Not sure where to stay on Bruny Island? From tiny houses to romantic retreats, we’ve lined up the best of the bunch on this Tassie escape.

While no one would describe the Tasmanian capital of Hobart as stressful – except, perhaps, during the more hedonistic delights of Dark Mofo – there comes a time on a Tasmanian trip when you might feel the need to get away from it all. Enter Bruny Island.

Known as Lunawanna-Alonnah to the Aboriginal people of the region, this remote-feeling island is just a short ferry ride away from Kettering, south of Hobart. This makes it the ideal place to slip away to for a few days to sleep, hike and feast. Here’s where to stay when you get there.

Bruny Island luxury accommodation

From oysters to indulgent creamy cheeses and rich ciders, Bruny Island has naturally luxurious experiences in spades. Simply turn it up a notch with these getaways.

1. Adventure Bay Retreat

Wander the bushland grounds in search of the famous white wallabies (one of the top things to do while you’re visiting Bruny) when you book into the cosy Adventure Bay Retreat.

Consisting of three separate, self-contained dwellings – a lodge suitable for families or groups, and a cottage and studio aimed at couples – Adventure Bay Retreat showcases beautiful attention to detail, with a warm, homely feel. Think leather couches, timber floors, crackling fireplaces, a bath or spa, and a private deck and barbecue. The beach is at the end of the road.

Address: 49 Hayes Road, Adventure Bay, Bruny Island

2. Cloudy Bay Beach House

If you love the idea of remote luxury, the Cloudy Bay Beach House will whisk you away to a quiet patch of beach where you can enjoy total seclusion. Rolling waves can be viewed through floor-to-ceiling glass walls in the ridiculously large living room and master bedroom, and, on a clear night, you can sit in the lounge or on the private deck and watch the sky twinkle with a million stars. This home-style accommodation has a fully decked-out kitchen and three bedrooms, each with its own bathroom, to comfortably accommodate six people.

Note, you’ll have to trek along a private boardwalk through coastal foliage to reach the beach.

Address: 927 Cloudy Bay Rd, South Bruny

3. Free Spirit Pods 

If you want to stoke the flames of romance, book a few days to unwind at Free Spirit Pods. Offering a set of open-plan eco-pods overlooking the stunning waterfront of Quarantine Bay, the owners here can provide you with everything you didn’t know you’d need. This includes providing local provisions to assist your self-catering efforts (though, you’re advised to stock up on food before you arrive – the beauty of such seclusion means you won’t be close to any shops) and letting you in on where to spot the friendly, and oh-so-cute, pademelons that visit every evening. Want to explore further? The nearby Quarantine Station is one of our favourite experiences on Bruny Island.

Address: Davis Rd, North Bruny

4. Hundred Acre Hideaway

A private escape with all the trimmings, very much aimed at the adult market, Hundred Acre Hideaway comprises two ‘hideaways’ overlooking Cloudy Bay, home to the Bruny Island Classic surfing competition. After popping into Bruny Island Premium Wines to pick up a bottle or two, drive up to Mount Mangana, where you will be staying (note, Coolangatta Road, which cuts across the middle of South Bruny can be rough, so take the Bruny Island Main Road for a smoother drive).

Highlights of this romantic off-grid stay include the option to order a breakfast hamper stuffed with local produce and freshly baked bread, sip local wine on the deck and relax in the timber-lined outdoor hot tub. This will be filled to the brim with mountain water, perfect for a peaceful nighttime soak while looking for the Aurora Australis.

Address: 911 Coolangatta Road, Lunawanna

Bruny Island camping and caravan parks

Bruny Island is blessed with some of Australia’s most beautiful scenery, making it a top location to bring the tent, campervan or motorhome. If you’re after an affordable accommodation option, rest assured there’s plenty on offer for campers at Bruny Island.

5. Captain Cook Caravan Park

If you want something with more than the bare-bone facilities offered in some of the cheaper sites, try out the Captain Cook Caravan Park at Adventure Bay. Pet-friendly and great for campervans, this Bruny Island campground has all the amenities to make your stay that much more comfortable. There’s a laundry and a camp kitchen for cook-ups, as well as accessible cabins, powered and unpowered sites and villas. The best bit? You’ll be directly across the road from the beach.

Address: 786 Adventure Bay Road, Adventure Bay

6. Camping at Bruny Island

Camping at Bruny Island is located on 50 acres of secluded bushland in Cloudy Bay, right near the beach. You can choose from three campsites – Lagoon Point, Beach Side or the private Bush Nooks tucked away in the forest.

Campsite amenities include powered and unpowered sites, communal shelters with built-in BBQs, camp showers and flush toilets. You’ll need to bring your own drinking water and firewood.

