BRUNY iSLAND
An island served in two sittings.
Bruny Island
Originally called Lunawanna-alonnah by the First Nations People who lived there, Bruny Island was named after a French explorer.
30 minute drive south from Hobart to car ferry at Kettering
The ferry to Isle de Bruny leaves The Main Island from Kettering, which is either a leisurely drive south down the Channel Highway from Hobart, or an even more leisurely drive circuitously north on the Channel Highway from Cygnet. Whichever route you take, it’s worth the drive and the destination. And so far, we’re just talking about getting to Kettering.
The ferry takes about half an hour to cross D’Entrecasteaux Channel, I think. To be honest, I’ve never timed it. The only part of getting from one island and onto the other causing me to worry about ‘time’ has been getting to the ferry wharf on schedule for our booking.
The ferry lands on the western shore of North Bruny, through which, if you’re incautiously unobservant, Bruny Island Main Road will carry you past several of our Personal Shrines To Good Food and Contentment, being: ‘Get Shucked’ Oysters, Bruny Island Beer Co. and Bruny Island Cheese Co., Bruny Premium Wines.
My advice is to keep your eyes open for their roadside signs and steer with the greatest care and diligence for their open gates, enter their driveways, park, enter, sample and purchase.
Bruny is a dish served in two sittings: North and South. Between the two lies a long, low-lying sand spit called The Neck, which holds special cultural and historical significance.
This is a wild and beautiful place, wind and wave swept on its eastern side, lapped by tranquil waters on its western side, and with a high dune rising from the beach berm at the northern end of The Neck.
Atop this dune, accessed by a long flight of wooden stairs, is The Neck Lookout, affording magnificent views of the living land and seascapes; and historical insight into a terrible incident in the tragedy woven life of one of Tasmania’s most famous First Nation’s People, Nuennonne, known as Truganini. Take the time to stop and read the history. Reflect on it as you will, knowing that you are reading of a real person’s life, and let it touch your humanity.
The Neck is also the site of a Penguin Rookery. Dedicated pathways and decks are available, from which the nightly procession of penguins from their nests amongst the dunes to the sea to fish, and their pre-dawn return can be discretely observed.
We’ve stayed a couple of times on South Bruny, once at Adventure Bay, another time at Alonnah. On both occasions we’ve taken groceries with us to cook at our accommodation; but we’ve also found time/excuse/opportunity to get at least one meal at Hotel Bruny, where the quality of the food and friendliness of the service were always exceptional.
Huge respect also for the 2020 ‘Rona Lockdown Easter Fish and Chips they put on, free to all comers, for no more reason than supporting their community during hard times. Awesome.
The road to Adventure Bay lazily winds through forest and farmlands in a way that makes you slow down and enjoy the vibe. Staying there in an off-peak time of year, we found we had the place largely to ourselves, save for the locals; so when the day’s activities aboard their tour boats were complete and dusk settled, the loudest noises to be heard were birdsong, or from across the bay, the ‘whump’ of tiny waves breaking on the opposite shore.
Cape Bruny
Getting around the islands can involve a fair bit of driving on gravel roads. The road to Cape Bruny Lighthouse is a good example of this, being unsealed for most of the distance south from Alonnah. It’s a good quality gravel road, with few surprises beyond the antics of some visiting ‘drivers’, especially some of those from foreign countries of origin. Two wheel drive cars can navigate this road without problem, but there’s no shortage of All-Wheel Drive or 4WD vehicles available through the many car rental companies. Issues that may arise are in regard to insurance over water during the ferry crossing, and amount of gravel road driving. Check your Terms and Conditions with the rental company to be sure.
However you do it, Get Ye Down to Cape Bruny! If overloading your senses on Southern Ocean air and having your perspective of light, seascape and landform given the biggest cuddle it’s ever had are on your To Do List, then this is the place for you, dependent largely on the weather when you visit; but I’m willing to bet this place will do the business.
And according to The Very Nice Man we spoke to at the lighthouse, Lucky Applicants can get to live there, in the Lighthouse Keeper’s Cottages, for several months at a stretch in return for volunteering as Visitor’s Centre Guides. Still tempted.
Elsewhere in my ramblings I mention Masaaki San, the Sushi Master of Geeveston, and his preference for leaving his kitchen at short notice and going to where the surf is good. Standing on the rocky headland separating the carpark from the bay at the southern-most point of Cape Bruny, observing the head to toe wet-suited surfers riding clean 5-6 foot waves breaking left and right in the middle of the bay, I began to comprehend why even Ice-Cream Headache inducing cold water could hold such allure when the surf is That Good.
Travel tips
Walking & hiking
Fluted Cape walk
Cape Queen Elizabeth Track
Cape Bruny Lighthouse
Photography spots
The Neck
Bruny Island Lighthouse
Adventure Bay
Sunset over D'Entrecasteaux Channel
Food & drink
Get Shucked Oysters
Bruny Island Cheese Co + Bruny Island Beer Co
Bruny Premium Wines
Hotel Bruny
Landscape
Farmland, beaches and forest with stunning sunrises and sunsets.