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Lime Bay
Lime Bay (photograph: Peter Grant)

Lime Bay State Reserve

Find out more

FeaturesExpand/Collapse

  • Access friendly
  • Campfires permitted
  • Camping
  • Caravan access
  • Cycling tracks
  • Fishing
  • Kayaking
  • Parking
  • Swimming
  • Toilets

ContactExpand/Collapse

About

Located on the north-west corner of Tasman Peninsula, Lime Bay is tucked well away from the major road network. Its sheltered beaches, shady nooks, great walks and convict history make it a favourite weekend retreat for locals, a family-friendly location for extended stays and a refuge for weary nomads seeking a change of pace from busy caravan parks.

But the campers can't claim this idyllic place all to themselves. Its proximity to the World Heritage Listed Coal Mines Convict Site and the Port Arthur Historic Site brings a steady stream of picnickers and beachcombers to round off a perfect day of sight-seeing.

Whether walking along the secluded beaches, skimming across the bay in a kayak or dropping a line off a dinghy, the tranquillity and isolation of Lime Bay's pretty lagoons and eucalypt woodlands have a calming effect.​

While the facilities are basic in the laid-back Lime Bay State Reserve, there are plenty of compensations.

There are 1300 hectares of sheltered beaches and dry coastal woodlands to explore. The shoreline alternates between rocky sandstone bluffs and calm, sandy beaches supporting large populations of shorebirds.  Lime Bay is adjacent to the camping area and is safe for youngsters. Although safe for youngsters, do be aware of unfenced cliffs in the area.

Picturesque Lagoon Beach lies in the lee of Sloping Island and is an easy 40 minute walk. Be on the lookout for wildlife. To the south of the track is a large lagoon frequented by black swans. Once over the dunes, the crystal clear water and the long stretch of glittering Lagoon Beach lies ahead. If you'd prefer to ride a mountain bike​, there are a number of shared trails for family rides and some to test the hard-core adventurer.

There is huge scope to take in the many delights of this relaxing coastal reserve. The headland rockpools are a natural aquarium for young scientists while the beaches and light forest provide ideal habitats for shorebirds and scrub-loving species.

The ephemeral lagoons offer an idyllic retreat for black swans and waders when full.

The walks to Lagoon Beach and Monk Bay follow along a fire trail and are ideal for inquisitive children and provide a good opportunity to take in the magnificent coastal views from the Lime Bay State Reserve. She-oak forests and coastal formations provide a stunning vitas but the beauty is also in the small detail: shells, rocks, fungi, moss, insects and spiders. There are treasures waiting to be discovered everywhere.

Wallabies can be seen in and around the campground early in the morning and in the evening.

The Pydairrerme, the most southerly group of the Eastern Aboriginal people, moved from the game-rich grassy plains of the Tasmania interior to spend the cooler months of winter and spring on Tasman Peninsula. With its rich source of seafood, the area to become known as Lime Bay was a favourite wintering site. Shellfish was plentiful and huge middens formed from mollusc shells discarded over thousands of years. During the convict era the middens were excavated. The shells were transported to kilns to be crushed, heated and turned into lime to make mortar, plaster and agricultural fertiliser.

About 5km from Lime Bay are the remains of old coal mines where convicts banished to Tasman Peninsula endured severe secondary punishment. This World Heritage-listed site​ once housed up to 600 convicts who laboured in the inky blackness of underground tunnels, chipping at coal and dragging it out on trolleys. Ruins of a penitentiary, underground cells and a mine shaft are reminders of a brutal past. Despite its grim history, the Coal Mines Historic Site is eerily picturesque. Part of the walking track around the ruins is wheelchair accessible.

Buy a map from TasMap
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​​​​Take the Tasman Highway (A3) to Sorell and turn right on to the Arthur Highway (A9). Drive through Taranna on Tasman Peninsula and turn right onto Nubeena Road (B37). Travel 9km before turning ​right on Saltwater River Road (C341). Follow the signs for Saltwater River and the Coal Mines Historic Site. Turn right on Coal Mines Road and follow a sign for Lime Bay State Reserve. The road becomes​ unpaved as you drive 6.5km to the campground at the end of the road.​​​​​

Where possible, please avoid driving in our reserves at night. You are sharing the roads with our native wildlife, so take it slow and watch out for animals on the road.

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​​​Campfires are only permitted at designated campgrounds within designated fireplaces. Campfires are prohibited during seasonal fire bans. Never leave your campfire unattended - it is prohibited. For campfire safety and how to check whether any restrictions are in place see Campfires and fire bans.​

Always check local signage for campfire bans​ before lighting a campfire. Bring your own water and firewood.  It is best to have a fuel stove with you for cooking, as restrictions can change. 

For the safety of everyone - completely extinguish your campfire before you depart and ensure no hot coals remain.  Remember - Soak it. Stir it. Soak it again.​

Please take all rubbish away with you.

​Bring your own drinking water and firewood. 

Chainsaws, wood gathering, pets and firearms are prohibited.

4WD vehicles are not permitted off designated roads.

​Find out other essential information for visiting Tasmania's parks and reserves on our know before you go section.

​Please be aware of small coastal cliffs near the Lime Bay campground.

Lime Bay has one road in and out. Please check fire danger ratings prior to camping and be prepared.

​There is​ a 300m section at the beginning of the Coal Mines Historic Site walk that is wheelchair accessible.

Toilet facilities at Lime Bay have wheelchair ramps and access friendly cubicles.

Experiences in Lime Bay State Reserve

Fishing on the rocks at Friendly Beaches, Freycinet National Park

Tasmania has a wealth of excellent inland and ocean fishing locations where you can cast your line.

Statewide

Fishing

Tasmania has a wealth of excellent inland and ocean fishing locations where you can cast your line.

Read more
Mountain biking Meehan Range

Tasmania is fast creating a name for itself as a premier mountain biking destination and a must see on your mountain biking holiday.

Statewide

Mountain biking and cycling

Tasmania is fast creating a name for itself as a premier mountain biking destination and a must see on your mountain biking holiday.

Read more
Group rafting on the Franklin River

Tasmania’s oceans and rivers have a well-deserved reputation as some of the cleanest in the world, and what better way to explore these wondrous waterways than up-close and self-propelled.

Statewide

Rafting and kayaking

Tasmania’s oceans and rivers have a well-deserved reputation as some of the cleanest in the world, and what better way to explore these wondrous waterways than up-close and self-propelled.

Read more

Accommodation

Stay Overnight

  • Lime Bay camping

The Lime Bay State Reserve is well off the beaten track and an ideal place to recharge your batteries. Stay for the day but better still bring some camping gear and get in touch with nature.

Bookings and more info

Lime Bay camping