White sand, impossibly clear blue water and granite boulders covered in brilliant orange lichen — Sloop Reef delivers exactly the kind of scenery that has made Tasmania’s Bay of Fires famous.
Located in the southern section of the Bay of Fires Conservation Area, north of Binalong Bay on Tasmania’s east coast, Sloop Reef is a quieter alternative to some of the region’s better-known beaches. It sits among a string of beautiful coastal spots that includes Swimcart Beach, Cosy Corner, Seatons Cove and The Gardens.
There aren’t big attractions, cafés or visitor centres waiting when you arrive. That’s part of the appeal. Bring a picnic, park the rental car and spend a few hours exploring a wonderfully undeveloped stretch of the Tasmanian coast.
What is Sloop Reef?
Sloop Reef is a rocky headland and coastal area overlooking the turquoise waters of the Bay of Fires.
Like much of this coastline, its most distinctive feature is the collection of huge granite boulders covered in orange-red lichen. Against the white sand and blue-green water, they create the classic Bay of Fires landscape that attracts photographers and road trippers from around the world.
Sloop Reef also sits beside beautiful stretches of beach around Sloop Lagoon and Taylors Beach, making it a great place for a wander along the shoreline, exploring the rocks or simply finding somewhere quiet to enjoy the view.
It’s the sort of place where you’ll probably spend considerably longer than you originally planned.
Where is Sloop Reef?
Sloop Reef is in the southern section of the Bay of Fires Conservation Area, between Binalong Bay and The Gardens.
Access to this part of the Bay of Fires is from St Helens via Binalong Bay Road before turning onto The Gardens Road (C848). The main road towards The Gardens is sealed, with several campgrounds and coastal access points along the route.
The Sloop Reef access road is signposted off The Gardens Road, approximately 7.5 kilometres from the Binalong Bay Road intersection.
If you’re starting your trip from Launceston, Binalong Bay is approximately 175 kilometres or 2 hours 20 minutes away via St Helens, so allow a little extra time to continue north towards Sloop Reef.
That makes the Bay of Fires possible as a long Launceston day trip, although we’d recommend staying around St Helens or Binalong Bay if you really want to explore the coastline.
Driving from Launceston to Sloop Reef
From Launceston, the drive east takes you through some fantastic Tasmanian countryside before eventually reaching St Helens and the coast.
One of the most enjoyable routes follows the Tasman Highway through Scottsdale and Derby before continuing towards St Helens. From there, follow signs towards Binalong Bay and then The Gardens.
Rather than racing straight to Sloop Reef, make a day of the journey.
Stop for coffee in Derby, wander along Binalong Bay when you reach the coast and then slowly work your way north through the Bay of Fires Conservation Area.
Having your own Launceston rental car makes a huge difference here. The best parts of the Bay of Fires aren’t concentrated around one attraction — they’re scattered along the coastline, and being able to pull over and explore whenever something catches your eye is half the fun.
What to do at Sloop Reef
Sloop Reef is somewhere to explore rather than somewhere with a checklist of things to do.
Start by walking around the rocky coastline and finding different viewpoints across the bay. The contrast between the orange-covered granite, white beaches and incredibly clear water makes this one of the most photogenic sections of the Bay of Fires.
If the weather is calm, wander along the beach towards Sloop Lagoon or Taylors Beach.
The area is popular for activities including swimming, fishing, snorkelling, paddling and coastal walking, although conditions should always be checked before entering the water.
Or do absolutely nothing.
Find a rock, sit down and enjoy the view. It’s a perfectly acceptable way to spend an afternoon in Tasmania.
Discover the Bay of Fires’ orange rocks
You can’t visit the Bay of Fires without getting a closer look at its famous orange boulders.
Despite what the name might suggest, the Bay of Fires wasn’t named after the colour of the rocks. The name dates back to 1773, when Captain Tobias Furneaux reportedly observed fires burning along the coastline as Aboriginal people occupied the area.
Today, however, the bright orange lichen growing across the granite boulders has become one of the region’s most recognisable sights.
At Sloop Reef you’ll find plenty of opportunities to see the rocks up close.
Take care while climbing or walking across them. Wet granite, seaweed and exposed rock around the shoreline can become extremely slippery, particularly after rain or around the waterline.
Bring your swimmers — but check conditions first
On a sunny day, the water around Sloop Reef can look more like a tropical island than Tasmania.
The sheltered bays and crystal-clear water can be extremely inviting, and the wider Sloop Lagoon and Sloop Reef area is known locally for swimming and snorkelling.
