St Helens is the largest town on the north-east coast, sitting on Georges Bay about 170 kilometres northeast of Launceston. It is the main service town for the region and the natural base for exploring the Bay of Fires, the stretch of coast immediately to the north that is widely considered one of the most beautiful in Australia.
The bay takes its name from the fires Aboriginal people lit along its shores when early European ships passed by. The coast itself is a sequence of white-sand beaches, clear water in shades of jade and turquoise, and dramatic granite boulders stained vivid orange by lichen. The Ansons Bay area at the northern end is accessible only on foot or by four-wheel drive, which keeps it quiet. The Bay of Fires Lodge Walk — a four-day guided walk from Swimcart Beach to Mount William — is one of the best-known luxury walks in the state, but you can cover much of the same ground independently.
St Helens itself has a relaxed fishing-town feel. Georges Bay is calm and good for kayaking and swimming. The History Room on Cecilia Street is small but worthwhile for context on the tin-mining and fishing history of the region. Local restaurants focus predictably on seafood — the local waters produce excellent crayfish, abalone, and oysters.