Address: Lighthouse Rd, South Bruny

7. The Pines Campsite

Also at Cloudy Bay is the free Pines campground, which serves campers on a first-in best-dressed basis. The Pines is a small roadside site, close to the northern end of the bay, popular with surfers. The site includes pit toilets, and you’ll need to supply your own water and firewood.

Address: Cloudy Bay Rd, South Bruny

8. Cloudy Corner Campground

Cloudy Corner is a larger site than the Pines and is closer to the southern end of the bay, where you can hop in your cossie for a swim. Like Jetty Beach and The Neck, this campground will set you back $10. You will need to get behind the wheel of a 4WD to get here though, as the site is reached via a 3-kilometre drive along the beach, only accessible at low tide.

Address: Unmarked road, South Bruny

9. Jetty Beach

For $10 you can camp amongst the trees, just under 10 minutes’ drive from the southerly Bruny Island lighthouse. A quiet, beachside campsite, Jetty Beach has pit toilets, wood barbecues, and campfire areas. No booking is needed.

Oh, and don’t forget your swimmers for a paddle with the kids at the sheltered beach that is here, too. Found at the end of a short, downhill track and surrounded by forest, this quiet patch of beach is simply stunning.

Address: Old Jetty Rd, South Bruny

10. The Neck Reserve Camping Area

Want to see the famous fairy penguins at The Neck? Between Bruny’s north and south islands, this narrow isthmus is where you’ll find the Neck Reserve, where these little critters live. If you time your trip right (generally between July and March), you’ll be able to watch them return to their nests after a day out, before you retire to your own bed. Unpowered $10 sites are available. Make sure to bring your own water.

Address: 3003 Bruny Island Main Rd, South Bruny

Bruny Island Airbnbs, cabins and holiday homes

Want your own kitchen to cook up all the culinary delights of Bruny Island or a quiet spot to relax in solitude? Book one of these homes away from home.

11. Bruny Island Hideaway

Go off the grid with this architecturally designed, minimalist tiny home, located in a patch of conservation bushland near the township of Allonah. This Scandi-style house, lined with Baltic pine, is perfect for a couple looking for a romantic getaway, with its outdoor bath on the deck, furnished library and crackling fire. The road leading to the property can be rough and uneven, so a high-clearance vehicle is recommended.

Address: Musketts Rd, Allonah

12. Loma Cottages

Loma Cottages are a series of freestanding, one or two-bedroom red cabins (some with kitchen facilities), located up a gravel driveway close to Little Taylor’s Bay. You’ll be tucked amongst the trees, within walking distance to the beach, and it’s a three-minute drive to Bruny Island Premium Wines. There’s also a BBQ and picnic area on-site if you’d rather stay in.

Address: 72 Cemetery Road, Lunawanna

13. Bruny Island Pier House

Arrive by boat (or car) at this remote, rather special holiday home at Little Taylors Bay on South Bruny. As the name would suggest, a pier stretches out into the waters to welcome you (although you can take a scenic drive if you wish). There’s space for six at the Pier House, plenty for you all to spend the evening out on the decking that overlooks Huon Island and Hartz Mountain National Park with some mulled cider.

Address: 50 Lighthouse Rd, South Bruny

14. 43 degrees

The adults-only 43 degrees is a boutique, environmentally friendly offering, marked by its unmistakable domed cabins fronted by floor-to-ceiling windows. The apartments at this Adventure Bay Beach accommodation are powered by grid-connected solar and have a 6+ star energy rating, and both the larger spa suite apartments and studio spa apartments are lined with timber to create a cosy feel. Both have private decks, spa baths and kitchenettes. Breakfast is complimentary and the beach is right across the road.

Address: 1 Lumeah Road, Adventure Bay

15. Inala Nature Reserve cottages

The Inala Nature Reserve has two cottages on its 1500-acre property (plus one off-site at Micky’s Bay), where you’ll be surrounded by some of Tasmania’s most incredible birdlife. As a guest, you’ll be free to wander the property and look for birds like the endangered forty-spotted pardalote from a dedicated viewing platform, enter the raptor hide, where you might see a bird of prey feasting on roadkill, browse the small nature museum, and wander the Jurassic Garden, which is home to many rare and endemic plants.

Address: 320 Cloudy Bay Road, Lunawanna

Bruny Island Hotels

Hotels are limited on Bruny Island, but there is a hotel option for those who want to make their trip across the D’Entrecasteaux Channel extra easy-breezy.

16. Bruny Island Escapes and Hotel Bruny

Attached to the popular pub Hotel Bruny, Bruny Island Escapes and Hotel Bruny in Alonnah doesn’t just stop at a mean plate of seafood chowder. They also have 27 rooms on offer, with various configurations (including studios, a three-bedroom bungalow and lodge rooms with a kitchenette and private deck), and some rooms have beautiful sea views.

Address: 3959 Bruny Island Main Rd, Alonnah

This article was originally written by Kate Bettes with updates by Emily Mcauliffe.

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