8 Stunning Bruny Island Hikes - Australian Traveller

Experience the beauty of Bruny Island with these magnificent walks.

It might once have been one of Tasmania’s long-held best-kept secrets, but today, travelling to Bruny Island is incredibly easy. Lunawanna-Alonnah (as it is known in the local Aboriginal language), juts out on the southeast coast of Tasmania and is just a 40-minute drive and a short ferry ride from the capital of Hobart.

Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo — Wildlife is abundant on Bruny Island. (Image: Robert King Visuals)

This makes it a popular holiday escape for any rambler who wants to spend a day or two exploring the towering dolerite cliffs, magnificent coastline, foodie haunts and unique wildlife found here. So strap on your gaiters: here are the best walks to be found on the twin island.

1. Mavista Nature Walk

Distance: 2.1-kilometre return
Difficulty: Easy

Starting at the Mavista Picnic area, this well-maintained track takes you into the heart of the Tasmanian rainforest, via a path that follows Waterfall Creek. Hike past trees like blackwoods and stringybarks, and the verdant ferns that spring up along the pathway.

The gully can be particularly wet (particularly after rainfall), so wear sealed boots and keep an eye out for pesky leeches and parts of the track that are unsealed. It is advised not to go beyond the main trail and onwards to the waterfall, due to the comparative difficulty.

2. Alonnah-Sheepwash Bay Track

Distance: 3.5 kilometres (or seven-kilometre return)
Difficulty: Easy

Your starting point for this coastal bushland hike will be the Alonnah Jetty, a common spot for keen fishers dangling a line for flathead.

Alonnah Sheepwash Bay Track — Walk the enchanting Alonnah-Sheepwash Bay Track. (Image: Jess Bonde)

From there, it is a flat 3.5-kilometre walk along to the Sheepwash Bay outlook, taking old settlement tracks past banksia, towering eucalyptus trees and boobialla, as well as an old sawyers camp at the creek. This is approximately a one- to two-hour walk.

Eucalyptus trees Tasmania — Walk amongst towering eucalyptus trees.

3. Truganini Memorial and The Neck Lookout hike

Distance: 0.3 kilometres
Difficulty: Moderate

Named after an Aboriginal woman who was local to the Bruny Island area, the Truganini Memorial is a lookout and memorial to the Nuenonne people, an Indigenous clan originally from Bruny Island. It is located on the lookout point on the Bruny Island Neck.

Elsewhere, the Neck is home to a game reserve, where you might spot little (also known as a fairy) penguins at dusk returning home, particularly from September to February.

The walk itself is only 300 metres there and back but involves a 279-step climb. Keep an eye out for short-tailed shearwaters, who also call this ‘neck of the woods’ home.

The Neck Lookout hike — Climb the stairs to the lookout point on the Bruny Island Neck. (Image: Jess Bonde)

4. Grass Point

Distance: four-kilometre return
Difficulty: Easy

Head to South Bruny National Park for this coastal walk that takes in some of the island’s best views over 1.5 hours. Often touted as the easier route than the longer Fluted Cape Walk, the Grass Point hike starts at Adventure Bay.

Take a long look around at Adventure Bay for the elusive Bruny Island white wallaby, before setting out on the flat, family-friendly walk (which you’re advised to take in an anticlockwise direction). Don’t forget to keep an eye out for southern right whales off the coast during migration season, too!

Albino Wallaby Bruny Island — If you’re lucky, you’ll spot the white wallaby around Adventure Bay.

5. Fluted Cape Walk

Distance: 6.3-kilometre return
Difficulty: Moderate to difficult

Alternatively, you can take the more challenging Fluted Cape Walk, which has steep, trickier sections over the 2.5 hours it takes to traverse it. But if you can manage it, those cliff-top lookouts over the water make it well worth it.

Like Grass Point, the walk also starts at Adventure Bay. Once you’re past Grass Point, climb the gulch up to Fluted Cape for the jaw-dropping views. Take note that the loop can be rather slippery after rain – so pack good shoes, and take care.

Rather go with the professionals? Pennicott Journeys offers a walking tour from Hobart , which includes the ferry crossing and morning tea.

