Bruny Island Walking Tour, Tasmania

We depart the Hotel Grand Chancellor in Hobart at 7:45am, to catch the morning ferry from Kettering across to North Bruny. We have the opportunity to stop at some local producers on our way to pick up some local honey, cheese, and beer if you desire. We then drive south along the isthmus that connects the north and south of the island, and take part in a short walk to the Neck Lookout via a wooden set of stairs. This vantage point provides us with a brilliant outlook to many parts of the island that we will be exploring over the coming days. Your guides will point out Mt Mangana, Cape Queen Elizabeth and the long stretch of beach below.

Further south on the island, we explore the historic Cape Bruny Lighthouse, and the tops of the surrounding escarpment which falls away to the ocean. Courts Island can be seen nearby to the south-west, tailed shearwaters and a causeway at low tide. We finish our day with a relaxing 1.5-hour circuit on the Labillardiere Peninsula—passing through open heath country with coastal views, and a couple of picturesque secluded beaches. This walk is particularly notable for its usual prevalence of native birdlife. After our day’s exploring, we make our way to our accommodation at The Bruny Island Lodge where you can settle in and unwind in this unique rustic lodge while enjoying a delicious nibbles platter made by your guides.

Meals: Lunch and dinner
Hiking: 5 km / 3.1 miles, 2 hours
Difficulty: Easy
Accommodation: Bruny Island Lodge

Today we head out into the rugged southern portion of the island—exploring the white sands of Cloudy Bay and the elevated viewpoint of East Cloudy Head. We start our walk along a windswept beach for a few kilometers before taking an inland track upwards through native heathland, teeming with birdlife and colorful seasonal flora. Our ascent brings us to the very top of the hill, providing expansive views to the Cape Bruny Lighthouse, the Southern Ranges (on mainland Tasmania), and across the wild and often temperamental reaches of the Southern Ocean. There is nothing standing in the way between us and Antarctica—and on some days you can definitely feel it!

We return to the bus via the same route before heading back to our accommodation. In the afternoon there is an optional stopover in Lunawanna and the Bruny Island Winery, or you can choose to kick back and enjoy the peace and quiet of the lodge.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Hiking: 12 km / 7.5 miles, 4.5 hours
Difficulty: Moderate
Accommodation: Bruny Island Lodge

After breakfast and lunch making, we depart for the small township of Adventure Bay from where we will start today’s main walk—the Fluted Cape Circuit. Tackling this walk in an anti-clockwise direction allows us to ease into the rhythm of walking with a nice gradual climb to the highest point on the cape. Open views continue as we descend through eucalyptus and she-oak forest to Grass Point and Penguin Island, where we can potter about the rocky shoreline. This was once the site of an early whaling station—and thankfully, recovering populations of whales are starting to make their way back to the area during migration periods. On the final flat trek back to the bay, keep your eyes peeled for a family of White Bennett’s Wallabies that reside in the area!

In the afternoon, we walk through a pocket of enchanting wet rainforest following the flow of a small creek. Towering eucalyptus, blackwoods, and tree ferns dominate and seem almost out of place—but there are vast stands of such forest along the eastern half of the island. Optionally, you can take a 3-hour award-winning Bruny Island Cruise as an alternative to some of today’s walking. This is an action-packed wilderness boat trip along the dramatic Bruny Island coastline, featuring towering sea cliffs, seals, and occasional sightings of dolphins and migratory whales. It departs daily from Adventure Bay. Please note this activity is at guests own expense. If interested, feel free to discuss with your guides on Day 1 of the tour.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Hiking: 7 km / 4.3 miles, 5 hours
Difficulty: Moderate
Accommodation: Bruny Island Lodge

We pack up this morning and depart the lodge one final time. Today we journey north, back across The Neck to take in the Cape Queen Elizabeth Track. Featuring pristine beaches and rocky bluffs, this is a very tranquil and relaxing way to wind down from our adventure. The first section of the trail is flat and heads straight to the coast. We walk past the aptly named Big Lagoon and Little Lagoon where it is common to spot resident water birds. Soon we burst out onto a long stretch of white sandy beach which stretches all the way south across the isthmus. Depending on the tides, we may walk north along the beach or divert inland to climb up and over Mars Bluff. From the ridgetop, there are fantastic views back to the Neck and Fluted Cape.

The trail then heads through coastal dunes to Miles Beach. There are some magnificent rock formations in this area, such as a perfectly sculptured dolerite arch right on the beach. Continuing towards the cape, we ascend through coastal heath, always keeping a watchful eye out for local birdlife, including the rare forty-spotted pardalote and mutton-bird rookeries. From the end of the track, we take in views out across Adventure Bay before returning the same way, and again depending on the tides, may be able to create a circuit back to the bus. From here it’s only a short drive back to the ferry terminal, and an hour to Hobart. We arrive back in Hobart at approximately 5pm—if you’re planning on flying out the same day, don’t book a flight earlier than 7pm. If you’d like to stay longer and explore the area, just ask us for recommendations!

Meals: Breakfast and lunch
Hiking: 12 km / 4.3 miles, 4.5 hours
Difficulty: Easy to moderate
Accommodation: Bruny Island Lodge