MOT Tour Day 33 - Freycinet

Staggering, jaw dropping scenery which took us by complete surprise. 

That might be enough to describe our day of leaving Bicheno and arriving at Coles Bay, on the doorstep of Freycinet NP. The Hazards, a series of mountains which are crammed onto to a peninsular that sticks out in a southerly direction about half the way down the Tasmanian east coast. It creates the large Coles Bay and the mountains of pink granite tower above the water which surrounds the Freycinet Peninsular. To cap it off, an isthmus joins the even bigger peaks of Freycinet and Graham to the peninsular.

Its just very hard to explain the magnitude of mountains rising from the water.

After the short run down the coast from Bicheno, we had the van back up and open before an early lunch, giving us a leg up on our visit and freeing up an afternoon. It was an automatic decision to head to the National Park for the walk to Wineglass Bay Lookout.

It was a climb to reach the saddle between Mt Amos and Mt Mayson which would occupy our afternoon and reveal the world famous Wineglass Bay to us. It was steep. There were lots of steps. We took our time and rested several times on both the way up and the way down. On the way up we listened carefully - if breathlessly - to encouragers who were descending and wanting us to experience what they now had in their memory. On the way down, we did the same for others wondering if their legs and lungs would overpower their anticipation.

The reveal at the top is dramatic and beautifully presented by Tasmanian National Parks, with long platforms from which to absorb the amazing view before you and places to sit. The picture before us was as dramatic as it was beautiful. Wineglass Bay is there, almost at your feet, with its iconic curve of white sand and stunning aqua water. To the left are a series of cliffs and spurs which run down to the ocean. To the right, Hazards Beach reveals Coles Bay. Behind it all are the towing peaks of Mount Graham and Mount Freycinet.

It is just one of the most beautiful scenes I have seen.

The descent was hard in its own way, with different leg muscles having their turn to scream but glimpses of Coles Bay through the trees and the regular appearance of Mt Amos above us still gave us moments of awe.

Click here to see today's photos

Returning to the car, we drove around to Coles Bay, to find the few shops that exist in this small community of under 400. With fish and chips on a picnic table, we sat by the water as Coles Bay was lapping away, while 3 kms away across the bay, the Hazards sat defiantly on the Freycinet Peninsular, shadows of the afternoon sun giving a changing character to folds and cracks and diverse angles.

Brilliant. Just brilliant.