Bruny Island is one of Tasmania’s southernmost islands. It is nearly 100 km long and composed of two islands, North and South Bruny, joined by a narrow, sandy isthmus called ‘the neck’. Famous for its wildlife (little penguins, echidnas and wallabies), it is a sparsely populated with spectacular scenery. All just a twenty minute ferry ride from the mainland of Tasmania.
A visit to Bruny Island makes the perfect day trip from Hobart. As well as spectacular scenery the island has become a food lovers paradise with fresh salty oysters, divine cheeses, premium wine and fresh fruit, all being available.
We drove our rental car 30 km south from Hobart to the seaside town of Kettering to catch the Bruny Island ferry. You can’t pre-book your ferry tickets, and as we discovered, at busy times, the ferry may be full and you’ll just have to wait for the next one. The ride itself is only twenty minutes each way.
Here are eight things we loved on Bruny Island…
Get Shucked Oyster Bar
Get Shucked cultivates the “fuel of love” in Great Bay. Their oysters are sustainably farmed directly from the waters off Bruny Island.
We ordered a dozen oysters for just 18$, added lemon juice and salt and pepper, and wolfed them down. The boys all tried oysters for the first time. They were somewhat unimpressed but mum and dad made up for them!
Get Shucked even operates a drive thru for oysters to take home at the end of the day.
Bruny Island Cheese Company
Hankering for a sliver of cheese? Just down the road from Get Shucked is the Bruny Island Cheese Company. The cheeses are made and matured using traditional artisanal techniques and highest quality local cow’s and goat’s milk, inspired by founder Nick Haddow’s training and travels throughout the great cheese-making nations of Europe.
Here we sampled four different cheeses on a cheese platter with the most delicious sourdough bread.
They also serve drinks and their own handcrafted beer.
Splendid Views from “The Neck”
The Neck is the thin isthmus of land that connects the north and south islands that make up Bruny Island. Park in the small carpark and climb the wooden steps to the viewpoint for broad views of both islands.
There is also a boardwalk to the beach on the eastern side of the Neck. This beach was almost completely deserted during our visit. The beach is home to fairy penguins, although they were nowhere to be seen whilst we were here during the day. The best time to see penguins is at dusk.
Bruny Island Berry Farm
At the Berry Farm cafe, the display case was full of tempting treats: cheesecakes with berry coulis, berry tarts and berry muffins, and champagne jellies brimming with berries. The menu includes pancakes or waffles with berries, cream and ice cream, scones with jam and cream and meringues with berries and coulis. We enjoyed a selection of items. My favourite was the meringue with berries, cream and coulis.
Cape Bruny Lighthouse
The Cape Bruny Lighthouse is located on the southernmost point of the island. It is a very scenic drive to get here, taking approximately forty five minutes from the Neck. Some of the drive is on gravel/dirt roads but is perfectly accessible in a rental car. As you approach Cape Bruny, the views are really spectacular. Windswept coastlines, rolling hills, wide sandy bays and the sea crashing against the rocks. The Cape Bruny Lighthouse is a short 300 metre walk from the carpark. There are regular tours of the lighthouse throughout the day. This is a beautiful spot that is definitely worth visiting.
South Bruny National Park
South Bruny National Park encompasses most of the southern island of Bruny Island. The national park includes the Cape Bruny Lighthouse, Cloudy Bay, Adventure Bay, Fluted Cape, and more. There are numerous walking trails waiting to be explored.
Bruny Island Premium Wines
On our journey back from Cape Bruny we stopped at Bruny Island Premium Wines, Australia’s most southerly vineyard. Whilst the boys had some dessert Dave and I sampled the wine. Wine tasting is 5$ per person, reimbursed if you buy a bottle. We sampled red and white wines and their locally made cider.
Black Devil Tasmanian Cherries
We stumbled upon the Black Devil Tasmanian cherries shack on our drive back to the ferry. If you are a cherry fan and visit Bruny Island when they are in season, you’ll want to stop here.
The cherries are grown locally on North Bruny. We bought a 1 kg bag for 12$ which we ate most of in the car on the way home. They were absolutely delicious.
Getting to Bruny Island
- The Bruny Island Ferry departs from the town of Kettering, approximately 35 minutes by car from Hobart.
- The ferry ride to Bruny Island is 20 minutes.
- The ticket booth accepts cash only. Ticket prices vary according to what kind of vehicle you’re driving. Passengers in vehicles and pedestrians travel free of charge. See the Bruny Island Ferry website for timetable and ticket prices
We spent just a day on Bruny Island, but there is a range of accommodation available, from camp sites to self-contained cottages and luxury retreats.
