ADVENTURES 20 TOURING HOT SPOTS
WORDS & PICS CHRIS WHITELAW
FASTFACTS
GETTING THERE
Bruny is accessible by a 20-minute crossing of the D’ Entrecasteaux Channel on the Mirambeena ferry from Kettering, 40km south of Hobart.
ACTIVITIES
Excellent swimming, boating and fishing, forest drives and bushwalks, birdwatching and wildlife tours, local heritage and history,‘ Made on Bruny’ Gourmet Trail.
STAY
Captain James Cook Caravan Park: www. captaincookpark. com
National park campgrounds: www. parks. tas. gov. au
MORE INFORMATION
Bruny Island Ferry: www. brunyislandferry. com. au
Bruny Island Cruises: www. brunycruises. com. au
Bruny Island, Tas
With stunning natural beauty, delicious cuisine and an abundance of great camping spots, this bite of the Apple Isle is a fascinating destination.
Bruny Island is actually two landmasses – North Bruny and South Bruny – joined by a long, narrow isthmus called The Neck. The island’ s combined length is only about 100km, but the landscape changes dramatically from sheltered sandy beaches and farmlands in the north, to tall forests, open bays and dramatic sea cliffs in the south. The relatively sheltered channel side of the island is popular for fishing and recreational boating, whereas the exposed eastern side is extremely rugged, with dolerite cliffs towering 200m above the Tasman Sea.
Bruny is a great place for touring. Most of the roads are easy 2WD standard, suitable for towing and cycling. But there are many unsealed sections and some slippery unsealed forest tracks more suited to offroad vehicles. Don’ t be fooled into thinking you can see and do everything in a day; get the most out of your ferry fare and stay for a few days at the numerous campgrounds dotted across the island.
Bruny is renowned as a foodie’ s paradise, offering a range of local produce and it’ s worth stopping in for tastings. Try the Bruny Island Smokehouse, the Bruny Island Cheese Company and Get Shucked Oyster Farm for starters.
The narrow ridge of sand that makes up The Neck houses a game reserve, which is an important habitat for native wildlife. Boardwalks with viewing platforms enable visitors to observe short-tailed shearwaters and fairy penguins in their rookeries among the dunes.
Don’ t miss Cloudy Bay, where a relentless barrage of waves push onto the beach at one of the most dynamic surfing spots in Tasmania. Further south, the unsealed road leads you to the iconic Cape Bruny Lighthouse at the island’ s south-west tip.
While you’ re down south, treat yourself to a fast boat ride along the island’ s south-east coast with Bruny Island Cruises. Departing from Adventure Bay, this half-day‘ cruise’ gets up close and personal with soaring sea cliffs and plenty of the native inhabitants. It is fun, fascinating and unforgettable. If you do nothing else in Tasmania, you must do this.
20
ADVENTURES