Coastal Wilds of Tasmania Cruise

No two Tasmania voyages are the same. Throughout the expedition, allowances may be made for seasonal variations, weather, tidal conditions and any other event that may affect the operation of the vessel. Below is a selection of the key destinations visited.

Port Davey: Mount Beattie or Mount Milner
On the edge of the world in southwest Tasmania, the landscape is about as wild as it gets. Raw, craggy-peaked mountains and drowned river valleys. Wild rivers and rivulets carved by an eternity. Where tannin-rich freshwater sits atop saltwater, tinting the ocean the color of tea. With no road access, the logical way to explore this wilderness is by small expedition ship.

Trek Options:

Mount Beattie (3 Hours Return, moderate, 839ft/256m above sea level)
The Mt Beattie track starts from a jetty at Claytons Corner where the historic Claytons Hut is located. It travels steady uphill through native forest then opens out to button grass in open, windy areas which are often muddy en route to the summit. It offers stunning views of the whole Port Davey area in particular Bathurst Harbor.

Mount Milner (2 Hours Return, moderate, 590 ft/180m above sea level)
This hike begins with getting your feet wet in the shallow bay, then slowly gainins height before reaching a short but very steep section before leveling off at an easy up and down section to the lookout over the Break Sea Islands.

*Access to Port Davey and Bathurst Harbor is subject to annual permits being granted by Tasmania Parks and Wildlife.

Bruny Island
At Adventure Bay on the east coast of Bruny Island, walk along the dramatic coastal cliffs of Fluted Cape and hope to see Bennett’s Wallabies which are endemic to Bruny Island. Learn about the rich maritime history of Adventure Bay and explore the history of old whaling stations on the way to Grass Point.

Trek:

Fluted Cape Walkway (3 Hours Return, moderate, 787ft/240m above sea level)
This is a moderately challenging track which has a very well-maintained loop track with several short steep sections over a gradual incline. It begins at the beach and is a flat easy walk to grassy point (1~ mile/1.5km) where the steep uphill section begins, it levels off at the lookout sections (~1 mile/1.5km) and then traverses down through the forest area which can be slippery and muddy if rainfall has occurred.

Tasman National Park
The Tasman Peninsula is known for its fascinating geological formations like the Tessellated Pavement, Tasman Arch, and the soaring 985ft/300m-high dolerite sea cliffs of Cape Raoul, Cape Pillar and Cape Hauy – the tallest in the southern hemisphere. Visit Fortescue Bay and select a hike.

Trek Options:

Cape Hauy (4 Hours Return, moderate, 590ft/180m above sea level)
This features many steps along the way over 1000 on the way down and 800 to the junction lookout – good fitness and balance required. It starts from the boat ramp and undulates through woodlands and heath; it then drops down a steep set of steps before ascending to the Cape.

Canoe Bay to Bivouac Bay
Stroll along the shoreline looking for local wildlife as you beachcomb from Canoe to Bivouac Bay.

Freycinet National Park: Hazards Loop, Isthmus Trail or Wineglass Lookout
The Freycinet Peninsula is a dramatic headland dominated by a pink-hued granite mountain range called the Hazards. Blessed with picturesque sweeping bays with white-sand beaches like famed Wineglass Bay, much of the peninsula is designated as Freycinet National Park.

Trek Options:

Hazards Loop (3.5-4 Hours Return, moderate, 669ft/204m above sea level)
From Wineglass Bay across the Isthmus track and walk down Hazards Beach before joining onto the Hazards track, looping onto the start of the Wineglass Bay lookout walk from Coles Bay.

Isthmus Trail (30 Minutes Return, easy-moderate)
An easy, flattish walk that undulates between Hazards Beach and Wineglass Bay on a well-formed trail can be walked either way. It features both sand and dirt tracks as well as a selection of boardwalks.

Wineglass Bay Lookout (2 Hours Return, moderate, 669ft/204m above sea level)
One of Tasmania’s celebrated walks, it is a very well-constructed walkway passing through the coastal woodland and striking granite boulders to the lookout. It is a steep uphill climb featuring many individual steps (more than 500) before reaching the lookout summit. Without a permiot to land on the Coles Bay side, this is a return from Wineglass Bay.

Maria Island National Park
Maria Island can be referred to as a Noah’s Ark for native Tasmanian species. The Maria Island National Park provides an ideal sanctuary and is one of the best places in Australia to observe endemic birdlife as well as wombats, Cape Barren geese, forester kangaroos, Bennett’s Wallabies and pademelons.

Trek Options:

Bishop & Clerk (4-5 Hours Return, difficult, 2,034ft/620m above sea level)
This hike climbs through grasslands, open forests and tall woodland, to rocky slopes with towering dolomite columns of the summit. It involves steep up and down sections, and an extensive field of boulders with a short climb to the summit.

Fossil Cliffs Loop (2-2.5 Hours Loop Return, easy-moderate, 170ft/54m above sea level)
This is a loop walk starting at the jetty and finishing at the Darlington Settlement. It follows gentle but uneven grassy areas and well-maintained tracks. It is mostly gentle ups and downs but does feature one steep hill climb. It visits the old buildings and the fossil cliffs where fossils were deposited some 300 million years ago.

