Explore Bruny Island

Bruny hosts a rich human history, highly varied and exquisite natural landscapes, and is a wonderful place to find peace, solitude and to connect with wild nature.

Located off the south-east coast of Tasmania, Australia, Bruny Island is surround by the D'Entrecasteux Channel, Storm Bay and the Southern Ocean.

Bruny Island / lunawanna-alonnah has a rich human history extending back 40,000 years, and layers of history and stories both moving, tragic and inspiring, colour its landscapes.

The island is an extraordinary microcosm of the nature of Tasmania, with grasslands, grand forests, coastal shrubs, rich and magical marine habitats and long wild stretches of coastline. Rich in birdlife, Bruny provides home to the threatened Forty-Spotted Pardalote, the Swift Parrot and the Wedge-Tailed Eagle along with important breeding sites for the short-tailed shearwater. A colony of White wallabies inhabit the southern reaches of Bruny’s Adventure Bay.

Beneath the waves of Bruny island’s varied coastline, rocky reefs and sandy gulches provide home and habitat to extraordinary sea creatures from ‘Leatherjacket’ and ‘Flathead’ fishes, to Crayfish, Little Penguins and migratory whales.

Bruny Island is home to important areas of Old Growth forests, very high biodiversity values, and provides important habitat for threatened species including the Swift Parrot, Tasmanian Wedge-tailed eagle and Forty-Spotted Pardalote. The island is home to important threatened lowland and grassy vegetation communities and is of immense cultural heritage significance, including particularly to Tasmania’s Aboriginal community.

Conservation efforts for Bruny Island include the proposal to extend formal reserves and Parks on Bruny island, the need to secure permanent protection of Bruny Island’s native forests from logging, the eradication of feral cats, better protection of Bruny Island’s extraordinarily diverse and spectacular marine environment, and improved protection and care for nature on private land.

For more information, visit:

• Bruny Island Environment Network
• Inala Nature Tours
• Tasmanian Conservation Trust
• Tasmanian Land Conservancy

With a permanent population of about 600 plus a healthy community of ‘shackies’ that visit and stay on Bruny Island regularly, there is a rich nurturing community life on Bruny Island, with a proud people who have a strong sense of place and a deep love for their island.

Great community organisations and resources to link in with include but are not limited to:

• Bruny Island Environment Network
• Bruny Island Community Association
• Bruny Island Community Health Centre and Huon Medical Group - Bruny Island
• Bruny Island Community Notice Board
• Friends of North Bruny
• Bruny Library
• Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre
• Bruny island History Room
• The Bligh Museum of Pacific Exploration

There are dozens of community conservation, sporting, and cultural groups on Bruny Island, a helpful contact list can be found at the Bruny Island Residents and Ratepayer’s Network - Bruny Island Residents and Ratepayer's Network.

Bruny Island can be reached via a pedestrian and vehicular ferry that operates out of Kettering, a coastal hamlet that is a 31km / 40min drive south of Hobart on the A6 then B68. The Ferry generally runs every 20 minutes and takes 15-20 minutes from Kettering to reach Roberts point on North Bruny. Check the Bruny Ferry Timetable for current times.

Bruny is home to wild beaches, rare birdlife, rugged sea-cliffs, a myriad of sea creatures, and ecosystems from kelp forests to coastal grasses and scrubland through to grand forests.

People have lived on Bruny Island for more than 40,000 years. The mighty sea-cliffs that presided over the first meetings between Europeans and the world’s oldest culture, remain much as they did more than 200 years ago - still clothed in forest, and hammered by the swells of the Southern Ocean. Seabirds that are now rare still make their homes on Bruny’s coasts.

White beaches stretch for uninterrupted miles, and the island’s convoluted coastline creates a huge diversity of marine habitats and spectacular coastal scenery. Beneath the waves, rocky reefs and sandy gulches provide home and habitat to extraordinary sea creatures from ‘Leatherjacket’ and ‘Flathead’ fishes, to Crayfish, Little Penguins and migratory whales.

Bruny Island is rich in wildlife – from being a stronghold for the Eastern Quoll, whilst also being a globally significant bird area – with many birds including the threatened Forty-Spotted Pardalote, Swift Parrot, the Tasmanian Wedge-Tailed Eagle and the exquisite Pink Robin all found on Bruny.

The Ferry: The main practical consideration for visiting Bruny island is getting on and off the island via Ferry. The Ferry’s first trip to Bruny Island from Kettering leaves at 6.30am (except Sunday – 7.30am), and the last Ferry returning to ‘mainland’ Tasmania leaves Bruny Island at 7.15pm. (Ferry Timetable)

Map: ‘Bruny Island’ Walks Map and Notes from the Parks & Wildlife Service is the best map available for Bruny Island. It can be purchased from Geographica (formerly the Tasmanian Map Centre) - 110 Elizabeth St, Hobart. Ph (03) 6231 9043. Geographica

Drive Safely: Particularly if you’re unfamiliar with driving in a rural setting, be cautious and thoughtful whilst driving on Bruny Island. A number of the main roads on Bruny Island are sealed, but there are a number of unsealed roads too. Pay particular care when driving on the island’s dirt roads and pay particular care when driving on Bruny at night (including to avoid harming wildlife).

