Bruny Island

Today, Bruny Island is the place to go to get away from everything, but it is less than one hour from Hobart. The native name for Bruny Island was Lunawannaalonna, and this name is preserved today in the little towns of Alonna and Lunawanna. Together with Adventure Bay these three towns are the main settlement areas on south Bruny.

Bruny is almost two distinct islands, connected only a narrow isthmus. North Bruny is open pastureland, lightly timbered, whereas South Bruny is hilly and heavily forested.

One of the most exciting ways to explore the island is by sea with Bruny Island Charters. Robert Pennicott takes visitors out on his 44 ft boat, Albatross, to travel beside 200 metre dolerite sea cliffs that fall sheer into the Southern Ocean, to drift within metres of the breathing rock, to drive through massive secret caves and round sculptured rocky islands that fringe South Bruny National Park.

At Friar Rocks, home to over 1000 curious Australian Fur seals, you can watch bulls seals or seal pups at play. If you are lucky dolphins will join your journey. You may sight Fairy penguins, White Bellied Sea Eagles, Shy Albatrosses, Australian Gannets, Black-faced and Great Cormorants, Short-tailed and Sooty Shearwaters. There is also the chance to spot the nest site of the rare Peregrine Falcon.

The island offers stunning coastal treks and beach walking.

There are a number of accommodation places offering rustic country-style cabins to stylish contemporary homes.

Bruny is the size of Singapore, but with a population of around 500. The drive from Hobart to Kettering takes 35 minutes and the ferry operates frequently throughout the day.