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Bruny Island

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South Eastern Tasmania with Bruny Island highlighted.

Bruny Island (43°25′S 147°05′E / 43.417°S 147.083°E / -43.417; 147.083) 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.

Geography

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, Alonnah being considered the 'capital' of Bruny Island.

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.

History

Bruny Island was originally inhabited by the Aborigines until European arrival. Abel Tasman made a landing in the vicinity of the 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 1777 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.[1]

Tourism

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.

There is a range of accommodation and tourism providers on Bruny Island, including accredited properties, 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 [2]. Pennicott and his company Bruny Island Charters are also the founders of the Tasmanian Coast Conservation Fund in partnership with Tasman Island Cruises and WILDCARE Inc. [3]

Inala Nature Tours, founded by Dr Tonia Cochran have been operating personalised tours since 1994. Dr Cochran, a professional biologist, has worked on a wide range of projects on Australian flora and fauna and uses her knowledge by offering a specialised experience of the natural beauty, tranquility and diversity of the island. [4]

The Cape Bruny Lighthouse (1838) is an iconic Australian lighthouse and was the oldest continuous lighthouse under operation by the Commonwealth. Now out of service, it has been transferred to the Tasmanian Government and is part of the Labillardiere National Park. [5]

Businesses on the island have also achieved recognition at a state level with Bruny Island Charters being recognised in two categories at the Tasmanian Tourism Awards 2006 [6] and Explorers Cottages winning the accommodation category at the 2007 Awards presented on November 2. [7]

Townships

Rock formation off the coast of Bruny Island.

The main areas of Bruny Island include:

The island is also home to the South Bruny National Park.

References

  1. ^ Bruce Elder, "Rock of Ages", Sydney Morning Herald, 13 February 1999
  2. ^ In The Know - The Australian (24th Feb, 2007)
  3. ^ "New conservation fund for popular wilderness areas". ABC News. Retrieved 2008-01-04.
  4. ^ Cochran, Tonia. "About INALA". INALA Bruny. Retrieved 2007-12-13.
  5. ^ "Cape Bruny Lighthouse". Lighthouses of Australia. Retrieved 2007-11-08.
  6. ^ "Tourism Award Winners 2006" (PDF). Tourism Industry Council of Tasmania. Retrieved 2007-10-08.
  7. ^ "Events". Tourism Industry Council of Tasmania. Retrieved 2007-11-05.

The following pages (in alphabetical order) contain information on Bruny Island.

43°24′S 147°16′E / 43.400°S 147.267°E / -43.400; 147.267

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