(Tasmania's "Treasure Island")
Discovered by Abel Tasman in 1642 and later
visited by
Furneaux,
Cook,
Bruni d'Entrecasteaux,
Bass,
Flinders
and
Bligh, Bruny Island lies to the south of Hobart, Tasmania and is separated
from the Tasmanian mainland by the D'Entrecasteaux Channel or simply, "The
Channel", which provides a large, sheltered, waterway some 60 kms long
with many bays, islands and inlets to explore and fish.
Bruny consists
of two islands, very different in character, which are joined by a narrow
isthmus, "The Neck". North Bruny is drier and is well
suited to sheep farming whilst South Bruny is more mountainous and
has large areas of rain forest in addition to sandy heath. Both
islands have spectacular scenery with wonderful, deserted beaches and abundant
wildlife.
Bruny Island is well known for its
Penguins. These appear each evening throughout the breeding season at the
rookery known as The
Neck. During the summer months a warden supervises the area and plenty of "interpretative"
information is available. An sunset visit to see the Penguins is well worth the effort.
In the past, the
timber industry was predominant with many of Bruny's huge trees being milled and
exported to both mainland Australia and Europe. Later, there was a
sandstone quarry which exported its products mainly to Victoria. Melbourne
GPO and several other public buildings were in fact built from Bruny
'freestone'. Agriculture has always been important and the original
settlers had to be quite self-sufficient until more recent times and the advent
of the ferry service which replaced the old 'Channel Boats'. The first
apple trees in Australia were planted in Adventure Bay by Captain Bligh, (of the
Mutiny on the Bounty fame), and for many years the orchard industries were employing many of the locals.
The 'Black Devil' cherry farm on North Bruny employs many on a seasonal basis. Fishing
too has always been a local activity with wonderful scallops, oysters,
mussels, abalone and crayfish in abundance together with a large variety
of scale-fish.
Today, very
little of the old industries remain and although there are still huge
tracts of State Forest and National Parks, there are only two small sawmills
in operation. Farming too, has diminished, although many of the inhabitants
still have a few sheep and cows. Aquaculture, particularly with oysters,
mussels and Atlantic salmon, has been steadily growing and 'ocean fresh
produce' may be obtained locally.
The population
has remained steady at approx. 600 residents although there is a large
shack-owner population who visit the island on a regular basis.
Bruny is fast
becoming a mecca for visitors, particularly from interstate and overseas,
and has become a holiday escape for the people of Hobart, which lies about
1 hour away by road and ferry. Consequently, there has been an increase
in the number of holiday venues catering for families, groups and
the budget conscious.
Explore and
visit our treasures as did the adventurers of old. Romance, wildlife,
history, beaches, Bruny Island has it all! |
