Bicheno Tasmania Activities and Places to Visit

Bicheno Tasmania is a peaceful seaside resort town on Tasmania’s east coast famed for its safe beaches, scenic coastline and hinterland hikes, unique red lichen on granite outcrops, and magnificent blowholes. The local fishing fleet brings in good hauls of rock lobster, abalone, salmon, mackerel, cod, and trevally, which are the economic factors propelling the town.

Bicheno Tasmania things to do

Bicheno Tasmania is a lovely village on Tasmania’s stunning east coast, nestled between Douglas-Apsley and Freycinet National Parks. Most Tasmanians love Bicheno, both as a family-friendly getaway and for those looking for a slower pace or a sea change.

Bicheno Tasmania is 2.5 hours from Hobart and just under 2 hours from Launceston, making it conveniently accessible from major population centres.

Bicheno boasts a fantastic choice of activities, making it a popular holiday destination for both Tasmanians and visitors. Bicheno is a great place to base oneself when visiting the east coast, surrounded by that crystal blue east coast ocean, white squeaky sand, and characteristic granite cliffs speckled with orange lichen. If you prefer animals, water sports, or simply relaxing on the beach, Bicheno Tasmania is the place for you.

You’ll always find a fantastic site for swimming or fishing in the summer, and because Bicheno Tasmania has a warm climate with less than 700mm of rain per year, you’ll most likely have perfect weather to explore the township and nearby national parks.

Bicheno is a giant playground. There are several places to visit, and because of its central location, it is close to many major east coast attractions such as Wineglass Bay and the Wine Route.

The beaches and ocean surrounding Bicheno Tasmania have to be the highlight. The sea is the classic east coast blue with beautiful white sand that makes you want to jump in. Even if you’re not interested in the beach, a nighttime penguin spotting trip will wow you as you watch the Fairy Penguins walk up the beach to their burrows after a long day of fishing.

Whether you’re just beachcombing or a visitor boldly sticking a toe into our lovely sea, Bicheno Tasmania is a terrific place to relax and enjoy life.

If you enjoy nature, adventure, water sports, gastronomy, or wine, Bicheno is an excellent spot to stay. Bicheno is a picturesque seaside town with plenty of chances for families to get the kids out on their bikes and explore the beaches and sites. Tourism Tasmania and Bicheno’s Glass Bottom Boat contributed to this image.

Bicheno Tasmania History

Between 1832 and 1840, Bicheno Tasmania was temporarily known as Waubedebar in commemoration of a local Aboriginal lady who rescued two sailors from the waves in the early 1800s. Bicheno was named after James Ebenezer Bicheno, the British Colonial Secretary for Van Diemens Land, and was incorporated as a town in 1866.

Prior to European arrival, members of the Paredareme Aboriginal linguistic group lived in the region surrounding Bicheno Tasmania.

Bicheno was a whaling and sealing hamlet as early as 1803, before the formal European establishment of Van Diemen’s Land. Waubs Boat Harbour served as a basis for their east coast activities.

Wauba Debar, a female Aborigine enslaved by the sealers, died in June 1832.

The town’s Gaol House, currently a National Trust structure, was finished in 1845. It is a basic stone structure with twelve pane windows.

In 1848, coal was discovered in the region.

The seaport was developed in 1854 to offer port facilities for the Denison River coal mining.

Wauba Debar’s tomb was constructed by public subscription in 1855.

Bicheno was incorporated as a town in 1866.

When gold was discovered in Victoria, most of the town’s population left, and Bicheno remained a tiny, peaceful fishing community for the next 100 years.

A tribute to the Australian Merchant Navy was unveiled in the town in 2003.

Reaching Bicheno

Bicheno is located along Tasmania’s Great Eastern Drive. The most common method to see the east coast is by car, but you may also see people cycling along this gorgeous shoreline.

Tassielink or Callows Coaches run buses from Hobart and Launceston to Bicheno, and there is also a community bus that runs down the east coast.

Bicheno Accommodation Options

Whatever sort of accommodation you are looking for, Bicheno will have it. There are various campsites (including free alternatives), caravan parks, hotels, and self-contained lodging options. Bicheno is a popular summer destination, so book early to ensure you receive the accommodation you desire.

Bicheno Tasmania Activities and Places to Visit

Divers will locate Governor Island Marine Reserve adjacent to Bicheno, which has stunning reefs teeming with kelp and sponges just waiting to be discovered. If you are not a diver, you may take a glass-bottomed boat trip to visit this incredible marine reserve, which is recognised as one of Australia’s top diving destinations.

At dusk, Bicheno’s resident Fairy Penguins make their way up into their burrows from the sea. Seeing these adorable young penguins up close and in the wild is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

East Coast Nature World, a beautiful wildlife park about 7km north of the municipality, is a terrific place to continue your animal explorations. You can see Tasmanian Devils being fed, as well as get up close and personal with wallabies, kangaroos, snakes, and quolls, as well as other native Tasmanian wildlife and non-native species.

The Blowhole in Bicheno is perhaps Tasmania’s greatest, and it truly comes alive when there’s a Tasman Sea surge. When the waves make their tremendous spray through the magnificent orange coloured rocks, there are wonderful photo possibilities, but even on a good day, it is best not to come too near since there is sometimes a rogue wave waiting to soak unwary tourists.

