The Best Things To See in Bay of Fires And Nearby Hidden Gems

Welcome to the east coast of Tasmania, famed for the contrasted colour palette that stretches its rugged coastlines. Admire the natural beauty of the bright orange boulders, offset by white sands and crystalline, turquoise waters. You’d be mistaken for thinking the area was named for the orange lichen stained rocks though, it’s also rich in Aboriginal history. Bay of Fires was named by an explorer, who saw many fires burning on the shores as he sailed past in 1773.

This was home to the Palawa people, who used fires to maintain their food sources, by regenerating plants and keeping animals close to the coast. Keep an eye out for Aboriginal middens, which are the discarded bones and shell remains of seafood meals eaten in the distant past. The area is fairly remote, but the distances aren’t huge. You won’t find a huge list of attractions and things to ‘do’ here, other than take in the stunning coastline and enjoy the beaches.

Derby Floating Sauna

This technically isn’t in Bay of Fires (it’s an hours drive from St Helens), but you can easily pass through Derby when travelling in from Launceston. I couldn’t resist including it, as the Derby Floating Sauna was easily the best experience we had in Tasmania. Make your way to the small mountain biking town of Derby, where you’ll park at the fire station and cross over the suspension bridge, before wandering through forest down to the lake.

Here you will find two contrasting cabins, one dark and one light, floating on the lake like a vision. Enter the dark cabin, and you’ll find yourself in a wood-fired sauna, with open windows looking right out onto the lake. The heat inside will eventually make you brave enough to plunge into the cool lake, and once dared, you’ll love repeating this over and over until your time is up. The extreme heat and cold produces endorphins and we left feeling so invigorated and refreshed. It’s wonderful that Australians are now beginning to discover just why saunas are such a loved tradition in the Scandinavia.

I’ll leave you with a handful of practical tips too. Firstly, I’d suggest that you put it at the very top of your ‘to do’ list and book ahead if you can, as there are only 5 spots per hour. It costs $45 per person, or $300 to book it out privately for an hour. We just booked for two and ended up sharing with a pair of girls. It worked quite well, as we were often dipping in the water whilst they were in the sauna, and vice versa. Secondly, leave extra time for the ten minute walk to the lake, as you could get a little lost and you shouldn’t waste a minute of your 1 hour booking! Best not to start your hour of relaxation with unnecessary panic. Lastly, bring your own water and towel… there are no real facilities here other than a change room.

Pyengana Dairy Farm

Approaching Pyengana Dairy Farm, the pastoral scenes of cows scattered around a river were just so idyllic, we had to pull over to take a few shots. You’re in the middle of nowhere, but there is a cheese lovers paradise to be found. At the Pyengana Dairy Farm Gate Cafe, you can purchase a tasting plate of 7 different cheeses for just $15. This includes a devilish cheddar, traditional cloth matured cheddar, pickled onion cheddar, peppercorn cheddar, chilli cheddar, blue cheese and a persian marinated fetta.

This is the first dairy farm in Australia to have an automated milking machine which uses lasers to detect the udders, and you can watch the dairy cows enter on their own to be milked. The cows also wear collars that enable the farmers to track how often the cows are being milked and monitor their health. It’s very interesting!

Bay of Fires Bush Retreat

I’ve always wanted to go glamping, but some experiences definitely look better than others and this one particularly took my fancy. The Bay of Fires Bush Retreat has all the clever design and luxuries of a hotel, but with the relaxed beauty of being out in nature. There’s nothing like seeing the stars twinkle like they never do in a city, and hearing the waves crash at night as you drift off to sleep. Here your bell tent has the comfiest of bed inside, complete with electric blankets and heater for the cool of night.

Plus the communal kitchen and dining area offers yummy pre-prepared meals, so you don’t have to fuss over home cooking or leave for dinner. Let me give you an idea of the selection… lamb gnocci, massaman beef curry, harrissa chicken, spinach and kale dahl, thai vegetable curry… yum! Whilst you could keep to yourselves, the retreat had a really social atmosphere if you were up for a little bit of mingling. Travelling as a pair, we had the a nice time roasting marshmallows by the campfire that night and chatting with others staying there. Do yourself a favour and book yourself a night or two here.

Lease 65

This isn’t somewhere to stop and enjoy the scenery, but we grabbed some oysters from the shopfront at Lease 65 to later enjoy on one of the beaches. They are incredibly well priced at $20 for a dozen freshly shucked oysters, but remember it is cash only! These were some of the first of many we enjoyed whilst in Tasmania, and remained in memory as some of the best. Definitely a bit of a hidden gem, not at all on the tourist trail.

Cosy Corner North

The weather was a little gloomy, but I just loved this beach for poking around the rock pools. There were so many interesting little nooks and crannies full of sea life, and protected spots perfect for a swim on a warmer day. We also saw quite a few people fishing from the shore at twilight, so there must be fish to be caught here!

The Gardens

The Gardens is an odd name for a beach, but it was named in the early 1800s by the Tasmanian governor’s wife, for the fields of wild flowers in the area. The first time we visited The Gardens, it was overcast and grey, and we couldn’t understand what made this spot so special. Luckily we came back on a sunnier day and the place was completely transformed into a paradise. The views are amazing, and some of holiday homes perched along here no doubt have some of the most exclusive views of the coast.

Binalong Bay

Let me tell you something about Binalong Bay…the sands are soft and white, the water is next level blue. My partner immediately declared this one of the best beaches he’s ever been to and decided a swim was irresistible, despite the cold. Binalong Bay marks the beginning (or perhaps the end depending on direction) of Bay of Fires.

St Helen’s

St Helen’s is only a ten minute drive away from Binalong Bay and the only township in the area. The Supa IGA there has an amazing deli and the perfect place to pick up a selection of Tasmanian goodies. We loved the Coal River Farm Camembert, the Bay of Fires Semi-Hard Rind Cheese… don’t forget to grab some Valhalla choc tops too. We brought our local produce back to the Bay of Fires Bush Retreat and had a perfect night, enjoying them by the campfire.