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Bruny Island is a spectacular island known for its stunning vistas and contrasting landscapes; from hay bales and cattle fields to windswept beaches and craggy cliffs.
It’s where you can view arctic wildlife, such as seals and little penguins, nesting on its coastline, and explore deep sea caves, wind-swept hiking trails, and savour the taste of the freshest produce in Tassie.
This once hidden gem is no longer a secret. It’s one of the most exciting destinations just outside of Hobart, visited by 150,000 people a year (a big leap from 26,000 in 2016).
This is because there are so many things to do on Bruny Island, it makes for the perfect getaway. I spent four days there, but trust me, you should linger for a week.
In this guide, I share what to do on Bruny Island and some of the most unmissable attractions and places.
Things to Do on Bruny Island, Tasmania
1. Go to the beach
I know this is almost the southernmost point of Australia, but trust me, you can still soak in the sunshine and listen to the roar of the ocean in Tassie.
Take your shoes off. Wiggle your toes in the sand, smell the salty air and put your toes in the ocean irrespective of the weather.
If you’re lucky you might see an Albatross or a spectacular rainbow!
Some of the most popular beaches on the island are Jetty Beach, Adventure Bay Beach, Neck Beach, and the Cloudy Beaches in Cloudy Bay.
2. Go on a Pennicott Wilderness Journeys Sea Safari
I did a Pennicot Journey Wilderness Safari on my 40th birthday and it was the best experience of my Bruny Island trip.
Even if you get motion sickness you will enjoy this; they hand out ginger tablets on board and I slapped peppermint and ginger essential oil on my feet. Nothing else has compared.
During your trip you may see many threatened species such as the New Zealand Fur Seal, Southern Elephant Seal, Leatherback Turtle, Spotted Handfish, Live-Bearing Seastar, Great White Shark and migratory whales such as the Southern Right Whale and the Humpback Whale, depending on the season.
This is no leisurely cruise though, it’s a sea safari so expect to go at high speeds and feel the thrill of the ride!
3. See the Cape Bruny Island Lighthouse
The Bruny Island Lighthouse was first lit in 1838, as a result of disaster; including the catastrophic wreck of the convict transport George III and is the second oldest lighthouse in Australia.
It is Australia’s longest continually staffed lighthouse. It was lit for the last time on 6th August 1996 and replaced by a solar light nearby. (ahh, technology is not as beautiful as a lighthouse though?)
Please note that distances are deceiving on Bruny. We stayed at Adventure Bay and the drive to the lighthouse took one hour each way.
We spent about an hour exploring the lighthouse area, and would have spent a lot longer if it was not 35 degrees Celcius! On a cooler more typical day, you can walk down to the beach for a picnic.
It was also Christmas Day, so by 2pm we were keen to get back home to our accommodation and cook and eat Christmas dinner! Not to mention relax with a bottle of wine.
If you want to capture sunset, remember that in summer this will be at around 9:30pm. It is a dirt road with no street lighting and some steep hills. The wildlife is abundant so you must be careful of the wallabies at dusk.
Also, note that you need to pay the National Parks fee when you enter the lighthouse area- it costs $24 per vehicle.
4. Explore South Bruny National Park
South Bruny National Park is where you’ll find some of the most stunning coastal landscapes and richest landscapes. The best way to explore this park, is on foot.
You can walk through rainforest and along coastal tracks, giving you amazing views of the wild Southern Ocean and the rocky cliffs.
You may even be able to spot the southern right and humpback whales on their annual migration from the national park’s headlands.
For family-friendly trails, consider the track at Grass Point which takes you to an old whaling station, or if you want something challenging, there is a six-hour hike on Labillardiere Peninsula with amazing views.
5. View the penguins at “The Neck” at dusk
Roughly 100 km in length, Bruny Island is split down the middle, with each side aptly named North Bruny Island and South Bruny Island, which are separated by a narrow isthmus of land known as “The Neck”.
It was discovered by Abel Tasman in 1642 and is rich in both British and Aboriginal history.
Between September and February, you can see the short-tailed shearwaters and little (fairy) penguins, as well as many other sea birds around The Neck. You can also sometimes see dolphins swimming in the shores here, too.
A good place to get a view of The Neck is from Truganini Lookout, which after a climb of around 300 steps, takes you to a viewpoint giving you a 360-degree view of The Neck and surrounds.
When viewing the penguins at night, please wear dark clothes and understand that no flashlights or photography are allowed as it disturbs the penguins.
Also, be careful as the penguins cross the isthmus at dusk – watch your driving!
I’m sad to say we over filled our days, and by the time it was dusk, all we wanted was to drink wine and eat dinner, so this, for me will have to be next time.
We did see it in spectacular form during the day!
6. Have a gastronomical day
Bruny Island is known for its food. You can feast on oysters, decadent cheese platters, raspberries and black cherries that will honestly make you cry with their freshness and flavour.
