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Discover the best beaches in Tasmania, from stunning stretches of white sand coastline to the best places to go swimming or surfing in Tassie. These Tasmanian beaches are sure to be the perfect stops during your next Tasmanian road trip!
While it may not always be swimming weather in Tasmania, there’s never a bad time to spend some time at the beach and if you are visiting in summer, you will quickly fall in love with these spectacular beaches.
Plan the ultimate self-drive Tasmania road trip itinerary
The Best Beaches In Tasmania
Narrowing down the best beaches in Tasmania, Australia is no easy task, with so much of the coastline remaining unspoilt and wild.
While some of the beaches are an easy visit, close to Hobart or Launceston, there are some that are a little trickier to get to. But well worth making the effort!
When discussing the best beaches in Australia, usually your first thought would be of Queensland beaches, Victoria’s Great Ocean Road beaches, South Australian beaches, Western Australian beaches or New South Wales beaches, but don’t underestimate what Tasmania has to offer.
You will rarely need to compete for a space on the sand at these Tasmanian beaches and some of them would easily make the top beaches in Australia list!
To make it easier to plan your beach trip, we have put these top Tasmanian beaches into regions, so you can easily visit more than one when in the area.
Make sure you grab our free beach packing list for families with all the essentials for day trips or longer stays!
Beaches In Hobart & South East Tasmania
There are many incredible beaches near Hobart, in Tasmania’s South East, that you can easily visit for an hour or a day.
Some of these beaches are within 20 minutes of the city, while others are a little further away but well worth the visit if you have your own car or public transport.
Check out the best beaches near Hobart, Tasmania:
Seven Mile Beach
Seven Mile Beach is the closest surfing beach from Hobart, located just 15 kilometres from the city. If you are looking for the best beaches in Hobart for swimming, Seven Mile Beach is a great option!
As the name suggests, the beach stretches seven miles… or ten kilometres with low to moderate waves. This makes it a great family-friendly beach in the Hobart area. However, there is no lifeguard patrol, so do take care if you choose to enter the water.
Nearby the beach is a forested beach reserve and the Tingarra horse-riding trail.
For day visits, the majority of the facilities are at the western end of Seven Mile Beach, where there is a store and beach boat launch area.
East along the beach you will also find four different day visit areas, including picnic tables and toilet facilities, and one with camping facilities.
Adventure Bay
Contributed by Mark from Wyld Family Travel
Adventure Bay is a large eastern white sand beach on South Bruny Island Tasmania. Adventure Bay Beach is located adjacent to one of the main townships of Bruny Island.
It is approximately 35 minutes drive from the ferry terminal at Bruny Island.
Adventure Bay is home to the start of a number of the island’s main walks. You will find a few shops and accommodation options at Adventure bay including a caravan park.
Adventure Bay Beach is a popular spot for swimming, fishing and enjoying the waters of Bruny Island. The Adventure Bay beach is sheltered from the weather making it a safe place to swim on the island.
You will find picnics tables, shady areas and car parks at Adventure Bay. It is only a few metres from the car park onto the pristine white sands of one of Australias most picturesque beaches.
It is a little over an hour to get to Bruny Island from Hobart making it a great trip while in Tasmania.
Click here to find accommodation in Adventure Bay
Hopground Beach – Maria Island
Contributed by Natalie & Steve from Curious Campers
What makes Hopground Beach one of the best beaches in Tasmania is its location – Maria Island. The island has incredible scenery and wildlife and is a fun day trip from Hobart.
The Maria Island ferry leaves from Triabunna on Tasmania’s east coast. Hopground Beach is a 10 minute walk from where the ferry docks.
The water around the island is a marine reserve, so if you’re game, it is a great place to snorkel. If you decide to stay dry, there are rock pools to explore and all sorts of birdlife wading in the shallows.
It is a lovely spot to relax and a very safe place for children to get their feet wet – but there is a lot to see nearby.
At the far end of the beach is one of the island’s most popular attractions – the painted cliffs. Best seen at low tide, the sculptured cliffs are ‘painted’ in stripes of yellow, white, pink and orange.
The island is also a haven for wildlife with everything from Kangaroos, pademelons and Tassie devils to a variety of birds.
But the most popular resident on the island are the wombats. If you like cute, you’ll love the Maria Island wombats. You only need to walk back off the beach to see them on the grassed slopes.
