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| Fisherman on
the wharf at Bruny Island
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Bruny Island (including Adventure Bay)
Historically significant and interesting
island south of Hobart
Bruny Island's history is, in many ways, the
history of Tasmania. It was inhabited for
thousands of years by Aborigines before Abel
Tasman, the first European in the region, sailed
along its shore.
Today Bruny Island has become a popular day
trip from Hobart. It is only 37 km via the A6 to
Kettering where the vehicular ferry to Roberts
Point on North Bruny departs ten times a day,
eleven on Friday and eight times on Sundays.
With a range of activities for visitors and a
number of unpretentious accommodation
destinations the island seems far removed from
any kind of overt commercialisation.
Bruny Island is about 50 km long. It is
really two islands linked by a narrow isthmus of
sand dunes called 'The Neck'. The first European
to visit the island was Abel Tasman who sailed
his ships, the Zeehaen and Heenskerck, along the
coast in November 1642 and briefly entered
Adventure Bay. He attempted to land but was
prevented by inclement weather.
In 1773 Tobias Furneaux, who was exploring
the coastline with Captain James Cook, anchored
his vessel, the Adventure (after whom the
island's main bay has been named), off the
island's coast. Four years later on 26 January
1777 Cook sailed the Resolution and Discovery
into Adventure Bay and stayed for two days. His
contact with the Aborigines who lived on the
island was amicable.
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| Adventure Bay
where Captain Cook landed
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In 1788 Captain Bligh anchored the Bounty in
Adventure Bay and planted some seeds. It is
claimed that Bligh was responsible for the first
apple tree on the 'Apple Isle'. He returned in
1792. In spite of all these visits it was the
French explorer, Bruni D'Entrecasteaux, who gave
his name to both the island and the channel
which separates Bruny Island from the mainland.
The spelling of the island from Bruni to Bruny
was changed in 1918.
Apart from Adventure Bay, the island's other
tiny settlements are Lunawanna and Alonnah which
are names probably derived from the Aboriginal
name for the island - Lunawanna-alonna.
In the early part of the nineteenth century
Bruny Island was subject to the peculiar
pressures which eventually resulted in the near
genocide of the local Aborigines. By 1804
whalers and sealers were in the area. It was
commonplace for them to take Aboriginal women
hostage and use them both as labourers and
sexual companions.
The story of Truganini's early life (she was
a native of Bruny Island and her father had been
an important elder) and her treatment at the
hands of the Europeans is emblematic of the
treatment of Tasmanian Aborigines. By the time
she was seventeen she'd been raped (and probably
contracted syphilis), her mother had been
stabbed to death, her uncle had been shot, her
stepmother had been kidnapped by mutinous
convicts who took her to China, her sisters had
been enslaved by sealers, and her betrothed had
been murdered.
It is the story of the death of the man she
was betrothed to which gives an insight into the
brutality of this early period of Bruny Island's
history. In my book Blood on the Wattle: the
Massacre and Maltreatment of Aborigines since
1788, the story is recounted: 'Perhaps the most
devastating event in Truganini's life occurred
shortly after she agreed to marry a man called
Paraweena. At the time Truganini was wont to
visit the convict camps around Bruny Island.
Paraweena, accompanied by a friend, came to call
her back from the camp. The convicts protested:
they wanted Truganini to stay. Eventually two
convicts, Paddy Newell and Watkin Lowe, both of
whom had reputations for viciousness, agreed
that Truganini could leave. They even offered to
row the three Aborigines across the narrow
stretch of water to North Bruny Island. Halfway
across the channel Newell and Lowe overpowered
Paraweena and his friend and threw them
overboard. As the two men attempted to clamber
back into the boat one of the white men grabbed
a hatchet which had been lying in the bottom of
the boat and lashed out at Paraweena. He cut his
hand off at the wrist. Then he turned and did
the same to Paraweena's friend. Newell and Lowe
rowed away, leaving the two injured men to
drown.'
In 1829 the so-called Protector of
Aborigines, George Augustus Robinson, set up an
Aboriginal settlement near Great Bay on Bruny
Island. It was here that Truganini first met
Robinson. She was to accompany him until his
death. It was fitting that in 1975 the ashes of
Truganini were finally scattered in
D'Entrecasteaux Channel.
