29/05/2026
On Tasmania's east coast, Bicheno is a fishing village of around 1000 people wrapped around a working harbour known as The Gulch. The town began life in the 1830s as a whaling and sealing station and was originally called Waubs Boat Harbour, named after Wauba Debar, a Tasmanian Aboriginal woman remembered for swimming out to rescue two sealers from a wrecked boat in 1832. This stretch of coast is the traditional Country of the Paredarerme (Oyster Bay) people.
Bicheno's signature sight is the Blowhole at Redbill Point, a narrow sea channel that erupts in spectacular spray when the surf is right. At dusk, you can often spot small colonies of little penguins making their return to shore on beaches.
Late autumn is one of the loveliest times to visit, crisp days around 12–15°C, brilliant low light, and far fewer crowds than peak season.
Have you visited Bicheno or seen the penguins come ashore? Tell us in the comments.
