Transport to St Helens
Public transport to St Helens
Bus from St Helens to Launceston
St Helens
Offering magnificent views across Georges Bay, St Helens is the largest town on Tasmania’s northeast coast and is famed as the state’s game fishing capital. It was initially established as a whaling base in the early 19th century before tin was discovered nearby. It soon became an important shipping port for the mines and was officially named after a coastal village on the Isle of Wight.
The centre of St Helens is alluringly laid back, with inviting eateries, great people watching and all of the services you need. Head to the bustling port to watch the boats coming and going or delve into the past at the St Helens History Room. If you want to stretch your legs, a scenic walk connects from the St Helens Point Conservation Area to Beer Barrel Beach, taking in the impressive Peron Dunes.
St Helens attracts anglers hoping to lure albacore and yellowfin tuna, as well as boasting plenty of seafood restaurants where you can feast on the day’s catch. It’s also a popular base for scuba divers due to its crystal clear waters, vibrant sea life and staggeringly beautiful kelp forests.
Stretching to the north of St Helens is the spectacular Bay of Fires, which has become a pinup for Tasmania’s tourism industry thanks to its pristine white sands and lichen-covered boulders. Aside from offering a stunning setting for long beach walks, it’s a popular local getaway spot due to its surf breaks and swimming beaches.
Turning the corner on the road from St Helens into Binalong Bay, the sight is simply jaw-dropping: the turquoise-coloured ocean breaks onto a breathtakingly white beach fringed with huge boulders draped with iconic orange lichen. Credit Tourism Tasmania & Kathryn Leahy
Sunrise over Georges Bay. Credit Tourism Tasmania & Rob Burnett
Image credit Flow Mountain Bike