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Bruny Island

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Overview

Bruny Island is an island of stunning natural beauty, close to Hobart in Tasmania. It's a possible day-trip from Hobart, but with boutique accommodation and plenty to offer for longer stays. The island is divided into N

Wikivoyage guide · 19 sections

▸Introduction298 chars

▸Understand905 chars

North Bruny is mainly farmland, and is relatively flat. South Bruny is more mountainous, and is more heavily forested.

The main towns for visitors are Adventure Bay on South Bruny. This is where the cruises depart from, and is adjacent to one of the three discrete sections of South Bruny National Park. There is accommodation here, and a bowling club for drinks and meals. If you are going to spot one of the White Wallabies, along the national park track here at dusk is your best chance, and the rainforest and walks are in the hills just about the town.

Not far from Adventure Bay is the town of Allonah.

Here you'll find the post office, pharmacy, the pub, cricket club, school, medical centre, Police station and history room.

The Bruny Island winery is five minutes south of Allonah.

There are smaller settlements, a few cafes and produce centres scattered around the Island with local produce.

▸South Bruny National Park1,839 chars

Facts

Rank

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Coordinates

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Source

WBP almanac

External sources

Wikivoyage Wikipedia

Media

From Wikipedia1,728 words

Introduction

Island off the coast of Tasmania BrunyNative name: Lunawanna AllonahLocation of the Bruny Island in TasmaniaEtymologyBruni d'EntrecasteauxGeographyLocationTasman SeaCoordinates43°18′S 147°18′E / 43.3°S 147.3°E / -43.3; 147.3Total islands2Area362 km2 (140 sq mi)Highest elevation571 m (1873 ft)Highest pointMount ManganaAdministrationAustraliaStateTasmaniaLGAKingborough CouncilDemographicsPopulation1008 (2021 Census)Pop. density1.6/km2 (4.1/sq mi)Additional informationOfficial websitewww.brunyisland.org.au Bruny Island is a 362-square-kilometre (140 sq mi) coastal island of Tasmania, Australia, located at the mouths of the River Derwent and Huon River estuaries on Storm Bay on the Tasman Sea, south of Hobart. The island is separated from the mainland by the D'Entrecasteaux Channel. The island and the channel are named after French explorer Antoine Bruni d'Entrecasteaux. The island's Aboriginal name is lunawanna-allonah, from which the island settlements of Alonnah and Lunawanna are named.

History

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▸Get in1,797 chars

Kettering, the gateway to Bruny Island, is around 30 minutes drive south from Hobart, through the sleepy townships of Margate, Snug and Oyster Cove. For a more interesting drive, you can divert through Kingston Beach and Blackmans Bay. From Kettering, you can catch the car ferry, The Mirambeena, across to Bruny Island. The ferry costs $46 return per car (slightly cheaper off-peak). You pay the full amount at Kettering, and the return trip is "free". Helpful maps of Bruny Island are available at the Kettering ferry terminal. The crossing takes around 15 minutes, and the ferry departs promptly. You're expected to be there around 15 minutes ahead of the ferry departure time. There's a passenger lounge on the ferry if you're interested, or you can stay in your car. If taking a rental car, make sure to check in advance that you're allowed to take it on the ferry.

At the Kettering and Roberts Bay termini you can buy snacks and coffee. There are also public toilets at the terminals, but none on the ferry.

There is no car hire on Bruny, so you'll have to hire a car from Hobart. Some hire car companies don't allow their cars to be driven on to the island, so check before you book. Even those that do, may not insure you for an accident on the ferry. This is difficult to avoid if you aren't bringing your own car.

Foot passengers are carried on the ferry free of charge, but it is difficult to take advantage of this bargain offer, with no public transport available at either ferry terminus.

If you are taking the tour of the island, the tour company offers a connecting bus.

Bruny Island has a small airport for general aviation and charters. The airport is not within walking distance of any accommodation or facilities, so you'll need to arrange for someone to pick you up.

▸Get around1,095 chars

Bruny Island is approximately 100 km from one end to the other. The main road stretches the length of the island (Bruny Island Main Road (B66)), with branch roads to towns, beaches and attractions. Expect to take around 45 minutes to drive between the ferry and Adventure Bay or Allonah at the north of the South Island. Then another half an hour or so from there down to Cape Bruny.

