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When it comes to beaches in Tasmania, there are none more beautiful than the remote Hazards Beach, which is often overlooked by the famous Wineglass Bay.
But getting to Hazards Beach is not easy, since it’s located deep within the Freycinet National Park on Tasmania’s East Coast. There are three ways to see Hazards Beach, by hiking, by water taxi, and from above.
In my opinion, one of the best ways to get incredible views of Hazards Beach is from above.
Taking a scenic flight over Hazards Beach and Wineglass Bay was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and it really offers an entirely new perspective of this beach.
You can see the blue hues of the ocean, the dazzling white sand, and the famous rock formations of The Hazards in all their glory when looking down on them from a small aircraft.
In this guide, I’ll be sharing with you the three ways to get to Hazards Beach and how to get the best views of it.
Is Hazards Beach Worth Seeing?
I am deeply, madly in love with Tasmania. In fact, I am deeply, madly in love with Australia.
One thing I’ve learned is how beautiful and diverse my own country is and how much we as Australians take it for granted.
My heart has been left on the rocky cove of Hazards Beach, Tasmania. It was where it wanted to rest for a while where nothing else moved through except the wind, marine life, and the rare soft patter of feet.
Pure, remote, desolate, peaceful, and breathtaking.
Most people go to Freycinet National Park to see Wineglass Bay, and often don’t know about Hazards Beach or don’t see it as worth visiting – but those people are missing out.
Hazards Beach is just as beautiful as Wineglass Bay and is definitely worth seeing.
How To See Hazards Beach, Tasmania
As I mentioned earlier, there are three main ways to see Hazards Beach in Tasmania. Here are the three ways to get the best views…
1. Scenic Flight to Wineglass Bay and Hazards Beach with Tasmanian Air Adventures
I was fortunate to be able to take a scenic flight to Hazards Beach in Freycinet National Park, flying over Wineglass Bay, one of the world’s best beaches and best beaches in Australia.
We arrived by seaplane from Hobart, flying over the famous Wineglass Bay – a beach consistently rated as one of the world’s best.
Three pink granite peaks – The Hazards Mountains – rise dramatically, protecting the bay from the infiltration of humanity.
The Freycinet Peninsula was not meant for buildings and tour groups, rubbish and flashing neon lines, and those not willing to make a journey to experience paradise.
Our pilot pointed out beautiful places along the way and had a lot of knowledge and passion for the area. I felt really safe in the seaplane and thoroughly enjoyed this way of flying.
Landing and take-off were smooth and far more stunning than any airport could ever be.
Just across the small strip of land from Wineglass Bay was Hazards Beach, the place where our seaplane has permission to land.
We were met by Ranger D. He hiked for 2 hours to greet us.
That is one of the only ways to see Hazards Beach (and the cheapest). It’s also a great way to take in the beauty of the national park and contemplate how beautiful nature can be and how lucky you are to experience it.
Ranger D took us to the rock pools of the Hazards lagoon system to show us starfish and sea snails hiding under rocks, sea anemones, and hermit crabs. He brings families and school children out for discovery tours on the beach.
“They absolutely love it.” he said. “You need them to come here when they are young and full of curiosity, before they are sucked in by the likes of Facebook.”
I could barely concentrate on what he was saying. My heart was calling me to just sit and be. To soak up this magical place and fill myself up with its perfect energy.
At the north end of Hazards Beach, you’ll discover an orange sand beach and orange rocks that are fascinating to look at.
2. Hiking to Hazards Beach
Another popular way to see Hazards Beach is to hike there.
Most people hike to the viewpoint of Wineglass Bay and that is it. It’s a much longer hike down to Wineglass Bay Beach and across to Hazards located on the other side of the peninsula.
To hike to Hazards Beach, I suggest hiking the Wineglass Bay and Hazards Beach Circuit. It’s long but it’s not particularly strenuous, however, you may struggle to do this with kids.
From the car park to Wineglass Bay, it’s about 9.7km and takes around 3 hours. You start at the parking lot at the end of Coles Bay Road, and then walk anti-clockwise along the steep track.