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| Bruny Island
from Mt Wellington |
From the 1830s until recent times the island
was used variously for timber, apple orchards,
and sheep and cattle grazing.
Today Bruny is a quiet island with a
population of about 600 people who, if not
connected with tourism, are farmers. The island,
which has an area of 36 210 ha, varies
considerably with the northern section being
flat grazing land and the southern section being
rather hilly and heavily timbered.
The car ferry from the mainland arrives at
Roberts Point (named after a man who operated a
soap and salt factory on the island in 1825) and
from there it is possible to travel around the
island's 225 km of road.
The Bruny Island Surf Classic is held each
year in February.
Things to see:
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Cape Bruny Lighthouse
The most important historic attraction on the
island is the Cape Bruny lighthouse (at the
south of the island) which dates from 1836. It
is the third-oldest Commonwealth lighthouse in
Australia. Still operating today (albeit with a
tungsten halogen lamp), it is 19 metres high
with an elevation of 105 metres and a range of
26 nautical miles.
Adventure Bay - Walks
Adventure Bay Road runs off the Main Road,
following the coast past Adventure Bay to East
Cove, at the north-eastern end of the South
Island. This area was used by whalers from at
least the late 1820s until the early 1840s.
Archaeological excavations have uncovered a
well-constructed stone rubble whaling quarters
and other structures.
Coolangatta Road runs west off Adventure Bay
Road past the start of a 90-minute return trek
to the panoramic views associated with Mt
Mangana.
Further along Adventure Bay Road there is
another turnoff into Lockleys Rd. Follow the
latter then turn into Resolution Road past the
signposted start of The Mavista Nature Walk.
This easy 30-minute amble passes through
rainforest and fern glade adjacent Water Fall
Creek. Information boards contain details of the
island's forest history and plants are
identified by markers.
Adventure Bay Road ends at a carpark at East
Cove where there is an information board. Just
along the beach is the start of the coastal
track to Grassy Point (90 minutes return).
Mostly covering flat terrain, this is
appropriate for families and traverses dry
forest. At the right time of the year, southern
right whales can be seen swimming along the
coastline.
The steep, challenging and lengthy Fluted
Cape walk can be commenced either at the East
Cove carpark or at Grassy Point. It offers fine
coastal views and exploration of dry forest
environs.
Other Walks
At the southern end of the North Island the Cape
Queen Elizabeth Walk (3 hours return) heads off
the Main Road out to the coast, past Big Lagoon,
Little Lagoon, coastal heathland settings and
some fine views.
At the south-western end of the South Island,
to the north of Cape Bruny, is the Labillardiere
Peninsula. Old Jetty Road leads out to the start
of the Luggobine Circuit walk (moderate, 90
minutes) and the longer and quite
demandingLabillardiere Peninsula Walk (seven
hours return), taking in heathlands, beaches,
dry forests, Mount Bleak,exposed coastline and
fine coastal views of Partridge Island.
Finally, the East Cloudy Head Walk (a
demanding 4-hour trek) takes in panoramic views,
heathlands and birds.
Memorials on the Island
Around Adventure Bay are a number of memorials
including one to the early explorers in the
shape of a square rigged ship, a memorial to
Captain Furneaux (opposite the caravan park) and
a Bicentennial Memorial to Cook which is near
the far end of the road around Adventure Bay.
Labillardiere State Reserve
But, for all its history, it is the natural
beauty of Bruny Island which is really
captivating. The beaches are impossibly white,
the waters (on a clear day) are wonderfully
blue, and the road winds from one bay to the
next.
The Labillardiere State Reserve on South
Bruny has been listed by the National Estate.
The listing gives an indication of the appeal of
the area 'Labillardiere carries a diverse
selection of its vegetation, including
structures of open forest, eucalypt woodland,
open woodland, scrub/heath associations,
shrubland, open shrubland, hummock grassland,
herbland and closed herbland. Wildflowers grow
in great profusion and giant trees thrive in the
forests...It provides a representation of
southern Tasmanian flora and fauna in a largely
pristine condition.'
