This understated national park near Bicheno, on the East Coast of Tasmania, is a gem awaiting discovery by those with a real sense of adventure.

It’s a place of surprising contrasts, featuring tranquil waterholes, deep river gorges and thundering waterfalls, including the spectacular Apsley Falls. The crystal-clear waters that run through the park are a welcome sight on a hot summer’s day. Enjoy a picnic, a short walk, go for a refreshing swim, or take time out for quiet contemplation.

Walks within the national park will take you through a diversity of vegetation and terrain, including picturesque Apsley Gorge. Experience marshlands, wet gullies and pockets of rainforest. Douglas-Apsley National Park may fly under the radar, but it protects an important swathe of dry eucalypt forest as well as numerous rare and endangered plants and animals.

Please visit the Parks and Wildlife Service Tasmania website (parks.tas.gov.au) for further information about this national park including how to get there and things to do. Refer to the ‘know before you go’ webpage for more important information about alerts, safety in parks and entry fees.