There are several side trails and lookout points, including the Coles Bay lookout, before the path takes you between Mount Mayson and Mount Amos.
This is where you will find the Wineglass Bay lookout, the highest point of the loop. Here you can see the crescent-shaped light-sand beach that makes the park to famous.
After this, you head down some steep steps to Wineglass Bay where you can enjoy walking along the squeaky clean white silica sand and paddling in the pristine aquamarine water.
From Wineglass Bay, you embark on the second half of the hike toward Hazards Beach, which is only a short walk away. The second half is an easy walk.
To reach Hazards Beach, you need to walk for a further 30 minutes along the marshy Isthmus Track or along the boardwalk to the opposite side of the peninsula to reach Hazards Beach.
Once you’ve enjoyed Hazards Beach, you have two options to get back. You can go back the way you came, or you can continue on the Hazards Beach Track which passes the inside of Great Oyster Bay.
The entire hike is about 11km in total and takes you through passed some of the most spectacular views of the Freycinet National Park. You may also see some cute animals such as wallabies, ducks and sea eagles.
The Wineglass Bay to Hazards Beach walking track is part of the Peninsula Track which is 30km and takes 2-3 days to complete.
This 5.5-Hr Small Group Guided Walking Experience will take you to Hazards Beach via Wineglass Bay. After exploring Hazards, you’ll jump aboard the Freycinet Aqua Taxi to see the peninsula from a different perspective as you journey back to the Freycinet Lodge where you tour concludes.
3. Water Taxi to Hazards Beach
Another very popular way to reach Hazards Beach is to take the Freycinet Aqua Taxi, which departs from Coles Bay and lands on Hazards Beach.
Since boats cannot land in Wineglass Bay, this is a popular way for those to reach Wineglass Bay without doing a full hike. The water taxi also goes to Cooks Beach.
It’s the fastest way to Hazards Beach and is great for those with reduced mobility or kids.
Things to Know Before Visiting Hazards Beach
Before you visit Hazards Beach, whether by boat, plane or hiking, here are some things you need to know:
- There are no facilities inside Freycinet National Park, so if you need the toilet, you need to make it back to the car park on Coles Bay Road.
- Bring bug spray as there are many mosquitoes and march flies in the park.
- Bring sunscreen and plenty of water to protect yourself from the heat.
- You need one of Tasmania’s National Parks permits to enter the park. You can get single day pass or annual park passes from the visitor centre at the entrance.
- The route is well marked with information panels, but make sure you have a map (which you can get from the visitor centre) or an offline GPS just in case. I recommend using the app MapsMe.
- Remember the Hazards are not called the Hazards for no reason. Be aware when climbing on rocky points of potential rock falls as these are hazardous cliffs.
Final Thoughts on Hazards Beach Tasmania
I had heard of Wineglass Bay plenty of times, but never Hazards Beach. Most people don’t go there due to its isolation and that makes it an often missed gem of the Freycinet Peninsula.
It was the most amazing way to finish my visit to Tasmania.
Tasmania is beautiful. I am stunned that it is often overlooked for the other major star Australian attractions.
This was a short yet memorable trip. I’ll always remember the WOW moment I experienced on that scenic flight to Hazards Beach.
I was excited to take my family back there a couple of years later where we stayed at Coles Bay and hiked into Wineglass Bay and Hazards Beach.
You can read more about our hike in Freycinet National Park here, and also a review of The Blue House where we stayed. You may also like to stay in the Freycinet Lodge or the Freycinet Resort.
Tours of Wineglass Bay, Freycinet National Park
- Book a 30-minute Scenic Flight over Freycinet National Park
- Wineglass Bay Cruise with lunch
- 2 Day Trip to Wineglass Bay and Bay of Fires
Video: Scenic Flight over Hazards Beach and Wineglass Bay
Click below to see the scenic flight over Freycinet National Park. It’s how I got such great photos!
More Tasmania Travel Tips
We spent a month road tripping around Tasmania. Here are some of our other top tips and highlights…
