Bruny Island and Freycinet -Tasmania

[VPS]

Any suggestions for things to do on Bruny Island - still trying to work out which hire car company to use - anybody any suggestions for that

Anybody done the boat tour in Freycinet and Bruny and suggestions about which one might be the best

Thanks in advance

 

[RooFlyer]

Haven't done Bruny for years. you might be thinking of Pennicott Wilderness Cruises? Well regarded.

Freycinet - there are a number of boat options. I did the jet boat zoom around Schouten Island ex Sapphire - It was either 600 or 900hp of magic!

The main cruise is Wineglass Bay cruises; again, haven't done it for many years but very highly regarded. Why not sail? Sail Freycinet has yacht cruises all around.

You won't go too far wrong with any of the above. Weather should be a consideration though. I think they all will cancel if it gets too rough.

For information on Freycinet generally, go here.

Any of the hire companies would be OK. Book early for summer!!

 

[drron]

Loved Bruny Island.Food is fantastic.Bruny Island smokehouse,Bruny Island oysters and Bruny Island cheeses-one of the only places you can get a cheese made from unpasteurised milk.Pubs had very good meals.The adventure cruise as mentioned by Roo Flyer was great but weather and swell can be a problem if a tendency to sea sickness but just spectacular.
Freycinet.Can recommend the Wineglas Bay cruise.Dont miss the Freycinet Marine farm.Rustic but just great shellfish.
Freycinet Marine Farm

I did a TR with Tassie in the first 20 posts including our trip to Bruny Island-
http://www.australianfrequentflyer....ip-photos/bass-strait-to-black-sea-40761.html

PS most of the major hire companies don't allow you to take the car to Bruny yet you do see a lot there.We used Bargain car rentals and our experience put on trip advisor-
My experience with Bargain Car Rentals - Tasmania Forum - TripAdvisor

 

[irv]

If you are only going to do the Pennicott tours drive to Kettering and get the mini bus. From memory there are issues taking a hire car over in case of problems with the car. The tour around the island is highly recommended, we had a ball. Depending on conditions you venture out into the Tasman sea and visit a seal colony, as the guide said "If you don't like the smell breathe through your mouth then you can taste it as well" But seriously the views from the boat are spectacular, cliffs, arches and caves, only tip is don't sit in the front of the boat unless you like getting wet. The dolphin pods in Adventure Bay are also a great experience. Didn't do the Freycinet one, so can't comment, but what a spectacular part of Australia.

No matter what you decide I am sure you will enjoy.

 

[VPS]

Thanks for all the advice - think I can use my Avis booking if I notify them I'm going to Bruny but they won't guarantee they will help in under 48 hours - I'm sure there are worse places to be stranded - Bargain car rentals aren't that much cheaper

 

[JohnM]

Thanks for all the advice - think I can use my Avis booking if I notify them I'm going to Bruny but they won't guarantee they will help in under 48 hours - I'm sure there are worse places to be stranded - Bargain car rentals aren't that much cheaper

I've taken an Avis car to Bruny Island but I had to contact the Avis pick-up depot in HBA to have them send a special agreement they have about Bruny for me to agree to and sign in advance. That is the slight hassle IIRC because you have to find the direct number for the particular depot; calling the main Avis 1300 number is no use. Make your booking online, then find their office number and call to arrange the waiver. As you say, it's to do with the roadside service.

The jet boat cruise is not to be missed.

