The wonderful Cape Tourville Lighthouse and lookout
Easy short walk for families!
The Cape Tourville Lighthouse and lookout is by far, the easiest short walk for families on the Freycinet Peninsula. People rave about the nearby Wine Glass Bay lookout walk, but I thought the views from here were just as enjoyable.
For families, there was also more to interest the kids at the Cape Tourville Lighthouse and lookout. I mean, what young kid doesn’t want to see a lighthouse? Or peer through a pair of giant binoculars?
At only 600m and twenty minutes of leisurely strolling with great views, this Cape Tourville Lighthouse is a winner!
What to expect on the Cape Tourville Lighthouse Walk
Name: Cape Tourville (#54 of Tasmania’s 60 Great Short Walks)
Location: Freycinet Peninsula (Freycinet National Park), East Coast of Tasmania in Australia
Distance: 600 m circuit
Classification: Level 1
Time: 20 minutes
Notes: The information above is taken from the Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Services website.
As per normal, we took twice as long than the suggested time, stopping a lot to check out the views and take photos. There were quite a few signs and other features to stretch out the walk.
Walk the boardwalk!
The boardwalk that leads up to the Cape Tourville Lighthouse has great views and is a good alternative to the steep Wine Glass Bay Lookout walk if you are not feeling up to it with the kids.
Educational features on the marine life, neighbouring islands and history are included in signage dotted along the boardwalk.
View the birds on the ‘Nuggets’ through the public binoculars!
I love that the public binoculars on the boardwalk are free to use. The ‘nuggets’ are a set of islets lying just of the coast. They are an important breeding sanctuary for a variety of birdlife including the little penguin, diving and white-faced storm petrels, pacific and silver gulls, black-faced cormorants and caspian terns.
Check out the Cape Tourville Lighthouse!
To be honest, the lighthouse kinda pales in comparison to the boardwalk and view. The Cape Tourville Lighthouse was constructed in 1971 and being an automatic light, has never been manned.
Unfortunately, it’s not open so you can’t climb up for the extra views.
Fees to visit Cape Tourville Lighthouse
There is no fee to visit the lighthouse but you will need a National Parks permit to explore the Freycinet National Park in which it is located. Singular park passes can be purchased but an 8 weeks pass that gets a whole family into all of the National Parks is better value for money. Purchase your pass online here.
How to get to the Cape Tourville Lighthouse
From the Tasman Highway (A3) take road C302. Once inside the Freycinet National Park, follow the main road and then turn left onto Cape Tourville Road. The 7km Cape Tourville road is unsealed but is suitable for two-wheel drive vehicles.
We managed it perfectly fine in a large motor home.
Where to stay to Visit the Cape Tourville Lighthouse
Due to the popularity of the Freycinet Peninsula, accommodation is a bit more expensive here than in some other areas of Tasmania.
We were travelling in a motorhome and stayed at the Big4 Iluka on Freycinet. However, if we had a standard hire car instead of a motorhome, I absolutely would have splurged for the Freycinet Lodge. It looks amazing!
Looking for more awesome family holiday destinations?
For more information on visiting Tassie with kids, browse our Tasmania page. Alternatively, head back to the home page for inspiration on destinations and activities in Australia and worldwide.
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Planning and booking your holiday to Tasmania
National Parks Pass:
A National Park entrance fee is required to visit most parks in Tasmania. You can buy a single-day pass or if you are exploring more of Tassie, an eight-week pass that gets a whole family into all of Tasmania’s National Parks is better value for money. Passes can be purchased here.
More information:
Check out the official Tourism Tasmania page for more information on great places to visit in Tasmania.
Getting to Tasmania:
Search on Trip.com for the best deals to Tasmania. Flights are available from most capital cities into either Hobart or Launceston.
Alternatively, you can also come across by boat on the Spirit of Tasmania. If you choose to come across by boat, you can bring your own vehicle.
Accommodation in Tasmania:
Accommodation in Tasmania is varied and there are options from budget to luxury. Find a great deal here.
Getting around Tasmania:
Compare rental car prices here.
Let me know what you think!