An hour south of Hobart in Tasmania, there’s a special island wilderness offering rugged coastline, tranquil beaches and spectacular views. Tours of Bruny Island run daily from Hobart, often focussing on the natural splendour of South Bruny National Park and the island’s excellent wildlife spotting opportunities. Fairy penguins, fur seals and white wallabies are native species often spotted on land, while albatross and wedge tailed eagles bring excitement to the skies. There’s also plenty in store for foodies, with local produce and one of Australia’s southernmost wineries found on Bruny Island.
Food tours and wildlife tours are not the only types of trip to be had from Hobart. You can take a day tour that mixes both of these along with other experiences, while a boat tour allows greater access to the coves and beaches that take longer to reach by car and ferry. Choosing the right tour for you can be time consuming, so we have condensed all the best Bruny Island tours from Hobart into this list of our favourite five. Important factors in the selection process included each tour’s itinerary, value for money, the feedback from previous travellers and the eco-friendly provisions made by the tour operators.
FROM A$136/per person
Balancing the gastronomic with the natural, this nine-hour day trip from Hobart starts with a pickup from select hotels downtown. Once on Bruny Island, you’ll visit the Neck, where you can walk up to the lookout for stunning panoramic views of the island. With a better sense of the lay of the land, head to Cape Bruny, where the walk to the lighthouse may yield sightings of the intriguing white wallabies unique to this corner of Tasmania. After seeing, there’s tasting, with a cheese platter and oyster tasting session offering the opportunity to sample local produce from the island.
From A$175/ per person
If you are looking for a Bruny Island tour that places greatest emphasis on food tasting, then this is a great option. You can eat your way around Bruny with tastings of locally-produced honey, cider, fudge and cheese. For lunch there’s locally caught fish or Tasmanian beef, and a chocolate tasting too. Non edible highlights of this day tour from Hobart include a trip through the rainforest of Mount Mangana, a tour of Cape Bruny Lighthouse and the chance to spot wallabies, echidnas and wildflowers.
From A$195/ per person
For many people, a food tour is not quite complete without a well-paired glass of wine. Luckily for fans of Australian wines, the country’s southernmost wineries are located in Tasmania, and this tour takes time to introduce you to some of Bruny Island’s food and wine producers. Have lunch at a vineyard on the island then continue the tour with a switch of focus to the impressive scenic offerings on hand. You might even glimpse a rare white wallaby in the south of the island. This tour comes very highly rated by previous travellers.
From A$235/ per person
When it comes to a spot with so much unique natural beauty like Bruny Island, an eco-tour is the best way to respect the fragility of the ecosystem while appreciating it properly. Adding a three-hour boat trip into the itinerary allows this tour to give you a glimpse of Bruny Island like no other tour can manage. See the fur seals as they lollop about on the rocks, watch sea birds on the high cliffs, and look out for whales and dolphins in the surf. There is a tea break and lunch provided, with vegetarian and gluten free options available on this tour. The rest of the itinerary is dedicated to land-based sightseeing of the island’s highlights.
From A$1,500/ per group
If you are travelling with a group of up to eight people, a private sightseeing tour of Bruny Island may prove to be more economical while also allowing more room for you to curate your own perfect trip. Nature, coastline walks, heritage, wildlife spotting and food tastings are all possible. See little penguins and fur seals near the D’Entrecasteaux Channel, where you’ll cross by ferry on the way to and from Hobart. This tour also allows you to seek out the white wallaby in the Mount Mangana rainforest and stop by the Hound’s Tooth Whisky distillery or Bruny Island Cheese Company for samples of locally produced delicacies.
