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BeachesBoat Harbour: Just a 10-minute drive (15km) east of Old School Rocky Cape. If you enjoy a quiet bay with white sands and clear water, then Boat Harbour is guaranteed to steal your heart. The area has two small population centres – the town, high above sea-level, and the small beach community below, nestled between rocky headlands. The beach is what it's all about, with family-friendly waves, rock pools to explore, pacific gulls and clean white sand. From the winding road that descends to the water, the views of the harbour are captivating. Keep an eye out for dolphins, seals and whales that occasionally enter the bay area. Boat Harbour was voted one of Australia's top ten beaches.
Sisters Beach is a place where you can immerse yourself in the natural environment. Enjoy swimming and playing on the unspoiled beaches, explore the local walking tracks in the Rocky Cape National Park or just relax and watch the waves roll in. Toilet and BBQ facilities are also available for public use at the end of East Boulevard. Both beaches only 10 minutes' drive from Rocky Cape. |
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Northwest Coast The Northwest coast of Tasmania is a great place for touring and offers spectacular views at every turn. You can explore the ancient wilderness of the Tarkine, get lost in Tasmazia, explore under-the-ground in a cave tour or walk around an historic town. Add in some top food and accommodation and you'll never want to leave the northwest region. All just a short drive or a day trip from Rocky Cape to places like Boat Harbour, Sisters Beach, Stanley, Smithton, Marrawah, Arthur River, Wynyard, Burnie, Davenport, Sheffield, Trowutta Arch, The Edge of the World and Cradle Mountain. |
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Food & DiningThe local Rocky Cape Roadhouse is open 4am to 7pm and serves takeaway meals, fish & chips, burgers & salads.
For lighter meals and takeaways then, Rocky Cape Roadhouse is a very good option. I’ve heard nothing but good reports of not only the food but their service as well. You’ll find them on the corner of Rocky Cape Road and the Bass Highway. It is located 3 minutes down the highway. It is also our Post Office and Service Station selling both Diesel and Petrol. The most popular venue in the region – the Rocky Cape Tavern is an absolute cracker. There’s a good range of Aussie pub staples and no chance of leaving hungry! There’s also a bottle shop on site – perfect for keeping the eski well-stocked – and frequent live music on weekends. This tavern is a multifaceted gem, offering a range of services:
Hugo’s Brew & Chew in Smithton is a delightful spot to enjoy a cozy meal or a cup of coffee. Here are some details about this charming cafe:
Bookings are essential. Don't be disappointed and book your table in advance. |
R E C O M M E N D A T I O N S
Summer Destinations
Stanley Seal Cruises
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Penguins of Burnie & Stanley
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Dip Falls
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Burnie is home to a colony of little penguins. These penguins are also known as blue penguins (NZ) or fairy penguins (AUS). They are the smallest species of penguins, standing at just 30cm tall. You can visit "Little Penguin Observation Centre" in Burnie to see these cute creatures. The habitat for this colony of penguins is being expanded as part of a University of Tasmania campus move.
Godfrey's Beach Penguin Viewing (Stanley). An excellent viewing platform situated at the eastern end of Godfrey's Beach below Stanley Cemetery & the Nut.
The timber viewing area consists of an elevated timber path with railings either side, that stretches for over 50 metres. Along the path are a number of viewing platforms with information boards on each.
The penguins are most likely to come ashore to be in their burrows between August and March. It is during these shore excursions that they prepare their burrows, lay eggs, feed and raise their chicks, moult and grow new feathers
The timber viewing area consists of an elevated timber path with railings either side, that stretches for over 50 metres. Along the path are a number of viewing platforms with information boards on each.
