Tasmania (Northern Region)
Asbestos Range National Park
Asbestos Range National Park, in the centre of the North Coast, covers the coast from Port Sorell to the mouth of the Tamar River. Beautiful unspoilt beaches, long stretches of sand dunes and coastal heathland make up this park which is an important habitat for many of Tasmania's largest marsupials.
To reach the western edge of the Asbestos Range National Park, on the east side of the Rubicon River estuary, it’s a meandering, forty-kilometre drive from Devonport. The remote park is worth the trip – particularly at dusk – for the chance to spot some wildlife. Introduced Forrester kangaroos come down to feed at Bakers Beach at that time, and it’s the best place in Tasmania to see wombats.

The park is renowned for its occasional spectacular storms, accompanied by strong winds roaring along the beach. There’s a self-registering campsite here, for which you pay a small fee (ranger tel 03/6428 6277), and the beach is good for swimming, and for oyster-hunting from the rocks at low tide. You’ll need your own transport to get out here.