Roadtrip Hobart to Bruny Island – unforgettable coastal escape

This Roadtrip Hobart to Bruny Island is a real thrill. Getting to Bruny Island is relatively straightforward. If you’re flying in from Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane  and the Gold Coast, a direct flight to Hobart is best then it’s a 35-40 minute drive to Kettering for the Bruny Island ferry trip across (10 to 15 minutes) plus ferry waiting time. If driving from Melbourne and you’ve taken the Spirit of Tasmania ferry across the Bass Strait, it arrives in Devonport. From here it is a 4 hour drive to Kettering, where the Bruny Is ferry departs. Book online or simply line up on arrival. Ferries cross regularly throughout the day.

This Roadtrip begins in Hobart and takes you through several stops prior to boarding the ferry to Bruny Is. Or you can simply head straight to Kettering (Stop 7) below. Away we go…

Stop 1: Hobart to Taroona:

• Distance: Approx. 10 km
• Drive Time: Approx. 14 min
• Welcome to Taroona – You’ll cherish the little moments here in this divine beach. Take a walk along the Taroona Coastal Walk and have fun on little Hinsby Beach with its cute, change sheds that have stood the test of time (and now colourfully painted). If you’re feeling energetic, why not climb to the top of the Taroona Shot Tower? It’s an historic landmark with stunning views from the top.

Stop 2: Taroona to Coningham Beach

• Distance: Approx. 23 km
• Drive Time: Approx. 28 min
• Welcome to Coningham Beach – a little coastal gem. Take a picnic to the nature reserve at Coningham or a dip into its crystal clear water. Too cold to swim? Have fun beachcombing its soft, white sands.

Stop 3: Coningham Beach to Blackmans Bay

• Distance: Approx. 17 km
• Drive Time: Approx. 19 min
• Welcome to Blackmans Bay – home to prehistoric marvels. Chill out on the sandy shores, take a dip or stretch your legs or walk the clifftop designated trail. Fossil Cove nearby is an amazing place and worth the visit especially if you love treasure hunting and Archaeology. You’ll fossick ’til your heart’s content for fossils from the Permian Period! Feeling hungry after all that salt air? Swing around to The Beach House or Bombay on the Beach Restaurant and Wine Bar.

Stop 4: Blackmans Bay to Margate

• Distance: Approx. 10 km
• Drive Time: Approx. 14 min
• Welcome to Margate – home of the Margate Heritage railway. If you’re travelling with kids, hop on board the rail carriages, climb into the driver’s seat and when they’ve had enough, there’s always lolly shop! Or indulge in a lavender ice cream, Asian cuisine at Asian Gourmet on the Pier, fabulous pancakes at the Pancake Train, or head to The Den for a drink. Also Margate’s galleries and craft shops showcasing local handmade goods and worth a browse.

Stop 5: Margate to Snug

• Distance: Approx. 5 km
• Drive Time: Approx. 5 min
• Welcome to Snug – home to the very popular Snug Falls on a short walking track. Feel like a swim or a kayak, then Snug Beach is perfect. Feeling peckish? Try Willie Smith’s Apple Shed 15 km from Snug Falls.

Stop 6: Snug to Kettering

• Distance: Approx. 8 km
• Drive Time: Approx. 7 min
• Welcome to Kettering – departure point for the Bruny Island ferry and home to Raptor Refuge! Once you’ve been totally amazed there, did anyone say, lunch?

If you’re waiting for the ferry or simply want an amazingly different experience, try Sauna Boats Tasmania while you wait! Unique and unbelievable preparation for Bruny Island’s relaxed and rejuvenation stay this is an experience that’s memorable as much as it is exhilarating. You’ll immerse yourselves in the calming warmth of the sauna, followed by an optional refreshing plunge into Tasmania’s invigorating waters! Now that’s WOW!

• Head to Oyster Cove for some fresh seafood or satisfy the cravings of your travelling Sweet tooth at Nutpatch handmade chocolates. Later, you can go jet boating or cruise Peppermint Bay. Take a walk at Kettering Marina for a waterfront walk or for something more adventurous, board a sailing charter. These guys have the boat, the skipper, the food and the experience! And right before hopping on the ferry to Bruny Island, tuck in to some seriously amazing cheese at The Bruny Island Cheese Co in Great Bay. You’ll be drooling for more!