The penguins are most likely to come ashore to be in their burrows between August and March. It is during these shore excursions that they prepare their burrows, lay eggs, feed and raise their chicks, moult and grow new feathers
The Nut Reserve Stanley. You start the trail up to the top of the Nut via a very steep paved pathway. Fortunately, there’s a handrail to assist the climb but nevertheless it’s a steep walk for 10-15 minutes. Take in the views on the way up whenever you can but when you reach the top you’re in for some spectacular views. The circuit track takes about 45 minutes to go around with various lookouts along the way. Parts of the track go through shaded trees areas where you’ll see little wallabies hopping around. Overall, a very fun place to visit. For those not so fit or with young children, there’s a chairlift ($12 one way, $19 up and down) however sometimes it is out of order due to maintenance so maybe check if you’re requiring the need.
Stanley Seal Cruises is a popular tourist attraction in Tasmania that offers 75-minute tours from Stanley wharf to Bull Rock where a colony of up to 500 Australian Fur Seals live. Bull Rock is not classed as a breeding ground, which means the 40 ft. motor cruiser "Sylvia C" can approach to within 100m. The 70-minute return cruise takes you just one kilometre offshore to Bull Rock where you can see anywhere from 50 to 500 seals - bulls, females and juveniles. Bull Rock is also popular with the black-faced cormorant, oystercatchers and Pacific gulls, and sometimes bottle-nose dolphins.
Dip Falls Forest Reserve it's easy to overlook, but Dip Falls is one of the most beautiful in the state. It's two-tiered structure and unique rock formations make it well worth a visit. From the parking area next to the falls in the Dip Falls Reserve, it's a short walk to a platform with an unsurpassed view out over the top of the falls. Another path leads down some steps to the base of the falls and its unique rock formations. Like other waterfalls, Dip Falls is at its most impressive after rain and is best viewed in winter. From the car park you can also walk 5 min to the Big Tree in the Big Tree Reserve. The circumference of the tree at its base is nearly 17 m and definitely worth a look if you're here. Dip Falls is between Rocky Cape and Stanley in Tasmania's Northwest, 27 km up a quiet and mostly sealed road that passes through pleasant countryside. Both the falls and Big Tree Reserve are suitable for disabled access. BBQ facilities and toilets are provided.
Rocky Cape Lighthouse
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Kayaking, Snorkeling & Diving
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Doone Falls
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See the views from Rocky Cape Lighthouse
Lighthouses around the world are often found on some of the most stunning headlands, and at Rocky Cape Lighthouse the views are second to none!
Access is super easy. Just take Rocky Cape Road right until the very end, where you can park your car and follow the short trail through the scrub by foot.
For the lighthouse aficionados out there, Rocky Cape Lighthouse was built in 1968 and uses a Chance Brothers 400mm catadioptric lens, flashing once every 10 seconds. Who knew?
Kayaking, snorkeling, and diving.
Bass Strait is notorious for its heavy seas, but in reality, it only gets rough when the occasional westerly weather system trundles through. The rest of the time the waters are completely sheltered by mainland Tasmania and on a good day the conditions can be as still as a pond – perfect for kayaking, snorkeling, and diving.
There are many little coves and bays dotted along the coast between Mary Ann Cove and Sisters Beach that can only be reached by kayak or boat. Snorkelers will enjoy launching themselves from Burgess Cove or Sisters Beach for an underwater adventure, and divers can go in search of one of the many shipwrecks in the area or explore the reef system off Rocky Cape Point.
Doone Falls (3 hours – Medium) – The walk to Doone Falls is a great leg-stretcher. Rocky Cape has very little fresh water, but Doone Creek is one of the exceptions. Flows are minimal for much of the year but get there after heavy rains and you’ll be treated to a torrent leaping its way down the rocks to the forest below. This walk starts at the big ‘Information’ sign, opposite the large car parking area before you get to the Sisters Beach boat ramp.
Detention Falls Conservation Area: Although not part of Rocky Cape National Park, they are a short drive from the eastern end of the park. 9 kilometres south of Sisters Creek through the rich green pastures of the Northwest are the superb Detention Falls. Turn left towards Meuna then right at Hawleys Road. Only a short 10-minute walk takes you to a well-constructed viewing platform.The track has recently been upgraded making in one of Tasmania's great short walks. The adventurous can venture down to the valley floor. The tannin in the water gives the water a pink hue.
