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Walker on the summit of Strzelecki Peaks with coast views in the background.
Strzelecki Peaks (photograph: Geoffrey Lea)

Strzelecki National Park

Spectacular granite peaks and sheltered beaches.

Find out more

FeaturesExpand/Collapse

  • Barbecues
  • Camping
  • Cycling tracks
  • Fishing
  • Horse riding
  • Kayaking
  • Overnight walk
  • Picnic facilities
  • Short walk
  • Swimming
  • Toilets

ContactExpand/Collapse

  • Furneaux Field Centre
    Lagoon Rd, Whitemark, Flinders Island TAS 7255
    Postal: PO Box 41
    Whitemark TAS 7255
    Phone: 03 6359 2217

About

​Mount Strzelecki is the highest point on Flinders Island and the namesake of this national park. The mountain’s distinctive peaks are even visible from mainland Tasmania.

Visitors to Strzelecki National Park can take their pick of stunning beaches, turquoise waters and crisp white sand. Without the press of busier locations, you can take your time to explore the lichen-covered granite rock formations the encircle these quiet beaches.

Swimming, snorkelling, fishing and kayaking are great ways to experience the coastal highlights of this striking national park on Flinders Island. There are also several walks that take you across the landscape, including an ascent across the majestic granite rocks to the summit of Mount Strzelecki. This climb will reward you with 360 degree views of this remote archipelago in Bass Strait.

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Flinders Island is the largest island in the Furneaux Group, which lies anchored in Bass Strait to the north-east of mainland Tasmania. Strzelecki National Park lies in the south-west corner of Flinders Island. With distinctive granite peaks that offer spectacular views, a rich variety of flora and fauna, and beautiful coastal waters, Strzelecki National Park is an ideal spot for keen walkers, birdwatchers and kayakers.

Choose a walk within the park which allow you to appreciate the stunning variety of landscapes: from Tasmanian blue gum forests and sparkling sands, to mountainous peaks and coastal heathland. 

Strzelecki Peaks, one of the 60 Great Short Walks, takes you to the summit of Mount Strzelecki and provides 360 degree views of the island and surrounding waters.

If gentle coastal walks are more to your taste, head for Trousers Point​ Beach. There's a 2km walk with beautiful views that you can follow around the rocky headland to Trousers Point.

Boating and fishing are popular activities on Flinders Island. There are boat ramps near the park at Whitemark, Lady Barron, and Badger Corner. Experienced kayakers will enjoy the opportunity to discover pristine beaches, isolated inlets and quiet offshore islands. While the Trousers Point headland and Fotheringate Bay are ​well protected and ideal for families with young children, be aware that beaches are unpatrolled, and conditions on the water can change quickly.

Basic camping facilities are available within the park at the southern end of Trousers Point.​

Strzelecki National Park provides a unique habitat where plant and animal species found on Tasmania and mainland Australia overlap. There are well over 100 bird species recorded on the Island, none more prominent than the Cape Barren Goose. Many rare or endangered species inhabit the Island, such as the swift parrot, forty-spotted pardalote, grey-tailed tattler and the hooded plover. Flinders Island provides an important stop-over point for species migrating between the Australian mainland and Tasmania.

Home to a large number of endemic species, you can expect to see wombats, Bennetts wallabies, echidnas  and pademelons as you explore the park. There are also long-nosed potoroos, although these tend to prefer denser cover. 

Visit the Furneaux Museum at Emita to pick up a copy of The Birds of Flinders Island, a useful booklet for any visiting birdwatcher. 

For more information on our wildlife please see Tasmania's wildlife.

Visit our caring for wildlife page for more information on interacting with and protecting our native animals.

Flinders Island has a rich cultural history, going right back to the first inhabitants – Tasmanian Aboriginal people – over 42 0​​​​​00 years ago.

Aboriginal people migrated into Tasmania across the now drowned Bassian Plain that connected Tasmania to mainland Australia. Around 9000 years ago the last land connection between Flinders Island and the Tasmanian mainland was severed by sea level rise.  A number of Aboriginal sites have been recorded in the park. The majority of sites are in the form of shell middens, stone artefact scatters and cave deposits, which should not be disturbed by visitors. ​

The first Europeans to visit the Bass Strait islands were captain Toby Furneaux and his crew, on board the HMS Adventure in 1773. A few years later, in 1797, the merchant vessel Sydney Cove was beached just south of Cape Barren Island and the rescue party included Matthew Flinders, after whom Flinders Island is now named.  

Flinders and his crew explored the area and found the rocky shores to be abundant with seals. As a result of this, in the late 1700s and early 1800s, the islands became central to the sealing industry.

In 1830, Governor Arthur attempted to settle Aboriginal people from the Tasmanian mainland on Flinders Island. Out of 200 people who were moved, only around fifty survived, and they were later transported back to Oyster Cove near Hobart. Today, around 16% of the Flinders Island population is Tasmanian Aboriginal.  

A national park was established on Flinders Island in 1967, although it wasn’t until 1972 that it was named after the Polish scientist and explorer Count Paul Edmund Strzelecki.​

Buy a map from TasMap

Flinders Island can be reached either by plane or sea. Sharp Airlines fly from Melbourne (1 hour) or from Launceston (35 mins), and there is a shuttle service from the airport to Whitemark, where you can hire a car, camper van or bicycle to get around the island. 

Alternatively, there is a weekly barge with Furneaux Freight from Bridport, which allows you to bring your own car across.

To reach the Strzelecki National Park from Whitemark, travel south along the B85 then turn off along the C806.​


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.

It is recommended to organise a hire vehicle before you arrive as there is no public transport on the island.

Telstra is the only network that provides mobile phone coverage on the island, although even this can be patchy. There are known blackspots at Pigs Head Point (near Trousers Point). Public telephones are available at Whitemark, Lady Barron, Killiecrankie and the Whitemark Airport. 

Flinders Island has a number of campgrounds and facilities provided by both the Tasmania ​Parks and Wildlife Service and Flinders Island Council. For more information please refer to Camping on Flinders Island - Flinders Council​.​​​

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

​Check the weather before you plan any walks, and ensure you dress accordingly. Flinders Island has a cool maritime climate and there are often strong westerly winds that can blow for days. 

Experiences in Strzelecki National Park

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
Beachside snorkelling

Bring your wetsuit, mask and fins to discover the underwater life.

Statewide

Snorkelling and scuba diving

Bring your wetsuit, mask and fins to discover the underwater life.

Read more
4-5 hours return, 5.6km return, Grade 4

The large granite massifs of Strzelecki National Park dominate the southern part of Flinders Island and offer amazing views.

Strzelecki National Park

Strzelecki Peaks

The large granite massifs of Strzelecki National Park dominate the southern part of Flinders Island and offer amazing views.

4-5 hours return, 5.6km return, Grade 4
Read more
1.5 hours circuit, 2km circuit, Grade 2

Flinders Island is rich with breath-taking scenery. The Trousers Point walk, within the Strzelecki National Park includes unusual rock features, views to off-shore islands and two beautiful beaches.

Strzelecki National Park

Trousers Point

Flinders Island is rich with breath-taking scenery. The Trousers Point walk, within the Strzelecki National Park includes unusual rock features, views to off-shore islands and two beautiful beaches.

1.5 hours circuit, 2km circuit, Grade 2
Read more

Accommodation

Stay Overnight

  • Strzelecki camping

Take advantage of a beautiful beach-side campground at Trousers Point in Strzelecki National Park.

Bookings and more info

Strzelecki camping