For a day at the beach bring all your supplies with you as there are no shops on the island. Hopground beach is the perfect base for exploring this amazing island.
Click here to find accommodation near Hopground Beach
Denison Beach
Contributed by Delphine from Lester Lost
Tasmania is a stunning destination and offers many options for adventure travel, food indulgence and beachside relaxation.
One of the best ways to travel is to take a road trip in Tasmania.
With beautiful roads and ever-changing scenery, a drive through Tasmania feels like an ever-ending romantic holiday. You will find no shortage of things to do in Tasmania.
On the East Coast of Tasmania, there are a fair few beaches to discover. Some of these beaches are world-famous, but Denison Beach is a hidden gem. A long stretch of pristine white sand a few kilometres north of Bicheno.
In order to find it, you will need to look for a gap in the dunes along the road. It’s very easy to feel completely alone on Denison Beach as it is such a long, empty stretch of sand.
It’s the best place for a long walk on the beach or a swim, however, it has no shade and is not patrolled, so you need to pay attention in case the water conditions are treacherous or the sun is too harsh.
For accommodation and food options, the quaint township of Bicheno is not far and will take you back in time. Even if you only stop there for a few hours, don’t miss the blowhole and enjoy some seafood on the beach.
Click here to find accommodation in Bicheno
Fortescue Bay
Fortescue Bay is located down a 12-kilometre gravel road, with the turnoff located halfway between Taranna and Port Arthur. The gravel road is suited to all standard vehicles.
The sweeping sandy coastline is backed by dense forest, which provides shelter to the bay. Fortescue Bay is one of the main access points for Tasman National Park. The Bay is located at the southern end of the national park.
Fortescue Bay is also the only campground within Tasman National Park.
The campground can be booked in advanced and is divided into two sections – Mills Campground and Banksia Campground.
The area is popular for kayaking and canoeing. Or if you’re looking for a new walking track to explore, there are plenty of options, including the longer Three Capes Track, if you’re looking for a multi-day hike to see some of Tasmania’s most stunning coastline. Although there are plenty of short tracks in the area too.
While in the area, don’t miss the chance to visit Port Arthur Historic Site and one of our all-time favourite Tasmanian experiences – a Tasman Island Wilderness Cruise!
Click here to find accommodation in Port Arthur
North West Tasmania Beaches
The North West coast of Tasmania is rugged and wild in places, with some of the most stunning beaches you will find in the whole state. From crystal clear water that you can see right to the bottom to massive waves to watch from the shores.
Check out some of the best Tasmanian beaches on the north west cost:
Boat Harbour Beach
Boat Harbour Beach, in the quaint seaside town of Boat Harbour, is located approximately 15 kilometres from Wynyard on the north-west coast of Tasmania.
What makes Boat Harbour Beach one of the best beaches in Tasmania is the stunning white sand, resulting from the quartzite rocks that are common in the area. Along with the contrasting black volcanic rock.
Boat Harbour is considered one of the most beautiful beaches in Tasmania and Australia overall, due to the unspoilt scenery. This postcard-perfect beach is bordered by a rocky headland on each side.
The crystal clear waters also make the waters surrounding Boat Harbour the perfect place for diving. There are also some incredible nature walks and day hikes you can enjoy from the area, with some shorter hikes under 1KM and longer ones that may take most of the day.
The relaxed seaside vibes of Boat Harbour village are another drawcard, making this a great place to spend a weekend relaxing by the beach.
Click here to find accommodation in Boat Harbour
Ocean Beach
Ocean Beach is located six kilometres west of Strahan, but will give you vibes of stepping straight into the Tasmanian wilderness.
Once called Great Roaring Beach, Ocean Beach is the longest beach in Tasmania.
The uninterrupted expanse of coastline stretches for more than 30 kilometres, between Macquarie Heads in the south and Trial Harbour in the north.
It is here where the Southern Ocean meets the coast, with 20,000 kilometres of open sea beyond so while this is a beautiful beach worth visiting, the conditions mean this is one beach you won’t be planning a swim at.
Ocean beach is unpatrolled and the powerful waves can make it very dangerous. However, it is certainly a sight to behold from the safety of the shore.
This is the beach you go to watch the sunset or sunrise, or simply take a stroll along the lengthy stretch of beach.
