Walk Bruny Island & Tasmania’s South Coast – 6 days
Discover the rugged beauty of Bruny Island on a hiking tour. Lace up your hiking boots and make the most of the walking trails and tracks at South Bruny National Park. Explore the beautiful coastline near Adventure Bay and take on the cliff top section of the trail surrounding South Cape Bay for sweeping views and wildlife-spotting opportunities.
Trip overview
- Start – Hobart, Australia
- Finish – Hobart, Australia
- Destinations – Australia
- Physical rating – 3/5
- Group size – Max 12
- This is the ultimate in low impact, local travel, supporting regional communities and getting right to the heart of the landscape on two feet.
- There’s no need for a map or GPS on this walking trip – with an expert local leader that knows the area inside-out, all you have to do is enjoy the journey.
- Escape the everyday, get active, and take the time to reconnect with nature in one of Australia’s – and the world’s – most beautiful coastal regions.
- The only thing better than the landscapes and wildlife you’ll see are the conversations you’ll have along the way, whether it’s the insights from your leader or stories from the group.
- Find a slice of paradise in your own backyard along the Cape Queen Elizabeth walk, Labillardiere Peninsula, Fluted Cape track and on a hike to the top of Hartz Peak.
- This trip involves plenty of walking over varied terrain and is best suited to travellers with a good level of mobility. Good footwear, clothing for all types of Tasmanian weather, plus perhaps walking poles are recommended. Details on physical activities can be found in the itinerary.
- This trip is operated and run by Inspiration Outdoors, a partner company. You will be travelling with a mixture of both Inspiration Outdoors customers and our customers. We work closely with Inspiration Outdoors to ensure that all of our customers enjoy their time in Tasmania.
Itinerary
Welcome to your unique walking adventure in the beautiful surrounds of Tasmania (lutruwita), the traditional land of the palawa (Tasmanian Aboriginal) people. Your adventure begins in Hobart (nipaluna in the language of the muwinina and palawa peoples, who are the traditional owners of the land on which Hobart is now located). You may like to take a trip to the summit of kunyanyi (Mount Wellington) for spectacular, sprawling views of the city and southern Tasmania. Grab lunch at one of the fish and chip punts along the Hobart waterfront, where local fishermen, sailors and travellers have gathered for more than 200 years, or simply go for a stroll and enjoy the fresh sea air. After the welcome meeting, join your group for an included dinner at your hotel’s restaurant.
It’s very important that you meet the group at 6pm tonight to begin your tour. Find more details in the ‘Joining Point Instructions’ section of your Essential Trip Information.
Set off for the 30 minute drive to Kettering where the Bruny Island vehicle ferry leaves from and let the adventures begin. The Cape Queen Elizabeth walk is the perfect introduction to Bruny Island’s white sand beaches and headlands, with spectacular views of The Neck (the isthmus between North and South Bruny Island) and Adventure Bay to capture your attention along the way. Miles Beach features dramatic rock formations which offer excellent photo opportunities. If the tide is low enough, you may be able to take the shorter and more exciting route around the coast below Mars Bluff. After the walk, it’s a short drive to your comfortable accommodation for the night.
Today’s total driving time is approximately 1.5 hours. The Cape Queen Elizabeth walk is a Grade 3 (moderate) 14km walk, taking around 4 hours. For the next two nights you will be staying in two bedroom houses, with shared bathroom facilities, kitchens and communal areas. One of the houses will be used as the main meal house, where we come together for our breakfast.
A favourite with local hikers, today’s Labillardiere Peninsula walk is regarded as one of the 60 Great Short Walks in Tasmania. This popular and varied walk is located in one of the more remote corners of Bruny Island. There are enough ups and downs to keep things interesting, but it’s not too hard and there will be plenty of time to take breaks along the way. Highlights include views of the rugged southern ranges, rocky beaches, Partridge Island and birdlife such as sea eagles, bronze-cuckoos and black cockatoos. A dense forest track running perpendicular to the coastline is a grand finale to this moderate and diverse walk.
The Labillardiere Peninsula walk is an 18km Grade 4 (challenging) loop walk, taking around 6 hours to complete.
The incredible coastal views from the top of the occasionally steep Fluted Capes track make this walk particularly worthwhile. If you have a fear of heights, we can coach you along the cliff-tops, or you can take the alternative ‘back’ route which avoids the cliff tops (and therefore also the spectacular views). Highlights include eucalypt forests filled with towering blue gums, sparkling ocean views and a historic stop at Grass Point which was used as a whaling area in the early 1800s. Take in the ever-changing scenery from the top of dolerite cliffs, including distant views of the Tasman Peninsula and Cape Pillar before taking the path inland and back to the bus. From here, you will drive to the ferry and depart Bruny for your hotel on the mainland at Dover.
The Fluted Cape walk consists of a Grade 2 (easy) first section, followed by a Grade 4 (challenging) loop for a total of 6km and around 3 hours of walking. Today’s drive time from Bruny Island to Dover is about 2.5 hours, plus the wait time for the ferry (could be anywhere from 10-40 minutes). The cottages for the next two nights each contain 2-3 bedrooms with a kitchen, living room and a bathroom shared by all rooms. Similar to Bruny Island, we will come together in one of the houses for our breakfast.
The cliff top section of today’s trail in wild southern Tasmania is impressively remote and hauntingly beautiful, standing in stark contrast to the lush forest nearby. Incredible views of South Cape, Lion Rock and the turbulent ocean await but first you have to get here. Today’s walk is part of the South Coast Track, a challenging eight-day hike that is only suitable for experienced hikers. Accompanied by your expert leader, you’ll enjoy an easier section of this famous trail, which includes flat board-walks across marshlands surrounded by lovely coastal heathland. When you reach the beach, soak up the scenery while enjoying your lunch, before making your way back to the bus.
The South Cape Bay walk is a Grade 3 (moderate) 15.4km return walk, taking around 4 hours.
Hartz Mountains National Park beckons for a walk to the summit of Hartz Peak. There’s timber boarding in some sections to make this hike easier and terrific views of Mt Wellington and the D’Entrecasteaux Channel. Take a quick detour to see Lake Esperance before you reach Ladies Tarn with Hartz Peak on your left. After a final climb over rocky scree, you’ll see the summit and, if the weather is clear, fantastic views in every direction. After returning to the bus, it is short drive back to Hobart where your hiking adventure comes to an end at around 5pm.
The walk to Hartz Peak is a Grade 4 (challenging) 7.4km return walk, taking 3-5 hours and includes a 400m climb in elevation. As the peak is 1254m high, it is subject to severe weather. Walkers should be aware of the forecast and have good all-weather clothing. Low visibility and slippery surfaces in wet weather make the steep, rocky climb to the saddle and the partially-marked, uneven trail to the summit more risky, and your leader may choose to shorten the walk and/or offer an alternative. No accommodation is provided in Hobart this evening. If you wish to spend longer in the city, please talk to your booking agent who can arrange additional accommodation for you (dependent on availability).
Inclusions
- Bruny Island – Cape Queen Elizabeth walk
- Bruny Island – Labillardiere Peninsula walk
- Bruny Island – Grass Point & Fluted Cape walk
- Southwest National Park – South Cape Bay walk
- Hartz Mountains National Park – Hartz Peak walk
