The Ultimate Motorhome Guide to Freycinet National Park

The Freycinet National Park is a natural wonderland. You’ll find it on the east coast of Tasmania, where it covers a peninsula jutting from the mainland, with sandy beaches, sheer cliffs, abundant wildlife, and spectacular hiking trails.

The park is equidistant from Hobart and Launceston, so you can easily pick up a campervan from either of these locations for a quick 2.5-hour drive to the park. Or you can easily include the Freycinet Peninsula on a round trip road trip of Tasmania from Hobart.

Any visit to the Freycinet National Park brings a healthy dose of relaxation, mixed with an abundance of nature and the outdoors, and the chance to see more of Australia. Read on to learn everything you need to know about visiting Freycinet with a campervan.

Things to see in the Freycinet National Park

It may only be small by Australian standards, but this national park is brimming with things to do. Here are some of the top attractions and activities in the Freycinet National Park.

• Wineglass Bay: Wineglass Bay is one of the most popular attractions in the park thanks to its golden white sand, wide sweeping beach, and clear blue waters. In fact, it is considered to be one of the best beaches in the world. Here you can take hikes throughout the bay and up to the lookout, relax on the beach, and swim.

Image: Dean Hughes, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Flickr

• The Hazards: The Hazards are a mountain range, and contrary to their name (they are named after a local whaler), are more beautiful than hazardous. They are made from granite and have a pink hue, and are covered in walking tracks that offer views out over Wineglass Bay and other areas of the peninsula.

Image: Wj32 (Own work), CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

• Honeymoon Bay: Honeymoon Bay is a special place unlike any other. The bay is sandy by the water’s edge, but much of the area is covered with pink-tinged granite, making the spot that much more special. The water is crystal clear, ideal for snorkelling, and surrounded by hiking trails.

• Cape Tourville Lighthouse: The Cape Tourville Lighthouse was built in 1971, and today offers a gorgeous lookout and a quick and easy walk. The whole circuit is just 600 metres from the car park, so it generally only takes 20 minutes. It’s a good quick alternative for those not interested in hiking the trail to the Wineglass Bay lookout.

Campervan camping locations in the Freycinet National Park

Image: wanderingchina, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

There are two options for campervan-friendly campsites in the Freycinet National Park.

Public

The Freycinet National Park Camping Ground is the only public campground in the park. It is located near Coles Bay and offers both powered and unpowered sites. However, those with campervans are only permitted in one of the 18 sites at Richardsons Beach (the main campsite in the Freycinet National Park Campground), which offers powered sites, hot showers, BBQs, and other facilities.

These public campsites are so popular over summer and Easter that a ballot is held to fairly allocate spaces from December 18 until February 10 (and over the Easter break). You can enter once per family/group for Christmas and once for Easter, with a maximum stay of 10 nights and a maximum group of six people. Your ballot entry must be received by 4 pm on July 31, and the draw is made on August 1. Outside of the ballot period, you can stay for a maximum of 14 nights, and you must pre-book with the Freycinet Visitor Centre.

Private

The other option is to stay in the private campsite, The BIG4 Iluka on Freycinet Holiday Park.

The campsites at BIG4 Iluka include grassy and gravel sites with space for medium-sized campervans and up to six people per site. All of these sites include access to the camp’s amenities, including a bathroom block, kitchens, and the on-site tavern. There’s free WiFi and a power outlet for each spot. To book here, you will need to get in early, so make sure to enquire about a site as soon as you book your campervan in Tasmania.

The best times of year to visit the Freycinet National Park

Image: aussiejeff, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Flickr

There are different pros and cons to visiting the Freycinet National Park at various times of the year.

• Summer: Naturally, summer (December, January, and February) is the busiest time of year thanks to school holidays and gorgeous weather conditions. While you are almost guaranteed gorgeous sunny weather in the 20 and 30 degree Celsius range, the park is very busy, with every campsite generally booked out weeks and months in advance.

• Autumn: Autumn (March, April, and May) is still busy around Easter, but the cooler temperature (around 15C degrees during the day) is often ideal for those looking to complete hikes, and it does mean fewer people in the park and an easier task to find a campsite.

• Winter: Winter (June, July, August) does bring the cold to the peninsula, with temperatures dropping down to single digits overnight and around 10 degrees during the day. Rain is more likely, but this time of year is nice and quiet and can be great for hiking provided you have some waterproof gear.

• Spring: Spring (September, October, November) treats visitors to shoulder season quiet times. The weather can still be on the chillier side with occasional rain, but there will be the odd hot day, and it does start to warm up later in the season. Plus, spring is the ideal time to spot Southern Right Whales and Humpback Whales as they pass by.

Important notes for exploring Freycinet National Park in a campervan

Before you set out on a campervan adventure in the Freycinet National Park, read up on our quick tips for the area, and motorhome tours in general.

• You must have a valid Tasmanian National Parks Pass to visit the area, and your campsite will also want to see the pass on entry.

• Learn how to be the best campsite neighbour possible for your stay with campground etiquette advice.

• Unfortunately, no dogs or pets are allowed in Freycinet National Park.

• Know the difference between self-contained and non self-contained-campervans to you can make the right choice for your trip.

• Very few rubbish bins can be found around the park, so bring extra rubbish bags and be prepared to pack out what you pack in.

• There are often campfire bans in the park through summer, so read all signage and double check before lighting a fire.

• Read our guide to motorhome camping in Australia for more general tips.

• Opt for a smaller campervan, as only small to medium motorhomes are accepted in many campsites on the Freycinet Peninsula.