Between the months of October and April, it is also a unique place for wildlife spotting, when short-tailed shearwaters (commonly known as muttonbirds) nest in the dunes nearby, creating quite an incredible spectacle as they return to their nests.
Beaches Near Launceston and North East Tasmania
If you are looking for the best beaches near Launceston, Tasmania, there are plenty of incredible options, including the famous Wineglass Bay and Bay of Fires areas.
These world famous Tasmanian attractions were guaranteed to be on the list!
Check out the best beaches near Launceston in North East Tasmania:
Wineglass Bay
Contributed by Nicolas from Rambling Feet
Many postcards of Tasmania feature a pristine crescent-shaped white sand beach, snapped from afar, sandwiched between the deep blue sea and lush green forest. That beach is Wineglass Bay, and it regularly ranks among the best beaches in the world in polls and listicles, making Wineglass Bay one of the most beautiful places in Tasmania.
The view, the privilege of standing on the sand and taking a dip in the ocean have to be earned, however.
From the nearest car park, it’s a 45-minute uphill walk through the bush to the lookout point and the descent takes up to another 75 minutes without any breaks. The breathtaking view is worth the day hike, and you may never want to leave.
Though you should make time for the other attractions around Freycinet National Park, like Hazards Beach, Coles Bay (which has accommodation) and Friendly Beaches.
You can extend your stay by camping, however, you need to apply for a permit and the campsites get booked up quickly in the summer.
Don’t have a car for a road trip there? The place is famous and popular enough to see full-day tour options from Hobart and they can fill up the necessary permits.
It can get crowded in the height of summer, so the best times for those who rather be around fewer people are the morning and the off-season.
Click here to find accommodation near Wineglass Bay
Freer’s Beach, Shearwater
Contributed by James from Team AJ Travels
The positioning of Freer’s Beach makes it a unique environment and a place that is perfect for families, and fisherman.
The northeast-facing shoreline is protected from the stronger ocean currents so the waves are small, and the seas relatively calm.
On the sand, you have a large, flat, area with a predictable and stable depth that stays shallow for miles when the tide is in.
When the tide goes out you are left with large puddles scattered around the sand that is great for young kids to splash around in without the danger of an unexpected wave crashing down on them.
Past the shoreline is a narrow stretch of water that connects Port Sorell to Bass Straight, and the fish are abundant!
The flat sand area makes it suitable for fishermen who can comfortably stand in waist-deep water without the ever present threat of being taken out by a wave. Casting out into the depths where salmon, mullet, sand flathead, whiting, pike and cod are abundant in the area.
The view from the beach is spectacular at every turn with the water glistening under the sun.
Freer’s Beach is on the fringe of the town of Shearwater. This is a small village that is mostly full of retirees. The golf course and local club being the only areas where you will see more than a few people.
However, the town has an unusually modern feel for such a regional area. You rarely find houses more than ten years old once you get more than a block away from the main street of town, or the beach.
Your options for hotels are limited, but there are plenty of nice Bed & Breakfast options. We stayed at the Castagni Bed and Breakfast and it was a pleasant experience.
A highlight was the nightly feeding the local Kangaroos each night just outside the dining area. It is quite a spectacle with 20-30 kangaroos slowly emerging from the surrounding bushland.
Click here to find accommodation near Port Sorell
Binalong Bay
Contributed by Roxanne from Wild About BC
Binalong Bay is situated at the southern end of the incredibly beautiful Bay of Fires. It is renowned for its fine white sand, crystal clear blue water and most of all, for the orange lichen-covered boulders that surround the coastline here.
The contrast in colours between the blue water, white sand and orange boulders makes this such a unique looking part of the world.
There is one large stretch of sand that makes up the main beach here, which is the perfect spot to set up for the day and the calm waters make it an ideal place to swim, especially for families with younger kids.
As you walk along the rocky shore you will also see several smaller beach coves dotted along the coastline.
We definitely recommend taking the time to walk along the coast as there are so many little coves and rocky outcrops to explore.
The town of Binalong Bay is extremely quaint with lots of cool cafes and boutique shops. One really cool thing you can do here is going on a boat tour around the Bay of Fires, leaving from Binalong Bay.
Getting a unique perspective over this beautiful beach from the water is amazing. While we loved the entire Bay of Fires, Binalong Bay was easily the highlight of this beautiful place.