Lighthouses around the world are often found on some of the most stunning headlands, and at Rocky Cape Lighthouse the views are second to none!
Access is super easy. Just take Rocky Cape Road right until the very end, where you can park your car and follow the short trail through the scrub by foot.
For the lighthouse aficionados out there, Rocky Cape Lighthouse was built in 1968 and uses a Chance Brothers 400mm catadioptric lens, flashing once every 10 seconds. Who knew?
Kayaking, snorkeling, and diving.
Bass Strait is notorious for its heavy seas, but in reality, it only gets rough when the occasional westerly weather system trundles through. The rest of the time the waters are completely sheltered by mainland Tasmania and on a good day the conditions can be as still as a pond – perfect for kayaking, snorkeling, and diving.
There are many little coves and bays dotted along the coast between Mary Ann Cove and Sisters Beach that can only be reached by kayak or boat. Snorkelers will enjoy launching themselves from Burgess Cove or Sisters Beach for an underwater adventure, and divers can go in search of one of the many shipwrecks in the area or explore the reef system off Rocky Cape Point.
Doone Falls (3 hours – Medium) – The walk to Doone Falls is a great leg-stretcher. Rocky Cape has very little fresh water, but Doone Creek is one of the exceptions. Flows are minimal for much of the year but get there after heavy rains and you’ll be treated to a torrent leaping its way down the rocks to the forest below. This walk starts at the big ‘Information’ sign, opposite the large car parking area before you get to the Sisters Beach boat ramp.
Detention Falls Conservation Area: Although not part of Rocky Cape National Park, they are a short drive from the eastern end of the park. 9 kilometres south of Sisters Creek through the rich green pastures of the Northwest are the superb Detention Falls. Turn left towards Meuna then right at Hawleys Road. Only a short 10-minute walk takes you to a well-constructed viewing platform.The track has recently been upgraded making in one of Tasmania's great short walks. The adventurous can venture down to the valley floor. The tannin in the water gives the water a pink hue.
Wynyard Tulip Festival
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Blue Hills Honey
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Marrawah
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The Wynyard Tulip Festival is a spectacular day of festivities held on the second Saturday of October each year at 11am – 9pm at Gutteridge Gardens, Wynyard. The festival celebrates the breathtaking tulips in full bloom at the Table Cape Tulip Farm, as well as all that makes Waratah-Wynyard idyllic and unique. It also attracts some exciting entertainment and attractions from across the state and further afield! Entry is FREE.
Blue Hills Honey is located in the small district of Mawbanna, only 25 minutes from Rocky Cape. There Honey is produced by placing near 2000 beehives deep in the heart of the ancient and primitive Tarkine rainforests. The wild rainforests of Tasmania are the only place in the world where the rare Leatherwood tree Eucryphia Lucida grows. Other varieties include Tasmanian Manuka, Blackberry and Meadow. Blue Hills Honey exports to many countries. Visit their farm shop, cafe, interpretation centre, process viewing and orchard with playground and experience the varieties of honey available from their Tarkine Apiaries and an Australian Mead selection.
Marrawah is 100km West of Rocky Cape, via Smithton and is Tasmania's westernmost community and the furthest settlement from Hobart. Marrawah is the most popular surfing spot in Tasmania’s north. Marrawah is accessed from Tasmania's north west region. Marrawah's three beaches - Ann Bay, Mawson Bay and Green Point - have hundred-metre-long rides when the swell is westerly and the wind offshore. The record wave in this area was measured at almost 20 metres with wind and surf rolling in uninterrupted for almost 17,000 kilometres.
