I’ve been to Tasmania at least five times before, and seen most of its major attractions, but never made it to Bruny Island off the south-eastern coast near Hobart. This beautiful spot exceeded all of our expectations and was very much worth the trip.
The main thing to do on the island was a 3-hour wilderness cruise, which you definitely want to do in summer. No matter how warm it is, once you’re out in the sea the temperature drops and the windchill is a killer. At one point I lost all sensation in my right middle finger. The funky red water and wind-proof overalls they provide help out a great deal, as do the ginger travel sickness pills – on our way to the small chain of islands with seals, the waves got well and truly bumpy. I survived by grimly staring at the horizon and chanting “mind over matter”, but one unfortunate lady in our group lost her breakfast.
The cold and the bumps are absolutely worth it, as we were treated to some wonderful wildlife and geology: the rugged coastline, natural caves and arches, all-male sea colony (lady seals congregate elsewhere, apparently), bottlenose dolphins and all sorts of sea birds.
Back on the island, there were some beautiful lookout spots and small townships. All in all, a fantastic day trip.
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