East Coast Escape, Tasmania

A route that lets you explore fishing villages, penguin rookeries, vineyards, off-coast islands, National Parks, mountains and gorges. The renowned Freycinet Peninsula has Wineglass Bay, recognised as one of the world’s top beaches. Beyond Bicheno, the pristine beaches continue with names like Chain of Lagoons and Bay of Fires. Oysters, mussels, abalone and scallops are farmed in the clean waters, lobsters are retrieved from pots, and licensed divers seek out their fortune harvesting wild abalone along the unspoiled coast. The trip to Orford offers the chance to travel beside an original convict road - the stony remains of one of Australia’s first highways. Off-shore, the convict heritage continues on Maria Island, with evocative ruins and a restored penal settlement.