15 February 2023
8 mins Read
While no one would describe the Tasmanian capital of Hobart as stressful — except, perhaps, during the more hedonistic delights of Dark Mofo — there comes a time on a Tasmanian trip when you might feel the need to simply get away from it all. Enter Bruny Island.
Known as Lunawanna-Alonnah to the Aboriginal people of the region, this remote-feeling island is just a ferry ride away from Kettering, south of Hobart. This makes it the ideal place to slip away to for a few days to sleep, hike and feast. Here’s where to stay when you get there.
From oysters to indulgent creamy cheeses and rich ciders, Bruny Island has naturally luxurious experiences in spades. Simply turn it up a notch with these getaways.
If you want to stoke the flames of romance, look no further than a few days unwinding at Free Spirit Pods. A set of open-plan eco-pods overlooking the stunning waterfront of Quarantine Bay, the owners here can provide you with everything you didn’t know you’d need. This includes providing boxes of local provisions to assist your self-catering efforts, showing you the feeding platform where friendly, and oh-so-cute, pademelons visit every evening and handing you shucking knives to help you feast on the nearby oysters. Want to explore further? The nearby Quarantine Station is one of our favourite experiences on Bruny Island.
Stay closer to nature at Free Spirit Pods.
A top-notch escape with all the trimmings, very much aimed at the adult market, Hundred Acre Hideaway comprises two ‘hideaways’ overlooking Cloudy Bay, home to the Bruny Island Surf Classic. After popping past Bruny Island Premium Wines to pick up a bottle or two, drive up to Mount Mangana where you will be staying.
Catch scenic mountain views right by your kitchen window. (Image: @journey.with.us)
Highlights of this romantic off-grid stay include the option to order a breakfast hamper stuffed with local produce and freshly baked bread, sip the local wine on the deck and admire the timber-lined outdoor hot tub. This will be filled to the brim with mountain water, perfect for a peaceful nighttime soak, looking up for the Aurora Australis.
Admire the Southern Lights right by your window. (Image: Khong Woon Shin)
Wander the bushland grounds on the lookout for the famous white wallabies (one of the top things to do while you’re visiting) when you book into the four-star Adventure Bay Retreat.
Stay at the secluded Adventure Bay Retreat for a chance to see the white wallaby.
Consisting of a self-contained cottage and a studio that are ideal for an intimate trip away, the two three-bedroom lodges would suit families or groups. Think leather couches, timber-lined floors and open fireplaces, with private decks and barbecues available.
Get cosy inside their fully equipped lodge.
From having everything done for you with a glamping special to saving your oyster money with a spot of free camping, there’s plenty on offer for campers at Bruny Island.
If you want something with more than bare-bone facilities offered in some of the cheaper sites, try out the Captain Cook Caravan Park at Adventure Bay. Pet-friendly and great for campervans, this Bruny Island camping spot has all the amenities to make your stay that much more comfortable. Think a laundry, a camp kitchen for cook-ups, as well as accessible cabins, powered and unpowered sites and villas.
For a comfortable stay with all the amenities, opt for Captain Cook Caravan Park. (Image: Tourism Tasmania/Rob Burnett)
Get your glamping on when you book in at Camping at Bruny Island. Located next to a private beach, in secluded bushland down at Cloudy Bay, the glamping tents here are located in your very own area. They are really set up to take the stress out of carting your own gear, more than providing an extra glam camping time. But still, the four-room tent has three bedrooms, and a kitchen where you can fire up the Weber BBQ or the pizza hot plate.
Other amenities for the rest of the campsite, including the powered and unpowered sites, includes camp showers and flush toilets. You will still need drinking water, and, if you’re planning a fire, firewood. Prices are from approximately $65.
Bruny Island is an ideal glamping spot for outback travellers. (Image: Tourism Australia)
Elsewhere at Cloudy Bay there are two even cheaper camping spots than Camping at Bruny Island — although they both serve campers on a first-in best-dressed, basis. The Pines is close to the northern end, which is popular with surfers. Smaller and basic facilities at this free camp include a pit toilet, firepits and non-treated tank water.
Cloudy Corner is larger, and closer to the southern end, where you can hop in your togs for a swim. This camp will set you back $10. You will need to get behind the wheel of a 4WD to get here though — and make sure you do so at low tide.
Drive to Cloudy Bay for a weekend camping trip. (Image: Jess Bonde)
Another $10 will get you a night camping among the trees of Great Taylor’s Bay. A beachside campsite in South Bruny, Jetty Beach has pit toilets, wood barbecues, and campfire areas. Oh, and don’t forget your swimmers for a paddle down with the kids at the sheltered beach that is here, too.
Want to see the famous fairy penguins at the Neck? Between the two islands, this narrow isthmus is where you’ll find the Neck Reserve, where these little critters live. If you time your trip right, you’ll be able to watch them return to their nests after a day out, before you retire to your own bed. Unpowered $10 sites are available. Make sure to bring your own water.
Enjoy scenic beachfront views. (Image: Adam Gibson)
Want your own kitchen to cook up all the culinary delights of Bruny Island? Book one of these homes away from homes.
Go off the grid with this architecturally designed, off-the-grid and minimalist tiny home, located in a patch of conservation bushland near the township of Allonah. This Scandi-style house, lined with Baltic pine, is perfect for a couple looking for a romantic and secluded getaway, with its outdoor bath on the deck, furnished library and crackling fire.
The forest scenery looks straight out of a painting.
Arrive by boat at this remote, rather special holiday home at Little Taylors Bay on South Bruny, just up the road from Bruny Island Premium Wines. As the name would suggest, a pier stretches out into the waters to welcome you (although you can take a scenic drive if you wish). There’s space for six at the Pier House, plenty for you all to spend the evening out on the decking that overlooks Huon Island and Hartz Mountain National Park with some mulled cider.
43 degrees is a three-star boutique, super duper-environmentally friendly offering that reads more like a four-star. The apartments at this Adventure Bay Beach accommodation are all powered by grid-connected solar and have a 6+ star energy rating, both the larger spa suite apartments and studio spa apartments lined with wood. Both have private decks and spa baths as well as kitchenettes: although you might not use them much with the free breakfast, wine on arrival and barbeque on offer.
43 Degrees boasts studio spa apartments shaped like domes.
While hotels are slightly limited on the twin island, with many opting for holiday homes and campsites, there are options for those who want to make their trip across the D’Entrecasteaux Channel extra easy-breezy.
Attached to the popular pub Hotel Bruny, Bruny Island Escapes and Hotel Bruny in Alonnah doesn’t just stop at a mean plate of seafood chowder. They also have a series of room options nearby, that includes holiday homes, the Bruny Island Lodge, a family cottage and two and three-bedroom villas.
Each property has its unique characteristics, like the Captain’s Cabin with its private beach area and full kitchen, to the Dan Piper Studio which overlooks the water and has a kitchenette. Extra beds are available from $25 a day.
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