Rose early for the sunrise this morning and wandered the little secluded coves of Binnalong Bay. I was awed by the ever changing appearance of the stunning lichen covered boulders as they were touched by the first rays of the rising sun. The red orange and yellow hues really came alive as the sun rose, lighting up the landscape in a million shades of red and orange and yellow. These wild splashes of colour provide a surreal contrast to the cool blue waters.

We started todays journey down to the Freycinet peninsula with a beautiful coastal drive stopping briefly at Redbill beach recommended by my brother.

Cool, turquoise waters sparkling in the sunlight? ✔️ Pure white sand, squeaking between your toes? ✔️ Salt ‘n’ pepper speckled boulders, splashed in red? ✔️ Flowers spilling down the banks surrounding the white sand? ✔️ Could it be any prettier? No. But we couldn’t really stay and relax as our daily itinerary was long. So we snapped some pictures and were soon on our way south.

Next was the Cape Tourville Lighthouse Walk in Freycinet National Park- an easy short walk on a well-constructed walkway, perched high above the Tasman Sea, offering remarkable coastal views from the easternmost cape. Much of the walk is on raised boardwalks, which at times, took us right to the cliffs edge. Sights include the reffed granite peaks of the Hazards, Wineglass Bay and nearby offshore rocks known as the Nuggets.

From there we continued onto Wineglass Bay. This is one of the most iconic spots in Tasmania and one of the world’s most beautiful beaches- and seeing it from above took our breath away. This beach inside Freycinet National Park has been voted among the world’s Top 10, and when we emerged a little hot and bothered from the eucalypt-scented forest we could see why. It is simply stunning, with its pure, white arch of sand curving perfectly towards the horizon… and it’s shimmering, azure waters that gently surge and swell… and beyond to the pink-hued rugged granite slopes of the Hazards (that somehow reminded me of Meteora in Greece) that rise dramatically from the sheltered turquoise bay. Time permitting, we could have taken the 1000 step trail down to the beach which I’m sure would have been amazing, as would a beautiful catamaran cruise (with wine) but that will have to wait for another visit (which I’m starting to think is inevitable).

Our next stop was for a very well deserved break at the modern and popular Devils Corner Cellar door recommended by my friend Anne and recently featured on MasterChef. Named after a rugged patch in nearby waters, The Devil’s Corner Cellar Door is a striking piece of contemporary architecture with one of the best views of the Hazards Range anywhere. We enjoyed a tasting of the Devil’s Corner range of wines accompanied by a truffled cheese platter as we relaxed on the deck taking in the panoramic views of the Hazards and Freycinet Peninsula and Moulting Lagoon wetlands.

We headed to Bicheno- a tiny town full of holiday shacks, bobbing boats, and friendly faces, to see the impressive blowhole. For thousands of years the ocean has battered the granite to carve out a sea cave underneath the coast. The water, battening the inside of the cave with increasing force, found a weak spot in the ceiling to blow a hole in the granite. The water now rushes into the cave, hits the walls , swells with increasing pressure and it all erupts out of the hole in the ceiling. This creates a geyser effect for those standing on top of the cave. The geyser erupts with varying force and the water makes different shapes with every surge of the ocean. They say to never turn your back on the blowhole. Well I did and unglamorously went a over t and landed flat on my back. Luckily nothing bruised except my ego (but very wet) 😆.

We then had some fun taking silly pictures amongst the rich deep orange coloured boulders

We made our way to the famed Lobster Shack for an early dinner which we had been so looking forward to. Boasting arguably the best dining location in Tasmania, the Lobster Shack is a boutique, farm gate style eatery overlooking the majestic ‘Gulch’ in Bicheno, where Lobster really is the hero! Except that it wasn’t (they gave me mor bay instead of garlic butter). And neither was anything else really. Very disappointing.

While during the day Bicheno is a fairly sleepy place, at night it apparently comes alive as one of the best places in Tasmania to see fairy penguins. After dinner we sat waiting expectantly for the cute little critters to make their appearance walking up the rocks and past us. And we waited. And waited. Cold and tired (and me still wet from my fall) we gave up. And then, suddenly in our way back to our car- there they were in all their cute glory… not in the hundreds but we were happy that we saw any at all.