 

[Flying mermaid]

Any suggestions for things to do on Bruny Island - still trying to work out which hire car company to use - anybody any suggestions for that

Anybody done the boat tour in Freycinet and Bruny and suggestions about which one might be the best

Thanks in advance

Eat? We were in Bruny in January - hired a car in Hobart, probably Hertz but not sure. They did make a bit of a thing about not covered for unsealed roads or something like that, but otherwise no issues. There are two fabulous places to eat - Get Shucked for Oysters and Bruny Island Cheese - really nice. Bruny Island Hotel also does nice meals but book in advance as it can get crowded (although maybe not at this time of year). We didn't do the boat, but a friend did it last year and said it was worth it. You can drive round the island in a couple of days. The north island part was pretty and definitely worth going to look at the coast at the top - Deness Point. South was wilder and prettier. Cloudy Bay down South was particularly scenic. There is also a Lighthouse right down south - Cape Bruny I think it was that was worth a visit. Plenty of nice walks to do as well - we did one around Cape Queen Elizabeth that was easy and really worth it for the views. I think the penguins are gone now - there were only a few left when we saw them in January, as the breeding season was nearly finished. We saw plenty of White wallabies around Adventure Bay.

 

[moa999]

Also if doing MONA from Hobart, recommend the $50 return posh pit ferry.

Champagne, Beer, Wine and Canapes included both ways - whilst its only a 25min journey pretty easy to get good value versus the $20 pleb class / bus / drive yourself.

 

[Flying mermaid]

Also if doing MONA from Hobart, recommend the $50 return posh pit ferry.

Champagne, Beer, Wine and Canapes included both ways - whilst its only a 25min journey pretty easy to get good value versus the $20 pleb class / bus / drive yourself.

Totally agree - it was definitely worth the extra .

 

[VPS]

Thanks all for the feedback and just for reference - I did use Avis and they were fine - signed the form to say they may not be able to get there for 24 hours if there was an issue (and there wasn't)

Went to Coles Bay and did the Wineglass Bay cruise - couldn't recommend it highly enough - the staff were polite, professional and I have never seen so many dolphins - just loved it. Sadly the accommodation I chose in Coles Bay didn't match the cruise

Bruny Island - loved it - stayed at the Blackwood studio and would strongly recommend that - beautiful - didn't enjoy the Bruny Island cruise as much as Wineglass Bay because the weather was pretty miserable - if you sat outside to get a decent view you got drenched and if you went into the middle you couldn't see much -

Some of the roads on Bruny aren't great but they are even worse at night and there wasn't anything open at night except the Bruny Island pub and the rain and the kangaroos put me off driving at night - there has to be a sales opportunity at the stores at Adventure Bay and Alonnah to sell ready prepared meals that you can heat up in the microwave -

 

[RooFlyer]

I'd be interested to know which accommodation at Coles Bay wasn't satisfactory (and why, if you don't mind).

 

[drron]

You should have gone to Bruny Island Smokehouse.They have things such as prepackaged marinated Quail.Reheat in boiling water or microwave.We could cook the veggies but a meal of Bruny Island oysters,Bruny smokehouse quail and Bruny cheese isn't too bad.

 

[VPS]

You should have gone to Bruny Island Smokehouse.They have things such as prepackaged marinated Quail.Reheat in boiling water or microwave.We could cook the veggies but a meal of Bruny Island oysters,Bruny smokehouse quail and Bruny cheese isn't too bad.

Ahh - I'm not a whisky drinker so didn't realise they did things other than whisky - must have skipped over it when reading about - did buy some cheese - the Tom cheddar was fantastic

 

[VPS]

I'd be interested to know which accommodation at Coles Bay wasn't satisfactory (and why, if you don't mind).

Warrakilla, a Coles Bay Apartment | Stayz I stayed here and it was adequate but just very basic and completely lacking in any real comfort or character - I don't normally feel the cold but I just couldn't get warm - no electric blanket and the heater was useless (I note he has replaced the aircon since) - the bathroom was just damp all the time - a heater or heated towel rails would have been better - I did send him a long email when I got back with some comments and suggestions and got a response that suggested he took it all seriously - he had just taken it over but I think he should have stayed there before he rented it out

 

[drron]

Well you have always got to check.The original Bruny Island Smokehouse café has closed I found out when trying to get a link.But the Whisky bar does indeed stock all their products.