Discover St Helens

St Helens can be explored via trails along Georges Bay, waterfront facilities and traces of local history. The mix appeals to travellers who want to combine outdoor activity with insights into the town’s development. When choosing a holiday rental, it is therefore worth considering whether you want to focus your stay more on trails and experiences around the Bay, or on culture and history. These interests can shape the focus of your trip.

Trails between the town centre and Georges Bay

The Georges Bay Multi-User Track connects the centre of St Helens with Lions Park via a car-free route. If you enjoy walking or cycling on holiday, you can include this connection in your plans for the area. A shared walking and cycling path also runs along the shore of Georges Bay, from the turn-off to St Helens Point to the town centre, passing Beauty Bay. This gives you different route options: a connection between the centre and Lions Park, and a shoreline route with named landmarks. A 3.8 km shared two-way path is also accessible from Lions Park. Its length gives you a concrete guide for planning your day.

Beauty Bay and nearby excursions

Beauty Bay has a sheltered grassy area, a barbecue area, a fishing jetty, toilets and an outdoor shower. The different facilities give the place its own character as an outdoor destination. If you are travelling with children, these options can help shape your day—for example, with a visit focused on the grassy area, the barbecue area or the foreshore. Which one suits your outing depends on your own interests.

The wider travel area also offers another direction for exploration. The northern section of the Bay of Fires Conservation Area can be reached from St Helens via Priory along Ansons Bay Road (C843). If you would like to include this part of the region as well as the trails around town, you can take it into account when deciding how to plan your stay.

Local history and notable buildings

More than 1,000 artefacts are on display at the St Helens History Room. The collections are arranged by theme according to the different phases of St Helens’ settlement. This means the focus is not only on the number of objects, but also on the chronological structure of local history. For families looking to combine an active outing with an interest in culture, the History Room offers a separate option alongside the trails and waterfront facilities.

Individual buildings also offer a reason to explore the town’s architectural history. Fair Lea was built in 1897 and is among the district’s most elegant buildings. St Paul's Anglican Church is permanently listed as a heritage site. Its defining features include brick construction, sandstone sills and lintels, decorative timber bargeboards and a sandstone bellcote. Those interested in historic buildings and details of their design will find different examples here, without needing to combine them into a single sightseeing route.

Mountain biking experiences

Near St Helens, the St Helens Mountain Bike Trails offer opportunities for downhill and cross-country riding, as well as family-friendly experiences. The trails include a series of loops south of the town area. When planning your trip, you can distinguish between different forms of mountain biking and consider whether this activity should be a focus of your stay. For families, the mention of family-friendly experiences is a useful guide in its own right; it does not mean that all the trails are alike.

More destinations

For more ideas: Spreyton, Sheffield, Strathgordon, Queens Domain, Tullah, Rosny Park, Rossarden and Plenty.

To the broader travel overview: Tasmania.