| Bruny Island | |
Location: | 40 km south of Hobart across the D'Entrecasteaux Channel |
Council: | Kingborough |
Population: | 520 |
Postcode: | 7150 |
Bruny Island is 55 km long and almost two distinct islands, North and South Bruny, joined by a narrow strip of sand hills. Probably because of it s position, more early navigators and explorers visited the island than any where else in the country. The first was Abel Tasman in 1642, he attempted to land at Adventure Bay but was prevented by stormy seas. Captain Tobias Furneaux landed at Adventure Bay in his ship Adventure in 1773, James Cook landed in 1777, William Bligh visited a total of four times from 1788, Matthew Flinders, Bruni d'Entrecasteaux and Nicholas Baudin also broke their voyages here.
A sad note in the island's history is that Truganinni, the daughter of an island chief, was recognised as the last fullblood Tasmanian Aborigine - she died in 1876. The island's Aboriginal name, Lunawannaalonna, is retained in the names of two settlements on South Bruny, Alonnah and Lunawanna. Early in the history of settlement, Bruny was an important whaling station. The land was later cleared for sheep and cattle, and sandstone dug from its quarries by convicts went to build Melbourne's GPO and Law Courts. Today agriculture and tourism are the main industries.
Points of interest include the remains of a convictbuilt church, old brick kilns and South Bruny Lighthouse (1836). The Bligh Museum at Adventure Bay has displays highlighting much of the island's history and a collection of early volumes on the voyages of Cook, Bligh and Flinders. Activities include boating, fishing, scuba diving and bushwalking. Wildlife and scenery can be enjoyed from a number of walking tracks through the five State Reserves on the island.
Access to Bruny Island is via a vehicular ferry which leaves Kettering several times daily.