The advisory speed limit drops to 45 km/h on many parts of the main road between dusk and dawn - due to the danger of hitting wildlife. Insurance on many rental cars does not cover damage done to their cars hitting wildlife between dusk and dawn.

The common ways to explore are by private car or by tour. There is no scheduled public transport on the island. There are no facilities provided on the narrow shoulders for cyclists.

Strictly observe speed limits to protect wildlife – unlike the rest of Tasmania, the maximum limit on Bruny Island is 90 km/h (56 mph) (including "changing road conditions" limits), not 100 km/h. Speed limits can drastically drop in wildlife-abundant areas, such as The Neck.

▸History1,613 chars

1 Bligh Museum of Pacific Exploration, 876 Main Road, Adventure Bay Rd (C630), ☏ +61 3 6293 1117 (landline), +61 407 689 877 (mobile). Daily 10AM–4PM. A collection of artifacts relating to exploration of the South Pacific. The building was built from convict bricks from North Bruny Island, and the foundation stone laid on the 200th anniversary of Captain William Bligh's birth, in 1955. Adult $4, child $2. (updated Mar 2022)

2 Bruny History Room, Main Rd, Alonnah - Early and recent history. Many artifacts, photos, documents and newspaper cuttings provided by Bruny residents. Sa 10AM - 2PM. A small museum on the island's history.

3 Cape Bruny Lighthouse. Daily 9:30AM-4:30PM. A historic lighthouse built in 1836, at the far end of Bruny Island. The 114-metre lighthouse is home to several lighthouse keepers, who also maintain the surrounding South Bruny National Park. The lighthouse is reachable on foot from a nearby car park, and has beautiful views of the ocean and nearby landscapes. Visitors can climb the steps to the lighthouse base and the overlook over Cape Bruny. Tours operate every half hour from November to April and allow visitors to climb to the top of the Lighthouse. A small museum exhibition is open to the public in the nearby cottage. A great place to see an echidna too. (updated Mar 2022)

Truganini. Often considered the last full-blood Aboriginal Tasmanian and last speaker of a Tasmanian language, was born on Bruny Island. A memorial to her, and a description of the hardships she endured at the hands of the colonists, is at The Neck lookout on North Bruny. (updated Nov 2017)

▸Wildlife983 chars

4 Penguins. There is a Little Penguin colony at The Neck, and a hide there for viewing them coming ashore after dusk. Take care not to destroy any of their nests (stay on the path). Penguins will just stand still if they are afraid (they won't walk around you) and may decide not to come home for the night if they're spooked, so stay well out of their path. Don't shine any white light near them. Red light is okay; you can cover your flashlight with a piece of red cellophane. (updated Nov 2017)

Shearwaters. There are as many Shearwaters in Australia as there are people. Also known as Muttonbirds, these migratory birds spend the southern hemisphere winter in the Arctic Circle, migrating to Bruny (and elsewhere) for the summer.

Wallabies. The first sign you will see of Wallabies will be the roadkill by the side of Bruny Island Main Road. Grasslands on the South Island at dusk are the best place to seek them out, but you'll also seem them on minor roads and farmland.

▸Do1,928 chars

Bruny Island Cruises, 915 Adventure Bay Road, ☏ +61 3 6293 1465, info@brunycruises.com.au. Every day except for Christmas Day. Bruny Island Cruises operates a 3-hour wildlife eco-cruise daily exploring the coastline of the South Bruny National Park. - tall sea cliffs, amazing coastline, seals, albatross, often dolphins and sometimes even whale sightings!. Day tours from Hobart are available.

Bushwalking. There are a variety of walks from just a few minutes to a few hours through the rainforests and national parks of the South Bruny Island. The walk to Grassy Point along the water at Adventure Bay leaves from the end of Adventure Bay Road. There is a small inlet (about 2-3m) to cross at the start of the walk, so if you can wear trousers that can be rolled up that is an advantage. This is the section of track where you have your best chance to see the White Wallaby at dusk. Just above Adventure Bay there is a short rainforest walk. After rain this walk can be overrun by leeches, so make sure you have your insect repellent applied liberally before you decide to undertake it.