Painted Cliffs (2-2.5 Hours Loop Return, easy-moderate, 183ft/56m above sea level)
A relaxing loop return coastal walk that features the stunning painted cliffs at Hopground beach, best done on a low tide to allow safe access to the rock platform beneath the cliffs.

Your Tasmania adventure concludes in Hobart this morning as you bid farewell to new-found friends, the Master and crew, disembarking at 8:00am. A complimentary transfer is provided to central business district hotels, or the airport is included.

No two Tasmania voyages are the same. Throughout the expedition, allowances may be made for seasonal variations, weather, tidal conditions and any other event that may affect the operation of the vessel. Below is a selection of the key destinations visited.

Maria Island
The historic ruins and rugged cliffs of Maria Island National Park are home to diverse wildlife that includes forester kangaroos, bennetts wallabies, and wombats. Walk to historic Darlington Settlement, explore the ancient sea beds of the Fossil Cliffs and marvel at the sandstone formations of the Painted Cliffs.

Freycinet Peninsula
At Freycinet Peninsula, see the pink granite formations of the Hazard Mountains and the sweeping bays fringed by Eucalypts. Join a guided hike to the Wineglass Bay beach–one of the best beaches in the world. Witness fur seals lounging on the rocks at the Ile des Phoques.

Flinders Island
Visit wild and rugged Flinders Island and marvel at the pink and gray granite mountain ranges of Strzelecki National Park. Land at beautiful Trousers Point beach, with the possibility of enjoying two of Tasmania’s Great Short Walks at Trousers Point and Castle Rock. Visit seaside townships, discover the sad history of Wybalenna Settlement and see relics of Flinders maritime past at the Furneaux Museum.

Kent Island Group
Weather permitting, visit the Kent Group of islands, Tasmania’s northernmost National Park and a marine protected area. These islands are the remains of a land bridge that once connected Tasmania with main land Australia over 10,000 years ago. The waters of Kent Island are crystal clear, with the highest diversity of fish species in Australia. At Deal Island, visit the caretaker’s cottage, enjoy several walk options and swim and kayak off the beach.

Tamar River Valley & Launceston
Cruise the scenic Tamar River to Launceston – which has recently been designated a UNESCO City of Gastronomy. Formed by the confluence of the North and South Esk rivers at Launceston, the river’s banks are peppered with scenic reserves, historic properties and notable vineyards. Here, visit a local truffle farm and spend time in the riverfront city of ‘Launnie’ to view its architectural treasures. 

Stanley
On the visit to Stanley, walk to see The Nut—an old volcanic plug that measures close to three miles with a steep section which flattens to form the top. Consider the chairlift to skip the incline. Either way, be rewarded with coastal views before heading to explore Highfield Historic Site.

King Island
Weather permitting, visit King Island, whose tumultuous waters are the final resting place of over 140 shipwrecks. Learn about the island’s rich and often terrible maritime history, as well as it’s famous beef and cheese industries.

West Coast Cruising
Home to striking mountain ranges, ancient pines and untamed rivers, the wild west coast is the heart of Tasmania’s wilderness and a true frontier. Take in the dramatic scenery during a day of cruising.

Port Davey
A marine reserve and part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, spectacular Port Davey is only accessible by sea, small aircraft, or a multi-day hike.  Enjoy the unforgettable experience of kayaking in Bramble Cove and explore Melaleuca, along with hiking and bird-watching. Spend 2 days here, and upon departure, cruise past the remote south coast island of Maatsuyker, home to Australia’s most southerly lighthouse.

*Access to Port Davey and Bathurst Harbor is subject to annual permits being granted by Tasmania Parks and Wildlife.

Bruny Island
Experience the rugged beauty of Fluted Cape as you walk along the sheer coastal cliffs. Learn about the rich maritime history of Adventure Bay and explore the history of old whaling stations on the way to Grass Point.

Tasman Peninsula
The Tasman Peninsula is known for its fascinating geological formations, including the soaring 1,000-foot-high (300m) dolerite sea cliffs of Cape Raoul, Cape Pillar and Cape Hauy – the tallest in the southern hemisphere. Watch fur seals hauling out on the rocks, as well as playful dolphins feeding and magnificent albatross soaring amongst the updrafts created by the sea cliffs. At Fortescue Bay, hike a section of the Three Capes track towards Cape Hauy, and later the ship will circumnavigate the impressive Tasman Island. This evening experience a signature event at Bangor Vineyard, featuring the region’s finest local produce and hosted by 7th generation farmer Matt Dunbabin.

Port Arthur
One of Australia’s most significant historic places, the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Port Arthur ruins stand sentinel on the Tasman Peninsula south of the narrow isthmus of Eaglehawk Neck. For more than 40 years the Port Arthur penal colony housed British and Australian convicts sentenced to hard labor before its heavy iron doors clanked shut for the last time in 1877.

Disembark in Hobart at 8:00am. A post-cruise transfer to the central business district or the airport is included.