Do you know you can camp on Wineglass bay in Tasmania?
Do you know that its not hard and most people can do it with a little preparation?
Read below to find out more!!
Wineglass Bay is an icon when it comes to Tasmania. It is situated in the Freycinet National Park and is known for its amazing beach, in fact it has been listed in the top ten beaches of the world! Most people will see the Bay by climbing up to the lookout, some will even climb down to dip their toes in the water, a few may even walk along to the end of the beach… but only a couple out of all those hundreds of daily visitors will camp in the campground.
Now when I first told people about camping in Wineglass Bay , most thought I was talking about the Freycinet Peninsular Circuit, the 2 -3 day 27km hike. Sure that’s a great hike, but I’m not positive the younger kids are quiet up to the challenge… yet!
No, when Im talking about camping at Wineglass Bay, I’m talking about walking along the beach and camping at the end… A walk that I believe can be achieved by most people with a bit of preparation..two families with young children were there at the same time as us. This is an experience you will never forget!
The walk begins at the Wineglass Bay Carpark. here you will find bathrooms and a place to fill up your water bottles and hydra packs. Make sure you register your walk on the register that you find in the shelter at the base of the hike. The beginning of this hike is steep and uphill.. thank goodness for the seats along the way! The path is well formed and you will find plenty of people on the track at any time of the day, although I would strongly suggest you start this hike as early in the morning as possible. In 1.6km you will find the lookout and the first sight of where your final destination is! Take a break, have a drink and snack and enjoy the view!
From the lookout it is downhill! The are many steps, 1000 in fact! So take it easy but within another 1.6km you find yourself down on the beach. We took another break here, to visit the toilet at the end of the track and to admire the clear water that Wineglass Bay is known for! To get to the Campsite it is an easy 20 min walk to the far end of the beach, maybe take your shoes off and enjoy the sand between your toes. Before long you find yourself at the stairs that go into the campground. You can camp anywhere around here, if you are lucky you will score yourself a spot right next to the entrance, overlooking the water. Either way there is plenty of space under the trees. Close by there are some composting toilets and the track that goes further along the Freycinet Peninsular Track.
After setting up camp why not spend the afternoon exploring the rocks at the end of the beach, watching the boats come into the bay and dipping your toes into the water .. it was too cold for us to fully go in! We were very thankful that we came into came before lunch.. we missed the heat of the day, the rain that came through and we scored the best site before the afternoon arrivals came in, so keep that in mind when planning your hike on the track.
One night in camp is enough for beginner overnight hikers, especially when water is limited. It means you don’t have to carry too much food and water, we took 3 litres each (in summer) – considering that equates to 3kg extra in the pack on top of equipment it is a necessity that can be heavy when you are starting out.
The next day it is just a matter of waking up, pulling down the tent and walking back along the beach. From the end of the track near the toilets you have a choice, whether to go straight back up the 1000 steps to the lockout retracing your steps from the day before, 3km to the carpark, or heading along via Hazards beach another 8km to the carpark. For us we voted… and we went back up the stairs to the lookout. It really wasn’t too bad even though everyone we passed by thought we were mad! Plus it gave us another chance to check out the view! Take your time, rest and drink water when you need it and before you know it you are back at the carpark
Arriving back in the carpark don’t forget to check out of the log book before heading off to your next adventure!
What: Overnight Hike to Wineglass bay, Tasmania, Australia
Where: Freycinet National Park
Cost: Free although you do need a National Parks Pass
Need to know: The whole hike will take you about 2 and half hours, There is NO reliable water along this track so you need to carry it all in, weather can change dramatically in Tasmania so be prepared for all weather, only camp in campground – anywhere else is illegal and too be honest with the high tide I witnessed very dangerous, always tell someone where you are going and register in log book, you will need to be reasonably fit enough to carry a pack with all your gear and make sure you drink plenty of water and eat regularly.
Stayed tuned for a blog post on overnight hiking and what to take..
Safe Travels
Kerrie
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