Bay of Fires

The Bay of Fires stretches along Tasmania's north-east coast, running roughly 50 kilometres from Binalong Bay in the south to larapuna / Eddystone Point in the north. The nearest town is St Helens, about a 30 minute drive south of the conservation area.

It is about a 2 hour 20 minute drive from Launceston (175 km) via St Helens, the most common route for visitors. From Hobart it is roughly 3 hours 20 minutes (263 km), usually driven up the east coast through Bicheno and Scamander.

The vivid orange is a crustose lichen (commonly Caloplaca species) coating the granite boulders, not anything to do with fire. The pigment parietin produced by the lichen reacts with sunlight to create the bright tangerine glow against the white sand and turquoise water.

British navigator Captain Tobias Furneaux named it in 1773 after seeing the fires of Aboriginal people burning along the coast from his ship Adventure. The orange lichen on the rocks is a coincidence, although it suits the name perfectly.

The area is the Country of the palawa peoples and is known as larapuna in palawa kani. It was a meeting place for the Panpe-kanner, Leener-rerter and Pinter-rairer family groups, and Aboriginal midden sites are still visible in the dunes today.

Binalong Bay is the easiest introduction with a sheltered swimming beach and a cafe. Further north along The Gardens Road you will find Swimcart Beach, Cosy Corner, Sloop Reef and Taylors Beach, all classic granite-and-lichen scenes with white sand and clear water.

Yes, the Parks and Wildlife Service Tasmania manages a string of free, first-come-first-served campgrounds north of Binalong Bay, including Swimcart, Cosy Corner (North and South) and Sloop Reef. Facilities are basic with pit toilets only, and you need to bring your own drinking water and firewood.

December to April offers the warmest, driest weather and the best swimming conditions. Shoulder months like November and May are quieter and still pleasant for walking and photography, while winter brings dramatic skies but cold water and cool air.

Yes, the bays are popular for swimming, snorkelling and kayaking, with water temperatures sitting around 17 to 19 degrees Celsius in summer and dropping to about 12 degrees in winter. Parks Tasmania warns that the beaches have steep drop-offs and rips, so stick to calmer corners and supervise children closely.

It is a fully guided multi-day coastal walk run by the Tasmanian Walking Company, ending at the off-grid, architect-designed Bay of Fires Lodge perched above the dunes. The signature itinerary covers about 32 km over 4 nights, departing from Launceston and operating roughly October to May.