Stop 7: Kettering to Bruny Island

• Distance: Approx. 8 km
• Ferry Time: Approx. 20 min
• Welcome to Bruny Island – an incredible, wildlife refuge and gourmet paradise. Take magical walks anywhere, conquer the heights at The Neck, or drive to the Lighthouse and join a cool tour.
• Have deliciously delightful days tasting Bruny’s best local produce – plump oysters, fresh seafood, artisanal cheeses, juicy berries, handmade chocolate, fudge, and golden honey. Sample gourmet goodies at the Providore, dinner with paired wines at Bruny Island Premium Wines or Get Shucked Oysters. The seafood chowder and local wallaby gnocchi bolognese at Hotel Bruny Bistro may do the trick, or pick the freshest berries for lunch at Bruny Island Berry Farm, In the afternoon, visit Bruny Island Chocolate Company located at55 Adventure Bay Rd for some sweet indulgence. And that’s just the beginning on Bruny Island!

Unwinding and spending several “it’s all about me” days on Bruny Island. Bruny Island is renowned for its stunning natural landscapes. From rugged coastlines and pristine beaches to lush rainforests and towering cliffs, the island is a paradise for nature lovers and photographers. It’s is home to a variety of wildlife, including fur seals, little penguins, white wallabies, and a diverse range of bird species. Visitors can enjoy wildlife cruises, birdwatching tours, and even spot dolphins and whales offshore.

Dawdle over the gourmet delights discovered on Bruny Island. Visit Get Schucked (the oyster bar is a beauty) and artisan cheeses that strive for the distinctly Tasmanian character at Bruny Island Cheese Co. Experience the unique flavour of One Day Old cheese – a simple curd cheese that is simply drained overnight, lightly salted and then when it is only a day old is marinated in olive oil flavoured with garlic, chilli, black pepper and chives. For it’s here at Bruny Island Cheese Co that resides passionate cheese aficionados!

Indulge in locally-made chocolates and premium wines from Australia’s most southern vineyard, Bruny Island Premium Wines. Would you believe the vineyard’s established today boasts 6000 Pinot Noir and Chardonnay vines. A family run business, the vineyard produces premium quality, cool climate wines with enormous pride with the hard yakka of manual picking of grapes on site and varieties include Chardonnay, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir. Open 7 days from 11am for lunch and cellar door. Open Saturdays nights for dinner, the menu screams ‘local’ from Warm Bruny Island Olives, Baked Coal River Farm Brie to House-Made Tasmanian Lamb and Bruny Island Wallaby Burger and many options for the wee ones.

The island is also dotted with farm gates, markets, cafes, and restaurants offering delicious culinary experiences.

Stop 8 North Bruny and surrounds

Depending where you are staying (north Bruny or southern Bruny), dedicate yourselves to truly soaking in all the nooks and crannies of Bruny. Take your time to see all of it in a chilled state of mind. The northern part is more pastoral and dotted with farms, having a agrarian bucolic and wilderness feel. Roads on North Bruny are sealed but windy, so take your time and some warm clothes for scenic pitstops.

Dennes Point to the northern tip is worth the trip to soak up the stunning views of the D’Entrecasteaux Channel. If you’ve arrived at the right time (May through to November), spot migrating whales.

Cape Queen Elizabeth is located at the northern tip of North Bruny Island, Cape Queen Elizabeth offers breathtaking views of the rugged coastline and the Tasman Sea. It’s a great spot for whale watching during migration seasons. For avid hikers there’s a 14Km hike it’s advisable to research it first and here’s a great resource to lean on Cape Queen Elizabeth Hike.

If you get the munchies or brought the esky (for extra heavenly cheeses), a on your way to The Neck try pop into the Bruny Island Cheese Company.

When you head towards The Neck following the B66 (Bruny Island Main road) south to the narrow neck of land that joins north and south Bruny at Adventure Bay, you can get spectacular views of Adventure Bay and back to Mount Wellington and Hobart from the top of the dunes from a viewing platform (via a wooden stairway straight up 200+ stairs!). Known as Truganini Lookout it’s a photographers nirvana. Named after an Aboriginal woman, Truganini and to the Nuenonne people who inhabited lunawanna-alonnah (Bruny Island) before the European settlement of Bruny, a monument has been erected honouring their place, courage and lives. Cast your eyes or binoculars towards Mount Wellington (north), Cape Raoul and the Tasman Peninsula (east), Cape Queen Elizabeth (north east), Adventure Bay (south) and the hills of South Bruny Island (south west). The Neck is home to shearwaters (long-necked birds) followed by little penguins at dusk in summer months. The Neck is a cracking place to watch the sunrise or sunset if you can handle all the instagrammers mobbing the platform.

