Bruny Island, Tasmania

Thursday was a drive to Bruny Island.  It has always been a place that I wanted to visit ever since the ABC'S "Gourmet Farmer" featured it in many of the episodes.  To reach Bruny Island we have to drive to Kettering (around 30km) to board the car ferry that will take us to the island.  The ferry service (two ferries) runs every 20 minutes and the trip takes around the same amount of time.  It runs like clockwork.  Once we reach Bruny Island we make the decision to drive to the furtherest point, Cape Bruny lighthouse,  and work our way back.  We have marked off a few places of interest on a map that Sealink gave us when we boarded the ferry. From Roberts Point, where we disembark, the map tells us that it will take us around 70 minutes.  We boarded the ferry around 9.30 and we arrived at the Lighthouse at 11.00 so it took quite a bit longer than the suggested.  It is an interesting drive.  The northern part of Bruny seems to be a lot drier than the southern end and that can be seen by the number of farms we see in the south.  There are farms that produce raspberries, sitting alongside paddocks full of sheep.  The Bruny Island Cheese Co produces some outstanding cheeses and apparently their beer is not too bad also.  We didn't try any though.  There is a whisky producer on the island and also a Chocolate enterprise.  But, we have been told to try the oysters that are farmed locally, so that will be our lunch destination.

Our only stop along the road to the lighthouse is one that I had read about - The Bread Fridge.  A bloke by the name of John Bullock, wakes up early each morning, fires up the wood fired oven and sets about making bread.  No frills about this bread.  As the sign inside the fridge says, it is made from flour, water, salt and yeasts. He then loads his baked bread into his car and deposits them into the roadside fridges.  There is an honesty box (or a bank account) for you to deposit your money.  I have stopped at many roadside stalls on our travels but this has got to be the best and most unique.  We bought a baguette and a sultana loaf.  The loaves were still warm from the baking.

Once we arrive at the Lighthouse we book ourselves on the first tour.  We are the only participants so we have the guide all to ourselves.  We are told the lighthouse, built in 1836, is the second oldest in Tasmania, the oldest being Iron Pot that sits on a rocky island at the mouth of the Derwent River.  Convicts built the lighthouse in a record amount of time as they were promised a pardon on completion.  The materials to build the lighthouse were sourced locally.  The pearly white lighthouse sits proudly on Cape Bruny and has been beautifully preserved.  We have to walk up a very steep path and many steps to reach the top of the lighthouse but the views were worth it.

After the lighthouse tour we return along the same road that we entered but we make a turn into Adventure Bay as we are told the beach is pretty spectacular.  It was okay but nothing to write home about.  We didn't stay long.  The world globe statue sitting on the esplanade was pretty cool though.

Our next stop is the Truganini Lookout.  This amazing lookout that rises above "The Neck" joining the north and south of Bruny Island, offers 360 degree views.  It is a long walk to the top - 230 steps - but I just take it slow and steady.  There are lots of people at the top all trying to photograph the spectacular views and it is hard to pick the best photo.  We look down onto Neck Beach on the eastern side and Isthmus Bay on the western side.  Further out is the D'Entrecasteaux Channel named after the French explorer that we have read about all over Australia.

There is also a boardwalk, snaking through to the beach from the lookout, where at dusk you can watch the Fairy Penguins coming in from the ocean.  

It is almost 2pm by the time we get back to the car so it's time to head to "Get Shucked" for a feed of oysters.  I ordered a mixed dozen - 4 natural, 4 Kilpatrick, 4 panko crumbed asian style.  I wish I had just ordered natural.  They were so creamy and plump and absolutely the best I have ever eaten.  Of course it helps to see the oyster farm right across the road from the restaurant and knowing that they have been brought in from the ocean just a few hours ago!  Philip ordered the smoked trout lunch that was also very tasty.  Before we left the restaurant I loaded up with more fresh oysters, smoked trout pate, smoked trout and three dipping sauces.

It is just a short drive from the restaurant to the ferry and we don't have to wait very long before it makes its way to us.  It has been a memorable day and we leave Bruny Island feeling glad that we visited but also a place we would probably not return to.  Bruny Island residents, all 800 of them, are extremely friendly towards tourists as that is where they make their bread and butter.  The roads are terrible but we have found that right across Tasmania so we can't say they are worse on Bruny.  Tomorrow, our last day in the Huon Valley, will be more touring, but much closer to home.