Wineglass Bay Beach Guide

Wineglass Beach is one of Tasmania’s most iconic sights – a picture-perfect crescent of shimmering white sand edging the vivid blue waters of Wineglass Bay – the perfect spot for a beach holiday or romantic getaway.

With the help of rough bush steps, climb the steep 1.3km-long trail to Wineglass Bay Lookout, a 220m-high saddle that divides Mount Amos (454m) and Mount Mayson (415m). Once there, be rewarded with breathtaking views over the beach, peninsula and beyond to Thouin Bay and the Tasman Sea.

Scramble down the boulder-strewn hillside to this squeaky-clean beach – allow half an hour to stroll to the southern end of the beach for stunning views across Wineglass Bay to the Hazards. Enjoy a picnic, go for a swim or paddle a sea kayak across the crystal clear waters of the bay.

Alternatively, take a cruise from Coles Bay to get a different perspective of this magnificent beach. Look out for bottlenose dolphins and a seal colony sunning themselves on the rocks of the headland as sea eagles float on thermal winds overhead.

Surrounded by the unspoilt wilderness of Freycinet National Park and fringed by native bushland, Wineglass Beach is easily reached on foot from either Freycinet Lodge or Wineglass Bay car park. Choose either the 2.5-hour return hike past pink granite outcrops via Wineglass Bay Lookout or the longer 4- to 6-hour return hike by way of the isthmus that links Wineglass Beach and Hazards Beach on the Wineglass Bay circuit hike.

Other great beaches nearby
Discover 10 sandy beaches dotted along the fringes of the 17,000ha Freycinet Peninsula and Great Oyster Bay. The crystal clear waters offer a range of water sports from fishing, swimming and diving to waterskiing, sailing and kayaking. Here are some of the best beaches:

Hazards Beach – Take a turn along this magical white-sand beach en route to Wineglass Bay Lookout. Admire shells of all shapes and sizes, see ancient Aboriginal shell middens in the dunes along the beach, go for a swim or launch a sea kayak for a paddle around the peninsula.

Discover little bays at each end of the beach, home to rocky outcrops that are perfect for snorkelling. Located on the southern side of the isthmus from Wineglass Bay, Hazards Beach stretches from the southern end of Freycinet to the tip of the Hazards mountain range and is easily accessed by foot or boat.

Friendly Beaches – Discover a long, unspoilt, soft white-sand beach perfect for fishing, surfing and walking for hours undisturbed by other folk. Go skinny-dipping, sunbathe or surf the waves. Swimming is possible here, but as this is an unpatrolled ocean beach with strong rips, swimmers need to be cautious.

The beach runs from Isaacs Point in the north to Freshwater Lagoon at the southern end on the eastern side of the peninsula. Just inland sits a natural saltwater lagoon fringed by native heathland, where you can watch numerous wild duck, black swans and pelicans.

Richardsons Beach – This popular, long beach on the western edge of the Hazards runs from Richardsons township to Freycinet Lodge. The beach offers safe swimming and an easy launching spot for kayakers wishing to explore Great Oyster Bay and beyond. Fishing for squid (outside the mating season) is allowed from the rocks between Richardsons Beach and Honeymoon Bay.

Honeymoon Bay – Choose from four small beaches to swim, snorkel and dive among rocks known for attracting numerous colourful fish. The beach is sheltered and shelves into safe shallow waters that are perfect for children.

Muirs Beach – Popular for families wanting to swim, boogie board and windsurf the gentle sea swell, this long white-sand beach offers lots of space for a relaxing day on the beach and runs along the western side of the Coles Bay township.

Cooks Beach – Take a 4-hour bushwalk from the Wineglass Bay car park to discover this pretty, sheltered beach that is just perfect for swimming. Campsites and toilets are located at the southern end of the beach.

Bryans Beach – Easily reached from Cooks Beach, the most southerly beach on the Freycinet Peninsula mainland is protected from nearly all weather conditions and is a popular shelter for boat users when the weather turns nasty.

Fish from the rocks at each end of the beach, dive for crayfish and abalone or swim, snorkel and sunbathe on this secluded beach. Campsites are located nearby.

Best time to visit Wineglass Bay?
Summer (December to February) is the best time to enjoy the beaches of southeast Tasmania with sunny skies and an average daily high of 23˚C. Although it can rain throughout the year weather conditions are generally good throughout summer to autumn (February to April).