Visiting Bruny Island (Tasmania)

It is only an hour from Hobart by car and ferry, but wild Bruny Island is a remote location. The only thing between here and the South Pole is Antarctica. But even before contemplating that, I started exploring at the south of the island.

South Bruny is surrounded by bays, beaches, capes, steep high cliffs, rugged coastlines.

 

It has spectacular landscapes and a variety of natural environments.

Cape Bruny Lighthouse. This is one of the oldest lighthouses in Australia, it's almost a natural feature.

Cloudy Bay is popular for its great beach, camping, lagoon and wild surf.

It also features a 14km walking track that includes all 3.5km of Long Beach, CB.

Mount Mangana.

Mangana was the father of Truganini, renowned Aboriginal leader.

The Two Trees of Adventure Bay. Two Tree Point is a known “Watering Place” by the early British explorers Tobias Furneaux (1773), James Cook (1777), and William Bligh (1788). An artist, Lt George Tobin accompanied Captain Bligh on his next expedition in 1792. Tobin sketched seven paintings of Adventure Bay, including one showing these same two trees that still stand today making them at least 250 years old.

Truganini Lookout sits atop a high sand hill at the northern end of an isthmus called The Neck. The lookout offers panoramic views in all directions.

Sunrise and sunset at The Neck

It's especially good early or late in the day "during the magic hour", which is also the best time for birdwatching.

Little Penguin and Short-tailed Shearwater (muttonbird) reside in burrows at the hillsides here, but the best time to see these two species is during the first couple of hours after dark. As a bird enthusiast I was itching to go twitching all 12 of Tasmania’s endemic birds. I did find some of the endemic birds as well as other species.

Then I went to post my photos, but I could not remember my password, rather my address. So I'll post the bird photos later.

On my way back to catch the ferry to the mainland, I ended up in a tasty address. Bruny Island House of Whisky. I don't remember taking a photo. Maybe it was tipsy.

Here's some more photos. Not tipsy.

Travelling around Lunawanna-Alonnah (Bruny Island), one hears the voices of the ancients in the breeze, the trees, bays and landforms.

The ability and indeed the privilege to explore, to amble, to ramble, and to babble; is what freedom means.

But with that freedom comes responsibility, to keep oneself and others safe. To nurture nature. It also means respect for the places that you travel through.