'This Tassie town has been voted the best in Australia, and I know exactly why'

Bicheno, Tasmania, has been named the top Aussie town to visit, in the official "Australia's 100 best towns to visit in 2026" ranking by Australian Traveller.

Having visited Bicheno myself, I know exactly why it has topped this list.

Bicheno is a town on the east coast of Tasmania, 185 km north-east of Hobart on the Tasman Highway, right on the Tasman Sea. It is part of the municipality of Glamorgan-Spring Bay and is primarily a fishing port and a beach resort.

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It's population is just 950 people, and by the end of our stay, we didn't want to leave.

Bicheno is best known for its incredible seafood, penguins, fishing, stunning beaches, the Bicheno Blowhole, national parks, and unique businesses run by locals, many of whom have returned to the town having left to experience other parts of the world.

Instead, they have found themselves right back where they starting, having quickly realised just how lucky they had been to have gotten their start in Bicheno in the first place.

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My partner Shamus and I visited Bicheno in 2025, driving there straight from Launceston Airport.

Shamus is an amateur photographer, and, armed with his Google Pixel, he proceeded to capture our brief visit in a series of stunning images.

The day we arrived, there was strong wind, which was unusual for Bicheno, we were told by locals, but that wind made the photos even more extraordinary.

Standing by the ocean while he took photos of the surf was an experience in itself.

By the time we had checked into our accommodation later that day, we were having serious conversations about moving there.

We both had an overwhelming feeling of belonging, and the break from hectic city life was much-needed.

We spent our days walking around and eating incredible food.

There was a chicken and camembert pie I'll never forget, some of the best coffee I have ever tasted, and impressive cuisine by locals who had chosen a simple life in Bicheno, a lucky turn for locals and tourists alike.

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No surprise that The Lobster Shack was our first stop when we arrived, and we did a whisky tour and tasting at Waubs Harbour Distillery, which was perfect considering the weather.

The distillery used to be an old oyster hatchery. Now it is a world-class whisky distillery with five salt-laden bond rooms and a cooling system run entirely by the ocean.

Then there was Bicheno Beer Co.

Bicheno Beer Co is the work of Tom and Phil, two Tassie locals who spent time away from the island before turning to settle down with their families and launch their own microbrewery.

Tom and Phil both mentioned Le Coq as a great choice for dinner and that was another common theme from the people of Bicheno, locals supporting locals.

We'd only been in Tassie for a matter of hours but Le Coq had already been mentioned to us several times and I'd quickly looked it up and its origin story is fascinating.

Le Coq is the work of chef Tristan Punelle who had fallen in love with the local produce in Bicheno.

Punelle describes Tasmania as a "food lover's paradise" on the Le Coq website and it certainly is.

"The pure waters, fertile soils, and cool climate make it a treasure trove of fresh ingredients," Punelle described.

"I've been digging deep, connecting with local producers, and learning the stories behind these incredible foods."

Shamus and I kept swapping seats because we wanted to watching him cooking. He is clearly a genius, and runs his kitchen is a precise and exacting way.

Australian Traveller's "100 best Aussie towns" were selected by a voting panel of experts, each of whom had experienced the towns they voted for on a scale of 1-10.

Speaking on the Today show, Australian Traveller's Quentin Long said: "There is lots of development going on there. But only about 1000 people live there. So it's really that idyllic Aussie coastal town, with beautiful seafood, great wineries. I love it."

Bicheno is an easy 10 for me, so much so that almost a year later, Shamus and I still fantasise about moving there one day, or at least visiting it regularly, whenever we need a reminder of how life should be.

Australian Traveller's best Aussie towns to visit in 2026:

1. Bicheno, TAS
2. Port Douglas, QLD
3. Byron Bay, NSW
4. Port Fairy, VIC
5. Bowral, NSW
6. Broome, WA
7. Willunga, SA
8. Eagle Bay, WA
9. Noosa, QLD
10. Beechworth, VIC

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