Activities and Things to Do at Bruny Island

One of the prime attractions of Bruny Island is the opportunity to walk through pristine wilderness. The BrunyIsland.au properties are well located to take advantage of some of the most attractive walks on Bruny.

Some of the highlights include:

East Cloudy Head

A 4-hour return walk direct from Cloudy Bay Beach House/Cloudy Bay Villa/Cloudy Bay Cabin. The walking trail begins at Cloudy Corner at the southern end of Cloudy Bay Beach.

Cloudy Bay Lagoon

This 90-minute return walk goes west from Whalebone Point along the firm sands of Cloudy Bay Beach to Conley’s Point, the entrance to the spectacular and serene Cloudy Bay Lagoon.

Labillardiere Peninsula

A 5-hour circuit walk that begins at the end of Old Jetty Road. Take the signposted road that turns right off Lighthouse Road, on the way to the Cape Bruny Lighthouse. Suggested route is clockwise.

Cape Queen Elizabeth

A 3-hours return walk that commences at a 4WD track just north of the Bruny Island Airstrip. With spectacular views, this is an easy walk within the Bruny Island Neck Game Reserve.

During summer, Bruny’s pristine waters make it a mecca for water sports like swimming, snorkelling, fishing, boating, kayaking and surfing. One of Bruny’s best surf breaks is at Cloudy Bay – just metres from many BrunyIsland.au properties.

• Southern Sea Ventures
  4-day Bruny Island Kayaking Adventure
  Paddlers will be rewarded with secluded coves, sea caves, idyllic beaches, and sea kelp forests commonly frequented by fur seals, fairy penguins, gliding albatross, soaring eagles, and much more. Evenings are spent relaxing in our cosy lodge sampling scrumptious Bruny Island delicacies including the freshest of oysters, handmade cheeses, and a glass of local wine. So join Southern Sea Ventures on an amazing mini-escape that explores our beautiful BrunyIsland.au from a station completely at one with nature!

 

Foodies and artisan food producers have put Bruny Island on the map. The island’s unspoiled environment, crisp conditions and reliable rainfall make it a haven for specialist food producers.

• Bruny Island Cheese Co
  Ph: 0362606353   Address: 1807 Bruny Island Main Rd, Great Bay TAS 7150   Map
  Famous for its artisan hand-made cheese, raw milk cheeses, sourdough bread and beer.
• Get Shucked Oyster Farm
  Ph: 0497268841   Address: 1735 Bruny Island Main Rd, Great Bay TAS 7150   Map
  Open every day except Christmas and Boxing Day (December 25-26), 9:30am - 4:30pm.
  An oyster farm and oyster bar that is home to the freshest oysters anywhere – they are literally grown across the road and harvested daily.
• Bruny Island Premium Wines
  Ph: 0409973033   Address: 4391 Bruny Island Main Rd, Lunawanna TAS 7150   Map
  Open 7 days a week - 11am to 5pm Home to premium wines and cider from Australia’s southern-most vineyard. It offers an extensive lunchtime dining menu showcasing exquisite Bruny Island produce.
• The Honey Pot
  2184 Main Rd Bruny Island, Great Bay, Bruny Island.   Map
  Open 7 days a week – 10am till 4pm (April till September), 9am till 5pm (October till March);
  The Honey Pot has been collecting honey on Bruny Island for over 20 years and offer a range of exceptional honeys, including the highly prized Manuka honey, and the Tasmanian Leatherwood honey with a reputation for a strong, unmistakable flavour.
• Bruny Island Berry Farm
  Ph: 0362931055   Address: 550 Adventure Bay Rd, Adventure Bay TAS 7150   Map
  Open 7 days a week - 10am - 5pm until late April (closed during winter).
  Fresh berries, delicious jams and award winning ice-creams. Kids and adults alike will enjoy visiting here.
• Bruny Island House of Whisky
  Ph: 0362606344   Address: 360 Lennon Rd, North Bruny TAS 7150   Map
  Open 7 days a week, 11am to 5.30pm (hours vary through seasons)
  The Bruny Island House of Whisky is the winner of the Tasmanian Hospitality Association 2015 Best Specialty Bar in Tasmania, and provide a huge range of Tasmanian and imported whiskies, as well as smoked meats and fish
• Bruny Island Chocolate Co
  Address: 55 Adventure Bay Rd, South Bruny TAS 7150   Map
  Open 7 days a week, 10am to 4pm
  Locally hand-made chocolates, fudges and other confectionary. A perfect place to induldge yourself and the kids, or buy some Bruny Island gifts for family and friends.
• Bruny Island Pub (Hotel Bruny)
  Ph: 0362931148   Address: 3959 Bruny Island Main Rd, Alonnah TAS 7150   Map
  A good location to enjoy a quiet beer or two or a nice dinner overlooking the water. Open for lunch and dinner seven days a week, visitors are welcome to take part in a truly Bruny experience: the weekly meat raffle, Friday nights at 6pm.
• Bruny Island Cafe
  Ph: 0362931543   Address: 3349 Bruny Island Main Rd, South Bruny TAS 7150   Map

