Things to do in Burnie, Tasmania: A Perfect Weekend Getaway

Whether you’ve ducked down south from the mainland for a visit or you’re a permanent island resident, a sojourn in the northwest port city of Burnie, Tasmania is the perfect way to spend a weekend. 

Located just over an hour out of Launceston, Burnie is a town where industry meets creativity, and there’s loads of local makers to check out when you’re not taking in the stunning coastal vistas that Tasmania is famous for.

Nature is always a major player in any Tasmania getaway, and on a weekend in Burnie there’s plenty of things to do outdoors as well, from spotting penguins to hiking waterfalls to beach-hopping along the glorious coastline.

Here are 17 places to eat and drink, sleep and explore in Burnie, for a relaxed and quintessentially Tasmanian escape. 

The Chapel

Housed in a renovated 1890s chapel, this charming cafe is a favourite with Burnie locals and recently changed its opening hours to include Sundays due to vocal demand. This means you can get the best coffee in town seven days a week, as well as feast on breakfast or lunch under the cafe’s vaulted cathedral ceilings. 

The Chapel’s dishes incorporate the best Tasmanian produce, like the locally-sourced fish (with beer batter made from the cafe’s own house-brewed IPA) and sourdough toasties with Tassie leg ham.

50 Cattley Street, Burnie

Palate 

Tucked behind a multi-storey car park is this vibrant cafe serving all-day breakfast and lunch, seven days a week. Palate is a low-key venue with relaxed vibes, outdoor tables and a no-fuss menu stacked full of classics – try the eggs benny made with local Sharman’s Butchery bacon or the lamb cottage pie.

6 Cattley Street, Burnie

The Foreshore

It wouldn’t be a trip to Burnie Tasmania without eating at a seafood restaurant. Tasmanian seafood is some of the best in the world, and The Foreshore – situated in a prime position right on West Beach – has a menu stacked with locally-sourced scallops, oysters, prawns, fish and calamari.

A favourite with locals, this eatery is laid-back and always busy. The oysters with vodka, lemon and lime granita and the crumbed scallop caesar salad get rave reviews, and the drinks menu is heaving with Tassie beers and wines.

2 North Terrace, Burnie

Bruce’s 

This blink-and-you’ll-miss-it cafe just out of Burnie on the Old Bass Highway is one of the most popular brunch spots in the area. Located in a converted old general store (it still has the original stained-glass windows), this Wynyard institution is a must-visit stop if you’re on a day trip out of Burnie – and even if you’re not, it’s only about 15 minutes out of town. 

Open six days (closed Mondays), Bruce’s has outdoor seating right across the road from the beach and if you’ve got little ones in tow, they’ll love the kids play area. There’s plenty to choose from on the menu, but the cafe’s ever-changing, always-delicious waffle specials pair up perfectly with Bruce’s top-tier coffee.

145 Old Bass Highway, Wynyard 

Hellyers Road Distillery

One of the biggest draw cards for a trip to Burnie Tasmania is this world-class whisky distillery, which welcomes more than 35,000 visitors each year. Come for a tasting flight of award-winning artisan single-malt whisky and stay for the “Whisky Walk” – a fascinating tour of the distillery exploring the process behind Hellyers Road’s famous spirits. There’s even an opportunity to pour, bottle and wax seal your own bottle of 19-year-old single malt whisky direct from the cask. Once you’re done with whisky, indulge in a meal at the on-site restaurant overlooking the lush Emu Valley.

153 Old Surrey Road, Havenview

Communion Brewing Co.

Locals Andrew and Lidia Turner – who also own The Chapel cafe – opened this buzzy brewpub back in 2021. Any craft beer aficionado will have this brewery on their Burnie Tasmania bucket list, but even if you’re not a fan of ales, lagers, stouts, IPAs and XPAs, you’ll find something to like at the 150-seat venue. The drinks list features plenty of local wines and playful cocktails like the Golden Gaytime Martini and the Maple Old Fashioned. It’s not all booze either – Communion’s wide-ranging food menu includes plenty of small and large plates designed for sharing over a drink or four.

57 Wilmot Street, Burnie

Penguin Beer Co. Taphouse

Whilst technically not located in Burnie, the sweet seaside town of Penguin is less than 20 minutes’ drive east and this friendly, low-key taphouse is well worth the detour. With a large deck overlooking the impossibly pretty Penguin Beach, it’s the perfect spot to indulge in craft beers, burgers, tacos and wings – not to mention live music every weekend.

85 Main Road, Penguin

See the penguins

Speaking of penguins, there’s a reason a nearby town is named after these adorable animals – there’s plenty of them to see in this part of the world. The recently reopened Little Penguin Observation Centre in Burnie Tasmania runs nightly tours from October until the end of March kicking off after dusk each evening. 

Hosted by local volunteers, these nighttime experiences are both informative and cute. You’ll be able to see penguins coming to shore and going about their business, and the guides will even help you get the best pics (sans flash, of course). Tours are free and you don’t need to book, but donations are welcome.

Parsonage Point, Parklands

Walk to Guide Falls

The unique thing about Tasmanian towns is that nature is never far away. Around 20 minutes’ drive south of Burnie is an easy hike to Guide Falls, a stunning waterfall nestled amongst lush green farmland. 

From the carpark, it’s about a 700-metre return trip on foot to see the waterfall, which despite its popularity is truly tranquil and serene – you’ll feel like you’ve been transported back in time. There’s a picnic area and BBQ facilities on site, so even though the walk is short, you can make a day out of your visit.

