Wineglass Bay Sea Temperature Today

Beaches

The sand at Wineglass Bay stretches for more than a kilometre and is reached only on foot or by boat, so it rarely feels crowded. The Tasman Sea is clear but cool for much of the year, with no lifeguards, and most visitors paddle rather than swim. Hazards Beach, on the other side of the isthmus, is linked to Wineglass Bay by a circuit walk, and Honeymoon Bay and Richardsons Beach, near the entrance to Freycinet National Park, are small sheltered coves with easy access. North of Coles Bay, the Friendly Beaches are a long, wild stretch facing the open sea.

Things to do

The walk from the car park to the Wineglass Bay Lookout is steep but well made and takes about an hour to an hour and a half return; continuing down to the beach and back makes it a trip of around three hours, and the full Hazards Beach circuit takes most of a day. Experienced walkers climb Mount Amos over bare granite slabs, which should be avoided in wet weather. Boat cruises from Coles Bay sail around the peninsula into Wineglass Bay, often passing dolphins, seals and sea eagles, and the Cape Tourville boardwalk looks out along the coast. A Tasmanian parks pass is required to enter Freycinet National Park.

Weather and best time to visit

The east coast of Tasmania has a mild temperate climate, drier than the west of the island. Summer, from December to February, brings the warmest days, but the weather can change quickly and cool sea breezes are common. December and January school holidays and Easter are the busiest times, when the car park near the Wineglass Bay Lookout can fill by mid-morning.

Hotels and where to stay

The small town of Coles Bay, at the entrance to Freycinet National Park, has holiday houses, cabins and a campground, and the park itself has a lodge and camping areas. Saffire Freycinet, a luxury lodge outside Coles Bay, looks across Great Oyster Bay to the Hazards.

Signature hotels: Freycinet Lodge (Freycinet National Park)

Airport and getting there

Allow roughly two and a half to three hours to drive to Coles Bay from either Hobart or Launceston, both of which have airports with flights from mainland Australia. Public transport to the east coast of Tasmania is limited, so most visitors hire a car; check current bus and shuttle options before travelling.