What to Do On the Tasman Peninsula Beyond Port Arthur

For better or worse most parts of Tasmania are really known for one thing. The highlands are best known for Cradle Mountain and the north east is known for the Bay of Fires. Down on the Tasman Peninsula in southern Tasmania that place that everyone knows is Port Arthur. It is a famous convict settlement after all and certainly deserving of the attention. But what else is there to do on the Tasman Peninsula?

Well, actually there’s plenty of things to do on Tasman Peninsula. It’s almost half-covered in national park and it’s meandering coastline means that there are views around every corner. Add in the peninsula’s incredible cliffs, surprising beaches and curious rock formations, and you have enough attractions to keep you busy for days.

Now, you certainly won’t be able to see it all on a day trip to Port Arthur, but if you decide to spend longer in the Tasman Peninsula, these are some of the places you can look forward to seeing.

Eaglehawk Neck

The first place you’re likely to encounter when visiting the Tasman Peninsula is Eaglehawk Neck as the narrow isthmus connects the peninsula to the rest of the island. It may be the gateway to the region, but it also boasts a few sights of its own. 

One place to visit at Eaglehawk Neck before you even get on to the peninsula is the Tasman Bay National Park Lookout. It’s a little detour, but well worth the visit. There you’ll get your first view of the peninsula, which should heighten your excitement to explore this pocket of Tasmania.

Down on the “neck”, another good place to stop at is Pirates Bay Beach. With pristine white sand and not a soul in sight, it’s another fine beach in Tasmania to stroll along. Those unfamiliar with how things work down here should note that it gets pretty chilly even at the tail end of summer, so don’t get too excited about going for a dip.

Waterfall Bay

Heading onto the Tasman Peninsula proper we have a great cluster of attractions out on the east coast just down from Eaglehawk Neck. In the area you’ll find a variety of geological formations, all of which can be found by the trailhead for the Waterfall Bay Track.

Tasman’s Arch is the first you’ll come across and you get to actually walk over this rocky archway on a small trail circuit. Further along the coast lies the Devil’s Kitchen, a deep trench cut into the coastline with sheer walls on either side. And it’s at this point that many visitors seem to call it quits and head off.

But the real hero of the area is what you see when you follow the Waterfall Bay Track to its end. Along the way you’ll find another precarious archway at Patterson’s Arch, plus viewpoints every few hundred metres just off the track. The track is very gentle and accessible for all fitness levels, not to mention not really very far.

While the views along the track are good, wait until you reach Waterfall Bay Lookout. From it you get an unobstructed view of the huge bay below and the giant cliffs directly opposite. Often in the Tasman Peninsula you’re standing on top of cliffs rather than looking across towards them, but here you can see the sheer scale of them.

That scale was only enhanced when spied a small boat down in the bay below. You can only imagine what it must have been like for European sailors pulling into the bay and looking up at them.

Doo Town and The Blowhole

Even though they’re so close to the Waterfall Bay Track, I thought I’d pay a special mention to Doo Town and its Blowhole. At first glance there’s nothing notable about the community of Doo Town. But start looking at the names for each of its houses and a smile is bound to form on your face. Every house in Doo Town has a pun name centred around “Doo” and they get pretty creative. “Wattle-I-Doo” and “Thistle Doo Me” are two that I thought were super creative.

Just down the road from Doo Town you’ll find the peninsula’s Blowhole. Here water rushes in from the ocean through a narrow tunnel before crashing out in this open-air cave. It’s best visited on a day with rough seas to really get the right effect, but it and the nearby Fossil Bay Cliffs are still nice to see on their short walking loop.

For many the highlight though is grabbing a bite at the ever-popular Doo-lishus fish and chip truck. Just mind the seagulls because they’re some of the most determined ones I’ve ever encountered.

Cape Hauy

If you’re looking for a good hike on the Tasman Peninsula then you can’t miss Cape Hauy. Located at the southern end of the east coast off dirt roads, the highly-recommended Cape Hauy Track is packed with dramatic scenery. The cape is a key part of the four-day Three Capes Track, one of the newer overland tracks in Tasmania, which I hope to tackle one day. But if you’re short on time, just hiking Cape Hauy is a great alternative.

