
Multi-day nature hike experience

East Coast Region, Tasmania / Palawa and Muwinina Country
Freycinet Experience Walk began as a passion project by Joan Masterman, a former town planner and lover of the Freycinet Peninsula, to protect Tasmania’s wild and vulnerable places.
After previously creating Tasmania’s first guided hut hike along the renowned Overland Track in Cradle Mountain, known as the Cradle Huts Walk, Joan and architect Ken Latona embarked on a new adventure in 1992. Together they founded their second multi-day hiking experience: a four-day coastal adventure centred on a sustainably designed, minimalist, award-winning Friendly Beaches Lodge in Freycinet National Park.
Having turned these eco-dreams into reality, Joan became the sole owner and operator. She has kept the experience as a family affair, involving her grandson Isaac, who started as an experienced nature guide before becoming the Marketing and Sales manager, and his sister, who embarked on her first season as Lodge Host in 2022/23. Their parents, Michael and Holly, have also been actively involved.
Due to their commitment to sustainability, in 2019 Joan was awarded the Order of Australia in recognition of her ‘significant contribution to tourism in Tasmania and to conservation and the environment’.
Their sustainability efforts only grown since the business’ inception and they achieved Advanced Ecotourism Certification with Ecotourism Australia in 2013, to continue on the sustainability pathway to best-practice standards. Now, they are celebrating 10 years of ECO Certification, giving their tourism business a positive spin.
“Certification has immense significance to our business. Our certification from Ecotourism Australia, which we have proudly held for over a decade, is not only an endorsement of our commitment to environmentally sustainable tourism but also a testament to our ongoing dedication in upholding these standards”, said Isaac Hasterman, the Marketing and Sales manager.
The Advanced Ecotourism Certification allows Freycinet Experience Walk to demonstrate their credibility as a result of independent auditing and commitment to involving guests in their sustainability mission.
“We believe it places us as leaders in the field of sustainable tourism, offering assurance to our guests that we not only provide a luxurious experience but one that respects and preserves the natural environment. This certification underlines our ethos – to seamlessly blend with the environment we are fortunate to be a part of and to promote a strong sense of stewardship for these unique landscapes among our visitors”.
Over the years, they have continued to minimise their environmental impact as much as possible, especially with the Friendly Beaches Lodge:
“While we are immensely proud of all our sustainability initiatives, the initiative we are most proud of is the development of our ‘Invisible Lodge.’ Friendly Beaches Lodge, designed under the architectural vision of the late Ken Latona. It truly embodies the philosophy that buildings should ‘touch the earth lightly.’ It was constructed with due consideration to the environment and local conditions, using low-impact materials and conforming to the natural landscape to the point of being virtually unseen”, said Isaac.
Waste generated is also minimised through a comprehensive recycling program, and efforts are always made to prevent degradation and reduce environmental impact in daily activities.
“Our eco-conscious design extends to the use of solar power for lighting, clean rainwater for drinking, and composting toilets. All of these components have resulted in an offering that is not just environmentally friendly, but also harmonious with the surrounding environment, providing a unique and memorable experience for our guests”.
Learn more about the Freycinet Experience Walk and this rare wilderness escape opportunity: