At the edge of the world—where the wind tastes of salt and silence—you’ll find Sawyers Bay Shacks, nestled between granite boulders and sea. A stay here is less about ticking boxes and more about letting time stretch. Mornings unfold to the rhythm of waves. Evenings arrive with wombats in the paddocks. The island doesn’t demand. It invites.
This is Flinders Island—part wild, part welcoming—where each corner holds a secret and every moment is yours to claim. It’s not just a destination. It’s a return to something older, quieter, and more real.
Watch the Locals (Feathers, Fur and All)
Even before your first coffee, the island puts on a show. From the deck of your shack, spot wallabies grazing in the morning light. Listen as rosellas fuss in the gums and sea eagles soar on salt winds.
For a heart-stirring encounter, visit Kate Mooney’s wombat sanctuary—where orphaned wonbats are hand-reared. She’s one of those people who is the island: practical, kind, and passionate. And the wombats? As charismatic as locals come.
For the Wanderers and Climbers
Mount Strzelecki: The Island’s Crown
This is no Everest, but it doesn’t need to be. Mount Strzelecki rises gently, 756 metres above sea spray and forest hush. The track begins humbly at Trousers Point—an amble through tea tree and granite—and ends with a view that swallows you whole. To your left: ocean. To your right: more ocean. Below: all of Flinders in miniature.
Finish with a dip at Fotheringate Bay or stretch out on a sun-warmed rock. You’ve earned stillness.
Walks for the Soul
The trails on Flinders aren’t crowded or marked in bold. They wind, they whisper. Take the easy track from Killiecrankie’s Crayshack to Stackys Bight, where time seems to stand still. Or try the steeper paths up Pillingers Peak or Mt Tanner—if your legs feel lively and the clouds break.
Further north, Palana and the windswept shores of North East River offer elemental drama: waves that hammer the coastline, sky that feels close enough to touch, and rocks that haven’t moved in millennia.
Island Drives & Secret Detours
Hire a car. Don’t use the GPS. Just point the bonnet to the horizon and see where it leads.
You might pass a lone roadside honesty box selling home grown produce. You’ll almost certainly find a beach with no footprints. And if you’re lucky, you’ll find yourself at Wybalena—a site of deep sorrow for the Tasmanian Aboriginal people and a quiet place to remember and honour.
Stop at Emita Museum for stories of shipwrecks and stoic settlers. It’s the kind of place that smells of dust and old rope and stays with you long after you leave.
Water: Where the Island Breathes
To paddle here is to glide through stillness. Try the sheltered waters off Whitemark or drift out from Sawyers Bay with the tide and your thoughts.
Bring a line if you fish. Locals haul in flathead and trevally from beaches or dinghies, no fuss. Dive the clear chill to see crayfish curled in crevices and kelp that dances like slow jazz.
For those who don’t want to stay put, a boat tour unlocks hidden coves and quiet offshore isles where the sand is so white it glows.
A Day, Your Way
There are no wrong rhythms here.
Wake when the light does. Walk barefoot. Drink something local—maybe from nearby Furneaux Distillery or Unavale. Visit local cafes, the Tavern, or just put your own pan on the hotplate. Each meal tastes of place.
By dusk, let the island darken around you. The stars will come. They always do.
What to Pack
You won’t need much.
- Good boots for soft trails
- A novel you’ve been meaning to read (or write)
- Bathers for swims
- Curiosity
Sawyers Bay Shacks isn’t just a stay—it’s a soft landing in a hard world. Flinders Island doesn’t shout. It waits. And when you arrive, it feels like it always knew you were coming.