The Fluted Cape is a 2.5-hour 4-km walk going through the eastern parts of the island, popular for wildlife watching. (SBNP)

Grass Point trail is an easy trail, leading you to a former whaling station before whaling was officially banned. (SBNP)

Where's Tasmania's Cape Le Grand, you ask (no, that's not Freycinet)? The 12-kilometre (7.5 mi) (return) East Cloudy Head trail to, well, you guessed it, East Cloudy Head passes through some of Tasmania's whitest beaches. Out of the 6 km, 3 km of the trail is unmarked along Cloudy Bay Beach, while the other 3 km encompasses an old 4WD trail before you finally arrive at the peak of East Cloudy Head. (SBNP)

INALA Nature Tours, 320 Cloudy Bay Rd, ☏ +61 3 6293 1217, inala@inalabruny.com.au. INALA Tours operates wildlife tours into the South Bruny National Park.

1 Island Scenic Flights.

▸Eat1,653 chars

There are a range of places to eat on Bruny, but the choice is much wider for lunch than for dinner. Throughout the day you can graze through the produce trail, trying cheeses, sausages, oysters, honey, fudge and wines. Most establishments work together to showcase what is produced on the island. If you travel down to Bruny Island Wines at Lunawannah, you'll get a choice of their wines, and can also purchase a tasting plate of local cheeses, or oysters, or honey, or other farm produce. Similarly you can stop at Bruny Island cheeses, and they'll be happy to give you a cheese plate and a glass of local wines.

Hotel Bruny, 3959 Main Road, Alonnah, ☏ +61 3 6293 1148. Bar, Restaurant, Bottleshop, TAB, Keno. Across the road from the beachfront, with windows and views across the bay.

Penguin and Pardalote cafe, 710 Adventure Bay Road, Adventure Bay, ☏ +61 3 6293 1568. Good for crepes.

There are a range of boutique offerings on Bruny Island as well, including:

1 Get Shucked Oyster Farm. Delicious, fresh oysters available for dine-in or drive-through.

2 Bruny Island Cheese Company. Cheese tastings, but also serves home baked pizzas, toasties, coffee and the like. Half-a-dozen cheeses in their range, from vintage hard cheeses (including raw milk varieties) to French-style soft cheeses. They'll sell you a drop of the local Pinot to wash it down. For vegan visitors, they can put together a plant-based tasting too.

3 Bruny Island Honey. Local honey and a wide variety of honey-based products. (updated Sep 2022)

Given the size and nature of the island, most of the establishments are owner-run, and can close in periods of low demand.

▸Sleep3,654 chars

Please also see accommodation on Huon Trail.

Bruny Beach House, 91 Nebraska Rd, Dennes Point (north end of the island), ☏ +61 3 52438486. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: 10AM. $135 per night for 2 people. $20 additional per person per night (max 4). 2 br, fully equipped kitchen, spectacular 180 degree view. 135 per night.

1 Bruny Island Lodge, 670 Lighthouse Rd, South Bruny, ☏ +61 477693116, info@brunyisland.com.au. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: 10AM. The Lodge combines native bushland with comfortable, well-equipped accommodation. Sleeps up to 24 people. From $1000 per night. (updated Jul 2017)

2 Captains Cabin, 258 Nebraska Road Dennes Point, ☏ +61 481 263 962, +61 3 6293 1078, info@brunyislandholidayrentals.com.au. 2-bedroom cabin in secluded area with 1.6 km of private beach. $240 per night and $40 per extra guest. Family rates also available by request. $20 per night.

Captain James Cook Caravan Park, Adventure Bay Road, Adventure Bay, ☏ +61 3 6293 1128. Offers powered and unpowered sites, on-site caravans, cabins and units.

