Of Fire, Sea and Sky

Tasmania’s west remains relatively unpopulated and almost 37 per cent of its land mass lies in reserves, national parks and world heritage-listed sites.
Of Fire, Sea and Sky
4/14/2010
Updated:
11/26/2010
The Bay of Fires is a 29km coastal stretch of long beaches and smaller sheltered coves. Its clear turquoise water and pure white sand contrasting the brilliant red-orange granite boulders are what give this place its iconic appeal. Some would think the orange lichen on the granite stones is what gives this place its name, referring to “fire”, but it was named as such because of the large number of fires from the Indigenous people who were spotted from an English navigation boat passing by.

Remnants of its Aboriginal history are all too prevalent here, with many midden sites, burial grounds and sacred sites scattered along the bay. With loose camping restrictions and an ever-increasing population of tourists, this area has been made vulnerable to the irreversible damage of these important cultural sites. It is the hope of the local Indigenous community that this area be handed back to them before the connection is lost forever.

Tasmania’s west remains relatively unpopulated and almost 37 per cent of its land mass lies in reserves, national parks and world heritage-listed sites. Half of the population of 500,000 live in and around the capital city, Hobart.

From jagged, mountainous alpine heath lands to cool, temperate rainforests in the west, Tasmania has an array of diverse and unique flora and fauna making it an extremely fragile and important place for the future.

Every year, almost 800,000 tourists visit Australia’s only island state, with over 42 per cent of them coming from overseas. There are many well-known tourist hotspots in “Tassie”, which makes this place an ideal getaway for nature lovers. Cradle Mountain is on the A-list, as it crowns a world heritage-listed site and acts as a magnificent beacon to either mark the beginning or conclusion of the famous Overland Track through the state’s mid-west. The 6-day-long hiking trail from here finishes at the still and secretive waters of the Lake St Clair shore. The Overland Track is in the top 10 hikes of the world and is Australia’s premier walking trail. It is another one of Tasmania’s big tourist draw cards.

But it was the Bay of Fires on the north-east coast that was proclaimed the world’s No.1 destination by international travel book Lonely Planet. Despite its newfound fame, there are times of the year when it is still a relatively quiet place to visit.

In good weather, this remarkable beachside haven offers many outdoor activities to travellers, such as fishing, swimming, surfing, sailing and recreational diving. Crayfish and abalone are plentiful here, and they are a prime feature boasted on the menus of local restaurants and fish cafés.

Binnalong Bay’s Angasi Restaurant has perhaps the most sought after menu. With sweeping views of the bay from the balcony, the Angasi Restaurant is fast making a name for itself as one of Australia’s most memorable dining experiences. Named after the native Tasmanian oyster, the chefs cater by using premium local and seasonal produce.

The best time to enjoy this pristine ribbon of surf and sand is during the summer months for obvious reasons. Yet the winter season offers a different experience, although both seasons can have very unpredictable weather, so luck can play a big part in your experience.

There is no doubt that this magical location will get a lot more footprints in its sand in the next few years when the word gets out. The Bay of Fires recently joined Peru’s Machu Picchu on the list of the worlds most threatened tourist sites and many local people, Aboriginal groups and conservationists are worried about the repercussion of an overly successful tourist industry, which in this case may act as a double-edged sword.