Tasmania's East Coast: Hobart to the Bay of Fires
Four days up the Tasman Highway past Maria Island, Freycinet and Bicheno to the lichen-orange granite of the Bay of Fires and the waterfalls near St Helens.
- Distance
- 380 km (236 mi)
- Driving
- 4 h 09 min
- Suggested days
- 4
- Stops
- 12
- States
- Tasmania
- Updated
- April 25, 2026
At a glance: 4-day road trip of about 380 km (236 mi) with 12 stops, from Hobart to St Columba Falls. About 4 h 09 min of driving in total.
More road trips in Tasmania · More road trips from Hobart
Route description
Day one: leave Hobart on the Tasman Highway through Sorell and Orford to Triabunna, about 85 km and 1 h 10 min. Take the passenger ferry to Maria Island for Darlington's convict buildings, wombats and the Painted Cliffs at low tide, or stay on the mainland. Then drive about 50 km to Swansea for the night. Fuel up in Triabunna.
Day two: Swansea to Coles Bay, about 30 km, for Freycinet National Park. Walk to the Wineglass Bay Lookout early, about 1.5 km each way on steps, then drive to Cape Tourville for the easy cliff loop. The campground at Richardsons Beach fills quickly in summer. A Tasmanian Parks Pass is needed to enter the park.
Day three: return to the highway and drive north to Bicheno, about 45 km, where the blowhole is a short stop and little penguin tours run at dusk. Continue to St Helens, about 110 km and 1 h 30 min, along a road with few services. Wallabies and wombats are active at dusk and dawn, so slow down.
Day four: from St Helens, Binalong Bay is about 10 km on a sealed road and the best start for the Bay of Fires at sunrise. Check road conditions before driving the gravel coast tracks to The Gardens or Eddystone Point. Turn inland to St Columba Falls, about 35 km west, then return to Hobart, roughly 280 km and four hours.
Stop-by-stop itinerary
In driving order. Distances are estimates between consecutive stops.
- 1Start
Hobart
Tasmania - 281 km
Darlington, Maria Island
HistoryTriabunna, TasmaniaMaria Island is car-free and reached by passenger ferry from Triabunna. Darlington has convict-era buildings, part of the UNESCO Australian Convict Sites, and wombats, kangaroos and Cape Barren geese graze on the grass.
- 362 km
Swansea
Tasmania - 417 km
Coles Bay
Tasmania - 57 km
Wineglass Bay Lookout
ViewsColes Bay, TasmaniaA steep, stepped path of about 1.5 km each way climbs from the car park to a saddle in the Hazards with the famous view of Wineglass Bay's white curve. Go early in summer for parking and shade.
- 65 km
Cape Tourville Lighthouse
ViewsColes Bay, TasmaniaA short, mostly level loop along the cliff tops at the eastern end of Freycinet, with a boardwalk, views along the granite coast and out to sea. A good alternative to the Wineglass Bay walk, and lovely at sunrise.
- 734 km
Bicheno
Tasmania - 81 km
Bicheno Blowhole
NatureBicheno, TasmaniaSpray shoots from a gap in the granite on the Bicheno foreshore when the swell is up, with a loud boom. It is a short, easy stop; keep behind the barriers. At dusk, local tours show little penguins coming ashore.
- 974 km
St Helens
Tasmania - 1010 km
Binalong Bay (Bay of Fires)
NatureSt Helens, TasmaniaThe southern gateway to the Bay of Fires / Larapuna, where granite boulders covered in orange lichen frame white sand and turquoise water. About 10 km from St Helens on a sealed road; best at sunrise.
- 1136 km
Eddystone Point (larapuna)
HistorySt Helens, TasmaniaA granite lighthouse completed in 1889 stands among heath and sea at the northern end of the Bay of Fires coast. The point, called larapuna in palawa kani, has long Aboriginal significance. Remote; carry water.
- 1253 km
St Columba Falls
NatureSt Helens, TasmaniaOne of Tasmania's tallest waterfalls, about 90 m, plunging into a fern-filled gorge near Pyengana. An easy track of about 20 minutes return leads to the viewing platform; a well-known dairy farm lies nearby.
Suggested stages and overnight stops
4 days, split by driving time. Campsites from OpenStreetMap: check opening dates before you go.
- Day 1: Hobart → Darlington, Maria Island · 81 km · 0 h 53 min
- Day 2: Darlington, Maria Island → Bicheno · 125 km · 1 h 22 minOn the way: Swansea, Coles Bay, Wineglass Bay Lookout, Cape Tourville Lighthouse.
- Day 3: Bicheno → St Helens · 75 km · 0 h 49 minOn the way: Bicheno Blowhole.
- Day 4: St Helens → St Columba Falls · 99 km · 1 h 05 minOn the way: Binalong Bay (Bay of Fires), Eddystone Point (larapuna).
Best time to go
The most pleasant months are usually November–March. Still fine, with some compromises, in April–May and October. July and August are the busiest months: book campsites early.
Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons
FAQs
How long is Tasmania's East Coast: Hobart to the Bay of Fires?
4-day road trip of about 380 km (236 mi) with 12 stops, from Hobart to St Columba Falls. About 4 h 09 min of driving in total.
How many days do you need for Tasmania's East Coast: Hobart to the Bay of Fires?
We suggest 4 days: about 4 h 09 min of driving, which leaves time for the stops.
Where does Tasmania's East Coast: Hobart to the Bay of Fires start and end?
It starts in Hobart and ends in St Columba Falls.
Which states does Tasmania's East Coast: Hobart to the Bay of Fires pass through?
Tasmania.
When is the best time for Tasmania's East Coast: Hobart to the Bay of Fires?
The most pleasant months are usually November–March. Still fine, with some compromises, in April–May and October. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)
