Bruny Island
Bruny Island () is an island off the south-eastern coast of Tasmania, from which it is separated by the D’Entrecasteaux Channel. Storm Bay is located to the island's northeast. Both the island and the channel are named after French explorer Bruni d'Entrecasteaux. Its traditional Aboriginal name was Alonnah Lunawanna, which survives as the name of two island settlements.
Geologically, Bruny Island is actually comprised of two islands - North Bruny and South Bruny - that are joined by a long, narrow sandy isthmus. The holiday village of Dennes Point is located in North Bruny, while South Bruny is the site of the towns of Alonnah, Adventure Bay and Lunawanna.
Two of the three major townships are named for the original Aboriginal name for the island these being Alonnah and Lunawanna.
Outside its settlements the island is covered in grazing fields and large tracts of dry eucalyptus forest. Inland forests continue to be logged, but other large sections - mostly along the southeastern coast - are preserved as the South Bruny National Park. While the seaward side of the island features two long beaches - Adventure Bay and Cloudy Bay - it is for the most part extremely rugged, with cliffs of dolerite that tower over 200 metres above sea level, and which are amongst the highest sea cliffs in Australia. Bruny's channel side is far more sheltered and a favourite fishing and recreational boating area for local and interstate visitors.
Since 1954, four vessels have operated the Bruny Island Ferry service between the island and Kettering, Tasmania on the mainland. The service is currently plied by the Mirambeena, which is unusual for using a Voith-Schneider propulsion system rather than a conventional propeller.
Bruny Island was originally inhabited by the Aborigines until European arrival. Abel Tasman made a landing in the vicinity of Bruny Island in November 1642. In 1773, Tobias Furneaux who was exploring the coastline with James Cook anchored his vessel off the coast. On 26 January 1977 Cook sailed the Resolution and the Discovery into Adventure Bay and stayed there for two days. Cook carved his initials in a tree that was destroyed in a 1905 bushfire and is now commemorated by a plaque. In 1788 and again in 1792 William Bligh anchored in Adventure Bay. The island itself however is named after the French explorer Bruni d'Entrecasteaux who explored the Channel region in 1792. It was known as Bruni Island until 1918, when the spelling was changed to Bruny. Since then the island has become known as a holiday location with surfing beaches, National Parks and historical sites. In more recent history the Bruny Island was the site of a land transfer by the state Government to local Aboriginal people.
Tourism
There are a range of accommodation and tourism providers on Bruny Island, including camping grounds, caravan parks and the Bruny Island Hotel. There is also a large number of 'shacks' available. Local island resident Robert Pennicott operates Bruny Island Charters which operates adventure cruises from Adventure Bay around the coastline of the South Bruny National Park to the point where the Tasman Sea meets the Southern Ocean. Adventure Bay Eco Village operates wildlife tours daily.
The Cape Bruny Lighthouse (1838) is the second oldest in Australia.
Locations
The main areas of Bruny Island include:
- Adventure Bay
- Alonnah
- Barnes Bay
- Cloudy Bay
- D'Entrecasteaux Channel
- Dennes Point
- Fluted Cape
- Lunawanna
- Simpsons Bay
- South Bruny National Park
References
(In Alphabetical Order)
- Adventure Bay Eco Village
- Bruny Island Charters
- Online Guide to Bruny Island
- Bruce Elder, "Rock of Ages", Sydney Morning Herald, 13 February 1999
External links
The following pages (in alphabetical order) contain information on Bruny Island.
- Adventure Bay Eco Village
- Bruny Island Charters
- Bruny Island Online Access Centre
- Department of Infrastructure, Energy and Resources - Bruny Island ferry
- Online Information Guide to Bruny Island
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