Tasmania (Northern Region)
Wynyard
Wynyard is a peaceful town at the mouth of the Inglis River, nestled beneath the scenic Table Cape and is the centre of a prosperous dairy farming area. The nearby Table Cape, a flat topped promontory rich in volcanic soils with spectacular cliffs which drop down to the sea has been a landmark since the early days of settlement. The town has a significant tourism industry with a good range of accommodation and a major airport with daily services to Melbourne. wynyard1-tullips.jpg (62674 bytes)
The town lies 19km along the old Bass Highway from Burnie, snuggles into the lush pasturelands between the Inglis River and the sea. Most of the action in the town centres on the wharf area off Goldie Street – the main street that parallels the river – with its fishing boats and fresh fish shop, but the adjacent coastline has much to entice visitors. 

At Fossil Bluff, an easy three-kilometre walk along the Bicentennial Track from the riverfront park in front of the tourist information office, layers of sedimentary rock containing fossilized seashells can easily be examined at low tide, and the beach itself has good views of the 170-metre seaface of Table Cape. A drive up to Table Cape will reward you with magnificent views of the coast and hinterland, particularly pretty when the cape’s tulip fields are in bloom around October. Back in town, there are a few junk/antique shops to browse in.

Eleven kilometres west of town, a turn-off from the Bass Highway winds down to Boat Harbour Beach, the prettiest on the northwest coast, with pale blue water, white sand and very gentle waves. It’s perfect for diving, too; equipment can be rented from the Scuba Centre at 62 Bass Highway in Wynyard (tel 03/6442 2247), which also organizes excursions. 

The milk bar on the beach is the place to ask about camping nearby, and it also rents boogie-boards and wave skis. Next door, the Harbour Restaurant (tel 03/6445 1107; closed Sun night & Mon) serves pricey seafood dishes. You could choose to stay in the luxurious Boat Harbour Beach Resort, which has an indoor heated pool and spa. Nearby Sisters Beach is another attractive beach, and also the site of the Birdland Native Gardens on Wattle Avenue (daily 9am–5pm; $2). You’ll find 93 species here (not always very conspicuous), all protected in their natural habitat.

Practicalities
Wynyard may well be the first place you see in Tasmania, since “Burnie” airport is actually just 800m from the town centre. There are daily flights to and from Melbourne with Kendell and Southern Australian; tickets can be booked through Wynyard Travel Service at 84 Goldie St (tel 03/6442 2391). 

MTT public transport buses connect Wynyard with Burnie, departing from 38 Jackson St. Tasmanian Redline Coaches call at the BP service station (tel 03/6442 2205) en route from Burnie to Smithton via the turn-offs to Table Cape, Boat Harbour Beach, Rocky Cape and Stanley (though some do go into Stanley itself); there are three services Monday to Friday, one of which leaves from the airport, and an extra service on Friday. An express Wynyard–Smithton service runs on Saturday.

For places to eat, try the pubs for cheap fare. Gumnut Restaurant, at 43 Jackson St (tel 03/6442 1777; BYO and licensed; closed Sat lunch, all Sun, and Mon dinner), is an expensive à la carte restaurant, and YT’s Fish Place, on the Wharf, is one of the best places for fresh fish (daily 9.30am–6.30pm).