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Destination Guide

Bruny Island.
A day trip that turns into two nights.

An island off an island. Bruny is 1.5 hours from Hobart including the ferry. Most people go for a day and wish they had stayed longer.

⛴ Ferry from Kettering🚗 1.5 hrs from Hobart🐧 Penguins at The Neck🧀 Oysters, cheese, whisky

Getting There

The ferry is part of the trip.

Drive 40 minutes south from Hobart to Kettering, where the Bruny Island Ferry crosses to Roberts Point on North Bruny. The crossing takes 20 minutes and runs every 30 to 60 minutes depending on the season.

You drive your car on, no booking needed, first come first served. In summer on weekends the queue can be long. Arrive at Kettering by 8:30am to avoid a significant wait. In shoulder season there is rarely any queue at all.

Check current timetables and fares at brunyislandferry.com.au before you go. Fuel up before the ferry, there is limited fuel on the island.

Bruny Island | Explora

What to Do

A full day on Bruny, done properly.

Bruny rewards a slow pace. The best experiences are spread across the island and most of them involve stopping, eating something, and looking at the view.


  • The Neck: the narrow sandy isthmus connecting North and South Bruny, with ocean on both sides. The lookout at the top is a short walk up stairs. One of the most photographed spots in Tasmania. Come back at dusk for the penguin colony.
  • Adventure Bay: a sheltered bay on South Bruny with a long white sand beach. Good swimming in summer. The historic site where Cook, Bligh, and Flinders all stopped is marked near the beach.
  • Fluted Cape walk: 5 km return from Adventure Bay, climbs to 300m sea cliffs with dramatic views. Moderate difficulty, takes about 2.5 hours. Bring water and a warm layer.
  • The Get Shucked Oyster Farm: Bruny Island oysters are some of the best in Australia. Get Shucked at Great Bay lets you taste them straight from the water. Open daily.
  • Bruny Island Cheese Co: farmhouse cheeses made on site. The affinage cave is worth seeing. On the same road as the cheese company, the Bruny Island Whisky distillery is worth a stop.
  • Penguin watching at The Neck: little penguins come ashore every night after sunset. Sit at the base of the boardwalk stairs. No white lights, red torch only.

Where You Will Camp

The Neck Reserve, one of the best free campsites in the state.

Right on the isthmus, with ocean on both sides and penguins waddling past your tent after dark. No booking required, no fee. First come first served, arrive by 3pm in peak season to secure a spot.

Basic drop toilets on site. No showers, no running water, bring everything you need. The nearest supplies are in Alonnah on South Bruny.

South Bruny National Park also has two campgrounds at Cloudy Bay and Jetty Beach that require a Parks Pass. Both are quieter than The Neck and right on the beach.

⛴ Good to Know Before You Go

A few things that catch visitors out on Bruny.

  • Ferry queues in summer: on weekends in January and February the Kettering ferry queue can be 1 to 2 hours. Get there at 8am to beat it, or go on a weekday.
  • Limited fuel on the island: there is one fuel station at Alonnah on South Bruny. Fill up in Kettering or Huonville before the ferry.
  • South Bruny National Park requires a Parks Pass for entry, this covers Cloudy Bay, Fluted Cape, and the southern campgrounds. The Neck and North Bruny do not require a pass.
  • The island is bigger than it looks on a map. North to South Bruny is about 50km on unsealed roads. Budget 45 minutes to get from the ferry to Adventure Bay.
  • Phone signal is patchy on most of South Bruny. Download maps before you leave the ferry.

Ready to go?

Book your car and camping gear.

Pick up in Hobart with everything packed. Bruny is only 40 minutes away.

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