Marrawah is the venue for the National Wave Sailing Championships; a highly sought after title worth $22,000 and held over 5-days in February that combines wind and wave skills to attract competitors and visitors. The West Coast Surf Classic, an amateur surf carnival that has been going for the past 30 years, follows this event each March long weekend and attracts up to 1000 spectators and competitors.
Blue Hills Honey is located in the small district of Mawbanna, only 25 minutes from Rocky Cape. There Honey is produced by placing near 2000 beehives deep in the heart of the ancient and primitive Tarkine rainforests. The wild rainforests of Tasmania are the only place in the world where the rare Leatherwood tree Eucryphia Lucida grows. Other varieties include Tasmanian Manuka, Blackberry and Meadow. Blue Hills Honey exports to many countries. Visit their farm shop, cafe, interpretation centre, process viewing and orchard with playground and experience the varieties of honey available from their Tarkine Apiaries and an Australian Mead selection.
Marrawah is 100km West of Rocky Cape, via Smithton and is Tasmania's westernmost community and the furthest settlement from Hobart. Marrawah is the most popular surfing spot in Tasmania’s north. Marrawah is accessed from Tasmania's north west region. Marrawah's three beaches - Ann Bay, Mawson Bay and Green Point - have hundred-metre-long rides when the swell is westerly and the wind offshore. The record wave in this area was measured at almost 20 metres with wind and surf rolling in uninterrupted for almost 17,000 kilometres.
Marrawah is the venue for the National Wave Sailing Championships; a highly sought after title worth $22,000 and held over 5-days in February that combines wind and wave skills to attract competitors and visitors. The West Coast Surf Classic, an amateur surf carnival that has been going for the past 30 years, follows this event each March long weekend and attracts up to 1000 spectators and competitors.
Day Trips from Rocky Cape
The Edge of the World
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Cradle Mountain
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Sheffield a Town of Murals
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Heading off the beaten track and into the wilderness, The Tarkine Drive in Tasmania's north-west is now easily accessible for anyone wanting to get back in touch with nature and experience the wilderness. The loop through the Tarkine Drive takes travelers through natural and dramatic landscapes beginning with Kanunnah Bridge Picnic Area, taking its name from the aboriginal name for 'Tasmanian Tiger', Sumac Lookout surrounded by rain-forest and tall eucalypts and more impressive widespread views of the river and beyond. Julius River Forest Reserve has cool temperate rain-forest, excellent picnic facilities and with two walks, moderate 30 minute and 40 minute walks. Lake Chisholm Forest Reserve has flooded limestone sinkholes and meandering walks through old myrtle forests and alongside still watered lakes. At Milkshakes Hills Forest Reserve, relax with picnic spots nestled among the eucalypts. Completing the loop is the Trowutta Arch Rain Forest Walk; a stunning and natural geological structure. The Tarkine Drive starts an effortless 45km drive from Rocky Cape to Smithton. Smithton to the Tarkine Drive return is 130 km. The Tarkine Drive route is sealed and has made the drive easily accessible and much more pleasurable.
The Trowutta Arch State Reserve is a beautiful area of luscious Tasmanian rain-forest. The main attraction, named the Trowutta Arch, is a giant rock arch which appears like a shallow cave with an opening at either side. There is a piece of water with a green appearance and a beautiful surrounding of natural rain-forest.
Many people visit the Trowutta Arch from Rocky Cape, which is a 1 hour, 90 kilometre drive. Take the Bass Highway to Smithton then turn left, taking the Trowutta Road to Trowutta. Turn left onto Reids Road then right shortly after onto Reynolds Road, then left onto Gun Road.
Cradle Mountain is 140km Southeast of Rocky Cape. It is situated in the Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair World Heritage National Park. The park contains many walking trails and is where hikes along the well-known Overland Track begin. The park is known for its diverse and breathtaking landscapes including moss-covered ancient rainforests, deep river gorges, snow covered mountain peaks, wild alpine moorlands and glacial lakes.
