King Island, Bass Strait
King Island sits alone in the middle of Bass Strait, roughly halfway between Tasmania and the mainland, and it’s a different kind of walking destination to the rest of the state. There’s no alpine track network here — instead you get windswept west-coast cliffs, a 7,000-year-old calcified forest, quiet ocean beaches and little penguin colonies, all linked by short, easy walks you can knock over in an afternoon. It won’t fill a week of bushwalking, but if you’re already on the island for the cheese, the diving or the shipwreck history, these five walks are worth building a day or two around.
Most of the island’s short walks radiate out from Currie, the main town on the west coast, with a scattering of others up at Cape Wickham in the north and down at Grassy in the south. A hire car is essential — distances between walks can be 20–40 minutes of driving.
1. Calcified Forest & Seal Rocks Walk — near Currie
One of the island’s genuine curiosities: a network of hollow limestone “logs” and root casts, the calcified remains of a forest that stood here around 7,000 years ago before being buried and slowly exposed again by wind erosion. The short boardwalk loop is flat and easy, and it’s worth continuing on to the nearby Seal Rocks lookout for the view even if you skip the longer walk below.
Distance: 1.3 km loop • Time: 30 minutes • Difficulty: Easy • Dogs: On lead likely OK (state reserve, not national park) — check signage at the carpark
Nearest campground: King Island Caravan Park, Currie, about 15 minutes’ drive away.
2. Clifftop Copperhead Walk Seal Rocks State Reserve
The proper walk at Seal Rocks, starting from the same carpark as the Calcified Forest. It tracks north along exposed sea cliffs through coastal heath and scrub, with big Southern Ocean views and plenty of wind — this is one of the most exposed stretches of coast in the state, so a windproof layer isn’t optional. Stick to the formed track; the cliff edges are undercut in places.
Distance: 3.5 km return • Time: 1.5 hours • Difficulty: Moderate • Dogs: On lead likely OK (state reserve) — check signage
Nearest campground: King Island Caravan Park, Currie.
3. Cape Wickham Lighthouse Walk — north end of the island
Australia’s tallest lighthouse, standing on the northern tip of King Island since 1861. The walk itself is short, but the setting is the drawcard — rugged coastline, the lighthouse keepers’ cottages, and views across to the Cape Wickham Golf Links, regularly rated among the best courses in the country. Combine it with a stop at nearby Victoria Cove or Lavinia (below) to make a full morning of the island’s north end.
Distance: 1 km return • Time: 30 minutes • Difficulty: Easy • Dogs: On lead likely OK — check signage
Nearest campground: King Island Caravan Park, Currie, about 25 minutes’ drive south.
4. Lake Martha Lavinia to Lavinia Beach — Lavinia State Reserve
A walk through the Lavinia State Reserve, one of the largest remaining stretches of native vegetation on the island and a Ramsar-listed wetland that provides critical habitat for the endangered orange-bellied parrot and King Island scrubtit. The track leads from freshwater Lake Martha Lavinia out to the wild, empty sweep of Lavinia Beach — a genuinely remote-feeling stretch of coast. Because of the reserve’s sensitive bird habitat, it’s best to keep dogs at home for this one.
Distance: 3.5 km return • Time: 1.5 hours • Difficulty: Easy–moderate (soft sand sections) • Dogs: Not recommended — sensitive shorebird and parrot habitat
Nearest campground: No formal campground nearby — self-sufficient beach camping is possible at Martha Lavinia; otherwise King Island Caravan Park, Currie is the nearest formal option, about 40 minutes’ drive.
5. Grassy Harbour & the Penguin Parade — Grassy
An easy stroll around the old mining port of Grassy, on the island’s south-east coast, finishing at a small viewing area where little penguins come ashore around dusk. It’s a good low-key evening walk to pair with dinner in Grassy, and a decent chance to see penguins without needing to book a tour.
Distance: 2 km return • Time: 45 minutes • Difficulty: Easy • Dogs: On lead likely OK away from the penguin viewing area — best kept away at dusk
Nearest campground: King Island Caravan Park, Currie, about 20 minutes’ drive north-west.
Planning Your Trip
King Island doesn’t have any national parks, so most of these walks sit inside state reserves and conservation areas rather than under national park entry-fee rules — there’s no parks pass required, though it’s still worth checking current signage at each trailhead for local restrictions, since rules can vary reserve to reserve. Dogs are generally more welcome here than in mainland Tasmania’s national parks, but the island’s reserves protect some genuinely rare species (including two of Australia’s most endangered birds at Lavinia), so keep dogs on lead and out of sensitive wetland and shorebird areas. The weather is the main thing to plan around: King Island sits fully exposed to Bass Strait weather systems, and wind — not rain — is what catches most visitors out, especially on the clifftop walks at Seal Rocks and Cape Wickham. Check the forecast before heading to the coast, pack a genuinely windproof layer, and note that camping options on the island are limited, so it pays to book ahead, especially in summer.
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