This trek note takes in the southern Bay of Fires section between Binalong Bay and The Gardens. The trek also takes you through the Humbug Point Nature Recreation Area, where you can go on one of the many bushwalking tracks ranging from 1 to 6 hours long, and visiting places such as Skeleton, Grants and Humbug Point. Some of these walking trails are close to the coast and it always seems surreal walking through the bush and being able to hear the ocean!
The major highlights of this trek includes; the historic fishing and timber town of St Helens, the secluded Dora Point, the lovely Cosy Corner and without doubt - the picture-perfect Binalong Bay. Binalong Bay is up there with Tasmania’s best beaches, offering hourglass-fine white sand, azure blue waters and granite rocks - which are speckled with orange lichen that gives the view an attractive glow. These rocks are nicely rounded and protrude above the water on low tides - a photographer’s delight! Binalong Bay also offers an array of accommodation, fishing and diving facilities, and a general store and cafe.
To the northern end of the trek is a small town called The Gardens, named by Lady Jane Franklin, the wife of Governor John Franklin, who spent some time in the region in the 1840s. If you go out to The Gardens, you will need to double back a bit to pick up the track. There are sweeping views of the coastline to the north, good (unpatrolled) swimming beaches, lots of rock pools to explore and orange lichen-covered boulders to climb over and paddle between. Within the Bay of Fires Conservation Area, there are heaps of free camping spots with most overlooking the beach, and being a conservation area, rather than a national park - you can even bring your dog!!
How to Use this Trek Note
- To download this information and the route file for offline use on a phone, tablet, headunit or laptop, go to the app store and purchase ExplorOz Traveller. This app enables offline navigation and mapping and will show where you are as you travel along the route. For more info see the ExplorOz Traveller webpage and the EOTopo webpage.
Environment
The beaches in the Bay of Fires are pristine white in colour, whilst the ocean backdrop ranges from an azure bluey-green. There are many rocky outcrops that are scattered with super-sized
granite boulders covered in
bright orange lichen.
In regards to flora within the
Bay of Fires Conservation Area, you will find heath, which attracts a large number of birds, including yellow-tailed black cockatoos, wattlebirds and honeyeaters. Coastal and sea birds include the spectacular white-breasted sea eagle, gannets, petrels and even the occasional albatross.
During the Spring wildflower season, the area is ablaze with colour. The distinct yellow cones of Banksia marginata are a common sight. Early European
explorers observed that Aboriginal people would pluck the flowers and suck them to extract rainwater and nectar. The yellow fleshy fruit of pigface (Carpobrotus rossii) was also considered to be a delicacy.
History
Bay of Fires was given to the area by Captain Tobias Furneaux, in 1773, when he noticed numerous fires along the coast. This led him to believe that the country was densely populated. Abundant evidence of this occupation by Aboriginal people can be seen along the coast today.
Just 20km from Binalong Bay is an area known as The Gardens, named by Lady Jane Franklin, the wife of Governor John Franklin, who spent some time in the region in the 1840s.
TrekID: 167