The Edge of the World is a wild and desolate place, beset by churning seas. Rolling waves drag pieces of driftwood the size of whole tree trunks onto the windswept beach. The bare logs are washed by the wind and currents into neat stacks on the sand, bringing a whiff of order to the mayhem. There's no land between this solitary stretch of the Tasmanian coast and Argentina, making it the longest uninterrupted expanse of ocean on Earth. Located an hour's drive from Rocky Cape, at Gardiners Point just south of the Arthur River, it makes a great day out for a picnic lunch and scenic drive. With a new enclosed BBQ area, it is the perfect place to take your lunch and have a cook up before continuing on your journey.
Sheffield is a town in Tasmania that is famous for its murals and is 115km Southeast of Rocky Cape. The town has over 50 murals painted on the side of every building and the face of every structure in town. The murals were created by local artists and depict the community story and that of local characters past and present.
Tasmazia - 136km Southeast of Rocky Cape, just past Sheffield, located at 500 Staverton Rd, Promised Land. Let them take you on a journey through one of the world’s largest maze complexes, with a total of eight magical mazes to lose yourself in, each completely different from the last!
The Village of Lower Crackpot is a quirky model village built to 1/5 scale, with plenty of unusual sights to see. And take a trip around the world in our Embassy Gardens, with buildings dedicated to over 40 countries, as well as a few imaginary ones, just for fun!
The Trowutta Arch State Reserve is a beautiful area of luscious Tasmanian rain-forest. The main attraction, named the Trowutta Arch, is a giant rock arch which appears like a shallow cave with an opening at either side. There is a piece of water with a green appearance and a beautiful surrounding of natural rain-forest.
Many people visit the Trowutta Arch from Rocky Cape, which is a 1 hour, 90 kilometre drive. Take the Bass Highway to Smithton then turn left, taking the Trowutta Road to Trowutta. Turn left onto Reids Road then right shortly after onto Reynolds Road, then left onto Gun Road.
Cradle Mountain is 140km Southeast of Rocky Cape. It is situated in the Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair World Heritage National Park. The park contains many walking trails and is where hikes along the well-known Overland Track begin. The park is known for its diverse and breathtaking landscapes including moss-covered ancient rainforests, deep river gorges, snow covered mountain peaks, wild alpine moorlands and glacial lakes.
The Edge of the World is a wild and desolate place, beset by churning seas. Rolling waves drag pieces of driftwood the size of whole tree trunks onto the windswept beach. The bare logs are washed by the wind and currents into neat stacks on the sand, bringing a whiff of order to the mayhem. There's no land between this solitary stretch of the Tasmanian coast and Argentina, making it the longest uninterrupted expanse of ocean on Earth. Located an hour's drive from Rocky Cape, at Gardiners Point just south of the Arthur River, it makes a great day out for a picnic lunch and scenic drive. With a new enclosed BBQ area, it is the perfect place to take your lunch and have a cook up before continuing on your journey.
Sheffield is a town in Tasmania that is famous for its murals and is 115km Southeast of Rocky Cape. The town has over 50 murals painted on the side of every building and the face of every structure in town. The murals were created by local artists and depict the community story and that of local characters past and present.
Tasmazia - 136km Southeast of Rocky Cape, just past Sheffield, located at 500 Staverton Rd, Promised Land. Let them take you on a journey through one of the world’s largest maze complexes, with a total of eight magical mazes to lose yourself in, each completely different from the last!
- The Great Maze is one of the world’s largest mazes – do you dare to take the challenge?
- The Hampton Court Maze is an exact replica of the famous original in London.
- The Balance Maze will seriously test your agility!
- The Yellow Brick Road Maze is a favourite among Tasmanian tourist attractions, loved by kids of all ages!
The Village of Lower Crackpot is a quirky model village built to 1/5 scale, with plenty of unusual sights to see. And take a trip around the world in our Embassy Gardens, with buildings dedicated to over 40 countries, as well as a few imaginary ones, just for fun!