Trip Date: January 23-24, 2019
2019 TASMANIA ADVENTURE VACATION
Mount Mayson Trail Circuit: Wineglass Bay to Fleurieu Point
Coles Bay Lookout
Wineglass Bay Lookout
Wineglass Beach
Hazards Beach
Fleurieu Point
Trip Report Summary
Region: Tasmania (Australia)
Sub-Region: Eastern Tasmania
Sub-Sub-Region: Hazard Range
Area: Freycinet National Park
Starting & Ending Point: Wineglass Bay Trailhead on Freycinet Drive (Elev. 150 feet / 45 meters)
Way Points: Mt. Amos Trail junction & Coles Bay Lookout & Amos–Mayson Saddle & Wineglass Bay Lookout & Wineglass Beach & Wineglass–Hazards Isthmus & Hazards Beach & Fleurieu Point (trail hike via Wineglass Bay Track—Isthmus Track—Hazards Beach Track)
High Point: Wineglass Bay Lookout (Elev. 650 feet / 200 meters)
Sidetrip: Hazards Beach outcrops (beach walk & slab hike)
Campsite: Hazards Beach Camp
Approximate Stats: 10.1 miles / 16.3 kilometers traveled; 1000 feet / 300 meters gained & lost.
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Full Trip Report
During our visit to the Freycinet Peninsula on the eastern coast of Tasmania, Eileen, Brooke, Callum, and I did a two-day loop hike around Mt. Mayson in Freycinet National Park. Mt. Mayson is one of five granitic peaks comprising the Hazard Range. The visual highlight of this hike was Wineglass Bay, which is internationally renowned for its gorgeous white-sand beach.
- Wineglass-Hazard Trailhead Photomap
Day 1: Trailhead to Wineglass Beach to Hazards Beach
Brooke and Cal wanted to repeat yesterday’s climb of Mt. Amos, in hopes of getter better visibility (Brooke has become a love-slave to her camera), so we all agreed to meet at Wineglass Beach later in the day. Starting at the Wineglass Bay Trailhead, Eileen and I hiked up to the saddle between Mt. Mayson and Mt. Amos. The high quality of this trail, and the 100-some other hikers using it today, firmly attested to the world-wide fame of Wineglass Bay.
- Hiking Up To Amos-Mayson Saddle
At the saddle, we made a 5-minute sidetrip up to Wineglass Bay Lookout. The view from here doesn’t compare with the view from nearby Mt. Amos, but this vantage can easily be reached by people wearing Gucci loafers—no Class 3 scrambling required.
- Wineglass Bay From Amos-Mayson Saddle
We crossed over the saddle and hiked down to Wineglass Beach (1.3 hours + 550 feet from TH). The combination of ivory sand, turquoise water, and ochre granite here is visually stunning. It’s easy to see why this bay is so popular, even in a country that possesses an embarrassing wealth of beautiful beaches.
- Wineglass Beach
Eileen and I spent several hours relaxing on the rocks, eating lunch, and admiring the scenery.
- Eileen Taking Life Easy At Wineglass Bay
Brooke and Cal arrived in mid-afternoon, following a photographically successful re-climb of Mt. Amos. Because they wanted to take some time to enjoy the beach here, we agreed to split up again and rendezvous at Hazards Beach Camp before dinner. Eileen and I hiked across the Isthmus Track to Hazards Beach, and then walked 1.5 miles down the beach to camp (5.0 hours + 600 feet from TH).
- Trail Sign At Hazards Beach Camp
After pitching our tent in the forest, we took a 90-minute tour of the shoreline. The rock exposed here is definitely not the hard-to-identify dolerite that we’d seen elsewhere in Tasmania. This is straight-up mega-crystalline granite. I badly wanted to take home a 50-pound sample.
- Strolling On Hazards Beach
- Mt Mayson & Mt Amos & Mt Dove From Hazards Beach
Brooke and Cal strolled into camp around 6:00pm, having soaked up enough sun at Wineglass Beach. Soon, we were all eating dinner on the rocky shore and watching the sunset across Great Oyster Bay.
- Jim & Eileen & Brooke & Cal At Hazards Beach
As we were finishing dinner, two other hikers plopped down on the rocks near us. We engaged them in conversation and found out that they had packed in an excessive quantity of water. Since there is no source of potable water at this campsite, we were happy to take some off their hands.
- Jim & Eileen & Brooke & Cal At Hazards Beach
Day 2: Hazards Beach to Fleurieu Point to Trailhead
We awoke to a cool and overcast morning. It had been a pretty uneventful night, except for the two crazy possums we discovered attacking our food bag at 1:00am. I managed to wrestle the bag away from them, and they eventually waddled off in a huff. Tasmanian possums are certainly not the timid little creatures I’m accustomed to seeing.
From camp, our route back to the trailhead involved a 2-mile beach walk and a 3-mile forest hike around Fleurieu Point. We were back at the trailhead by mid-morning (2.0 hours + 400 feet from camp) to close our loop.
- Hiking Around Fleurieu Point
Route Map & Profile
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Photo Gallery
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