Things to do in Coles Bay
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Top 10 attractions in Coles Bay
Maria Island National Park
Maria Island National Park is located on Maria Island off the east coast of Tasmania. The island is car-free, and there are no shops or restaurants on the island. Visitors take a ferry from the town of Triabunna to reach the island and explore by walking or cycling. Therefore, the ferry must be booked in advance, and food and drinking water should be brought along with your luggage. The enclosed environment makes this a paradise for wildlife: wombats, kangaroos, and wallabies can be seen everywhere on the grass, and echidnas often scurry past the bushes. The island is also a breeding sanctuary for Tasmanian devils, and you may sometimes encounter these nocturnal animals. Almost all of Tasmania's endemic birds can be found on the island. You may encounter dolphins during the boat trip, and during the migration season, there is a chance to see whales off the eastern cliffs. The nearshore waters are a marine reserve with clear water, suitable for snorkeling, and after low tide, you can observe marine life in the tide pools. Cultural attractions are concentrated in Darlington. This is a well-preserved convict probation station in Australia. Prison buildings such as cells and warehouses from the 1820s remain to this day. The old prison has been converted into simple dormitories, and visitors can stay overnight in the former cells. Later, the island also hosted a cement factory and farms. Relics such as farmhouses and shearing sheds are scattered across the grassy slopes. The old coffee shop and commissariat store house exhibitions introducing the island's history, and the entire area is like an open-air history museum. Hiking is the main way to experience the island. The trail to the summits of Mount Bishop and Mount Clerk climbs through grasslands and woodlands. At the summit, you will find columnar rock formations arranged like organ pipes, offering views of the open sea and sky. The cliffs of Fossil Cliffs are densely embedded with marine fossils from over 200 million years ago. The sandstone of the Painted Cliffs is stained with iron oxide in layers of patterns; it is recommended to visit during low tide to safely walk to the base of the cliffs for a closer look. If you plan to stay an extra night on the island, there are campsites at Darlington, Frenchs Farm, and Encampment Cove.Maria Island · 61km from Coles Bay
Mount Amos Lookout
Swansea · 3.7km from Coles Bay
Maria Island
Maria Islandis located off the east coast of Tasmania, Australia, and the entire island is part of a national park. The island is car-free. Visitors take a ferry from Triabunna on the mainland and explore by walking or cycling once they arrive. Jagged ridges, dense forests, and stretches of white sandy beaches make up the island's main scenery, which is quiet and pristine. Wildlife is the island's calling card: wombats graze on the lawns of Darlington without a care, kangaroos, wallabies, and Cape Barren geese roam the grassy slopes in groups, and if you keep an eye on the treetops, you might even spot the endangered swift parrot. The island is also home to a conservation population of Tasmanian devils, making it one of the few places where you can see these "Tasmanian devils" in the wild. There are also plenty of cultural and geological attractions. The Darlington Probation Station is listed as a World Heritage site as part of the "Australian Convict Sites," with over a dozen 19th-century convict buildings well-preserved. Together with relics like the old cement works and hop kilns, they tell the story of the island's past as it transitioned from a penal colony to an industrial site. The Painted Cliffs to the south feature layers of colorful patterns on the sandstone, which are best and safest to view around low tide. The rock walls of the Fossil Cliffs are embedded with marine fossils from hundreds of millions of years ago. Visitors with good stamina can hike to the summits of Mount Bishop and Mount Clerk to overlook the entire island and coastline from the peak, which is surrounded by dolerite columns. There are no shops or restaurants on the island, so be sure to bring your own food and water before you depart, and allow plenty of time for your return ferry. If you want to get a close look at the Painted Cliffs, remember to check the daily tides in advance.Maria Island · 61km from Coles Bay
Spiky Bridge
Swansea · 19.8km from Coles Bay
Cape Tourville Lighthouse
Coles Bay · 4.5km from downtown
Friendly Beaches Campground
Friendly Beaches · 14.5km from Coles Bay
Tasmanian Devil Unzoo
Tasmanian Devil Unzoo is located on Tasmania Island, Australia, serving as a nature reserve dedicated to protecting and showcasing the region's unique wildlife. As an eco-tourism attraction, it offers visitors close encounters with Tasmanian devils while actively working to conserve this endangered species and its natural habitat. The Tasmanian Devil Unzoo features multiple exhibition areas dedicated to showcasing Tasmanian devils and other native wildlife like quolls and kangaroos. Visitors can learn about the devils' behavior, ecological role, and conservation challenges through guided tours with professional guides. The Unzoo's staff is committed to raising public awareness about protecting these unique creatures through education and research programs. Beyond animal viewing, Tasmanian Devil Unzoo offers a variety of interactive experiences. Visitors can participate in feeding sessions to observe Tasmanian devils' eating behaviors, or join night tours to explore Tasmania's nocturnal ecosystem. The nature trails within Tasmanian Devil Unzoo allow visitors to enjoy Tasmania's natural beauty while discovering local flora and fauna.Australia · Taranna
Coles Bay Lookout
Swansea · 3.4km from Coles Bay
Tasman Peninsula
The Tasman Peninsula is located in the southeast of Hobart. Port Arthur is the main attraction. The island's coastline, beaches and bushwalks bring beautiful natural scenery. Enter the peninsula from the north through the Arthur highway, first reach the Eagle's Neck Gorge, turn east to Pirates BayDr, and arrive at the lookout with a view of the coastline. There are also sea erosion landforms such as checkerboard sidewalks, blowholes, Tasman Arches, and waterfall bays around Eagle Neck Gorge. Continue south to Tasman National Park, which occupies a large area of the peninsula, and you can choose one of several bush walks to hike. If you want to see animals, you can go to the Tasmanian Devil Conservation Park. If you want to see cultural attractions, you can go to the historical sites of coal mines, the prison sites of Eagle Neck Gorge, Cunha, Primedna, and Saltwater River. The terminus of Arthur Expressway is Port Arthur. From 1830 to 1877, a large number of prisoners who came to serve here made the gloomy atmosphere gather here, and the beautiful stone buildings, Gothic buildings and parks can hardly conceal the bitter history of the past. .Australia · Koonya
Mt Amos Climb
Coles Bay · 1.9km from downtown
Experiences you can't miss in Coles Bay
Featured Day tours in Coles Bay
View all Day tours![Wineglass Bay Day Tour in Tasmania, Australia [Optional Departure from Hobart or Launceston]](https://ak-d.tripcdn.com/images/0354912000q3lqqa27D6E_C_568_320.jpg?_fr=wc)
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What travellers say about Coles Bay
Panasonikku Unkai21 August 2026
5.0
It's a very enjoyable place and definitely worth visiting.
Maria Island National Park
Bella mum16 April 2026
4.0
Close interaction with the wild animals. We saw Tasman devis and fed birds and kangaroos. Just not many places to dine and rest nearby.
Tasmanian Devil Unzoo
张知珩10 June 2020
5.0
It couldn't be more pleasant to take a boat around the island on a group day tour! The blue sky and blue sea, and you can see wombats.
The local one-day tour only has English. We are the only foreigners. The others are all local Australian aunties and uncles. The sea breeze is still quite cold when the boat starts, but it's worth it for the beautiful scenery.
Some local aunties did a lot of homework and introduced us to the rock types and formation ages along the coast.
Tasman Peninsula
