Australia > Wineglass Bay in Freycinet

I sleep somewhat restlessly during the night—perhaps because I know the alarm will go off early. When the wake-up signal sounds at quarter to four, I am just in a deep sleep. I quickly wash my face and get dressed. In the lobby, everyone from the travel group is waiting, still a bit sleepy. The luggage is loaded onto the bus. In the dark, we drive out of Sydney on the way to the airport for a flight to Tasmania. Tasmania is the island south of mainland Australia. The island was discovered in 1642 by the Dutch explorer Abel Tasman. Although I’m already checked in, I still have to check in at the kiosk to get my baggage tag. Jetstar is a budget airline, probably saving money by making me attach the tag myself. When I walk toward the plane, an employee stops me, saying I’m not allowed to take pictures of the plane. I’m supposed to walk directly to the aircraft. I get a seat next to an older couple from Sydney. They are on their way to Hobart, the capital of Tasmania, for their son’s graduation. They will fly back tomorrow. At Hobart airport, the luggage comes out on a small carousel. Most passengers probably only travel with hand luggage. A dog sniffs around the carousel between the suitcases looking for fruit. It is forbidden to bring fruit, vegetables, or nuts into Tasmania to prevent diseases and viruses on the island. The bus is delayed. We wait patiently in the arrivals hall. The driver had returned because the microphone was missing. With a loud voice, Derk explains today’s program on the bus as we drive eastward from Hobart. In just over two hours, we arrive at Freycinet National Park, a peninsula on the east side of Tasmania. Across the bay, I can already see the mountains of Freycinet. In the park, several walks are possible. The shortest leads to the lookout over Wineglass Bay—a natural sea inlet with a white sandy beach

Australia - Wineglass Bay in Freycinet

. With a little imagination, you can see a wineglass shape. For those who want to walk further, it’s possible to descend from the lookout to the Wineglass Bay beach and walk back from there. I choose the third and longest route. From the beach, we continue to Hazards Beach and then return from there. This route is over eleven kilometers through the mountains and is expected to take about four hours. Alternatively, you can take the bus to a nearby lodge—an option for those who prefer not to hike today. From the parking lot, I set off with a small group. The first part climbs steeply to the lookout. The steps are made of stone and wood, so I gain height quickly. Due to Tasmania’s southern location, the temperature is much cooler than yesterday in the Blue Mountains. It’s ideal hiking weather. After about half an hour, I reach the lookout point. From the plateau, I see Wineglass Bay—the white beach at the end of the bay. The inlet lies quite a bit lower. I have to descend to reach the beach. I go down via steps carved into the rocks. The descent is gentler than yesterday’s hike, which is easier on my knees. At the bottom, I arrive at the white sand of Wineglass Bay Beach—a beautiful spot for a picnic lunch. While eating my sandwich, something moves in the bushes just behind me. A wallaby—a small kangaroo—pokes its head above the shrubs. It turns out there are two wallabies with a baby. It’s a funny sight watching them hop through the bushes.

Australia - A wallaby kangaroo at the parking lot

They are probably waiting for us to leave so they can get the leftovers. We can’t stay on the beach long. We still have eight kilometers to walk, and we don’t want to keep the other travelers waiting. At a healthy, steady pace, we walk through the trees to Hazards Beach on the west side of the peninsula. A strong wind blows over the beautiful beach. We walk northward against the wind. At the end of the beach, a sign says it’s still 5.5 kilometers to go—meaning we’re halfway. The estimated time of 2.5 hours hopefully leaves plenty of margin. Otherwise, we’d be almost an hour late returning. We quickly continue along the route through the trees and along the coastline. The trail goes up and down alternately but is nowhere really steep. The route is beautiful, and along the way, we pass small bays. The white sand and clear water are stunning to see. We only have no idea how much longer the route is or whether we’ll return on time. Around the agreed time of quarter to five, we return to civilization. From the junction where we started this morning, it’s just a few minutes’ walk. At the parking lot, the bus is already waiting. We quickly get on board.

Australia - We pass beautiful sandy beaches on the way

The last leg today takes us to Bicheno, a coastal town north of Freycinet. The village has only about a thousand inhabitants. The only proper restaurant is near the hotel. Further in the village, there are just a few fish stalls. The restaurant is busy. While I eat my beer-battered fish and chips with a beer, it starts to rain outside. This isn’t ideal for the evening program. Around Bicheno, penguins come ashore at night. This area is home to little penguins—dwarf penguins just about forty centimeters tall. At quarter past nine, we are picked up by a van. I notice I’m tired. Due to the early flight this morning, it’s been a long day. If I hadn’t signed up for this excursion in advance, I would have chosen my bed now. On the other hand, it’s special to see the little penguins. It is already dark when we arrive. Laura welcomes us. With a special red light, she shows us that young penguins wait for their parents to bring food. We quickly walk to the beach. A group of penguins has gathered among the rocks. Laura explains that they cross the beach in groups to reduce danger.

Australia - The smallest penguins in the world come ashore at night

She also mentions that the penguins are very cautious but don’t have many predators. To avoid being the first to cross the beach, they push their fellows forward. When the group is large enough, they waddle toward the edge of the forest. A group of penguins walks right past me toward their nests. The little penguins are the smallest of all penguin species. It feels a bit strange when Laura opens a box with a nest inside to show us the chicks. We are not the only group here tonight. Hopefully, not every group opens this nest. At half past ten, I’m back in my hotel room. I quickly dive into bed.