Bay of Fires / Swimcart Beach

February 9, 2016 by ramblingsofanextrememan 3 Comments

After Freycenet we continued up the east coast towards St Helens and set up camp at a great free camp spot called Swimcart Beach.

This was to be our last stop in Tasmania before heading back to the main land and eventually real life and adult responsibility.

As we were there a little before Christmas the place was full of ghost tents. I assume people come a few weeks before Christmas and setup their tent to reserve their spot for the Christmas break. I suppose this is a product of camp sites being free. Some of the ghost tents had taken a big battering by the wind and were looking a little flacid.

One thing I’ve noticed in my travels is the difference in how worried the southern states are compared to Queensland, the Territory and WA. Northern Australia is a lot more laid back, people generally take more risks and responsibility for their own actions. For example this is the notice board at Swimcart Beach:

Loosely translated, everything on this notice board said, “Outdoors!!!! AAAAAARRRGGHHHH!!!! Outdoors!!!! AAAAAAARRRGGHHHH!!!” Nanny state.

We were speaking to a Victorian lady Camping next to us about swimming in the ocean. She’d even decided against swimming in the ocean because there was a sign on the notice board saying that you swim at your own risk. Wow.

The swell on this coast can come in pulses. There can be no surf for days then all of a sudden there’s waves from nowhere. We got lucky while while we were there and I scored a few fun days.

FACTS:
How to get there:
From St Helens take the road to Binnalong Bay. As you reach Humbug Point reserve turn left down The Gardens rd. Swimcart and other campsites are on the right.

Camping Cost:
Free

Other Opportunities:
A few people were fishing off the beach.