Urban Adventure: Goats Beach
by Elizabeth Osborne

Goats Beach is a secluded, tranquil beach on the South Arm Peninsula. It is approximately 25 kilometres south east of Hobart. Take the South Arm Road, then take the next turn left after Calverts Lagoon. There is good parking.
Goats Beach, approximately three kilometres long, faces south east into Storm Bay, framed by rocky bluffs at either end of the beach. The bluffs have high cliffs with layers of strata and interesting rock formations.

We started at the southern end of the beach, near the base of Goats Bluff’s dramatic 30 metre high sandstone cliffs. We wandered along the rocky platform at the base of these cliffs. We observed many glacier erratics (rock fragments deposited by glaciers) embedded throughout the sandstone rock.

We walked along Goats Beach, enjoying the view of Betsey Island and Black Jack Rocks, to the northern end of the beach. Here the sandstone cliffs have wavy strata, bent out of shape by past earth movements. The rocky platform at the base of these cliffs also contains many glacier erratics.

We retraced our steps along the beach, alone except for a solitary surfer cutting through the waves.