There are a number of historical centres on Bruny Island providing insight into the island’s past.

The History Room at Alonnah
Ph: (03) 6260 6366; Address: 3895 Bruny Island Main Rd, Alonnah TAS 7150   Map
Open 7 days a week, 10am - 4pm
Free entry
The History Room is located in the former court house, next to the police station. It provides comprehensive displays covering 100 years of local government, the industries and families that make up the island’s history.

The Bligh Museum of Pacific Exploration
Ph: (03) 6293 1117; Address: 876 Main Road, Adventure Bay;   Map
Open 7 days a week, 10am - 4pm except Christmas and Good Friday.
Small admission fee applies
The Bligh Museum of Pacific Exploration is a collection of maps, documents, paintings and artefacts about the visits to Adventure Bay of great explorers such as Furneaux, Cook, Bligh and others.

Bruny Island Quarantine Station
Ph: (03) 6260 6287; Address: 816 Killora Road, North Bruny Island;   Map
Open 10am-4pm Thursday to Monday during daylight savings and weekends only in winter. Bruny Island Quarantine Station is the site of the State Maritime Quarantine Station established in 1884 as a defence against infectious diseases. The site was used to intern Germans at the beginning of World War 1 and quarantine soldiers returning from influenza-ravaged Europe in 1919. The site now houses a small museum.

The iconic Bruny Island Neck is a popular place to visit on Bruny Island. The narrow isthmus of land separates North and South Bruny. At this point, the island is just 100 metres wide, with the surf of Adventure Bay on one side and sheltered Isthmus Bay on the other. Well-constructed timber stairs lead to a lookout at the top of the sand dunes, providing an excellent spectacular 360-degree view, especially at sunrise and sunset. Fairy penguins and short-tailed shearwaters nest in the area, making it a great bird-spotting location. There is also a viewing platform for watching penguins come up at the beach in the evening, and information about the tragic story of local indigenous figure Truganini. (Note: works currently in progress may restrict access).  Map

Address: Lighthouse Rd, South Bruny TAS 7150   Map
Open 7 days a week, 10am - 3:30pm.

Cape Bruny is a spectacular place to visit, with sweeping views of the Tasmanian coastline and southern ocean. The lighthouse located here is one of Australia's oldest lighthouses and remained in service until the light was decommissioned in 1996.

If you would like a guided tour of the lighthouse, Craig Parsey runs the Bruny Island Lighthouse Tour. Craig is the son of one Bruny’s last Light Keepers.

More about Bruny Lighthouse history: Keepers of the Light: Cape Bruny Lighthouse

Pennicott Wilderness Cruise
Address: 915 Adventure Bay Road, Adventure Bay Tasmania 7150
Phone: (03) 6293 1465; Email: info@brunycruises.com.au
No trip to Bruny Island is complete without the much-lauded Pennicott wilderness cruise that explores the southeast coast of the island and provides spectacular views of the island’s rugged 270-metre high cliffs, sea caves and abundant wildlife: seals; dolphins; Bluefin tuna; birdlife and migrating whales. This tour has won the title of Australia’s Best Tourism Attraction three times. It is highly recommended.