6. Bruny Island Long Weekend Walk

Distance: 35 kilometres
Difficulty: Moderate

If you want to do a walk with all the trimmings, we have to suggest The Bruny Island Long Weekend Walk. The Tasmanian Walking Company will guide you 35 kilometres over three days, taking in capes, beaches and the ancient Gondwanan rainforest.

Bruny Island Long Weekend beach walk — The walk will take you from the rainforest to the beach. (Image: Alice Hansen)

But believe us: it’s not rough going. From shucking Tasmanian oysters in water to other stand-outs that make for the best of Tasmanian food, and nightly glamping on a retreat, this is a luxe Tassie wilderness experience to a tee.

Oysters Bruny Island — Shuck oysters and dine on Tassie’s finest produce over the course of the weekend. (Image: Tourism Australia)

7. Cape Bruny Lighthouse

Distance: NA
Difficulty: Easy

If you want some history with your strolling, mosey around the grounds of the Cape Bruny Lighthouse in the southwest of the island. Built in 1836, this lighthouse is the only one you can tour in southern Tasmania.

Lighthouse Bay Bruny Island — Follow the trail around the bay to the lighthouse. (Image: Adam Gibson)

So get your cardio in, and climb up the tower with your guide. There you will hear about the fascinating history of the lighthouse keepers, shipwrecks and convict life, before taking the short track down to the beach. You’ll pass two unknown grave sites on the way, as well as a stone wall that demarcates an old vegetable patch.

Cape Bruny Lighthouse — Follow the track from the lighthouse to the beach. (Image: Adam Gibson)

8. Cape Queen Elizabeth Track

Distance: 12.6-kilometre return
Difficulty: Easy-to-moderate

While this Great Bay walk might seem long, it often only takes people three hours to complete. Start at the Bruny Island airstrip, before heading down to the coast. The path from there is flat but can be a bit overgrown, and long pants are recommended. However, the views over the Neck and the rock formations at Mars Bluff are well worth it.

Mars Bluff to Miles Beach stone arch — Walk via the coast at low tide to snap a photo of the stone arch. (Image: James Vodicka)

There during low tide? You can go via the coast below Mars Bluff to Miles Beach to snap a photo of the magnificent stone arch down there. Just make sure to check the time of the tides first!

Check out our guide on Bruny Island for more tips and travel advice.

Hobart has quietly become our coolest capital, but the real wonder lies just beyond the city limits.

In the cool shade of Kunyani/ Mt Wellington, Hobart has earned a reputation. Home to culture-defining Dark MOFO, the city blends rugged, raw wilderness and rule-breaking galleries. But, step beyond the thrumming capital’s border and you’ll find a new perspective: historic towns, Jurassic-era cliffs and a UNESCO City of Gastronomy. With ALL Accor as your home away from home, fill your days with epicurean odysseys and wild scenery on the best day trips from Hobart.

Where to stay

Behind every good road trip is the perfect home base. Somewhere central to review your camera roll, make the most of Hobart’s dining scene and relax before setting off again.

For modern, Tasmanian-inspired design, book a stay at the Movenpick Hotel Hobart . Standing at the Salamanca Markets, look to the Hobart skyline and the award-winning hotel will catch your eye. As the third-tallest building in the CBD, the views across the harbour toward Antarctica are totally unique to your room. Here, end each day at the daily free chocolate hour (plus a free Movenpick ice cream for the little ones).

For a more budget-conscious option, head to the picture book, sandstone buildings of Macquarie Street. Nestled along the buzzing, historic streetscape, you’ll find Tasmania’s biggest hotel: the Ibis Styles . Return home each day to defrost in one of the hotel’s two saunas. Make use of the proximity to MONA, or take an easy stroll to the candy-coloured cottages of Battery Point between your adventures.

A stylish, Tasmanian-inspired bedroom at Mövenpick Hotel Hobart, your perfect base for relaxing after the best day trips from Hobart. — Elevate your Hobart stay with sleek style at Mövenpick.

1. Bruny Island

Craggy cliffs and tropical-hued, white sand beaches signal your arrival to Bruny Island/ Lunawanna-Alonnah.

Start your day trip at the island’s most iconic spot, the Neck Game Reserve. Scale the Trunganini steps to gaze out over the teensy stretch of land that juts through the sea connecting the two ends of the island.

