DESIGN CONCEPT
Bay of Fires Lodge & Forester Beach Camp (a demountable seasonal structure providing accommodation for one night of the walk) were established and designed by acclaimed Tasmanian architect Ken Latona to provide a unique, educational and environmentally sustainable way of experiencing the dramatic landscape of Mount William National Park.
Set on a hilltop on 35 hectares, 40 metres above the pounding of the sea and surrounded by National Park, Bay of Fires Lodge is the only building on 20km of outstanding coastal wilderness. Enjoying views up and down the pristine white sandy beaches in an area of great significance to the Aboriginal community, a truly 'sustainable' building has been gently let into the landscape. Two long timber and glass pavilions allow maximum connection to the landscape with minimum impact on the environment: all building materials - Tasmanian hardwood and plantation pine - were lifted in by helicopter or hand carried to the site, and the lodge is autonomous in providing and managing its existence. Here you will experience true communion with nature in accommodation that combines simplicity of design with comfort and warmth.
ENVIRONMENTAL
The basic principles of sustainability - protecting the present for the future by maintaining bio-diversity, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and protecting place - have been wholeheartedly embraced in the construction of the Bay of Fires Lodge and Forester Beach Camp.
From the siting of the buildings and the form of their design to the selection of building materials and the management of the construction process, the single focus has been on protecting the landscape and connecting to it.
Using sustainable materials and employing non-polluting services such as roofwater collection, greywater treatment systems, composting toilets and energy-efficient solar power, the building was gently placed in the landscape to create minimal disturbance while maximising the visual connection with the surrounding vegetation and the ocean beyond.
Without doubt, it's this connection with the unspoiled beauty of the environment, its flora and fauna, that creates the magical experience our guests enjoy at the Bay of Fires.
FEATURES
The Bay of Fires Lodge provides accommodation for twenty guests and 6 staff as part of the 4-day Bay of Fires walking tour.
Most facilities are communal, with quality furniture, fittings and fixtures throughout.
In the magnificent living area with its large timber deck and open fire, you'll enjoy delicious meals prepared with the freshest local produce, accompanied by fine Tasmanian wines.
Solar power provides lighting and hot showers while comfortable hotel beds (in private twin-share bedrooms with views to the sea or the bush) add a touch of luxury at the end of each day's activities.
ITINERARY – 4 day walk
Day 1: Launceston to Mt William National Park (walking for the day is approx 9km; 4 hrs)
Bay of Fires Walk guests meet in Launceston at 7.20am, where they are then transferred out to our walking base at Quamby Estate. After a light breakfast, gear check and introductions we journey to Mt William via a scenic route that includes the rich pastoral landscapes of Scottsdale and the tin mining town of Derby. We reach the northern part of the Mt William National Park and begin walking at Boulder Point. Views to the north include the Bass Strait Islands (Flinders, Cape Barren etc). Lunch is enjoyed at one of the many pristine beaches accompanied by native birds, interesting shells and marine artefacts. Many secluded beaches are tucked between sand dunes and off shore rocks and separated rocky headlands.
The evening is spent at the Forester Beach camp in the twin share rooms. Meals are usually spent relaxing on the deck and enjoying the surrounds of the dune swale location.
Day 2: Forester Beach camp Eddystone Point and Bay of Fires Lodge (approx 14 km; 7 hrs)
Following a relaxed breakfast at the camp we walk south absorbing the magnificent coastlines colours and solitude. Walking along ridgelines of sand dunes one can enjoy views across heath lands and across the ocean to the east. Exploration of the marsupial lawns can reveal the quiet native animals and the many tracks they leave behind. Lunch is at one of the sheltered coves along the way to Eddystone Point Lighthouse. The afternoon is spent in the seclusion of beaches and coves that lead gradually to afternoon tea at the Bay of Fires Lodge.
The evening is spent relaxing at the majestic Bay of Fires Lodge, in twin share rooms. Meals are prepared by your guides and accompanied by fine Tasmanian wine and beer. The library can be a source of reference material or just light reading as well as games for the evening.
Day 3: Kayaking and enjoying the area
Based at the Lodge, the day is yours to decide how you would like to enjoy the area. Rise early and experience the many native birds accompanying the dawn, sleep late and be woken by the aromas of a hot cooked breakfast and freshly brewed coffee. During the day you can choose to kayak down the Anson’s River and experience the riparian ecology of this winding river. Cross the bird rich waters of Anson’s Bay of Fires Walk and conclude with a stroll over the dunes of Abbotsbury Peninsula to the lodge. Other options for this day include fishing, snorkelling in the marine nursery, exploring the nearby shell coves or generally enjoying the surroundings of the lodge.
In the evening you can go for a walk; and depending on the weather you may encounter wombats, wallabies, forester kangaroos, possums or even a Tasmanian devil. The night sky is an awesome spectacle from the pristine vantage point of the lodge and its surrounds. Your accommodation is again at the lodge.
Day 4: Return rejuvenated (approx 4kms, 1 hr)
Following a leisurely breakfast at the lodge, allowing time for a morning swim or walk we depart from the lodge. Walking through eucalypt forests and coastal heath land many native birds can be seen and head (including the endemic black cockatoo).
After enjoying lunch, Your return trip takes you along the north coast to Bridport and then south through the Tamar wine region and Lilydale before returning to our walkers’ base at Quamby Estate. After a well earned glass of wine and peaceful rest, you will be transferred back to Launceston at approximately 6.45pm
LOCATION
Bay of Fires Lodge is situated at the edge of Mt. William National Park, Tasmania. Return transfers between Launceston and the walk base are included in the tour price.
RATES
From May 2009 visitors can enjoy the Lodge all year round - previously it was closed during the 'off-walking season from May to October'.
4-day walking tours - prices per person:
1 October 2009 – 31December 2009 $2,000
1 January 2010 – 31 March 2010 $2,100
1 April 2010 – 1 May 2010 $2,000
(All prices include GST)
Price includes:
Return transfers between Launceston and the walk base Breakfast on the day of departure 1 night at Forester Beach Camp and 2 nights at Bay of Fires Lodge twin share All meals and non-alcoholic beverages, plus a limited selection of Tasmanian wines National Park pass Use of a backpack and Gore-tex jacket for the duration of the walk Two qualified guides for the duration of the walk
