Don’t you feel like a discoverer when you find rare and beautiful things out of the blue? My road trip to Tasmania gave me an opportunity to discoverer some of the fascinating gems of nature. My top favorite being the Bioluminiscent alage that I found in Hobart. This post is all about finding beaches and hike to Wineglass Bay Lookout Tasmania.
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Continuing from Day 1 – Lavender Field and Bay of Fires
Day 2 was all about exploring the neighbouring coastal villages of east coast. Beaches,Β waterfront and sand so white and smooth that it felt like flour.
We stopped by Scamander to have a delicious brunch of fish burger, eggs and toast. The sun was blazing hot so we drove further south to find a swimming spot. It was then we saw the sign of Falmouth on the highway and decided to explore the area. The most amusing sign board I saw was of a lodge called Wooly Butt, probably namedΒ so due toΒ numerous sheep in the farmland. Falmouth is a quaint coastal resort village, which initially I thought had only rows of houses, but when we reached theΒ end,Β aΒ surprise awaited us.
The whole beach was covered in Shells.Β Layers and layers of sea shells.Β One can’t even walkΒ barefoot over it.Β That was the spot we decided to go swimming as the water was shallow and the waves didn’t crash into it. I made a video-call to my sister and mom to show my amazing find. I was as excited as the little kid who was body boarding in the water nearby. This was one of the very few places where I found people.Β Even though the numbers were only a few. We spent the afternoon here. My husband swam in the ocean,Β while I fiddled around the shore.
We decided to hit the bed early as the next day was going to be long and tiring one. We drove back to St Helens, bought Chinese Food as that was the only restaurant that was open and slept even before it started to get dark, which was around 9 pm.
On Day 3 we woke up to a bright sunny morning.Β Our amazing motel owner had provided bread and wide range of spreads for breakfast.Β We packed, leisurely enjoyed a light breakfast and by 8 am had checked out of the hotel.
There was only one activity I had planned that day –Β Hike to Wineglass Bay Lookout. My research told me that this was going to be a tough hike due to steep mountain track.
On our way we stopped by numerous unknown beaches, with one common feature – incredibly white sand.
We reached Coles bay by midday. The three peaks afar looked formidable and intriguing. What I didn’t know at that time was I was going to climb one of them.
From Freycinet Visitors’ Center we bought a day pass as it is compulsory to buy pass when you visit the national parks in Tasmania.
After applying enough sunscreen,Β we packed few packets of Doritos, a big water bottle,Β and made our way towards the popular lookout.
The climb to the lookout was short but steep. I could feel my heart racing within 10 minutes of walk. At one point I even started wondering if I would make it to the top.Β But then I saw three elderly women and an old man slowly walking uphill with walking sticks.Β They were exhausted and didn’t have mobility like ours.Β It was so inspiring just to watch them continue the walk. Well,Β that was enough to pump some energy into me. With a resolve to do more cardio in the new year, we carried on and in 30 minutes reached the beautiful lookout point. The group of women burst into laughter and celebration and slapped each other’s back on making it to the lookout.
Β View of Coles Bay while walking towards Wineglass BayΒ Lookout
The shirt was off after few steps. Too hot to handle π
The perfect curve and ivory sand looks striking from the lookout. The history of Wineglass Bay is pretty dark as this spot was once a popular spot for hunting whales in 1820s. All the killing and mess made the area look like a red colored stained wineglass. Thankfully, the beauty has restored and no signs of those dark days can be seen.
From the lookout, we saw another track that would take us to the beach.Β It was a 1.5 hour return track.Β We decided to give it a go and within 30 minutes we reached the bottom. The path was rocky but downhill,Β so we did not face much difficulty. However, at one point I started feeling dizzy and had to sit for a while. The weather was extremely humid and hot, and this region received harsh sunlight. It was a good thing that we had applied lots of water resistant sunscreen.
The bay was absolutely stunning, with sand so white that the reflection and brightness were almost blinding. I was literally dazzled by all the surrounding beauty! We were in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by the sea on three sides and encircled by towering mountains.
I found a spot in the shade, opened a packet of Doritos, and sat down to gaze at the sea. These are the places where you can let your mind go blank and fully absorb the surroundings. Listening to the waves, the wind rustling through the trees, I felt grateful for the chance to witness this natural wonder.
Although, in my case, I was also watching this lovely girl with some serious flexibility skills taking pictures of her friends.Β At one point she almost did a split to take a picture.
The walk back was exhausting. It was all uphill, and my heart was ready to jump out of my mouth. I took numerous breaks,Β drank water, rested on rocks,Β took lots of pictures, and in 1 hour, we made it back to the lookout point.Β From there,Β the path was downhill till the parking area.Β We even spotted a couple of wallabies during our climb.
From here on,Β the trip wasn’t too adventurous and we drove directly towards our motel in Swansea – a beautiful village that initially felt very secluded as the only people I saw were in the restaurant where we had our dinner.
Our hotel was right next to the seashore, which presented an excellent opportunity to watch a sunrise.
Stay tuned for the next adventure.
Follow my journey – More posts on Tasmania Road Trip
Day 1 – Lavender Fields and Bay of Fires
Day 4 – Tasman Peninsula
Day 5/ Day 6 – The Stunning Tasmanian Landscape (Hobart and Tullah)
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There are so many memorable places in this area. I have never seen a beach covered in shells. That would be cool to see. I think there are some like that in Florida (very far from Cali). The view from the lookouts is great. I am not the best hiker out there but, at my own pace, I know I can reach the top and enjoy the views.