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When you visit Bruny Island you find out what is it like to visit the extreme tip of the land down under. For its remoteness, fewer population and
Described as Tasmania’s very own treasure island, this little island is an epitome of Tasmanian wilderness, local/natural food & incredible coastal line.
The traditional owners of Bruny Island are the Nuenonne Aboriginal tribe.
How to get from Hobart to Bruny Island?
Bruny Island Ferry
Located 36 KM away from
The Ferry ticket costs can be found on the Bruny Island Ferry website and can be purchased at the terminal if not online. With an hourly departure of the ferries, the ferry takes your vehicle or just you onboard. A 15-20 minutes ferry will take you to the beautiful Bruny Island
Getting Around in Bruny
Do you need a vehicle to get
Yes, you need to as there is no public transport available.
Wanderer’s Tip: From Adventure Bay if you are heading towards the South Bruny National Park, the shortest route is C629 which requires a 4WD. It is a better idea to drive back along C630 and through Alonnah drive towards the south.
Wanderer’s Tip: About 35km along the south towards the lighthouse is a gravel road, it is flat but not too great a road. I did drive my rented 2WD, but not sure if the insurance conditions would have covered it in case of an incident.
How to take the perfect route in Bruny:
This is the best route you could take to ensure you can cover the key attractions in two days.
Leg1: Ferry Terminal -> Quarantine Station ->Get Shucked ->Cheese Company >- The Neck ->Berry Farm -> Adventure Bay
Leg2: Adventure Bay ->Bruny Hotel ->Cloudy Bay -> Light House
Leg3: Light House ->Ferry Terminal
Is it better to visit Bruny on a Day Trip from Hobart or to stay over in the Island?
There are multiple day tours operating out of Hobart to Bruny. It being not so big island it can be comfortably visited on a day trip however, considering the beauty she is I would not mind staying a day or two either. Also one of the things you may miss if you are on the day trip is watching white wallabies which Bruny is famous for. They seem to usually come out towards the sunset by which the tours might have already left ( that still does not guarantee you will be able to see those exotic wallabies! )
Book a Day Trip to Bruny Island here Bruny Island Tour
If interested in a Food and Wine Trip, Book it here.
For those who want to do a wilderness cruise, Book it here:
Things to do in Bruny
Tasting Oysters at ‘Get Shucked’
For its remarkable oysters which are sustainably obtained from the Bruny Island, Get Shucked is a must-visit place. Situated just 15 mins away from the ferry terminal right along the main road, this little cafe overlooks water. In addition to the oysters, they do have a good menu for lunch or brunch. They also do take-outs.
Bruny Island Cheese Company
You have not treated your senses in Bruny unless you have visited the Bruny Island Cheese Company! The artisan cheeses will be explained to you in detail including Grannies Undies ! 🙂 . Also they serve craft beer , hot chocolate & coffee.
Watching White Wallabies
These are the most exotic animals to see on Bruny Island. Unfortunately, I was not lucky enough to see one). These are the Albino wallabies which can be spotted only in Bruny and a count of around 200 of them in this little island makes it more probable for you to spot one. Apparently it is the lack of predators in Bruny which let these highly sensitive & prone to cancer wallabies survive in the wild.
The best way to spot one is to keep asking locals from the time you are in Bruny where they can point you to.
Hiking the ‘Neck’
So what is the ‘Neck’?
It is the narrow piece of land that connects the North and South of Bruny Island. A 24 KM drive from the Ferry terminal will take you to the Neck, where you can park the car and hike the stairs. The 360-degree view from the Neck is just amazing. Be weather appropriate as the winds can get quite strong. if you are visiting towards the end of the day watch out for the tiny little Penguins ( I could not spot any!)
Cape Bruny Light House & South Bruny National Park
Situated at the extreme south of Bruny in the South Bruny National Park is the Cape Bruny Light House. For 15 dollars you can book a guided tour online.
The guide was a lovely lady who was called into work as the other person got sick ( advantages( disadvantages?) of living in a less populated area? ). She explained the history of the 1836 Lighthouse which was very intriguing. Also at a distance, she pointed out the new lighthouse which is fully solar operated. The view of Tasmanian coastline from the lighthouse on the clifftops is just amazing ! She also spoke about the tourists who spotted the tiny islands on the coast asking her if it was New Zealand!
Children under the age of 5 are not allowed for the tour due to the operational risks.
Cloudy Bay is another interesting spot to check on the way.
Bruny Island Quarantine station
The quarantine station dates back to pre-1830’s and is situated in 320 acres of land. There is a heritage walk which you could do as well or you could even have a picnic.
Fluted Cape Trail at Adventure Bay
Fluted cape trail is a 6KM circuit trail that takes you through crystal waters and rugged clifftops. For more walking tracks pick up a brochure from Hobart.
Have a meal at Hotel Bruny
When the place is so small, even their one hotel becomes a luxury. Nicely located on the waterfront next to the Bruny Beachfront Eco lodge , Bruny hotel has got good lunch and dinner options, though they were not open for breakfast when I was there. But there is also a nearby store which sells some quick bites.
Bruny Island Berry Farm
There are few small berry farms along the way which you stop for a quick visit. For delicious berry crumbles, cookies & pastries you can check out Bruny Island Berry Farm.
Accommodation
The main accommodation types available on the island are,
Caravan Park
Camping/Caravan Park is a great option in Adventure Bay Bruny Island for low to average budget.
Hotel/Lodge
For a more
Airbnb
With a reasonably large Finnish community in the island, you get quite a few Airbnb’s in Bruny. My host was a Finnish lady who had this lovely place overlooking the water. She also spoke to me about the water scarcity they have on the island. Definitely something worth considering while immersing ourselves in the beauty of the island.
Check out more accommodation options here – Bruny Island Accommodation
1 comment
We visited Bruny Island on a day trip from Hobart a few years ago. We loved it – and yes we saw white wallabies.