission

Some tour operators offer additional activities such as cruises, fishing expeditions and meals/wine tastings at local wineries.

Assisted self-guided

A self-guided option following a similar program to the guided lodge accommodation option referred to above is available. This involves transport by water taxi to Cooks Beach on day 1 (or Hazards Beach if a shorter walk is preferred). On day 2, the water taxi will drop you at Cooks Beach for the walk to Wineglass Bay and Wineglass Bay walking track car park, via Mount Graham.

Independent

There are no huts along the track so independent walkers must carry a tent. There are three established campsites along the track: the southern end of Hazards Beach, Cooks Beach and the southern end of Wineglass Bay.

Those doing the walk over three days usually use the Cooks Beach and Wineglass Bay campsites. If doing the walk over four days, you would probably have a short first day, camping at Hazards Beach. The next two nights would be as for the three day walk.

The track campsites at Cooks Beach and Wineglass Bay have bush toilets but little else. Water supply can be an issue. There is a rain water tank at Cooks Beach, but it’s important to check its status at the Visitor Centre before starting. There is little other water supply so if there is uncertainty in relation to the Cooks Beach tank it will be necessary to carry enough for your whole trip.

Essential Information

Access

The starting point for the Freycinet Peninsula Circuit is the Wineglass Bay walking track car park, about 4 km south of the Coles Bay township. Public transport to Coles Bay is available but infrequent. Private cars can be left at the Wineglass Bay walking track car park.

Park entry

The payment of an entry fee is required for all National Parks in Tasmania. Passes may be purchased from the Freycinet Visitors Centre, just south of Coles Bay.

Best time

The walk can be done year-round. Some people will prefer the warmer months of December to April, particularly if the trip involves camping. The walk tour operators tend to operate from October through to May.

Difficulty

This walk is rated at a moderate level of difficulty.

Accommodation

There is a considerable array of accommodation in and around Coles Bay that we can help you with. Whether you want some comfort either side of the walk or just a roof over your head, there are a number of options including some very high-end options on the water with sensational views of The Hazards.

Some of the accommodation providers are attuned to walkers’ needs or offer amenities suited to walkers.

We can assist walkers in choosing the accommodation options which best suit their needs.

Other activities

As a popular tourism destination, the Freycinet National Park area has a host of activities that you might want to do either side of the walk. Sea kayaking tours, fishing trips, scenic flights and quad bikes are all popular for those wanting to enlarge their adventure. Or if you feel you’ve earned a reward, there are local wine and gastronomy tours that are of a high standard.

We can assist walkers with choosing additional rest days to explore these attractions.

Assistance

We can assist walkers with various aspects of their walking holidays.