Bruny Island Safaris
Phone: (03) 6144 3045 or +61361443045 international.
Email: info@brunyislandsafaris.com.au Bruny Island Safaris offer several tour options, including a one day walking tour and a two day tour taking in the best of Bruny Island.

Bruny Island Photography Tour
Phone: 0447 693 116
Email: info@brunyislandphotography.com.au
This four day tour is for photographers of all levels. Guided by a professional photographer, you will be taken to scenic locations around Bruny Island to practice the art of photography. Accommodation, food and tuition in post-processing of photos is also provided.

Inala Nature Tours
Phone: +61 3 6293 1217
Address: 320 Cloudy Bay Rd, South Bruny, TAS 7150  Map
A short distance from BrunyIsland.au properties is the world-renowned Inala Private Reserve, a 1500-acre property with numerous walking tracks through various habitats and wildlife viewing hides. Home to 95 species of birds and with 40 species of native terrestrial orchids, there is a lot for enthusiasts to look at. There is even a five-acre Jurassic Garden, giving visitors an insight into the local vegetation, much of which has remained unchanged since Tasmania split from the supercontinent Gondwana 185 million years ago. Visits to Inala can only be undertaken as part of a tour and must be booked in advance

Island Scenic Flights

Contact: (Captain) Peter Steininger
Email:  islandscenicflights@bigpond.com  
Phone: (Airfield Office): (03) 6293 1448 
Mobile: 0428 293 272 
International: +61 3 6293 1448 
Address: 2179 Bruny Island Main Road, Bruny Island, TAS 7150 Australia  Map

Another way to see Bruny is from the air with a scenic flight out of Bruny Island Airfield. Flights around South Bruny Island start from $275 per person (minimum 2 people), with various flight paths available, including flying over The Neck, Cape Conella, the D’Entrecasteaux Channel, Cloudy Bay and the Cape Bruny Lighthouse.

When night falls on Bruny Island, the skies come to life. With the island located far away from the light pollution of cities, the stars shine brilliantly, giving spectacular views of the Milky Way and Aurora Australis.

Although the Milky Way is visible all year around (weather permitting), the bright galactic core is only visible from March to October. If you're planning to do some astrophotography, check for the new moon using a Moon Phase calendar.

The Aurora Australis (southern aurora) fluctuates according to solar flare activity, so check the Aurora Forecast for aurora activity. A level 4 or above aurora can be picked up using a camera set to a long exposure, while at around level 6 the human eye can detect it.

Bruny Island is a bird-lover's paradise and has been named in the top 10 bird watching sites in Australia by Australian Birdlife magazine. All 12 species endemic to Tasmania can be found on Bruny Island, including the criticially endangered Forty-spotted Pardalote, the Swift Parrot and the Tasmanian Wedge-tailed eagle.
For a list of some of the native Tasmanian birds that be spotted on Bruny Island, take a look at our Birdlife Gallery.

Cycling is a great way to get around Bruny Island and experience all that is has to offer. If you plan to hire some bicycles, it's recommended to hire before coming on to the island. Bike hire is available at Kettering near the Bruny Island Ferry ticket booth.
Cycle Bruny Island
Address: 66 Ferry Rd, Kettering, TAS 7155   Map

A run through the bush is a great way to get fit and experience the natural environment of Bruny Island.

For more serious runners, there is the Bruny Island Ultra Marathon and the Labillardiere Peninsula Trail Run.

The Bruny Island Ultra Marathon is a gruelling 65-kilometre slog from Dennes Point in the north to the Cape Bruny Lighthouse in the south. The date of the event changes every year, but it is usually in November or December. Check https://brunyislandultra.com.au for this year’s dates.

The Labillardiere Peninsula Trail Run is a 17.5km circuit through bush trails and is held every year around September. Check http://www.endorfun.com.au/trail-runs/labilladiere-peninsula for the date of the next race.