With a population of just 900, Flinders Island is the largest in a group of 52 islands that make up the Furneaux group that are situated in Bass Strait between Tasmania and Victoria.
Flinders Island has a bit of everything with rugged ranges, farmland, national park and outstanding beaches. There is a wide variety of different plant life to see as well as an abundance of wildlife in the bushland areas. The main industry on Flinders Island is beef, lamb and wool production as well as the fishing industry with large crabs, crayfish, scallops and abalone. For the amateur fisherman there are many different species to be caught here due to the closeness of the island to the Continental Shelf.
Boating is a popular pastime as is bushwalking and there are many guided tours available taking the visitor through the mountainous ranges where they can see many wildflowers, and other plants as well as the local fauna. The area has many historical sites as well and these will give an insight into the pioneers in the area. Many visitors enjoy rock climbing here and there are rock climbing tours available. 4WD tours are increasing popular and are administered by companies who maintain high standards and keep the environment in mind.
Over a third of Flinders Island is National Park and is protected and well administered to protect the area for future generations. Being so close to Melbourne, Flinders Island is an ideal place to relax and enjoy the quiet scenic beauty.
There are plenty of accommodation choices with camping facilities, motels, resorts and holiday cottages as well as guesthouses and B&B’s. There are plenty of places to eat with many eateries serving all local produce.
Do browse our many Australia tours designed for backpackers.
