Short Bushwalks on Flinders Island (And Where to Camp Nearby)

Flinders Island, the largest of the Furneaux Group scattered across Bass Strait, is a different kind of Tasmanian bushwalking destination — granite peaks rising straight out of white-sand bays, empty coastal heath, and a slower pace that comes from getting there by small plane or ferry. It’s less crowded than the mainland’s big-name walks, but the walking is every bit as good, from a genuine mountain summit to easy coastal ambles past shearwater rookeries. Here are five of the best short walks on the island, plus where to camp nearby.

1. Mount Strzelecki Summit — Strzelecki National Park

The big one on this list, and the island’s signature walk: a steep, rocky climb through granite boulders and dry eucalypt forest to the 756m summit, the highest point on Flinders Island. The track is well used but rough underfoot in places with limited signage higher up, so it’s best suited to fit, experienced walkers. The payoff is a 360-degree view over the Furneaux Group and, on a clear day, across to mainland Tasmania.

Distance: 6.4km return • Time: 4–5 hours • Difficulty: Hard (Grade 4, steep and rocky) • Dogs: Not permitted (national park)

Nearest campground: Trousers Point Camping Ground, Strzelecki National Park

2. Trousers Point Coastal Walk — Strzelecki National Park

A much easier option beneath the same mountain range — a loop along the coast from the Trousers Point picnic and camping area, past white sand, turquoise water, and pink granite boulders with the Strzelecki Peaks as a backdrop. One of the prettiest short walks in the state for the effort involved.

Distance: 2km return • Time: 1 hour • Difficulty: Easy–moderate • Dogs: Not permitted (national park)

Nearest campground: Trousers Point Camping Ground — the walk starts right at the campground

3. Castle Rock Walk — Emita Nature Recreation Area

One of Tasmania’s official 60 Great Short Walks, this coastal track meanders through heath and along beaches near Marshall Bay to a towering granite tor perched above the sea. Unlike the national park walks, this one sits in a nature recreation area rather than a national park.

Distance: 6.5km return • Time: 2 hours • Difficulty: Moderate • Dogs: Permitted on leash (nature recreation area — check signage)

Nearest campground: Allports Beach Camping Ground, Emita — near the start of the walk

4. Killiecrankie to Old Mans Head Stackys Bight

A wilder, more remote walk on the island’s north coast, combining beach walking with rock-hopping around the distinctive Old Man’s Head headland, with a detour to the sheltered swimming spot at Stacky’s Bight. Some sections cross wet, orange-lichened rock that’s best tackled at low tide.

Distance: 7–8km return • Time: 3–4 hours • Difficulty: Moderate • Dogs: Not permitted

Nearest campground: Killiecrankie Bay Camping Ground (private, bookings required)

5. Wybalenna Historic Site & Settlement Point Walk

A short, easy walk linking the Wybalenna Historic Site — the chapel and cemetery from the 1830s Aboriginal settlement, a solemn and significant place in Tasmanian history — with the Settlement Point viewing platform, where short-tailed shearwaters (muttonbirds) return to their burrows at dusk between November and April.

Distance: approx. 3km return • Time: 1 hour • Difficulty: Easy • Dogs: Permitted on leash (please keep dogs away from the chapel and cemetery)

Nearest campground: Allports Beach Camping Ground, Emita

Planning Your Trip

You’ll need a Tasmanian Parks Pass for anything inside Strzelecki National Park, including Mount Strzelecki and Trousers Point — buy one in advance from Service Tasmania or on arrival through the island’s car rental companies. Outside the national park, camping on Flinders Island is free and unbooked (first-come, first-served, generally capped at three weeks), with the exception of the privately run Killiecrankie Bay campground, which takes bookings. Dogs are a mixed bag here: banned from the national park (Mount Strzelecki and Trousers Point), but generally welcome on leash at Castle Rock and around Wybalenna — check signage as rules vary by reserve. Getting to Flinders Island itself takes planning — access is by small plane from Launceston or ferry from Bridport, and both are weather-dependent, so build a buffer day or two into your itinerary. Once there, Bass Strait weather can change fast: pack layers and good wet-weather gear even for the easy coastal walks, and let someone know your plans before heading out to the more remote spots like Killiecrankie, where phone reception is patchy at best.