Wineglass Bay
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Freycinet National Park Tasmania |
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IUCN category II (national park)
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Wineglass Bay
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 Freycinet National Park
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| Nearest town or city | Swansea |
| Coordinates | 42°07′31″S 148°17′54″E / 42.12528°S 148.29833°ECoordinates: 42°07′31″S 148°17′54″E / 42.12528°S 148.29833°E |
| Established | 1916 |
| Area | 169 km2 (65.3 sq mi) |
| Visitation | 200,000 (in 2008) |
| Managing authorities | Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service |
| Website | Freycinet National Park |
| See also | Protected areas of Tasmania |
Freycinet is a national park on the east coast of Tasmania, Australia, 125 km northeast of Hobart. It occupies a large part of the Freycinet Peninsula, named after French navigator Louis de Freycinet, and Schouten Island. Founded in 1916, it is Tasmania's oldest park, along with Mount Field National Park.
Bordering the national park is the small settlement of Coles Bay, and the largest close town is Swansea. Freycinet contains part of the rugged Tasmanian coastline and includes the secluded Wineglass Bay, voted by several travel authorities as one of the world's ten best beaches. Famous features of the park include its red and pink granite formations and a series of jagged granite peaks in a line, called "The Hazards".
Because of the range of rare and endemic flora and fauna species present, as well as the diversity of landscapes and communities at Freycinet National Park, its role in conservation is particularly significant. The area within the park is also of cultural importance, with many Aboriginal and European sites protected, though deeper investigation into human history within the park still needs to be undertaken. Large sections of the park remain undisturbed by humans, including parts of the catchment and the landscape.
Tourism at Freycinet forms a vital component of the economy for the eastern part of Tasmania, with many visitors drawn to the region by the natural beauty of the area in combination with favourable weather and the recreational activities available. Every year thousands of people are attracted to the pristine coastal environments and the benefits of a rural and isolated setting; it is a place where tourists can enjoy a walk through the bush and a short time later be strolling along an unspoiled beach.
Devonian granite is the dominant rock type at Freycinet.Orthoclase, a pink feldspar, gives the mountains and coastline their characteristic pink tint. Black micas and white quartz are also found. The western side of Schouten Island is composed of Jurassic dolerite.
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Wikipedia