Guide to the larapuna / Bay of Fires area

Beach dreams begin here.

Lining Tasmania’s north-east coast, the larapuna / Bay of Fires area is that perfect combination of clean white beaches, clear azure seas and granite rocks splashed in orange lichen. 

Campgrounds sit behind glorious beaches, and there are myriad ways to enjoy or explore the coast: walk, mountain bike, cruise or simply recline on a beach towel.

The Bay of Fires was named by English navigator Tobias Furneaux in 1773 when he saw fires burning along the coast, lit by Tasmanian Aboriginal people. Aptly, the area of larapuna, which includes the Bay of Fires, is the setting for one of Tasmania’s first Aboriginal tourism ventures.

Don't miss

• Stroll the white sands of a Bay of Fires Conservation Area beach.
• Mix culture and nature on the wukalina Walk.
• Get a sea-level view on a cruise along the coast.
• Camp behind one of the white-sand beaches.

Getting here

Binalong Bay, at the southern end of the Bay of Fires Conservation Area, is a 2hr 20min drive (175km) east of Launceston, and a 3hr 20min drive (263km) north-east of Hobart.

Things to do

Beach hop, or beach stop

Pick a beach, any beach. Stroll the sands and explore the headlands, which are smothered in orange lichen. Or simply roll out a beach towel and laze on the sand. Favourite beaches include Cosy Corner and Binalong Bay.

wukalina Walk

Discover the long and deep connections of the palawa (Tasmanian Aboriginal people) to larapuna – an area that includes the Bay of Fires - on the four-day guided wukalina Walk, bringing together natural beauty, culture and bush tucker.

Bay of Fires Lodge Walk

Hike the coast in ultimate comfort on the guided Bay of Fires Lodge Walk, stepping from beach to beach and spending nights in an exclusive lodge set 40m above the sea, with hot showers, fine food and a lodge spa.

Bay of Fires Eco Tours

Take a boat trip along the larapuna coastline. On Bay of Fires Eco Tours’ two-hour Gardens Explorer, view the southern end of the bay, observe seals on the two-hour Sands, Seals and St Helens Island trip, or explore the imposing Sloop Rock on a 1hr tour.

Mount William National Park

Tucked into the northern edge of larapuna, Mount William National Park presents a classic scene of white beaches and lichen-covered boulders. Inland, the park takes in 216m-high wukalina / Mount William, which has views as far as the Furneaux Islands, while the clearings across its plains fill with Forester kangaroos, wallabies and wombats at dawn and dusk.

Bay of Fires Trail

Descending from the top of the Blue Tier mountains to the sands of Swimcart Beach, this 42km mountain bike trail is the ultimate adventurous arrival into the Bay of Fires Conservation Area. Part of the St Helens Mountain Bike Trails network, it’s a roller-coaster ride from mountain rainforest to dazzling coast. Shuttle services to and from the trail operate out of St Helens and Derby.

Go camping

Wake to brilliance by rolling out a tent, or parking up the van, behind a larapuna / Bay of Fires area beach. There are seven campgrounds strung along the short road from St Helens to The Gardens. Or find equally spectacular camping at six designated campgrounds in ​Mount William National Park. The campgrounds along The Gardens road are free, while fees apply in the national park. Camping goes glamping at the Bay of Fires Bush Retreat, with 10 bell tents set in bush behind the main Binalong Bay beach.