Things to do in Bicheno

Bicheno is a beautiful coastal town, on Tasmania’s East Coast. It is a great holiday destination, with a range of fun activities & affordable accommodations on offer.

In Bicheno, you can find white sand, clear blue water, and the East Coast’s signature orange-lichen covered granite rocks. Here, you can also admire the impressive Bicheno Blowhole; take a stroll to Diamond Island during low tide; visit East Coast Natureworld for an intimate encounter with Tasmania’s wildlife; watch fairy penguins out and about at nightfall; visit the famous Freycinet National Park.

Bicheno also offers a great food experience. You can find a range of eateries here to suit everyone’s taste. The two favourites during our visit were tacos from Spicy Mamas & fresh seafood from Lobster Shack.

To Get to Bicheno

Bicheno is a 2-hour drive from Launceston; 2 hours and 20 minutes drive from Hobart; 1 hour’s drive from St Helens; and a 30-minute drive from the Freycinet National Park.

Must-Visit Attractions and Things To Do in Bicheno

1. East Coast Natureworld

East Coast Natureworld is a wildlife sanctuary, based in Bicheno.

In East Coast Natureworld, you can wander around at your own pace to visit a variety of native Tasmanian wildlife. You will also meet many free-roaming kangaroos, wallabies, and feathered animals everywhere within the sanctuary.

Regular feeding times and keepers talks will also carry out during the day & it is a great opportunity to interact with the wildlife and gain some valuable knowledge about them.

For detailed information on East Coast Natureworld, you may wish to also check out this article on’East Coast Natureworld’.

2. Diamond Island Nature Reserve

Diamond Island is a nature reserve, linked to the mainland of Tasmania by a thin strip of sandbar on low tide.

It is a small granite island, with clear blue water, white sand, and orange lichen-covered rocks. There are also stunning rock pools around the island, which are perfect for a leisure swim.

Diamond Island is essentially a penguin colony, which houses a significant number of fairy penguins in Bicheno. To help protect the natural habitat of these fairy penguins, be sure to stay on the rocks when visiting Diamond Island. To help protect this fairy penguin colony, dogs are also not permitted on Diamond Island.

Since the sand bar connecting Diamond Island to Bicheno will be fully submerged underwater during high tide, it is best to visit Diamond Island during low tide.

I suggest walking out to Diamond Island just before low tide. In this way, you will have a decent amount of time to spend on the island, without worrying about an imminent high tide.

3. Bicheno Blowhole

Bicheno Blowhole is a stunning granite blowhole in Bicheno. It is positioned right next to the water & with a giant granite boulder standing upright nearby.

This blowhole is not fenced at all, so visitors can theoretically walk as close to the blowhole as they wish to. With that being said, the intensity of the water jets from Bicheno Blowhole can vary significantly from one to the next. Hence, be sure to stay at a safe distance when admiring this blowhole.

4. Bicheno Penguin Tour

Wanting to get up and personal with some cute fairy penguins? Bicheno is the place for you.

With a decent fairy penguin population in Bicheno, you can spot fairy penguins after sunset near Diamond Island and Bicheno Blowhole, even without a tour. However, to make sure we were not intruding on the fairy penguin colony and for the best viewing experience, we join a Bicheno Penguin Tour instead.

During the tour, we were safely guided through a fairy penguin rookery by a knowledgeable tour guide. With the well-lit red lights around the facility, we were able to watch the fairy penguins surfing out of the water and making their way up to the rookery. We also had fairy penguins walking right past our feet, while we were standing still. This experience was well worth the price.

5. Freycinet National Park

Freycinet National Park is a wonderful park with a range of walking trails and stunning beaches to explore.

Freycinet National Park is most famous for its spectacular Wineglass Bay. However, you can also visit the picturesque Hazards Beach, Honeymoon Bay, and Coles Bay; enjoy a panoramic view of the Freycinet National Park from Mount Amos Summit; taste the freshest seafood from Freycinet Marine Farm.

For more information on the Freycinet National Park, you may wish to also check out this article on ‘Freycinet National Park Day Trip’.

Watch Things to Do in Bicheno on YouTube