Bruny Island Day Tour: Lighthouse, Tastings & National Park

Ten hours on Bruny Island with a local guide, oysters at dawn, and a lighthouse built in 1836

A full-day guided tour of Bruny Island departing Hobart at 7am, with hotel pickup and return, includes South Bruny National Park entry, a 30-minute guided tour of Cape Bruny Lighthouse (heritage-listed, built 1836), beachside morning tea with Get Shucked oysters and three cheeses, one-course lunch at Hotel Bruny overlooking Sunset Beach, and tastings at Bruny Island Chocolate Company, Bruny Island Honey and a cheese shop. The guide is a local Tasmanian who leads the full day; the tour runs in an air-conditioned bus with ferry crossings included. Maximum 20 guests per departure. Children under 5 cannot climb the lighthouse stairs but can visit the museum at the base.

Step-by-step itinerary

Bruny Island full-day sightseeing tour

• Pickup from Hobart hotel or meeting point
• Ferry crossing from Kettering to Bruny Island
• Morning tea on the beach with oysters and cheese
• Visit historic Bruny Island exploration site
• Search for Bennett's white wallaby
• Scenic drive through Mount Mangana rainforest
• Visit South Bruny National Park
• Guided tour of Cape Bruny Lighthouse
• One-course lunch overlooking Sunset Beach
• Private chocolate and fudge tasting
• Honey tasting and shop visit
• Cheese tasting and shop visit
• Visit The Neck and Truganini Lookout
• Return ferry crossing to Kettering
• Return to Hobart hotel or meeting point

The Experience

The day starts with pickup from your Hobart hotel or one of over 20 meeting points across the city and surrounds at 7am, then a short ferry crossing to Bruny Island. Before the main sightseeing begins, the guide sets up morning tea on the beach at Two Tree Point: Get Shucked oysters freshly opened, three types of Bruny Island cheese, freshly baked bread, tea and coffee. From there the tour moves through the island's temperate rainforest on the slopes of Mount Mangana, with stops for wildlife spotting — Bennett's white wallaby, an albino species unique to Bruny Island, though sightings are not guaranteed — and scenic lookouts including the Truganini Lookout at The Neck, where you can choose between 279 stairs to the top, a mid-level option, or a flat boardwalk to the beach.

The centerpiece is a 30-minute guided tour of Cape Bruny Lighthouse, built in 1836 and heritage-listed. You climb 72 steps with a handrail to the balcony for views across the Southern Ocean and the cape; the original lens from 1903 is still on site. The Cape Bruny Lighthouse Museum is included for all guests. South Bruny National Park entry is built into the day, and lunch comes at Hotel Bruny overlooking Sunset Beach — one course of local Bruny Island and Tasmanian produce, with gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian options available. After lunch, the tour includes private tastings at Bruny Island Chocolate Company (chocolate and fudge, exclusive to your group), Bruny Island Honey, and a cheese shop visit. The return ferry crossing and drop-off at your Hobart hotel happens around 5:00 to 5:30pm.

The guide is a local Tasmanian who leads the full day and shares stories about the island's history and landscape. Audio commentary in multiple languages is available via the Day Tours Tasmania App if you pre-download it and bring headphones. The tour runs in an air-conditioned bus, so it is not a cruise or boat tour — the ferry crossings are included, but the main transport is by road. Bring warm layers and a rain jacket even in summer, as Bruny Island is often cooler than Hobart, and wear comfortable closed-toe walking shoes. A small day bag or backpack works; suitcases and large bags cannot fit on the bus. Water is available on the bus for refills throughout the day.

What’s included

• Morning tea on the beach with Get Shucked oysters, three types of Bruny Island cheese, freshly baked bread, tea and coffee.
• hotel pickup and drop-off from over 20 locations across Hobart and surrounds.
• return ferry fares between Kettering and Bruny Island.
• South Bruny National Park entry.
• a 30-minute guided tour of Cape Bruny Lighthouse with museum access.
• one-course lunch at Hotel Bruny overlooking Sunset Beach with local produce.
• private chocolate and fudge tasting at Bruny Island Chocolate Company.
• honey tastings and shop visit at Bruny Island Honey.
• cheese tastings and shop visit.
• a full-day local Tasmanian guide.
• audio commentary in multiple languages via the Day Tours Tasmania App (pre-download required, bring headphones).

Good to know

Easy physical levelPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Bruny Island Safaris

Is this one for you?Choose this tour if you want a full-day itinerary that combines lighthouse access, multiple lookouts, and food tastings in one guided sequence starting from Hobart at 7am.

Traveler reviews

4.83★★★★★★★★★★

3,179 verified traveler reviews

5 ★2,766

4 ★318

3 ★66

2 ★18

1 ★11

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What is Cape Bruny Lighthouse like when you get there?

Cape Bruny Lighthouse is a heritage-listed structure built in 1836 with the original 1903 lens still inside. The guided tour lasts 30 minutes and includes climbing 72 steps with a handrail to a balcony overlooking the Southern Ocean and the cape. The museum at the base is included for all guests; children under 5 cannot climb the stairs but can visit the museum and walk around the base under adult supervision.

Can I see wildlife on this tour?

The tour includes stops to search for Bennett's white wallaby, an albino wallaby species unique to Bruny Island, though sightings are not guaranteed. The day also passes through temperate rainforest and includes scenic lookouts where you may encounter other island wildlife.

What food and drink are included in the day?

Morning tea on the beach includes Get Shucked oysters (freshly shucked), three types of Bruny Island cheese, freshly baked bread, tea and coffee. Lunch is one course at Hotel Bruny overlooking Sunset Beach with local Bruny Island and Tasmanian produce. Tastings are included at Bruny Island Chocolate Company (chocolate and fudge), Bruny Island Honey, and a cheese shop. Beverages at meals are not included, though water is available on the bus for refills throughout the day. Gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian options are available at lunch and gluten-free biscuits at morning tea if noted at booking.

What time does the tour depart and return?

The tour departs Hobart at 7am from the main meeting point; pickup from other locations across Hobart and surrounds may be earlier. Return to your hotel or meeting point is approximately 5:00 to 5:30pm, making it a 10-hour day.

How many people travel on this tour?

The maximum is 20 guests per tour bus. The chocolate and fudge tasting at Bruny Island Chocolate Company is private to your group.

What should I bring and wear?

Wear comfortable closed-toe walking shoes and bring warm layers and a rain jacket even in summer, as Bruny Island is often cooler than Hobart. Bring a small day bag or backpack; suitcases and large bags cannot be accommodated on the bus. A reusable water bottle is useful, though water is available on the bus for refills.