Check here for accommodation near Binalong Bay
Friendly Beaches
Contributed by Paula from Australia Your Way
If the idea of more than 7km of soft white powdery sand and clear turquoise waters almost entirely devoid of people appeals, then the Friendly Beaches are a must.
Located in Freycinet National Park on the East Coast of Tasmania, just 26 km north of the Coles Bay township, the area is best known for the nearby Wineglass Bay, one of Tasmania’s best hikes but these beaches are just as breathtaking.
The unspoilt beaches don’t offer much in the way of facilities; they are too cold for most swimmers all but a couple of months of the year, but that just increases the feeling that you are somewhere special.
There is a four-wheel-drive track at the south of the beach, a lookout just 10 minutes from the nearest car park in the middle and free campsites (with pit toilets) for about ten vehicles.
You can stretch your legs on a 5km walk along the beach or brave the cool water for a dip in the rock pools. Tides can be strong, and the beach is not patrolled, so unless you are a strong swimmer, it’s probably best to stick to shallow water.
If you are lucky, you may meet one of the resident Pademelon Wallabies who are usually most active at dawn and dusk. Sunrise and sunset are magnificent with the colours off the Hazards granite rock formations delighting photographers.
Friendly Beaches are 2 hours from Launceston and 2.5 hours from Hobart. Park entry fees apply. It is a 4km drive along a gravel road from the turn-off, but most two-wheel drives can manage it.
Click here to find accommodation near Freycinet National Park
Redbill Beach, Bicheno
Contributed by Amanda from Bucketlist Seekers
Bicheno on Tasmania’s east coast is one of the best places in Australia to catch a glimpse of cute little fairy penguins. And Redbill Beach, located just to the north of Bicheno town, is a very popular nesting spot and home to Tassie’s largest penguin populations.
Just off the coastline is a small landmass called Diamond Island, a tiny protected Nature Reserve where thousands of fairy penguins live and breed.
They spend their days feeding at sea and then at dusk they swim up to Redbill Beach and wait for nightfall to make their way up to the sand dunes to feed their chicks.
The sand dunes around Redbill Beach is a penguin rookery and is full of burrows, where the chicks live for up to 3-4 months of the year.
September to January is the best time of the year to see the penguins when they are breeding and raising their chicks.
Set yourself up with a picnic rug before sunset and a bottle of sparkling wine (Tasmanian, of course!) and wait to watch the little cuties waddle right past you on their way to their burrows.
Alternatively, you can opt to do a paid penguin tour (around $40).
This is a totally worthy experience as the tour takes you onto a private property where red lights have been installed around the rookeries, making it easier to see all the action as the penguin parents reunite with their chicks.
Click here to find accommodation near Bicheno
Crescent Beach, Crescent Bay
Between the Remarkable Cave and Port Arthur, the Crescent Bay and Mount Brown track reveal one of the most spectacular beaches on the Tasman Peninsula – Cresent Beach.
With massive sand dunes and crystal clear waters, a popular reason to visit is to hike up Mount Brown to be met with panoramic views of the rugged peninsula coastline.
The total track is 8km and takes around 4 hours or there are shorter segments to do instead if visiting with kids.
It’s also a popular spot for swimming and the usual summer fun!
Beach Safety Tips
Before you go dipping your toes in the Bass Strait, Southern Ocean, Indian Ocean or Tasman Ocean surrounding beautiful Tasmania (Yes, you can do all four quite easily), let us first talk beach safety!
There is little to nothing between Tasmania and the open ocean between Australia and Antarctica, which can result in some fairly unique and varying ocean conditions throughout the year.
Keep this in mind whenever visiting a beach anywhere, however, especially if you plan to venture into the ocean in Tasmania. Many of the beaches are not patrolled by lifeguards.
- Only swim when it is safe to do
- Always be sun smart, even when it may not seem like the risk is high. The Australian sun can be sneaky!
- If there are warnings, stay out of the water
- Don’t venture too far
- Visit with friends or family, rather than alone!
If you are planning to visit Tasmania soon, no doubt you will now have some of these stunning beaches as part of your plans. Even if the weather outside isn’t suited to swimming, you can’t miss a stroll along the stunning Tasmanian coastline.
Heading to Tasmania? Check out these articles:
- 8 day Tasmania itinerary
- 3 day Hobart itinerary
- Port Arthur Historic Site Guide
- Tasman Island Wilderness Cruise – Our Favourite Aussie Experience
- Places to visit in Tasmania
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