![BEAUTIFUL – The Prosser River at Orford. BEAUTIFUL – The Prosser River at Orford.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-feed-data/9583778f-cf33-4a77-bf45-22fbeebf2402.jpg/r0_0_500_375_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
by JOHANNA BAKER-DOWDELL
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An orange hue covers the huge granite boulders that line the east coast of Tasmania.
It looks like someone has pulled the fiery tint from the sunset and transferred it to the rocks with a paintbrush, but the unusual colour is actually created by lichen.
This beautiful coastline can be explored in depth by taking Tasmania’s Great Eastern Drive, a 176km touring route between Orford in the south to St Helens in the north-east.
Starting at the southern end of the drive, our trip began with a coffee at Gateway Cafe and a walk along the edge of the Prosser River, which flows out into the Tasman Sea further along.
Orford is a quiet fishing village for most of the year, but its population swells significantly in summer when many Tasmanians relocate to their beach shacks. Just outside Orford I caught my first glimpse of Maria Island, a World Heritage-listed convict station that can be reached by ferry from Triabunna, a short drive away.
Triabunna is the civic centre for the east coast, and also features convict-era architecture, beautiful beaches, forests and sought-after seafood. The road hugs the coastline between Triabunna and Swansea, so you grab spectacular views of Great Oyster Bay and Maria Island between the bays and you can stop at the convict-built Spiky Bridge for a quick history lesson.
Sheep farmers save on fencing, with the craggy cliffs providing a natural escape deterrent along this stretch of the drive.
Swansea bustles with cafes, restaurants, art galleries and gift shops, including Kate’s Berry Farm, Saltshaker Restaurant, Artifakt Gallery and Cafe and the Bark Bill Museum and Tavern, making it a natural place to stop for a break.
Meander through the East Coast Wine Route, stopping at one or two of the many cellar doors, such as Milton Vineyard, Gala Estate or Devil’s Corner, between Swansea and Bicheno, or turn off to Coles Bay and Freycinet National Park along this stretch. Those who have extra time might want to walk from Coles Bay through the national park to the picture-perfect Wineglass Bay. Or if budget isn’t an issue you could splurge on a stay at the luxurious Saffire Freycinet.
We kept to the Great Eastern Drive and headed north to Bicheno, where we stopped for delicious fish and chips at Bicheno Wharf in The Gulch.
Bicheno is the spot to go if you’re into wildlife, with Devils in the Dark and Bicheno Penguin Tours leaving from here nightly, while underwater life is on show via glass-bottom boat tours.
The steep cliffs that featured at the southern end of the Great Eastern Drive give way to surf beaches with fine white sand along the coastal stretch north of Bicheno. We drive through typical Australian beach town Scamander and on to St Helens to finish the Great Eastern Drive at the region’s deep sea and game fishing hub.
If you’re eager for more of this spectacular coastline, drive a bit further from St Helens to Binalong Bay, and further again to the famous Bay of Fires, where the sand is white as snow and the rocks are lit up in pretty pinks and oranges.
While we did this drive in one day, it would be easy to split it up over a weekend, or longer, stopping for an extended time to sniff the sea air, enjoy the squeaking white sand beneath your feet and give your camera a workout.