Marine Hazards: Parts of the island’s coastal environment can be hazardous, with rough and unpredictable surf, rips and other dangers. Be cautious and thoughtful about where you choose to swim, and please keep to your limits.

Snakes: All three Tasmanian species of snake live on Bruny Island so care should be taken in the bush and appropriate first aid applied in the very unlikely event of a snakebite, whilst urgently seeking medical attention. (Link to article on Snake-bite first aid)

Walks: The walks on Bruny Island are largely straight forward to navigate, and free of many significant hazards – although some of the coastal walks such as Fluted Cape approach near clifftops, and so should be treated with appropriate caution, particularly with children.

Preparation: As with any outdoor walking, cycling or adventuring in Tasmania, it is always prudent to come prepared for all weather, including sunscreen, wet weather gear and warm gear for sudden cold turns in the weather. (Link to article on day walk prep – use Tarkine book list and link to overnight walk prep)

Safety & Hazards: [General disclaimer re navigating safely in nature plus article(s) on safety in the bush – use Tarkine book safety & hazards section]

Emergency: Contact 000 in the case of Emergency, or the Bruny Island Health Centre (03) 6293 1143 if you need medical assistance.

Phone Reception: Telstra currently provides the best reception, but mobile reception is patchy for parts of Bruny Island particularly parts of South Bruny including Cloudy Bay and the South Bruny National Park. (Telstra Coverage).

Police: Call 000 in an Emergency Alonnah Police Station, 3889 Bruny Island Main Rd, Alonnah. Ph: 13 14 44

Health: Call 000 in an Emergency. Bruny Island Community Health Centre, 16 School Rd, Alonnah. Ph: (03) 6293 1143

Bruny Island Community Health Centre and Bruny Island Medical

Fire Service: Call 000 in an Emergency South Bruny Fire Brigade. 3341 Main Road, South Bruny.

Parks & Wildlife Service: Ph: (03) 6293 1419. South Bruny National Park

Ferry: Sealink Bruny Island. Ferry Road, Kettering and Robert’s Point, Bruny Island. Ph: 1300 127 869. SeaLink Bruny Island

Petrol: The only petrol on Bruny Island is available at the Adventure Bay Store. Ph: (03) 6293 1119, 712 Adventure Bay Rd, Adventure Bay

General Store(s):

Adventure Bay Store - Ph: (03) 6293 1119, 712 Adventure Bay Rd, Adventure Bay

Alonnah General Store – Ph: (03) 6293 1584, 3 William Care Drive, Alonnah

Dennes Point - The Jetty Café – Ph: (03) 6260 6245, 18 Bruny Island Main Rd, Dennes Point The Jetty Cafe

Pharmacy: Bruny Island Pharmacy. 3895 Bruny Island Main Rd, Alonnah. Ph: (03) 6293 2005. Bruny Island Pharmacy

School: Bruny Island District School. 15 School Road, Alonnah. Ph: (03) 6293 2036. Bruny Island School

Library: Bruny Online. School Road, Alonnah. Ph: (03) 6293 2036. Bruny Island Library

Post Office: Alonnah Post Office. 3893 Bruny Island Main Road, Alonnah. Ph: (03) 6293 1139. Bruny Island Post Office

Tow-Truck: RACT call out: 13 11 11. Paul Barnett – 0429 694 311.

Food: Bruny Island is home to some wonderful food from whisky, oysters and cheese to chocolate and wine, along with some lovely café and restaurant food. (Link to Bruny Food article)

Accommodation: There are dozens of small and medium sized cottages, homes and bed & breakfast style accommodation options on Bruny Island that can be searched for online through many of the usual sites (Link to Bruny accommodation article). Bruny Island also has some great camping & caravan options (Link to camping page)

Options to get to and see Bruny Island are through a car or bicycle via the Bruny Island Ferry, or through an organised tour. (Or if you’re really adventurous you can get there via a Tinnie or Yacht) There is essentially no public transport for visitors on Bruny Island.

Ferry: SeaLink Bruny Island run’s a Ferry service for passengers, bicycles and cars to Bruny Island. The Ferry’s first trip to Bruny Island from Kettering leaves at 6.30am (7.30am on Sundays), and the last Ferry returning to ‘mainland’ Tasmania leaves Bruny Island at 7.15pm. (Ferry Timetable)

Hire-Cars: There are a number of hire care companies in Hobart and at the Hobart airport. If you intend to visit Bruny Island discuss with the hire care company first as some have restrictions for use of their cars on dirt roads.

Bus: There is no public bus service on Bruny Island, but it is possible to catch a Metro bus from Hobart to the Ferry Terminal at Kettering. Metro Bus Service to Kettering

Tours: There are a number of touring companies that run organised tours to Bruny Island these include;

• Bruny Island Cruises
• Bruny Island Safaris
• Bruny Island Traveller

Today’s Weather on Bruny Island:

• North Bruny
• South Bruny

Climate: Bruny Island has a cool temperate climate, with a summer (December – February) average maximum of 22.8 degrees Celsius, and average minimum of 12.3. In winter (June – August) the average maximum is 12.9 degrees Celsius and average minimum is 4.5 degrees Celsius. Bruny Island averages 15.4 hours of daylight in December and 9 hours of daylight in June. Average sea temperatures peak at around 15 degrees Celsius in March and dip to 11 degrees Celsius in September. Bruny Island’s wettest month is July