Coastal Wilds of Tasmania

Arrive at your advised check-in location for boarding at 4:00pm, with time to settle into your stateroom before our 5:00pm departure. Take the time to become acquainted with all the facilities onboard Coral Discoverer before meeting your fellow travellers, the Captain and crew for the Captain’s Welcome Drinks.

From Adventure Bay on the east coast of Bruny Island, we embark on an exhilarating 3 hour tour with award-winning local operator Pennicotts Wilderness Journeys to the rugged southern coastline of South Bruny Island. Enter deep sea caves and pass through the narrow gap between the coast and ‘The Monument’ and see seals, dolphins and sea birds at close range.

Later we walk along the dramatic coastal cliffs of Fluted Cape and hope to see Bennett’s Wallabies which are endemic to Bruny Island. Learn about how southern right whales were almost hunted to extinction and Adventure Bay housed four whaling stations before the industry’s decline in the mid-1840s. The ruins can be seen on a walk to Grassy Point.

Maria Island can be referred to as a Noah’s Ark for native Tasmanian species. The Maria Island National Park provides an ideal sanctuary, and is one of the best places in Australia to observe endemic birdlife as well as wombats, Cape Barren geese, Forester Kangaroos, Bennett’s Wallabies, and pademelons.

Stroll amongst the ruins and beautifully restored buildings of the Darlington convict settlement and take a walk to the striking formations of the Painted Cliffs, where rich iron deposits have stained the sandstone cliffs with coloured streaks of red, purple and orange. With ample time at Maria Island, we also have the opportunity to do the Fossil Cliffs walk and the Reservoir circuit.

The Freycinet Peninsula is a dramatic headland dominated by a pink-hued granite mountain range called the Hazards. Blessed with picturesque sweeping bays with white sand beaches like famed Wineglass Bay, much of the peninsula is designated as Freycinet National Park.

Take a guided hike along the Isthmus Track to Wineglass Bay, or continue on to the look out to be rewarded with magnificent views of the azure waters of this iconic beach. Later land at Schouten Island with time for a beach stroll on this secluded island.

On the edge of the world in southwest Tasmania, the landscape here is about as wild as it gets. Raw, craggy-peaked mountains and drowned river valleys.  Wild rivers and rivulets carved by an eternity. Where tannin-rich freshwater sits atop saltwater, tinting the ocean the colour of tea. With no road access, the logical way to explore this wilderness is by small expedition ship.

Sheltered from Roaring Forties winds that buffet this coast is the protected haven of Port Davey and Bathurst Harbour. A marine reserve and part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, we spend two whole days (weather permitting) enjoying this rare opportunity to hike, kayak and take in this pristine natural environment. We explore by Xplorer tender vessels and learn about intrepid European explorers and Indigenous Australians, who once walked this land and keep a lookout for the rare and endangered Orange Bellied Parrot amongst other wildlife.

*Access to Port Davey and Bathurst Harbour is subject to annual permits being granted by Tasmania Parks and Wildlife. 

The Huon Valley was one the hub of Tasmania’s apple growing industry, and the reason the state is nicknamed ‘The Apple Isle’. These days this region is known for its burgeoning food and wine scene, as well as its variety of natural attractions. The picturesque Huon River winds gently through this valley, its banks lined with charming little towns, orchards and boutique wineries, before emptying out into the D’entrecasteaux channel. The southern end of this valley is bordered by the heritage listed Southwest National Park.

Spend time in this picturesque valley exploring both its natural and epicurean offerings. Meet local producers, enjoy coastal walks and delight in all this region has to offer.

One of Australia’s most significant historic places, the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Port Arthur ruins stand sentinel on the Tasman Peninsula south of the narrow isthmus of Eaglehawk Neck. For more than 40 years the Port Arthur penal colony housed British and Australian convicts sentenced to hard labour before its heavy iron doors clanked shut for the last time in 1877. Today, the Historic Site has over 30 buildings, ruins and restored period homes set in 100 acres of landscaped grounds. In the company of Port Arthur’s knowledgeable guides, join a walking tour of this site.

The Tasman Peninsula is known for its fascinating geological formations like the Tessellated Pavement, Tasman Arch, and the soaring 300 metre high dolerite sea cliffs of Cape Raoul, Cape Pillar and Cape Hauy – the tallest in the southern hemisphere. Watch fur seals hauling out on the rocks, as well as playful dolphins feeding and magnificent albatross soaring amongst the updrafts created by the sea cliffs. We will visit Fortescue Bay, hike sections of the coastal Tasman Trail, take a scenic Xplorer cruise of the rugged coastline and kayak in Canoe Bay.

Our Tasmania adventure concludes in Hobart this morning as we bid farewell to new-found friends, the Master and crew, disembarking at 8:00am. A complimentary transfer is provided to CBD hotels, or the airport is included.