Most people driving from Hobart to Port Arthur or the Three Capes Track blast straight through Sorell, Dunalley and Primrose Sands without stopping — which is a shame, because this stretch of coast just east of Hobart has a good handful of short walks worth the detour. It’s a mixed bag of landscape: Sorell’s Orielton Lagoon is an internationally significant wetland right on the edge of town, Dunalley sits at the narrow neck connecting the Forestier Peninsula to the mainland, Marion Bay has one of the region’s least-crowded sand spits, and Primrose Sands is a low-key beach town with an easy foreshore stroll. None of these walks demand a full day, which makes the region a good option if you want a bushwalk without committing to a peninsula-length trip.
Starting from Richardsons Road at Murdunna, this walk follows an easy-to-follow track with a few ups and downs out to Cape Surville, where the coastal views open up across Sisters Bay to Deep Glen Bluff. The cliff face here is a good spot to see dolerite, granite and sandstone stacked on top of one another — one of the more visible examples of Tasmania’s layered geology outside the national parks. Quiet and rarely crowded compared to the Tasman Peninsula walks further south.
Distance: Approx. 8km return • Time: 3 hours return • Difficulty: Moderate • Dogs: Check local signage — this is Crown reserve land rather than a national park, but no formal policy is posted online
Nearest campground: Dunalley Hotel Campground (self-contained vehicles, dog friendly)
At 591m, this is one of the highest points on the Forestier Peninsula and the pick of the region’s walks for a proper view. The track starts off the Arthur Highway about 5km south of Murdunna, signposted at a Forestier State Forest gate, and climbs to a trig point near the summit. From the large rock near the top you get sightlines all the way to Tasman Island, Cape Pillar, Hippolyte Rock, Cape Hauy Walk and Norfolk Bay — a lot of the Tasman Peninsula’s famous coastline laid out at once, without the crowds or the multi-day commitment.
Distance: Approx. 8–9km return • Time: 3 hours return • Difficulty: Moderate–hard • Dogs: Generally permitted — this section is managed state forest rather than national park
Nearest campground: Lime Bay Camping
A flatter, easier alternative to the peninsula climbs. Park at the end of Marion Bay Road and walk the loop around the sand spit formed where Bream Creek enters the bay — good beachcombing, shell collecting and birdwatching along the way, with Marion Bay’s clean, uncrowded sand for most of the route. It’s an easy circuit with no real elevation gain, well suited to families or as a shakeout walk before or after one of the harder Forestier walks above.
Distance: 7.1km loop • Time: Around 1 hour 40 minutes • Difficulty: Easy–moderate • Dogs: Generally permitted on leash on the beach and spit — some seasonal shorebird-nesting restrictions may apply, check local signage
Nearest campground: Dunalley Hotel Campground (no dedicated campground at Marion Bay itself)
The easiest walk on this list and a good leg-stretch if you’re passing through Dunalley. A concrete-and-gravel path follows the Dunalley Canal — the narrow, hand-dug waterway that separates the Forestier Peninsula from the mainland — from the bridge through to the Tasman Monument, with seating and interpretive signage along the way covering the area’s history, including the 2013 bushfires that badly affected the town.
Distance: Approx. 2km return • Time: 30–40 minutes • Difficulty: Easy • Dogs: Generally permitted on leash (council-managed pathway)
Nearest campground: Dunalley Hotel Campground (at the walk’s starting point)
Orielton Lagoon is a Ramsar-listed wetland of international significance, hosting migratory shorebirds that fly in from as far as Siberia over summer. The full shared pathway loops around the lagoon between Sorell and Midway Point on a mix of concrete and gravel, suitable for walking, running or riding; a shorter out-and-back option via Pembroke Park is available if you don’t want to do the whole loop. Bring binoculars if birdwatching is your thing — this is one of the better spots in the greater Hobart area for it.
Distance: Full loop approx. 12.6km, or 3.5km return via Pembroke Park • Time: 3–4 hours for the full loop, 45 minutes for the shorter option • Difficulty: Easy • Dogs: Permitted on leash on the shared path; keep to the trail near sensitive bird habitat
Nearest campground: No dedicated campground in Sorell itself — a self-contained RV stop is available at Pembroke Park (council permit required); the nearest full campground is at nearby Sorell for fully self-contained Recreational Vehicles – RV Friendly Sorell.
A simple, flat out-and-back stroll along the beach at this quiet holiday town on Frederick Henry Bay. There’s limited formal track infrastructure at Primrose Sands itself, but the beach walking is easy and pleasant, with views across the bay towards the Tasman Peninsula. A good option to pair with a coffee or fish and chips in town, or as a rest-day walk if you’ve spent the previous day on the Forestier Peninsula climbs.
Distance: Approx. 3.4km return • Time: 40 minutes • Difficulty: Easy • Dogs: Generally permitted on leash — check for seasonal beach dog restrictions over summer
Nearest campground: Primrose Sands RSL (self-contained vehicles, power available, dog friendly)
This region doesn’t require a Tasmanian Parks Pass for the walks listed here — none of them fall within a national park, so entry is free, though a couple sit on Crown reserve or state forest land where it pays to check current signage before bringing a dog. Camping options are thinner on the ground here than further out on the peninsulas: most are informal, self-contained-vehicle stops rather than full campgrounds with tent sites, so plan ahead if you’re relying on a tent rather than a van.
Being so close to Hobart and right on Frederick Henry Bay, this stretch of coast catches a lot of wind off the water, so check the forecast before heading out to the more exposed spots like Cape Surville or Mount MacGregor Peak. The Forestier Peninsula walks in particular have sections with no formed track or taped routes only, so a map, decent boots and a full water bottle are worth carrying even though none of these are full-day undertakings. This is also bushfire-prone country — Dunalley was badly affected in the January 2013 fires — so check the Tasmania Fire Service website for any total fire ban or warnings before setting out in summer.