St Helens - Tassie’s Top Tourism Town 2021 (SILVER WINNER)

The serene town of St Helens was awarded silver in Tassie’s Top Tourism Town for 2021 with a population less than 5,000. Dreamy Richmond was awarded bronze, while the gold winner of this year’s Tassie’s Top Tourism Town was beautiful Stanley.

You can find the full list of shortlisted towns here.

Read the beautiful editorial about St Helens below, and put this enchanting town high on your list of places to visit in Tassie.

As the sun rises in St Helens, the waters of Georges Bay are transformed with the reflection of ethereal amber, pink and violet hues that ripple with the gentle bobbing of moored boats. The tranquil silence of the morning only broken by the hum of a cray boat, the cry of a seagull or the distant cheering from mountain bike riders.

Located 2hrs south of Launceston and 3hrs north of Hobart, the township of St Helens is nestled around scenic Georges Bay and is the largest township on the east coast of Tasmania.

Once a busy fishing village, this picturesque town is now a tourism hotspot – once the word got out about the stunning scenery and lifestyle of the area, there was no stopping visitors from wanting to explore and immerse themselves in the enviable ‘coastie’ life… and really, who can blame them.

The people of the coast are a chilled out and friendly crew that appreciate the simple things in life; Freshly caught cray and oysters, a refreshing morning surf before work and a hectic MTB ride in the afternoon all washed down with a local craft beer. If you ask them nicely, they will share all their local secrets with you, so long as you promise not to tell a soul.

As soon as you reach St Helens, take in a deep breath of salty fresh air and feel the anxiety and stress melt away – no really, its actual science and due to the negatively charged ions in the air. Created by the movement of water, the ions help release the ‘happy chemical’ serotonin. If it’s zen your looking for, you will reach nirvana in St Helens in no time.

You could lose countless hours gazing at the water fishing, whether on a boat, jetty, beach or estuary, or you could connect with the beautiful natural environment by exploring St Helens from the water by kayak. Land lubbers can enjoy a walk around Georges Bay multi-user track taking in the birdlife and serenity. Or maybe you are looking for something to get your heart racing…

If it’s adrenaline you are looking for, head up to the St Helens MTB trails. Built by internationally renowned trail builders World Trail, you can expect quality trails that emphasis the natural environment as well as your riding experience and the best thing… the trails can be ridden all year round and feature everything from beginner green trails to advanced black diamond gravity trails. So whether you are looking for a nice casual ride through the natural coastal bushland or a lot of downhill airtime, you will find a trail for you.

The St Helens trails even feature a purpose built trailhead with plenty of parking, amenities block, recreational space and even a café so you can rest in between rides and share your trail stories with other riders.

Whether its zen, fun or connection to the environment or the local ‘coasties’, St Helens will inspire, intrigue and keep you wanting to come back for more.’

Information included in this blog is correct at the time of publishing. Please contact individual operators for further information.