Freycinet National Park, Nature reserve on eastern coast, Tasmania
Freycinet National Park is a reserve on Tasmania's eastern coast where granite peaks rise above sandy bays and forested slopes. The coastline alternates between rocky headlands and sheltered coves, with walking tracks leading through heathland and eucalyptus forest.
The reserve was declared in 1916, making it one of the oldest protected areas in Australia. Louis de Freycinet mapped this coastline during a French voyage in the early 19th century, and the peninsula later took his name.
The peninsula takes its name from a French navigator who charted these waters in the early 1800s. Shell middens scattered along the shore remind visitors of the Oyster Bay people who lived and gathered here for thousands of years.
Visitors need a park pass, available at the entrance or online, to access walking tracks, camping sites, and lookout points. Most trails are well marked, but some sections require sturdy footwear and plenty of drinking water.
The reserve shelters 49 animal species found only in Tasmania, including eastern quolls and Bennett's wallabies. Dolphins sometimes enter the bays to feed, and visitors walking along the shore may spot them close to the beach.
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