3 Cloudy Bay Beach House, 927 Cloudy Bay Rd, South Bruny, ☏ +61 477693116, info@brunyisland.com.au. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: 10AM. Features a cinematic view of Cloudy Bay. Sleeps up to 6 people. from $600 per night. (updated Jul 2017)

4 Cloudy Bay Cabin, 970 Cloudy Bay Road, South Bruny, ☏ +61 477693116, info@brunyisland.com.au. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: 10AM. An unpretentious and welcoming little timber cottage surrounded by South Bruny National Park and metres from the shores of Cloudy Bay. Sleeps up to 6 people. From $280 per night. (updated Jul 2017)

5 Cloudy Bay Lagoon Estate, 810 Cloudy Bay Rd, ☏ +61 477693116, info@brunyisland.com.au. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: 10AM. Cloudy Bay Estate is a well-appointed home sitting at the edge of Cloudy Bay Lagoon. A short walk will take you down to the water’s edge where you can fish, explore the shoreline, watch for birdlife or sit and meditate. Sleeps up to 12 people. From $450 per night. (updated Jul 2017)

6 Cloudy Bay Villa, 888 Cloudy Bay Rd, South Bruny, ☏ +61 477693116, info@brunyisland.com.au. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: 10AM. This two-storey house on a gentle rise over Whalebone Point offers some of the best views in Tasmania. Sleeps up to 8 people. From $450 per night. (updated Jul 2017)

Explorers Cottages (At Lunawanna), 20 Lighthouse Road, Lunawanna, ☏ +61 3 6293 1271, info@brunyisland.com. $195 per night (2 people). Sleeps 4.. (updated Aug 2016)

Maxy's By The Sea (At Alonnah), ☏ +61 3 6293 1271, info@brunyisland.com. $215 per night (2 people). Sleeps 5. Additional guests $25.. (updated Aug 2016)

7 Saintys Creek Cottage, 546 Cloudy Bay Rd, ☏ +61 477693116, info@brunyisland.com.au. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: 10AM. Saintys Creek is a tranquil and beautiful body of water flowing through centuries-old forest and emptying into the serene Cloudy Bay Lagoon. Saintys Creek Cottage is located on a secluded bush block, a short walk from the creek. Sleeps up to 4 people. From $200 per night. (updated Jul 2017)

St Clairs Luxury Accommodation (Romantic Getaway for Two), 48, Lighthouse Rd, Lunawanna, ☏ +61 3 6293 1300, enquiries@stclairs.com. $210 per night includes spa, full breakfast and bottle of champagne.

8 The Cottage, Adventure Bay Beach, ☏ +61 488655351, adventurebaycottage@gmail.com. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 10AM. A small sort of B&B with one bedroom, a living room, and a makeshift kitchen (no stove but stocked with dishes, a fridge, a microwave, and a few other small appliances). The owners live next door, and lots of wallabies hang out in the neighborhood, including a white wallaby. No wifi. (updated Sep 2022)

▸Stay safe582 chars

Road conditions deteriorate in and after rain, particularly in the more rainforest and steep areas of the South Island may not be suitable for 2WD traffic in parts.

Observe speed limits. 50 km/h in built-up areas, otherwise 90 km/h on sealed roads (not 100 km/h as found on mainland Tasmania) and 80 km/h on gravel.

Watch out for wildlife on the roads - particularly at night.

Check ferry times. Last ferry leaves before 7PM most nights

Always notify somebody if you are going bushwalking and carry a (NextG) mobile phone if possible.

