With the birth of a new family member, I made a short trip home to Tassie. I had some amazing fun times with the family, playing the fun auntie to my niece and nephew, as well as smothering the new baby in love and hugs.

In addition to spending loads of time with family and friends, I did a little bit of ‘touristing’ along the way. Here are the highlights…

Freycinet Adventures Sea Kayak Tour

Something that has been on my bucket list for some time, is a sea kayaking tour on the Freycinet Peninsula. I finally found the time to book in and do it, and I absolutely loved it!

Freycinet Adventures is a sea kayaking tour company owned and operated by a local Tasmanian couple Nathan and his wife Suze.

I booked in to the 3 hour Freycinet Paddle which set off from Muirs Beach. The tour started with a quick introduction to kayaking and very quickly you set off across the bay towards the Freycinet National Park. The first stop is locally known as The Fisheries and had a prominent role in the whaling history of the area; the second stop is The Quarry an old mining site; the third stop is in the vicinity of Honeymoon Bay and this is where you take a moment to stretch your legs and enjoy a hot drink and delicious locally made cookie.

While the stops are made for discussions on sites of significant historical impact, the guides chat (as much or as little as you like) throughout the duration of the paddle about the area and the history. Despite me being a local, Nathan taught me many new and fascinating things about the area. I had an absolutely amazing tour, a brilliant guide and we were lucky enough to have stunning weather. All-round an amazing and unforgettable experience!

The Freycinet Paddle costs $98 per adult. If you aren’t up for a three hour tour then Sea Kayak’s are available for rent; or if a three hour tour isn’t a big enough adventure for you look into a multi-day expedition tour.

Wineglass Bay Lookout Hike

Within the Freycinet National Park are loads of amazing walks. With my limited time frame my Mum and I only had the time to walk to the Wineglass Bay. It’s a reasonably steep uphill walk. It is 3km and takes roughly 1.5 hours up and back.

It is an absolutely beautiful walk with stunning views over Wineglass Bay. If you want a view looking down on Wineglass, then the Wineglass Bay Lookout or if you are up for a physical challenge, the Mt Amos track are a great idea!

To check out the range of day and multi-day hikes in the Freycinet National Park, check the National Parks website for details.

If you aren’t up for a big hike, then it’s worth considering the Aqua Taxi. This is a new offering from Freycinet Adventures and I think it’s absolutely brilliant. You can take the aqua taxi to hazards beach and walk the short 30min, flat-ish Isthmus Track over to Wineglass Bay Beach. Great for people who aren’t up for the physical challenge of going up and over the saddle.

The Aqua Taxi can also do drop off’s at Cook’s Beach or Crockett’s Beach. These are beaches that I have personally never been to. Cook’s Beach and the hike to Mt Freycinet were previously only possible as a multi-day hike in a national park where you need to bring in everything including your food and water. Crockett’s Beach is on another island altogether, Schouten Island.

So I personally can’t wait for the opportunity to visit these places as a day trip!! At the top of my list is an Aqua Taxi ride to Cook’s Beach from where I would like to hike Mt Freycinet; closely followed by the trip out to Crockett’s Beach on Schouten Island.

Prices for the Aqua Taxi start at $30.

Tahune Airwalk

The Tahune Airwalk is just over an hour drive south of Hobart, near the town of Geeveston. At the Airwalk are a few walking trails through and above the forest, among the trees; the most notable of which is the Airwalk itself. A series of metal walkways suspended amongst the canopies of the trees, with the highlight being the cantilever viewing platform hanging 50 metres above the forest floor, providing a stunning view of the forest and of the Picton River.

A visit to the Airwalk is a great way to get amongst nature and be humbled by the immense trees and amazing ecosystem. I have visited the airwalk numerous times, and it never fails to impress. On this occasion I visited with my travel buddy Wayne, who I had met in Argentina; and caught up with in New York; and who was coincidentally visiting Tasmania at the same time as me.

Entry to the Airwalk is $29; it is free for locals who are bring paying visitors.