Catch a rare glimpse of the white furred wallabies that call Bruny Island home at Adventure Bay. Then, for ocean-fresh oysters, pull into the drive-thru window at Get Shucked . Sample Bruny Island cheese at the cellar door before catching the ferry home with an esky full of local produce.

Bruny Island Neck is an isthmus of land connecting north and south Bruny Island. — Begin your adventure with a climb and a view. (Image: Elise Weaver)

2. Mount Wellington

At 1271 metres, Mount Wellington watches protectively over Hobart. Follow the winding road to climb through alpine forest and tufts of snow to reach the summit. Gaze down over Hobart and out to sea, or over your shoulder to the southwestern wilderness.

Reset your adrenaline with a mountain bike ride back down. Or, make like the locals and head into the mountain on foot. Try the hike to the Jurassic-period Organ Pipes which slips under the mountain’s magnificent dolerite cliffs (perfect for families thanks to the trail’s minimal incline).

For a view of Mount Wellington itself, hike nearby Cathedral Rock.

No matter where you are in Hobart you are never far away from the City's beloved mountain, Kunanyi / Mount Wellington — Climb through alpine forest to the summit. (Image: Paul Flemming)

2. Port Arthur

Constructed entirely by convicts, the manicured gardens and penal buildings of Port Arthur offer a day trip that practically hums with history.

The rugged, seagirt location was chosen for its difficult escape conditions. Now, you can cruise the coast below the towering, jagged cliffs of the Tasman National Park or wander the sloping fields of fragrant lavender.

Tickets to Port Arthur include a walking tour and harbour cruise. See the Isle of the Dead where 1000 men are buried in marked and unmarked graves. And Point Puer, Britain’s first prison for children.

The Port Arthur Historic Site is one of Australia's most important heritage sites and tourist destinations. Located on the scenic Turrakana / Tasman Peninsula in the south east of Tasmania, it offers a unique and essential experience for all visitors to the area. — Wander convict-built grounds and gardens. (Image: Dearna Bond)

3. Launceston

You’ll find Launceston at the confluence of three rivers after an easy 2.5-hour drive from Hobart. Launceston is a patchwork of old and new. Here, heritage streetscapes meet modern architecture.

Visit Cataract Gorge, the green, sun-dappled heart of the town and sacred meeting point for Tasmania’s indigenous communities. Pull up at roadside produce stalls that dot the Tamar Valley, or dine out. Launceston is, after all, a UNESCO City of Gastronomy.

Should the local wine scene persuade you, simply extend your time in Launceston at Peppers Silo (but definitely at least stop by the onsite restaurant, Grain of the Silo , for a farm fresh menu) or Mercure Launceston before heading back to Hobart.

Walk the sunlit paths of Cataract Gorge. (Image: Nick H Visuals)

4. Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary

Take a 35-minute drive from your hotel and you’ll find Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary . This social enterprise is run by a team of extremely passionate Tasmanians with a mission to look after critically endangered species who have found sanctuary here after facing extinction on the mainland.

Choose to wander the sanctuary at your own pace or join a guided tour (free with your ticket) to come face to face with Tassie’s most iconic species. Tasmanian Devils, wombats and echidnas are part of the free tour. You can book up close encounters with your favourite animals, too.

Bonorong is a Sanctuary for wildlife run by a passionate team of like-minded people. We're a social enterprise: a little business with a big heart. — Snap a cuddle-worthy encounter. (Image: Tourism Australia)

5. Richmond Village & Coal River Valley

Richmond is a town that belongs in a snow globe. Fifty colonial-era, Georgian buildings have been painstakingly restored and turned into cafes, cosy restaurants and galleries. Visit Richmond Gaol , said to be the home of a prisoner so vile he inspired Charles Dickens to pen Oliver Twist’s Fagin.

Then, follow the Coal River as it flows past grassy, duckling-dotted knolls and under the iconic Richmond Bridge, the oldest bridge in Australia. From the crest of the bridge, see the oldest Catholic Church in Australia. The river crawls past many cellar doors, perfect for a day of wine tasting.

Richmond is a picture-perfect town in the Coal River Valley wine region, offering a glimpse into early colonial life, one of the best day trips from Hobart. — Trace the river through history and wine country. (Image: Fin Matson)

Plan your trip to Hobart and beyond with ALL Accor at All.com .

8 stunning hikes on Bruny Island