245 W. Ridgley Road, West Ridgley

Visit a local garden

In case your eyes hadn’t already feasted on enough natural beauty, the region of Burnie Tasmania also boasts some truly stunning public gardens. The Emu Valley Rhododendron Garden features over 24,000 plants spread across 11 hectares, and while the peak flowering season is mid-September to mid-November, there’s blooms all year round. You might even spot a resident platypus or echidna while you’re there!

If you happen to be in Burnie between September and October, you can also visit the Table Cape Tulip Farm, which is only open to visitors during this time, when the bulbs are in all their blooming glory.

55 Breffny Road, Romaine

363 Table Cape Road, Table Cape

Learn more about Burnie

If history’s your bag, a trip to Burnie Regional Museum needs to be on your itinerary. Exploring the history of Burnie and the surrounding coastal towns, the Federation Street exhibit is the most popular – a charmingly faithful recreation of a pioneer village including stores and houses that showcase how residents lived 110 years ago. The museum is only open from Wednesday to Friday, so you need to plan a long weekend trip if you want to visit.

Little Alexander Street, Burnie

Visit the magnificent plateau of Table Cape 

Table Cape is by far Wynyard's most remarkable natural wonder. Sitting at 180 metres high, 'The Cape' - as locals refer to it - dominates the Wynyard coastline and offers spectacular views of Tasmania's coast and agricultural farmlands.

As you drive to the top of the remains of a 12 million-year-old volcano you'll reach Table Cape lookout where, on a clear day, you'll be able to spot George Town's Low Head and mountain ranges, which sit over 175 kilometres away.

Take a short stroll along the cliff-top walking track to Table Cape Lighthouse. Table Cape is also home to the Table Cape Tulip Farm where acres of patchwork fields explode with colour each spring. This is a sight that will leave you breathless - and within such a short distance from Burnie, Tasmania, you'll need to add it onto your travel highlight reel. 

No visit to Table Cape is complete without a drive along the scenic Tollymore Road towards Boat Harbour Beach, where you will discover stunning coastal vistas and the award-winning Alchymia Distillery.

Table Cape & Wynyard, Tasmania

Go for a stroll or swim at Boat Harbour Beach

Beautifully positioned between rocky headlands, this is an idyllic harbour composed of white sand and water in every shade of blue. 

A thirty minute drive from Burnie, you might wonder if you’re in the right place when you encounter Boat Harbour - the hamlet straddling the Bass Highway isn’t on the water. Instead, take the turn-off to Boat Harbour Beach to find this seaside getaway. 

Laze on the sheltered beach, spot marine life in rock pools and head to Seekers Bar and Cafe in the surf club for fish and chips and chilled drinks that come with a panoramic view.

Make it a day trip by exploring the neighbouring Rocky Cape National Park, brimming with remarkable geological formations that are some of the oldest in Tasmania, extensive hiking trails and Tasmanian Aboriginal shelter caves. This park surrounds another beautiful beach, Sisters Beach, which is located along a former horse trail known as the Postman’s Track that once connected Burnie and Stanley. 

Boat Harbour, Tasmania 

The Firs

Located five minutes out of Burnie in Ocean Vista, The Firs is a gated Hamptons-style three-bedroom accommodation offering uninterrupted views of the Bass Strait from both inside and outside – a bonus if you’re visiting in the colder months. When it’s a cool night, you can cosy up next to the outdoor fire pit and during summer, soak up the sun and the view on the huge deck.

313 Bass Highway, Ocean Vista

The Papermakers Cottage

With its name a nod to the paper mill that was a main source of industry for the town for over 70 years, this two-bedroom, tastefully renovated 1930s cottage is located just a few minutes out of Burnie proper. With a roaring wood fire as well as a covered balcony overlooking the pretty garden full of blooms, this cottage is built for year-round enjoyment and the perfect base for a weekend exploring Burnie.

188 Wilson Street, South Burnie

Sweet Home Alexander

This sweet two-bedroom townhouse is nestled in the heart of town, just a few minutes’ walk to the Burnie waterfront. Fully decked out in coastal chic, there’s cute rattan accents everywhere you look and most importantly, cushy leather sofas to lounge on and a deep bath to soak in after a long day of sightseeing in the area. If you do want to venture out of your cosy little oasis after dark, there’s penguins to be found near the boardwalk at the end of the street.

5 Alexander Street, Burnie

Blythe River Boathouse 

Where the river flows into the sea, this is a riverfront luxury escape you don't want to miss of your list of places to stay near Burnie, Tasmania. The perfect romantic getaway begins at Blythe River Boathouse; with the wilderness as your back drop, the stresses of the everyday immediately dissipate and you'll feel a world away. 

This little cutie is a mere 10 minutes outside of Burnie, in neighbouring Heybridge. Inside is homely and cosy, with peaceful water views, an open plan living area with large windows, and a cute, cottage style kitchen made for whipping up a delicious dinner. Relax and bathe in the clawfoot bath, sit your drink on the window ledge and watch the river surrounds whisper in.

The bedroom is another sanctuary for you to escape to, with a comfy bed and a nice chair for reading in. The little deck is the perfect place to soak up the sun, or you might choose to spread out a picnic rug on the grass, or go swimming, boating or fishing in the river - all without ever leaving the property! Swoon! 

Heybridge, Tasmania 

Now that you've discovered all of the best things to do in Burnie, Tasmania, why not check out our guide to the best walks in the state, as well as all of our favourite boutique Huon Valley stays? Tassie may be small, but she sure is mighty in the wealth of things to see and do.