Just remember that you’re still swimming on Tasmania’s east coast.
Water temperatures can be cool, beaches may be unpatrolled and conditions can change quickly. Check the water before swimming, supervise children closely and stay out if conditions look rough.
If you’re exploring rock pools, keep an eye on the tide and avoid exposed rocks when waves are breaking across them.
Sloop Reef camping
One thing that makes Sloop Reef a little different is that you can also camp here.
Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service lists Sloop Reef as one of the campgrounds within the southern Bay of Fires Conservation Area. The camping area accommodates tents, small caravans and campervans, but facilities are extremely limited.
In fact, Sloop Reef itself has no toilet facilities, so visitors planning to stay need to be self-sufficient.
Camping throughout the Bay of Fires becomes extremely popular during summer, particularly over Christmas, New Year, Easter and weekends, so don’t rely on finding a vacant site during peak periods.
If you’re travelling in a normal rental car rather than camping, that doesn’t matter — Sloop Reef is equally worthwhile as a day-trip stop.
Explore the rest of the Bay of Fires
Don’t make Sloop Reef your only stop.
The southern Bay of Fires Conservation Area stretches north from Binalong Bay towards The Gardens, with numerous beaches and campgrounds tucked along the coast. Parks and Wildlife Service lists Grants Lagoon, Jeanneret Beach, Swimcart Beach, Cosy Corner, Seatons Cove and Sloop Reef among the main areas to explore.
Binalong Bay is a great place to start. Its sweeping white beach, clear water and easy access make it one of the most popular spots in the region.
Continue north and stop at Swimcart Beach, before exploring the rocky coastline around Cosy Corner.
Finally, follow The Gardens Road towards The Gardens, where another spectacular collection of orange-covered granite boulders meets the sea.
The coastline of the wider Bay of Fires stretches for around 50 kilometres, so there’s plenty more to discover if you have the time.
Make it part of an east coast road trip
Sloop Reef fits perfectly into a longer Tasmania road trip.
If you’re travelling from Launceston, spend your first night around St Helens or Binalong Bay and devote the following morning to exploring the Bay of Fires.
From St Helens you could then continue south along Tasmania’s Great Eastern Drive towards Scamander, Bicheno and Freycinet National Park.
Alternatively, head back inland through Derby and spend some time exploring north-east Tasmania.
This is where having your own car really pays off. Tasmania’s east coast isn’t a journey where you want to travel directly from A to B — some of the best experiences are the beaches, lookouts and little detours you discover along the way.
Do you need a 4WD to visit Sloop Reef?
You don’t need a four-wheel drive to explore the main southern Bay of Fires route.
Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service confirms that access from St Helens is via Binalong Bay Road and then the sealed C848 road towards The Gardens.
However, individual campground and beach access roads can be narrower and rougher than the main road.
If you’re driving a rental vehicle, take it slowly and always follow the conditions of your rental agreement. Don’t take your vehicle onto beaches, informal tracks or roads that aren’t permitted simply because another vehicle has done so.
For most visitors, a standard passenger car or SUV is perfectly suited to exploring the established Bay of Fires road network.
What to bring
Sloop Reef is deliberately undeveloped, so arrive prepared.
Bring plenty of drinking water, snacks or a picnic, sunscreen, a hat, comfortable walking shoes and something warm. Even during summer, Tasmania’s coastal weather can change quickly.
There are no toilet facilities at the Sloop Reef campground itself, so it’s also worth planning your stops before travelling farther along the coast.
And definitely bring a camera.
This is one destination where the colours really can look as good in person as they do in the photos.
Drive carefully around the Bay of Fires
The roads around the Bay of Fires are generally straightforward to drive, but you’re travelling through bushland where native animals are common.
Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service recommends avoiding driving through reserves at night where possible and slowing down to watch for wildlife on the road.
It’s particularly important around dawn and dusk, when animals are more active.
Allow plenty of time and treat the journey as part of the experience rather than something to rush.
Discover Sloop Reef with a Tasmania rental car
Sloop Reef might not be the most famous name in the Bay of Fires, and that’s exactly why it’s worth visiting.
You get the white beaches, brilliant turquoise water and orange-covered granite the region is famous for, but in a quieter and wonderfully undeveloped setting.
Combine it with Binalong Bay, Swimcart Beach, Cosy Corner and The Gardens and you’ve got one of the best coastal drives in Tasmania.
Pick up your Redspot rental car, head east from Launceston and spend a day discovering Sloop Reef and the spectacular coastline of the Bay of Fires.