Photo: Tourism Tasmania and Geoffrey Lea

Beaches

Friendly Beaches

Nominated as one of Australia's top 10 beaches by Getaway (Channel Nine) this beach is contained within the boundaries of the Freycinet National Park. Its sand has an extremely high content of silicon, which results in the sand being very soft, fine and bright. The beach is a very long which runs from the northern tip (Isaacs Point) past Saltwater Lagoon to Freshwater Lagoon at the southern end.

Access to the beach is made from the Coles Bay Road (Approx 18 Kms from Coles Bay or 9 kms from the turnoff at the Tasman Hwy. It is well sign posted on the Coles Bay Road. You can either drive to the popular Isaacs Point end of the beach where you can camp if you wish (Information regarding camping can be obtained from the National Parks & Wildlife Service - Coles Bay) or turn right at a folk in the road as you travel in from the Coles Bay Road. From the small car park a short stroll to the beach will be rewarded with the spectacular scenery Friendly Beaches has to offer. Further along the beach if you turn right you will find the lagoon known as Saltwater Lagoon. There you will see abundant levels of birdlife including wild duck, swans and pelicans.

Being an ocean beach the things you might find as you walk the edges of the Tasman Sea could include beautiful shells, whalebones and other pieces of flotsam and jetsam.

Friendly Beaches is an ocean beach and great care is needed when swimming in this area. The waves are great for surfers but with strong rips and tidal movements swimmers need to be extra cautious.

If you are looking for a beach where you can walk for hours without coming across another person Friendly Beaches is the place to be. It has been a favourite place for many years for skinny dippers and nude sunbaking due to its privacy and isolation.

Be sure to take a drink with you and sunscreen, as there are no nearby facilities.