A pleasant rural town of around 5,000 people, Wynyard is a major regional hub, servicing many of the surrounding rural districts. It makes a good place to start exploration of the north west of Tasmania. The area is excellent for fishing. The Inglis and Flowerdale rivers are ideal for trout fishing and there is good ocean fishing as well.
The town has an annual Christmas parade held on Christmas Eve, a
colourful summer fair, and regular markets, on the foreshore, at a site
near the airport and a farmers’ market at the showground, which
backs onto the river.
The Wynyard Tulip Festival, renamed Bloomin’ Tulips in 2004, is a
popular event each year. The festival is one of the town’s
greatest attractions to tourists, whether from Tasmania itself or from
the mainland.
Visitor Information Centre
8 Exhibition Link, Wynyard. Ph (03) 6443 8330
Where Is it?
317 km north west of Hobart, 163 km northwest of Launceston, on the Inglis River.
Things To See And Do
Wonders of Wynyard
The Wonders of Wynyard is the local visitor centre with a world class collection of veteran Ford cars and local art to enjoy.
In spring and summer the area around Wynyard is carpeted with crops of flowers. Apart from the brilliant colours of the famous tulips you may also see daffodils growing at Katandra Bulbs in Oldina Road and at the Tulip Farm on Table Cape. In early summer there are broad acres of pale pink poppies and creamy white pyrethrum daisies. Lilliums grow at Moorleah and on the Cape, where the fields are covered with the intense blue Dutch Iris.
Markets
MADE WITH LOVE MARKET BAZAAR
45 Jackson St, Wynyard
Trading: 2nd Saturday of the month – 9am – 1pm
Type: Art & Craft, Handmade
WYNYARD FORESHORE MARKET
Foreshore, East Wynyard
Trading: 1st & 3rd Sunday of the Month – 8am – 2pm
Type: Art & Craft, Handmade
Table Cape
Visitors flock to see Table Cape, an extinct volcano with views inland along the north coast and out to Bass Strait. Tours of the Table Cape lighthouse can be booked. The Lighthouse was commissioned in 1888 and was manned by three keepers until 1920 when it was automated. It has rarely been open to the public, until 2010, after decades of lobbying by the local council and tourism authorities. The cape is actually a volcanic plug which rises to about 190 metres above sea level. The cape is planted with tulip fields that are a blaze of colour in spring. The area is also famous for its lily fields.
Fossil Bluff
Fossil Bluff, another remarkable sight on the way to Table Cape, is a natural headland fronting onto Bass Strait, where many fossils including Wynyardii bassiana have been found. This was named, but not discovered, by Sir Walter Baldwin Spencer, a controversial scientist who served for many years as president of the Victorian Football League (now AFL).
Surrounding Area
Boat Harbour
Voted one of Australia’s Top Ten beaches, the white sands of picturesque Boat Harbour Beach are noted for it’s rock and coral formations and it’s crystal clear blue waters. At low tide, you may see abalone on the rocks. Precious stones are found in the rocks, and look out for fairy rings in the grass.
Flowerdale Lobster Haven
Open Feb to May, Flowerdale Lobster Haven is the home of the giant freshwater crayfish, unique to the streams of northern Tasmania. See this gentle monster in nursery streams and several in-ground viewing ponds. Individuals of over 5 kg in weight and over 80 cm long have been known in the past, but now, even individuals over 2 kg are rare. Set on a landscaped hillside overlooking Flowerdale River Valley, the Haven features a waterfall & many manferns. There is a tearoom featuring dishes made from the sherries grown in the proprietor’s famous orchard.
Rocky Cape
Orange rocks, a lighthouse, wild orchids and caves once used by Aborigines can be found at Rocky Cape National Park. There are pleasant day and half-day walks over the hills from either Sisters Beach or from the lighthouse at the western end of the Park. Rocky Cape’s unpolluted waters regularly attract dolphins and seals. At low tide on a calm day, the rocky foreshore reveals numerous rock pools inhabited by a variety of colourful fish and plants.
Dip Falls
Dip Falls (70 km south west): 152 steep steps descend to the bottom of the cubic-basalt formed falls. These falls are very picturesque, particularly during the winter months. The track to the accessible viewing platform is beyond the falls.
Hellyer Gorge
Hellyer Gorge (44 km south) is a pretty steep sided gorge through which flows the Hellyer River. The area is quite picturesque and has some excellent bush-walking tracks.
Major Attractions
Surrounding Towns
- Boat Harbour
- Stanley
- Ulverstone
- Sisters Beach
Regional Attractions
Book Vehicle Hire
Book Accommodation
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