It is both a natural wonder and a gastronomical delight.
On your trip to Bruny Island, may I suggest eating cheese and drinking cider at the Bruny Island Cheese Company, washed down with oysters at Get Shucked Oyster Farm!
For something sweet, try the Bruny Island Honey at The Honey Pot.
I recommend lunch at Hotel Bruny. Warning the serving sizes are MASSIVE and delicious! David Gunton and his crew are dedicated to sourcing the finest fresh produce.
If you still have room, eat fresh berries at the Bruny Island Berry Farm, or take a punnet or two home for breakfast, and eat with Tasmanian yoghurt.
7. Grab a bottle of Bruny Island Premium Wines and Whiskey
Bruny Island Premium Wines can be purchased at the vineyard, Australia’s most southerly vineyard, where you can enjoy a long lunch or at Pennicott Journey’s departure point for the Wilderness Safari.
For whiskey enthusiasts, head to the Bruny Island House of Whisky, a tasting room for Tasmania’s best single malt whiskeys!
8. Go for a walk in nature
Go on a nature walk and look out for some amazing birds.
Bruny Island is home to over 150 bird species, including all 12 Tasmanian endemic species.
There are a number of threatened bird species (such as the Swift Parrot, Forty-spotted Pardalote, Wedge- tailed Eagle, White-bellied Sea Eagle, Grey Goshawk, Masked Owl and Fairy Tern).
Bruny is a walker’s paradise. Some of the best places to hike include:
- Grass Point – 1.5 hours return
- Fluted Cape – 3 hours return
- Labillardiere Peninsula Circuit – 6 to 7 hours return
- Luggobine Circuit (moderate) – 1.5 hours return
- Mavista Nature Walk (easy) – 30 mins return
- Cape Queen Elizabeth Track (moderate) – 3 hours return
- Mt Mangana (moderate) – 1.5 hrs return
- East Cloudy Head (demanding) – 4hrs return
- The Slide Track (moderate-demanding) – 6 hours one-way
- Clennett’s ‘Top Mill’ site (easy) – 30 mins return
- Alonnah to Sheepwash Bay (easy) – 1hr return
9. Find a white wallaby
There are two types on Bruny Island – the albino and the Bennetts’s wallaby. They love the grassy areas of Adventure Bay and can be seen early morning or at dusk.
10. Try Bruny Island’s Black Cherries
Eat black cherries before you leave, it’s what the island are known for! The best time to do this is just as you leave the island… Here me out…
Pull up to the ferry queue and then look up the hill. You will notice everyone is getting out of their car to go to the “Black Devil Cherry Shack”.
They are amazing. I have honestly never tasted cherries like these!
11. Look for The Arch at Mars Bluff
The Arch is a iconic monument on Bruny Island. The arch is a natural rock formation, located on the beach at the western side of Moorina Bay.
You can access the Arch by walking the Cape Queen Elizabeth Track.
At low tide, you can access the arch on the beach by walking along the beach, but at high tide the arch becomes surrounded by water, appearing like it’s floating.
It’s definitely better to visit at low tide though, so you can get up close to the arch and admire it’s natural formation.
12. Visit the Bligh Museum of Pacific Exploration
The Bligh Museum of Pacific Exploration is a small museum on Bruny Island that tells the story of how explorers Captain William Bligh, Captain James Cook, Matthew Flinders, Tobias Furneaux, and Admiral Joseph-Antoine Bruni D’Entrecasteaux discovered the island.
This privately-run history museum has a small collection of maps, documents, and paintings that tell the story of the founding of the island, as well as other tails of exploration of the South Pacific.
What’s interesting about the museum is that it was built from thousands of convict-made bricks, the first brick being placed on September 9th 1955, on the 200th anniversary of Captain William Bligh’s birth.
How to Get to Bruny Island
The Bruny Island ferry departs from Kettering, a one hour drive from Hobart.
It costs from $39.20 per person for the return journey, and only takes 15 minutes.
You can view timetables and purchase ferry tickets from SeaLink Bruny Island.
Getting Around Bruny Island
The best way to get around Bruny Island is by car.
Bruny Island has many dirt roads. There is only one paved road, the Bruny Island main road, which runs from North to South, and the rest are unmaintained tracks.
Please be careful when driving your rental cars along these roads as many car hire companies have clauses, which state if your vehicle is allowed off-road.
You don’t need a 4×4 vehicle, but you should drive carefully as the tracks can be gravely and throw up stones.
Accommodation and tours for Bruny island
Use the map below to help find accommodation on Bruny Island if you choose to stay there.
and below are the most popular tours for Bruny Island.
More Tasmania Travel Tips
Need more inspiration for your trip to Tassie? Here are some other helpful guides…
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What are you most looking forward to doing on Bruny Island? Let us know in the comments.
