Beautiful Bruny Island

Wow this place is amazing! I didn’t know we could get such beautiful beaches so far south. The sand in Tasmania is so variable! Some beaches are non-existant. Just rocks and gravel. Others vary from pebbles to course sand but here on Bruny Island we have that wonderful fine white sand that squeaks when you walk on it and gives the water such incredible shades of blue and green. Breathtaking!

We went on our 3 hour cruise in a jet boat – the 4WD of the sea. It was a leisurely cruise for the most part, but when he pushed the throttle that boat could move!! We saw towering cliffs, caves and imposing coastlines and the most wonderful wildlife like birds (Eagles and Shearwaters) and went to the Australian Fur Seal colony where we saw the lazy blokes loafing around. As an added bonus we were lucky enough to come across a nursery pod of Common Dolphins. There were soooooo many of them, all frolicking around the boat. Some of the babies were so young it was their first time leaping out of the water! They were so tiny and wobbly. Even the tour guide was moved. Some were the youngest he’d seen. Having so many young ones meant that the dolphins were not leaping as high above the waves, but we still had our fill of looking at such graceful and beautiful creatures.

 

 

We have been going for a walk every evening after dinner. On Bruny Island, we drove to the end of the road at Adventure Bay and made our way along the beach to a grassy area where the ‘painted wallabies’ gather. Painted wallabies look like albino wallabies, but they are not quite genetically entirely albino. I was a bit worried when we had seen what felt like a hundred normal wallabies but no white ones. And then we spotted one! And then another and another and we had a wonderful stroll all about the grasslands and (slightly illegally) through a disused caravan park. It was our best after-dinner walk yet!

We had 2 nights on Bruny Island and spent our last day driving around the island. I didn’t realize it was so big! We saw the Museum with the tree that Captain Cook carved his name in when he landed here in 1777. We drove all the way to the other side and checked out the lighthouse. 

And we had the most incredible lunch at the Bruny Island Cheese Company. It was delicious! We got to see how they make cheese and there was also a baker rolling out the yummiest sourdough baguettes in a wood fired oven. He was the nicest young guy who had all the time in the world for our children. Actually everyone was great with the kids – the chef was happy to make special toasties without mustard for them, and the taster happily carved pieces for the children as well as us. It was only after we paid the bill and realized how astronomical it was, that it occurred to us that they probably don’t get many kids there!

We were perfectly timed to make the ferry back to the mainland of Tasmania. Apparently some people have to wait in line for over an hour, but both ways we just rocked up about 20 minutes before it was scheduled to leave. And they only charged us $30, instead of the $35 peak times fee. If January School Holidays are not peak times, I’d love to know what is!!