Guide To Visiting The Bay Of Fires, Tasmania

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The Bay of Fires is one of Tasmania’s biggest attractions and needs only a few words to explain how magnificent they are.

Situated on the northeast coast of Tasmania, the Bay of Fires is a region of white beaches, blue water, and these incredible orange-hued granite rock formations in which the fiery colour is produced by a lichen.

We spent the morning there climbing over the rocks, wandering the beaches, and being mesmerized by the colours.

If you’re thinking of visiting Bay of Fires on your trip to Tasmania, here is everything you need to know…

What is the Bay of Fires?

The Bay of Fires are a unique set of rocks that adorn the Eastern shoreline of Tasmania. They get their name from an English navigator named Captain Tobias Furneaux, who passed by the shores in 1773.

When he looked over at the beach, he saw fires burning all along the coast. They were lit by the local Tasmanian Aboriginal people.

Today, they are known not only for the story of aboriginal fires, but for their gorgeous white sand beaches and crystal-clear waters, and most famously, the granite boulders that are covered in orange lichen, giving them their unique appearance.

Where is the Bay of Fires?

The Bay of Fires is located in the Skeleton Bay Reserve, 186km (2.5 hours’ drive) from Launceston.

The nearest town is Binalong Bay, the gateway to the Bay of Fires, which is situated at the southern end of the Bay of Fires.

The Bay of Fires, while indicated as one point on the map, is actually a whole coastline that expands for about 50km.

It starts from Binalong Bay which is considered the main beach area, and extends all the way up to Eddystone Point in the north.

The best way to see it is to walk from Binabong Bay, but depending on your fitness level will tell you how far you walk.

You can walk 5 minutes from the town and see them, or hike for 40km to Eddystone Point through the Bay of Fires Conservation Area.

How to Get to Bay of Fires

To get to Bay of Fires you will need to drive towards St Helens along the A3 (Tasmanian Highway), and then turn off onto the C850 towards Binalong Bay. The drive from St Helens to Binalong Bay is about 10 minutes.

If you’re driving from Hobart, it’s about 3.5 hours drive. Click here for rental car availability and prices.

Alternatively, you can get a bus from Launceston to St Helens by Calow’s…