Parking
Use the signed Sleepy Bay car park on Cape Tourville Road, at a sweeping bend.
Overview
About Sleepy Bay and Little Gravelly Beach Track
Why go
- A compact walk links a rocky bay with a separate gravel cove.
Heads up
- Rough steps, a steep beach descent, and a high-cliff section demand steady footing.
Map & elevation
The route
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Freycinet Tour Guide
Your drive to Sleepy Bay and Little Gravelly Beach Track, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Freycinet National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
Recorded for this trailhead
Sleepy Bay and Little Gravelly Beach0:00 / 0:24
“You're nearing the Sleepy Bay car park, the start of a short walk to orange-lichen rocks and blue-green water.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Freycinet Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Recognising a Southern Right Whale
- Freycinet Lodge Dining
- Honeymoon Bay
- Visitor Centre, Ranger Creek and Richardsons Beach
- 24 audio storiesacross Freycinet’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Wombat, Echidna, Red-necked Wallaby, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 21 trails, 29 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking Sleepy Bay and Little Gravelly Beach Track
A short walk to a second coveThis 0.63-mile (1.
This 0.63-mile (1.01 km) out-and-back starts at the signed Sleepy Bay car park, descends to Sleepy Bay, then continues along the coast to Little Gravelly Beach. Allow about 30 minutes for the return. It is a quick coastal walk with a rocky shore midway and a small gravelly cove at the end.
A 500 m return is the shorter Sleepy Bay shoreline visit. Continue on the track to the right for Little Gravelly Beach, then retrace your steps.
Follow the coast to the beachA formed dirt path and steps lead down from the car park to Sleepy Bay.
A formed dirt path and steps lead down from the car park to Sleepy Bay. After the bay, take the track to the right. It is easy to follow but rough underfoot in places, with coastal views before a steep descent to the cove. The track runs close to high cliff tops, so take care on the exposed section.
Little Gravelly Beach is a small cove with soft, colourful gravel. The walk back follows the same route, including the climb from the shore.
Orange rock and open waterSleepy Bay is a rocky shore of turquoise water and orange lichen-encrusted rock.
Sleepy Bay is a rocky shore of turquoise water and orange lichen-encrusted rock. From the shoreline, frame the lichen and water together; that contrast is the walk’s signature view. The terminal cove is often sheltered, while Sleepy Bay can have wild, rolling seas.
Access and footingStart at the signed Sleepy Bay car park on Cape Tourville Road.
Start at the signed Sleepy Bay car park on Cape Tourville Road. A valid Parks Pass is required to enter Freycinet National Park, and dogs are not permitted. Steps, rough ground, a steep beach descent, and the cliffside section make this more than a level beach stroll; keep clear of the edge and watch your footing on the descent.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Freycinet
27 sightingsWombatMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
35 sightingsEchidnaMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
358 sightingsRed-necked WallabyMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
17 sightingsPademelonMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
27 sightingsWhite-bellied Sea-EagleMost seen around 5 PMSighting map
50 sightingsKookaburraMost seen around 7 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Freycinet. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
