Spotlight on Cape Hauy
The views from the Cape Hauy Track are truly epic. However, I’m not going to lie. Cape Hauy is a challenge for the legs if you’re not used to stairs and doing this one with a kid on your back is hard work.
My verdict……totally worth it!
The Cape Hauy walk is number five on Tasmania’s awesome list of 60 Great Short Walks. I was really looking forward to trying out this walk and the views did not disappoint. What I was disappointed in by the end of this walk was my own fitness level. I think practising on stairs would have really helped with this hike!
What to expect on the Cape Hauy walk
Name: Cape Hauy Track (#5 of Tasmania’s 60 Great Walks)
Location: The Tasman Peninsula, Tasmania (Australia)
Distance: 9.4 km return
Classification: Grade 3
Time: 4 hours return
Notes: Tasmania National Parks and Wildlife Services provide the above information on their website. I tracked this walk a fair bit longer at 10.7 km return using my phone. The path is well-maintained and obvious for the whole length.
The walk starts near the boat ramp at the beautiful Fortescue Bay. For the first fifteen minutes, it follows the rocky coastline with lovely views of the bay before ascending and heading inland.
The next 1 km (approximately) climbs steadily with the landscape changing to more of a dry forest. There is a nice flattish section after the initial ascent that young kids can easily manage. This includes some man-made boardwalks over low-lying areas. As expected, at the ages of two years and four years, the steep sections on this hike were too much for little legs.
Just as your legs have recovered and the kids have had enough of walking, the path climbs again. Eventually, you reach a sign announcing that it’s one hour back to Fortescue Bay and two hours return back to this point if you continue to Cape Hauy.
This sign is disheartening for tired legs!
Even though the sign said it was only one hour back the way we came, it actually took us two hours to get to this point. In my defence, it was mostly uphill (my kryptonite) and the kids wanted to stop for various reasons along the way. There are a few seats here to have a rest before heading out to Cape Hauy.
Not long after the rest spot, the forest opens up to reward you with a spectacular view of the walking track etched into the rolling slopes of Cape Hauy. It is epic!
The first scramble down feels like the steepest part of the hike. I was a bit nervous about how my legs would cope with carrying the heavy load on the way back, who had by now, fallen asleep.
The path rises and falls over the remaining two saddles and towards the end, the track is very close to the cliff edge. I would not let young kids out of the carrier here. There are flattish sections between the ascents and descents they can safely stretch their legs on. Once at the end, view the unique dolerite formations of the iconic Candlestick and Totem Pole jutting out of the ocean. This is one of the major highlights of Cape Hauy.
How long does the Cape Hauy track take?
Tasmania Parks suggests four hours for hiking Cape Hauy but it took us nearly six with the kids. This included a few rest stops and a short lunch break. If I was to do this again with kids, I would make a day of it and take longer breaks to rest my legs as my calves didn’t forgive me for three days afterwards. Active tweens and teens should be able to handle this with no problems.
Although we headed to the Tasman Peninsula for the hiking, I’m really glad we visited as there is so much to see and do here. Check out these Things to do on the Tasman Peninsula and see for yourself.
National Park fees
A National Park entrance fee is required to visit the Tasman National Park and access the Cape Hauy track. You can buy a single-day pass but if you are exploring more, an eight week pass will get a whole family into all of Tasmania’s National Parks and is way better value for money. Purchase your pass online here.
How to get to the Cape Hauy walk
The Cape Hauy walk commences near the boat ramp at Fortescue Bay. If you are heading down the Arthur Highway, turn onto the Fortescue Bay road and follow the unsealed track for 12 km. You can easily get through here in a standard 2WD vehicle although proceed with caution if there has been recent rain.
Where to stay to access the Cape Hauy track
There is National Park camping at Fortescue Bay (details can be found here) which I fully intend to do when we get back to Tasmania. However, we stayed at a powered site at the Port Arthur Holiday Park. Make sure to check out their glamping tents! The facilities here are excellent and the natural surroundings are beautiful.
Can you do the Cape Hauy walk with kids
The Cape Hauy Track is achievable with kids but it’s not to be taken lightly. You will need a reasonable level of fitness to manage this one whilst carrying a child on your back. Teenagers should not have any problems.
The Cape Hauy Track is not as fun for young kids as other walks, such as the Apsley River Waterhole and Gorge Walk or the nearby Historic Mine Site Walk. There aren’t any water holes or crumbling buildings to play in and unfortunately, kids just aren’t in it for the views like adults are.
I would allow a few extra hours to do this one with the kids as it’s a bit of a challenge.
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.
This was a good read. I’m going to attempt this with some older kids this weekend. Will plan for a 6hr plus walk in stead of the suggested 4, thanks for the heads up. Great going.
Hey Kat. If your kids are older it probably won’t take as long as it took us. The views are spectacular…enjoy the hike!
Hi Jessica, do you think Cape Hauy is suitable for 6 yrs old boy?
Hi Agnes. I personally think it’s a bit much for a 6 year old to manage the whole hike on their own. The ups and downs are really brutal when you get out onto the actual cape! My boy (he turns 6 in a couple of weeks) loved the Apsley River Gorge Walk which is near Bicheno further up the coast. It’s not as hard and once you get to the gorge, there are lots of rocks to throw into pools of water and they can kind of scramble over large boulders and stuff so its a lot of fun for a kid that age. Good luck! Tasmania hikes are amazing!