The Neck is a cracking place to watch the sunrise or sunset

Adventure Bay is a picturesque bay on the eastern side of North Bruny Island offers beautiful beaches, perfect for relaxing or taking a leisurely stroll. Adventure Bay is also historically significant. It’s  where Captain James Cook and his crew anchored in 1777. Dive into Bruny Island’s rich maritime heritage at the Bligh Museum. At the Bligh Museum of Pacific Exploration, Adventure Bay a historical account of European explorers of Captain William Bligh, Captain James Cook, Tobias Furneaux, Matthew Flinders and Admiral Joseph-Antoine Bruny D’Entrecasteaux are presented in this convict built structure from 1000’s of bricks.

Emerging from historical perspectives, head to the prehistoric world of the Jurassic Garden that’s located with several other attractions, guided and self-guided tours at the Inala Nature Reserve. The reserve has several fascinating and unique attractions such as the Inala Raptor Photography Hide, a world class photographic experience. Photographers and bird spotters have the opportunity to “hide”, waiting like the crew from a Richard Attenborough crew during a close encounter, awaiting the capture the perfect depiction of native birds and wildlife in the Inala Nature Reserve. A bird spotting platform will have you peering to spot an endangered endemic little bird species, the Forty-spotted Pardalote close up.

If time allows, why not join a thrilling safari tour to encounter Tassie Devils or set sail on a half-day cruise chasing dolphins? Immerse yourself in Adventure Bay’s natural beauty, whether it’s soaking in the scenery, taking a refreshing dip, or paddling through its crystal-clear waters on a kayak. Venture further to Two Tree Point and Resolution Creek, where echoes of early explorers linger in the air. Adventure Bay.

Grassy Point is a sublime and serene spot on the western side of North Bruny Island is ideal for picnics or simply enjoying the tranquility of nature. The views across the D’Entrecasteaux Channel towards the mainland are stunning, especially during sunset.

Bruny’s aboriginal history dates back thousands of years. Visitors can learn about the island’s indigenous culture through guided tours, Aboriginal art displays, and cultural events.

Exhausted? Hungry? No food in the pantry? (you must put your hands on local produce for a cook up)…time to head to Mari Bruny located at 710 Adventure Bay Road for a terrific feed state all the great reviews.

Oh, almost forgot, how could we! Consider an award-winning cruise with Bruny Island Seafood Cruise exploring the rugged coastline of Bruny Island in southern Tasmania and if you are inclined towards sea sickness, you’re not off the hook, they’ve an option for lunchtime landlubbers at Bruny Island Seafood Cruise Restaurant exploring the rugged coastline of Bruny Island in southern Tasmania.

Stop 9: South Bruny Island

The Neck is technically the isthmus connecting North and South Bruny Island, with its lookout and a popular spot for wildlife viewing.

Cape Bruny Lighthouse is located at the southern tip of South Bruny Island, Cape Bruny Lighthouse and the the southernmost lighthouse in the hemisphere, offers breathtaking views of the rugged coastline and the Southern Ocean. Guided tours are available.

Cloudy Bay is a pristine beach on the western coast of South Bruny Island is famous for its wild beauty and dramatic landscapes. It’s an excellent spot for beachcombing, surfing, or simply relaxing and enjoying the sound of the waves crashing against the shore.

The Labillardiere Peninsula is a rugged peninsula on the southern end of South Bruny Island, a haven for nature lovers and hikers. The area is home to diverse wildlife, including wallabies, echidnas, and a variety of bird species. There are several walking tracks that offer stunning views of the coastline and surrounding wilderness.

Stop 10: Bruny Island to Hobart Return

• Distance: Approx. 33 km
• Drive Time: Approx. 30 m
• Return to Hobart – After a road trip to how ’bout one final indulgence before reality sets in, and treat yourself to a culinary finale at one of Hobart’s top restaurants like Franklin or MONA. or one of your favourites? Then raise a glass to toast the trip and the adventures yet to come.

Travel tips:

• Always prepare for cool and cold weather – layering is brilliant, sunscreen cream, hat, good walking shoes, plenty of water, camera of whatever persuasion.
• Letting people know where you are going and what time you expect to return, where your vehicle will be parked and signing on in any trail register are what smart travellers do.
• Ensuring you have a communications channel for emergency support via dialling 000 or an emergency app like Emergency Plus will help rescue people find your EXACT location.

If you think Bruny Island and surrounds sounds like an amazing holiday destination, check out our Stays with a WOW accommodation.