Before we get to Bruny Island, you should know that, this page may contain affiliates. However, I will never recommend resources which I do not find helpful or useful to myself. For more information on what this means please see my Disclaimers and Policies page.
Do you like whiskey? Do you indulge yourself with cheese? Are you fond of chocolate? Do you enjoy the occasional oyster? Well, Bruny Island will deliver all of your taste buds with a treat! Or five…
Bruny Island is nestled about a 20-minute ferry away from mainland Tasmania. Unexpectedly, Bruny Island boasts some excellent food. As such, I would recommend trying to get there in the morning, that way you’ll have more meals to eat here. That being said, we didn’t arrive until the mid-afternoon and still had plenty of time to eat everything.
How to Get Here
There is a short ferry leaving from Kettering approximately every half hour (Check for the most updated ferry times). This ferry will bring your vehicle with you. We brought our van of course and had no difficulty with any of the roads. The ferry only costs around $33 round-trip.
Where to Eat & Drink on Bruny Island
As always, if you plan on drinking at anywhere on this list, please arrange a designated driver. Drinking and driving is never cool.
House of Whiskey
Our whiskey connoisseur was very knowledgeable, giving us a great whiskey tasting experience. I didn’t know that Tasmania was such a whiskey hot-spot but I was pleasantly surprised to find this out. Since Australia charges excessive liquor tax, many of the Tasmanian distilleries team up to put out great products. Sadly, the taxes also make the liquor quite pricey. So, get the tasting flight! Then you can say you’ve tried a $400 bottle of whiskey….
Bruny Island Cheese Co.
We went with the Ploughman’s Lunch having recently had a cheese platter at Ashgrove (You have to go, it is some of the best cheese I’ve ever had).
Bruny Island Brewery
Right next to the Bruny Island Cheese is the equally delightful Bruny Island Brewery. If you’re not the designated driver, I highly recommend the tasting paddle.
Bruny Island Chocolate Company
I have a confession, I am not really a chocolate person. Sure, I’ll eat it if its there but it’s just not my kryptonite. Chips and candy on the other hand… That being said, the fudge that this place makes is divine!
Get Shucked Oysters
Get your fuel for love at Get Shucked. This was our first-time sampling oysters so we went with raw. But, we probably should have gone with cooked as they weren’t our favourite thing.
Bruny Island Berry Farm
We didn’t make it here but you can pick your own berries. Or, you could enjoy some ice cream, pancakes, and a coffee.
Bruny Island Premium Wines
Unfortunately, this was closed before we could make it. So sad! The space looked lovely from the outside though.
Tours
If you don’t want to bring your own vehicle or spend the night, there are tour options.
These include: Bruny Island Safaris and Pennicott Wilderness Journeys. However, we didn’t do one so I can’t vouch for them. With any tour, read everywhere it goes and make sure that this captures what you wanted for your trip. If you’ve done a tour, tell us all about it in the comments!
Where to Stay on Bruny Island
Spending the night is definitely a great idea if you don’t want to do a tour and want to get the most out of your meals. However, you can see most of the major sights in a day-trip if you’re short on time.
We found a free campsite for the night at The Pines. Unfortunately, we got a bit of rain so we didn’t explore the nearby Cloudy Bay too much.
For non-camping check out! You should be able to find something that suits your budget. However, my budget is free!
What to Do When You’re Full
- Adventure Bay- There is a picturesque beach at Adventure Bay. Pop over for a swim, if you’re brave enough.
- The Neck- Whenever you see a photo of Bruny, it is likely The Neck. This viewpoint gives you a breathtaking view of the narrow strip connecting the island. This is also where you can find a seasonal penguin colony.
- Cape Bruny Island Lighthouse– The lighthouse tours do charge a fee. However, you can walk the grounds for free. This is what we opted to do.
Wildlife Watch
Seasonally (September-February) there are penguins at the neck. The colony is much smaller than the one on Phillip Island but penguins are always cute.
Maybe you’ll get luckier than me and spot the elusive albino wallaby.
Otherwise, there are a variety of bird species. Of which, I can’t identify any but binoculars could be nice for the enthusiastic bird watcher.