Whalers Hill is a quick 10-minute walk up to a high point in town where you can enjoy some magnificent views from the lookout and maybe even sight a whale or two during migration season. Take a picnic as a treat for completing the climb.

The Gulch protects this little town’s fishing fleet from Tasman Sea swells and is a great place to get some freshly caught and cooked fish and chips if you’re hungry. Seafood is plentiful and fresh in Bicheno, and it can be found in almost every restaurant.

Redbill Beach near the northern end of town is a popular surfing destination, and even in the cooler winter months, you’re sure to find surfers enjoying the blue waves at several locations along the coast.

Redbill Beach links to Diamond Island, a rugged granite outcrop that may be reached at low tide across the sandbar and provides some fun scrambling over the rocks to round the little island.

Waubs Bay beach is a safe ocean beach that is frequently guarded by lifeguards during the summer months. Waubs Bay was named after Waubedebar, a local Aboriginal lady who helped distressed seamen in the waves in the early 1800s. While in town, you may also visit her cemetery along Old Tram Road.

For something different, visit the Bicheno Motorcycle Museum, which displays over 60 restored bikes, including the world’s only Noriel 4 Café Racer.

After you’ve seen everything of Bicheno, continue to Douglas-Apsley National Park to see waterfalls, wonderful swimming holes, native woods, and magnificent treks. TThe Douglas Apsley National Park is home to several rare and endangered species, and it’s a lovely stretch of the east coast to explore from your Bicheno base.Tourism Tasmania and Paul Male contributed images, as did Tourism Australia and Graham Freeman.

Nature World on the East Coast

East Coast Natureworld is situated on 150 acres of parklands and lagoons on the Tasman Highway, 7 km north of Bicheno. It has been open for more than 30 years and allows visitors to witness Forester kangaroos, wombats, Bennett’s wallabies, Tasmanian devils, Eastern and Spotted-tail Quolls, koalas, Tasmanian bettong, and Pademelons.

There are aviaries with yellow-tailed black cockatoos, Major Mitchell’s cockatoos, Gang-gang cockatoos, Long-billed Corellas, Regent and Superb parrots, Indian Ringnecks, Mulga parrots, Eclectus parrots, King-parrots, Eastern Rosellas, Cape Barren Geese, and pelicans. The feeding of the Tasmanian devils is always the highlight of every visit. They are fed at 10:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m., and 3:00 p.m. Visit for additional details.

Penguin Tours in Bicheno

If you’ve gone to Phillip Island’s Penguin Experience and thought it was a little crowded, the Bicheno Penguin Tours are probably more to your liking. It is a nightly guided tour of the return of the small (formerly known as “fairy”) penguins after a long day of fishing out at sea. The journey begins at dusk, passes some private land, and can involve up to 600 birds at its height in the middle of summer.

It is held in a location that is inaccessible to the general public. The tour’s narrative is one of resilience in the face of wild cats and neighbourhood canines. There were as few as 40 penguins in 1992, but the tour’s organisers, Paul Male and Nic Wardlow, killed most of the wild animals, and the penguins thrived.

Diamond Island National Park

Diamond Island is a 6.76-hectare nature reserve that can be accessible from the mainland at low tide and is popular with visitors because it is home to colonies of tiny penguins (200 pairs in 2002), short-tailed shearwaters, and sooty oystercatchers. It is a popular visitor stroll (or wade) and is very beneficial for birdwatchers. The island was utilised as a whaling station in the nineteenth century, according to some evidence.

Wauba Debar’s Grave

The burial of Wauba Debar, who died in June 1832, is located beside the Australian Merchant Navy Memorial. She was a local Aboriginal lady during a time when women were treated horribly by the sealers working in the region, who saved two European sealers when their boat was crushed into rocks during a storm. She was an extremely powerful swimmer, according to what is known.

She had been kidnapped as a teenager because sealers wanted her not just as a sexual companion, but also because it was commonly known that native women could swim among the seals and kill huge numbers without being noticed. Every spring, snowdrops grow on Wauba Debar’s grave, according to local folklore. In 1855, a local public subscription was used to create the burial.

Memorial to the Merchant Navy

Tasmania has been the focal point for souvenirs of Australia’s naval past as all naval studies in Australia were focused at the Australian Maritime College in Launceston. In September 2003, Bicheno inaugurated a Merchant Navy memorial, and in February 2004, the municipality awarded the Australian Merchant Navy with a freedom of entry charter, granting the merchant navy access to the little harbour. It was a brilliant concept, and the local youngsters have taken care of the memorial, which is located near Wauba Debar’s grave.

The Bicheno Blowhole and the Rocking Rock

The Rocking Rock and the Blowhole are located to the south of town (both are prominently marked). The Rocking Rock is an 80-tonne slab of granite that has been mistakenly balanced by nature such that it rocks back and forth with the sea. The local blowhole, located nearby on a granite outcrop, is said to be capable of blowing to a height of twenty metres. Rogue waves are common over this stretch of shoreline. The granite has a characteristic red tint at various locations due to red lichen deposits.

FAQ