Wybaleena Chapel
Geoffrey Lea / Auscape International

Highlights

King Island produce

King Island has, in recent years, developed a strong reputation for quality produce, for everything from cheese to beef. The island’s name is synonymous with award-winning cheeses and creams made from unpasteurised milk. The peerless double brie and camembert can be sampled at King Island Dairy, north of Currie.

Wreck diving

In the storm-lashed waters around King Island lie almost 60 shipwrecks. The best known is the Cataraqui, which sank in 1845 off the coast south of Currie with the loss of 399 immigrants and crew, making it Australia’s worst peacetime disaster. A number of wrecks around the island are accessible to scuba divers; diving tours are available.

Wybalenna

Wybalenna (‘black man’s home’) was set up on Flinders Island in 1834 to house around 160 Aboriginal people, the few survivors of Tasmania’s pre-European population of over 4000. Less than a third of the people held there survived the appalling living conditions. Near Emita, it is one of the most important – albeit tragic – historic sites in Tasmania, and includes a National Trust-restored church and cemetery.

Strzelecki National Park

The granite Strzelecki Range occupies the south-west corner of Flinders Island. On a clear day, the highlight of this largely undeveloped park is a five-hour-return walk to the summit of Strzelecki Peaks, offering spectacular views across Franklin Sound.

Killiecrankie diamond

Flinders Island is home to the elusive Killiecrankie diamond, which is actually topaz, a semi-precious stone. You can try your luck fossicking around Killiecrankie Bay or nearby Mines Creek, designated as official fossicking areas. The stone you’re looking for is usually colourless, but sometimes pale blue or amber gems can be found.

Focus On: Fishing

The Bass Strait islands offer superb coastal fishing. On Flinders Island Australian salmon, flathead, gummy shark, silver trevally, pike and squid can be caught from the rocks and beaches. From Lady Barron, Emita and Killiecrankie several charter boats take anglers offshore for catches of all of the above as well as snapper, yellowtail kingfish, trumpeter and various species of tuna. On King Island there is excellent fishing for Australian salmon, flathead and whiting from the beaches along the east coast. South of Currie is British Admiral Reef, where boat-anglers can try for morwong, warehou, yellowtail kingfish and squid.