IF the purpose of art is to help us plug into ourselves, then nature is the ultimate artist. Just a few hours into our four-day Freycinet Experience Walk on Tasmania’s east coast, nature presents performance art at its best.
Against a theatrical backdrop of emerald and aqua-hued water that sets off a pristine blue sky, two humpback whales, a child and parent, frolic in what seems to be the sheer joy of being alive.
Spreading their strong pectoral fins, these powerful creatures that were nearly hunted to extinction shoot out of the water and hurl their hefty (average 45,000kg) bodies in a stunning display of grace and agility.
As the skipper steers his 12 enthralled passengers towards Schouten Island off the southern tip of the Peninsula, where we are headed for our first hike, we spot a seal within touching distance, before a close encounter with about a dozen dolphins. They start their sensual synchronicity from afar before coming within a metre of the boat, diving under it, and gracing us with an encore performance on the other side.
‘‘Unbelievably moving’’, sighs one of the eight in our group as we later walk along Friendly Beaches to our 52-hectare base for the next four days, the eco-friendly off-the-grid Friendly Beaches Lodge.
We have been careful to walk below the high-water mark, for it is in the higher sand that the hooded plover lays its eggs. We get close to these little birds the next day, but not before we’ve been wined and sumptuously dined by candlelight, had a nightcap by the fireplace, and rested between soft Egyptian cotton sheets in a solar-powered, rainwater-reliant retreat.
Woken early, we breakfast in style and are rocking in a boat over the wild waves of Oyster Bay by 7.15am as we head to the Peninsula’s southern tip for a 15km hike that takes in the picture perfect Wineglass Bay.
There we encounter visual art at its breath-taking best, fling off our shoes to feel its white sand, dive into its enlivening water and delight in its friendly wallaby that lingers close enough for us to get a good look at the joey in its pouch.
It is with reluctance that we leave this haven to take the uphill trek to a view from the top, where we learn that tomorrow’s unmapped 12km trek is exclusive to the Freycinet Experience Walk (bushwalking clubs need permission). But what makes the Experience unique is not just the special access to a remarkable walk but the care we receive.
That the guides haven’t been mentioned so far is a testament to their subtlety. The foursome are caring without being intrusive, informed yet not overbearing. Boss Barney, Eyeliner Nick, Let’s-Jump-In Jodie and Thoughtful Jane, who are also environmental scientists, resource managers, biologists and such, carry extra water for the troupe, a stretcher, first-aid kit and much more.
The person behind all this is a former town planner from Sydney, Joan Masterman, who bought the land about two decades ago to preserve it. Her artwork-filled lodge has been hailed by the Royal Australian Institute of Architects with an award for sustainable design using Tasmanian plantation hardwood, and she has won a swag of eco-tourism awards.
The hosts at the lodge have smiles and freshly baked snacks waiting on the wooden deck each day for the weary yet satisfied walkers.
Dinner, after a soothing hot bath with a view, starts with Vintage Tasmanian sparkling from Clarence House Estate, to go with freshly shucked pre-dinner oysters and sambucca-soaked melon.
This is followed by grass-fed roasted eye fillet on celeriac puree with red wine jus, topped with a creamy basil pesto, goat’s fetta and pine nuts. Breakfast of buckwheat pancakes with poached pears drizzled with agave sets us up for the exclusive hike to the north of Bluestone Bay, where Paul Cox shot his film Exile.
While the past two days have been filled with dramatic dance and visual drama, today’s walk subtly draws attention to varied textures, myriad colours and intricate patterns such as those made by the woodworm as it trails along the bark of trees, creating miniature dot paintings.
The final day, which begins with a symphony of birds as they deliver their clear arias, ushers a two-hour exploration around the lodge before a gasp-worthy final feast.
We leave as we have entered, along the beach, in bare feet. The music of the sea, as it reaches us in wave after wave, remains the same. What has changed is that the art of nature has done its work. We have plugged in, recharged and, even before that final dive into the surf, feel at one with all there is.
The Freycinet Experience Walk includes transport from Hobart, boat rides, three nights at Friendly Beaches Lodge, all meals, Tasmanian wine, park passes, guides, plus use of backpacks and jackets. Details: call 1800 506 003 or freycinet.com.au.
