Australia

Exploring Tasmania’s Wild & Untamed Freycinet Peninsula

by Olivia Balsinger

When I first announced my next adventure would lead me to the barren east coast of Tasmania, even well-travelled friends had the same reaction: “You’re going to Africa now, Olivia?!” I couldn’t blame them for their ignorance–an isolated island state off Australia’s south coast, known for its vast, rugged wilderness areas and protected parks and reserves, Tasmania is certainly off the beaten path. And I had the opportunity to taste a bit of Tassie’s (as the locals call it) wildest side through a tour with The Great Walks of Australia company called The Freycinet Experience Walk. The trip began in Tasmania’s capital, Hobart, for a brief orientation before leaving society (and Wi-Fi!) for four days, experiencing nature each day and returning to our secluded lodge, Friendly Beaches Lodge—an archtitechtral marvel of both simplicity and sophistication—every evening. Long but fulfilling days would center around exploring the same ancient tracks of the bushmen some 30,000 years’ prior, discovering Tasmanian nature at it’s most intense. Hiking about 37 kilometers in total, we were led by two engaging guides, exploring the rare and remote corners of the National Park—from the pink granite Hazard Mountain to the forests with panoramic views of the coastline. Along the way we witnessed incredible vistas, discovered nesting lagoons and unique fauna, and were immersed in the history of a population that has kept eastern Tasmania entirely unspoiled and undeveloped. The ethos of The Freycinet Experience is to serve up the best that nature has to offer. On the eastern peninsula of the wild and untamed Tasmania, nature certainly exhibits its force.

www.greatwalksofaustralia.com.au