Carry an EPIRB if boating and wear life jackets

[edit] Bruny Island was inhabited by Aboriginal Tasmanians people. Some people living on the island identify as being of Aboriginal descent. Abel Tasman was the first recorded European to sight the island, in November 1642 but did not determine it was an island. On 11 March 1773, Tobias Furneaux was the first British explorer to reach the island and his ship anchored at Adventure Bay (named after his ship) for four days and the crew ascertained the land was an island. Four years later, on 26 January 1777, James Cook's two ships, the Resolution and Discovery stayed in the bay area for two days. Cook carved his initials in a tree that was destroyed in a 1905 bushfire and is now commemorated by a plaque. In 1788 and again in 1792 with Matthew Flinders, William Bligh stayed in the Adventure Bay area. The island is named after the French explorer Bruni d'Entrecasteaux, who explored the channel region in 1792. It was known as Bruni Island until 1918, when the spelling was changed to Bruny. Whaling was conducted off the coast of Bruny Island in the first half of the 19th century. The British whaler, Alexander, was reported to be whaling in Adventure Bay in 1804. In 1805, the British whalers Richard and Mary, Ocean and the Sydney whaler King George were reported there in the winter months. The American whaler Topaz was there in 1807. Colonial entrepreneurs also operated shore-based whaling stations there. Bethune and Kelly had a station operating in Adventure Bay by August 1826. Kelly and Lucas had another at Bull Bay. Young and Walford had one at Trumpeter Bay. Alexander Imlay applied for a site as a whaling station at Cloudy Bay in 1837, and Brown and Rogers did the same in 1842. These stations had all ceased operating by 1850, although whaling vessels sometimes anchored offshore in the second half of the century. Even though "Cooktown"[citation needed] was marked on maps as early as the 1840s, the island was not officially opened up to European settlement until the late 1800s when the timber industry took off. South Bruny was opened up by numerous tramways and haulages, some horse-drawn and some using modified locomotives. The longest and best-preserved tramway runs from Adventure Bay to the far southeast corner of the island. Almost all settlements on South Bruny were originally opened as timber ports, owned by the different timber companies operating on the island. Lunawanna (formerly Daniels Bay), Alonnah (formerly Mills Reef) and Adventure Bay were some of the largest ports operating on the island. At Daniels Bay, the settlement was separated from the timber jetty as the tramway was forced to trace along the south side of the bay in order to reach deep water, as most of Daniels Bay was too shallow to bring boats in. Most settlements of South Bruny now serve as shack towns or holiday locations. Since the 1920s, the island has become known as a holiday location with surfing beaches, National Parks and historical sites. In more recent history the Bruny Island was the site of a land transfer by the state government to local Aboriginal people.

Geography

[edit] Geologically, Bruny Island actually consists of two land masses—North Bruny and South Bruny—that are joined by a long, narrow, sandy isthmus, often referred to as "The Neck". The island has a total length of approximately 50 kilometres (30 miles). The holiday village of Dennes Point is located in North Bruny, while South Bruny is the site of the towns of Alonnah, Adventure Bay, and Lunawanna. Aerial perspective of the isthmus of Bruny Island, looking north Outside its settlements, the island is covered with grazing fields and large tracts of dry eucalyptus forest. Inland forests have been logged, but other large sections—mostly along the southeastern coast—are preserved as the South Bruny National Park. While the seaward side of the island features two long beaches—Adventure Bay and Cloudy Bay—it is for the most part extremely rugged, with cliffs of dolerite over 200 metres (660 ft) AHD in altitude. Bruny's channel side is more sheltered and a favourite fishing and recreational boating area for local and interstate visitors. Adventure Bay is located on the eastern side of the isthmus, while Isthmus Bay is located on the western side. Access to the island is by vehicular ferry, funded by the State Government. Since 1954, four vessels have operated the Bruny Island Ferry service between the island and Kettering on the mainland. The service currently uses the vessel, Mirambeena, which is plied by a Voith-Schneider propulsion system rather than a conventional propeller. There is a public airfield, Bruny Island Airport located on North Bruny, just north of The Neck, however the small runway is mostly suited to small aircraft, and there are no scheduled flights. The d'Entrecastaux Channel region, sheltered by Bruny Island, is increasingly subject to foreshore erosion. Some areas have begun sandbagging to reduce the effects. Climate[edit] Bruny Island has a cool oceanic climate (Köppen: Cfb) with short, cool summers and chilly, wet winters with snowfalls. The island is near-constantly buffeted by cold fronts off the Roaring Forties, even through the height of summer. The island is very windy with a mean 3 pm wind speed of 27.8 km/h (17.3 mph); cloud cover is likewise great, with 242 cloudy days and 19.2 clear days annually. Rain falls on an average of 200 days a year. An extreme event on 15 November 2021 saw a fall of snow to beach level on the island, though historical temperature data indicate this may have also happened prior to that event − and perhaps even in the early summer. Climate data for Cape Bruny Lighthouse (1991–2020, extremes 1923–2026); 43.49° S, 147.15° E Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year Record high °C (°F) 39.3(102.7) 39.0(102.2) 39.7(103.5) 28.7(83.7) 24.5(76.1) 20.0(68.0) 19.1(66.4) 22.4(72.3) 26.5(79.7) 31.4(88.5) 35.0(95.0) 39.2(102.6) 39.7(103.5) Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 19.1(66.4) 19.1(66.4) 18.0(64.4) 16.0(60.8) 14.1(57.4) 12.2(54.0) 11.8(53.2) 12.4(54.3) 13.7(56.7) 14.9(58.8) 16.2(61.2) 17.7(63.9) 15.4(59.8) Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 12.3(54.1) 12.4(54.3) 11.6(52.9) 10.0(50.0) 8.7(47.7) 7.1(44.8) 6.6(43.9) 6.5(43.7) 7.4(45.3) 8.3(46.9) 9.7(49.5) 10.7(51.3) 9.3(48.7) Record low °C (°F) 1.7(35.1) 2.8(37.0) 1.7(35.1) 0.3(32.5) 0.0(32.0) −1.4(29.5) −1.7(28.9) −2.2(28.0) −2.0(28.4) −1.7(28.9) 0.6(33.1) 0.6(33.1) −2.2(28.0) Average precipitation mm (inches) 57.1(2.25) 57.3(2.26) 64.8(2.55) 68.7(2.70) 76.5(3.01) 81.7(3.22) 90.1(3.55) 108.2(4.26) 81.6(3.21) 76.2(3.00) 67.8(2.67) 65.9(2.59) 895.9(35.27) Average precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm) 13.2 12.7 15.2 15.6 17.4 17.5 19.2 20.5 18.3 18.7 16.2 15.6 200.1 Average afternoon relative humidity (%) 70 70 70 72 73 76 75 71 69 70 71 71 71 Average dew point °C (°F) 11.0(51.8) 11.3(52.3) 10.4(50.7) 8.9(48.0) 7.8(46.0) 6.7(44.1) 6.2(43.2) 5.6(42.1) 6.1(43.0) 7.4(45.3) 8.7(47.7) 9.8(49.6) 8.3(47.0) Source 1: Cape Bruny Lighthouse (means 1991–2020, extremes 1923–2021) Source 2: Cape Bruny (extremes 1997–2026)

