Bruny Island.

Today we had a ten hour tour to Bruny Island with Bruny Island Safaris. We met the bus at 7.00am opposite our hotel. More people were picked up at two further stops on the way. We were fifteen in total.

The ferry to the island operates from and to Kettering. We arrived with plenty of time to catch the 8.20am ferry. That gave us time to have a snack in the terminal cafe. There are two ferries operating simultaneously, one from each side with the crossing taking ten minutes.

First stop was at Truganini Lookout with a short walk on a walkway giving excellent photo opportunities.

Morning tea would be at Two Tree Bay. On route we picked up fresh oysters at Get Shucked Oysters and bread and cheese from Bruny Island Cheese. Once at Two Tree Bay, Rick, our guide prepared the morning tea and we had a look around.

Morning tea was two oysters each, two soft cheeses and one hard, cheddar type cheese made from raw milk, accompanied by sourdough baguette. Best morning tea ever!!!

A scenic drive through rainforest took us to Cape Bruny and its lighthouse. On the way we saw a white wallaby. These are unique to this area and are a white wallaby as distinct from an albino wallaby.

A tour of the lighthouse was included. It was quite a climb from the car park up to the lighthouse made a lot more difficult by the very strong wind.

Some people chose not to climb the spiral stairs inside the lighthouse. Small groups go up with guide, Matt. It wasn’t easy but was well worth the hundreds (?) of steps. Once at the top, Matt explained the old machinery and lens. There is a walkway around the outside at the top.

We were able to do one circumnavigation of the walkway. If we thought it was windy on the ground, we were about to find out what real wind is like. Matt said that this was about the strongest wind he would let people go outside in. It was wild! I felt like I was going to be blown over. We all made it round and back in the door.

Next was lunch at the Bruny Hotel. Earlier, menus had been passed around the bus so we could choose our preferences. On the way past the hotel on the way to the lighthouse, we stopped and Rick dropped our orders in. So, on return, our tables were reserved and meals ready quickly.

Trish had fish'n'chips, Paul and Janette had calamari and I had chowder - absolutely delicious!

As if we hadn't eaten enough, next stop was the Bruny Island Chocolate Co. for a fudge and crumble tasting. Would you believe we bought some?

But wait, there's more - next stop - Bruny Island Honey and a tasting. Would you believe we bought some honey too?

Still more - another stop at Bruny Island Cheese Co - this time to browse and buy. We bought a wedge of the hard cheese made from raw milk that we had tasted earlier. As Rick had explained at morning tea, these are expensive cheeses - the soft cheeses are about $100 / kg and the hard cheddar type about $120 / kg.

Time to join the queue for the ferry and head back to Hobart.

Arrived back at the hotel about 5.30pm.

What a great day!Read more