There are scenic drives, and then there is the Great Eastern Drive. Stretching from just outside Hobart to the island’s northeastern tip at St Helens, this 400-kilometre coastal route passes through some of Australia’s most dramatic and least-visited coastal scenery — white sand beaches, orange granite boulders, turquoise bays, and the kind of roadside seafood that makes you pull over and eat standing up.
For food-focused travellers, the Great Eastern Drive is less a scenic route and more a curated tasting menu. Here’s what to look for.
The Oyster Coast: Freycinet and Beyond
Tasmania’s east coast is one of Australia’s premier oyster-producing regions. The cold, clean waters of Great Oyster Bay and the bays around the Freycinet Peninsula create ideal conditions for Pacific oysters — salty, firm, and intensely flavourful in a way that oysters from warmer waters rarely achieve.
Freycinet Marine Farm, located on the shores of Coles Bay, is one of the most visited oyster farms in Australia. Visitors can taste oysters shucked to order directly at the farm, with views across the bay to the pink granite peaks of the Hazards mountains. Melshell Oyster Shack, a short drive away, offers a more informal experience — a shed by the water, fresh oysters, and very little else. Both are essential stops.
Wineglass Bay: The Photograph Doesn’t Do It Justice
The walk to the Wineglass Bay lookout in Freycinet National Park takes approximately 45 minutes return — steep enough to feel earned, short enough to be accessible to most fitness levels. The view from the top is one of those rare travel experiences where the reality surpasses the expectation. The bay curves perfectly below you, white sand meeting turquoise water meeting the deep blue of the Tasman Sea, framed by the burnt-orange granite of the Hazards.
An alternative for those who prefer a flatter walk is Cape Tourville — a short loop track that offers dramatic views over the Freycinet Peninsula and the open ocean beyond.
Bicheno and Beyond: Fishing Villages and Wild Beaches
Bicheno is a small fishing village with a relaxed, sun-bleached atmosphere and a famous blowhole that puts on a decent show when the swell is running. The town’s restaurants serve straightforward, excellent seafood — local flathead, fresh scallops, and fish-and-chips made with the morning’s catch. Friendly Beaches, just north of town, is a stretch of pristine coastline where the sand is blinding white and the nearest other person is often out of sight.
How to Experience It Without the Stress of Self-Driving
The logistics of the Great Eastern Drive — where to stop, what to book in advance, which farm requires a reservation — can overwhelm even experienced travellers. The distances are manageable but the timing requires thought: arrive at the oyster farm too late and the fresh stock is gone; leave Freycinet too early and you miss the afternoon light on the bay.
A guided Tasmania seafood tour along the Great Eastern Drive solves all of this. A local driver-guide handles the route, pre-arranges the oyster farm visit, finds the best table for lunch, and knows which lookout is worth the detour on any given day. The result is a day that covers more ground, eats better food, and carries far less stress than the self-drive equivalent.
The Return Drive: Why the East Coast Stays With You
The drive back to Hobart along the Tasman Highway winds through the island’s eastern highlands — a different landscape from the coast, forested and quiet, with occasional glimpses of distant bays through the trees. It’s a good time to reflect on the day: the oysters, the view from the lookout, the seafood lunch, the stretches of beach with no footprints. Tasmania has a way of producing days like this — simple, sensory, and difficult to forget.
Author Bio: A food and travel journalist covering the Pacific region for international lifestyle publications.