Environment

[edit] Bruny Island is classified by BirdLife International as an Important Bird Area because it supports the world's largest population of the endangered forty-spotted pardalote, up to a third of the world population of the swift parrot, all 12 of Tasmania's endemic bird species, and up to 240,000 breeding pairs of the short-tailed shearwater (or Tasmanian muttonbird). In March 2021, awareness increased concerning the feral cat population on the island, which had been steadily growing over the last decade. Local residents opened an inquiry into the sudden large number of feral cats, concerned this spike in numbers may have adverse affects on the environment and wildlife. Initial findings suggest the feral cats migrated from the Eastern Shore of Tasmania, namely the Howrah/Tranmere region.An alternative view taken by some wildlife ecologists is that cats are a naturalized alien species in much of Australia, and the best approach available at present to conserve species on which they predate is to ensure adequately large and intact habitats. Invasive cats may be eradicated on small islands, but some believe complete eradication is impractical at present on islands the size of Bruny.[citation needed] Control methodologies alternative to complete eradication are currently being investigated.Multiple vegetation types are seen across the island, including wet sclerophyll forest, coastal healthland and dry sclerophyll forests.[citation needed]

Tourism

[edit] A key contributor to Bruny Island's economy is its growing tourism industry. Being home to the South Bruny National Park, tourism on the island centres on the showcase of its natural assets.The Cape Bruny Lighthouse, first lit in 1838, is an iconic Australian lighthouse. It was the third lighthouse built in Tasmania, and the fourth in all of Australia, and was the longest continuously staffed lighthouse in the country until it was automated in 1993. It was removed from service in 1996, and became part of the South Bruny National Park in 2000. Guided tours of the structure are available.In 2010/11, overall visitors to Bruny Island increased 4% to 74,600. The island is primarily a day-trip destination with only 21,800 visitors staying on the island overnight. There are a growing number of tourism businesses on the island including a cheese factory, oyster farm, vineyard, smoke-house, lighthouse, museum, art gallery, two eco-cruises along with various accommodation properties and cafes.