Don’t underestimate this hike though. The trail takes you from the perfectly secluded beach on Fortescue Bay all the way to the cape’s point and back. All told it’s a 4-to-5 hour return hike and includes a whopping 9000 stairs, which you’ll no doubt feel by the end. But the cliff views at the end are unquestionably worth it.

The Cape Hauy Track starts as a gentle bushwalk but quickly cranks up the difficulty once you reach its never-ending stone stairs. After reaching a viewpoint at its highest point, the trail then takes you over a series of rolling hills and troughs. It’s really once you the narrow section of the cape that you get to enjoy its epic cliffs.

The most impressive cliffs views though are at the final panoramic lookout where you can see the cliffs lined with rocky pillars and columns that somehow look both timeless and delicate. This is a spot that’s definitely not for those afraid of heights, as you get a real rush to the head from the sudden drop down. Out of view are the special rock formations, the Candlestick Rock and Totem Pole, which are best seen from the water on a cruise along the coast.

Cape Raoul

Those keen to see the coast of the Tasman Peninsula at its most wild need should seek out Cape Raoul. Found at the southern edge of the peninsula, Cape Raoul is all about the untamed elements. The cape is exposed to the Tasman Sea on almost sides, with nothing between it and Antarctica thousands of kilometres to the south.

Like Tasman National Park’s other capes, there are trails all the way out to the end. However, if time and weather are factors, consider doing the shorter walk out to the Cape Raoul and Shipstern Bluff Lookouts. A gentle 2 hour return hike takes you to these clifftop vantage points with sweeping coastline views.

As you walk out to the lookouts, make to sure to admire the natural scenery on the way. The walk starts among oversized ferns and towering eucalypts typical to Tasmania, before leading into lower tree canopy stunted by the roaring coastal winds.

Upon reaching Cape Raoul Lookout, don’t worry if you’re met with fog as it can be short-lived. While there was nothing to see when we arrived, the intense wind quickly cleared it away to reveal a spellbinding vista. The view reaches all the way to the end of Cape Raoul and down into the wild waters below. You really do feel like you’re at the end of the world here.

Believe it or not though the winds at Shipstern Bluff Lookout are even more intense. Standing still is an actual challenge, which means getting a good photo is super tricky. The view west past Shipstern Bluff is worth the conditions but you may not want to spend too long there. You can only cope with icy wind cutting through layers of clothes for so long.

Tessellated Pavement

Finally, we have probably the most unique attraction on the Tasman Peninsula that you’ll find. The Tessellated Pavement is a strange natural phenomenon located at the northern edge of Eaglehawk Neck. Although the technical description of it is a “inter-tidal rock formation”, it’s basically a flat rock surface on the coast covered in long, straight grooves.

It’s hard to wrap your head around it being purely a natural formation given how dead straight some cracks are when you see it. And yet, it’s completely true, as these cracks took millions of years to form due to stresses in the Earth’s crust, and then were deepened by erosion. This specific phenomenon has been found across the world, but the Tessellated Pavement at Eaglehawk Neck is generally considered the most textbook example of it.

Walking down onto the Tessellated Pavement is best done away from high tide for obvious reasons. We visited close to low tide and walked around comfortably without getting too wet. It’s the kind of attraction that doesn’t sound like much on paper, but is really quite something in person.

Tips for Visiting the Tasman Peninsula

Having shown you what to do on the Tasman Peninsula for sightseeing, here’s a few pointers for planning your visit. Since there’s no main settlement in the area, you’ll find accommodation options all over the peninsula. White Beach seems to be the most popular area, but we stayed at the Four Seasons Waterfront Villas in Taranna. They might not be particular fancy, but they’re certainly a cosy place to stay down by the water.

Look at Google Maps and you might think there are decent options for cafes/eateries in the area. And yet, most seemed closed during our March visit, but we didn’t try down Port Arthur way.

Finally, plan for the weather before heading out. Even in summer prepare for cool weather and bring layers to deal with the extreme winds down on the south coast. 

Have you visited any of these places on the Tasman Peninsula? Where else, besides Port Arthur, would you recommend people think about including? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.