Bruny Island Birding & Wildlife Tour, Tasmania

A comprehensive tour of all of Bruny’s flora, fauna, history and food highlights. All 12 of Tasmania’s endemic bird species. Night tours to visit penguin rookery and search for nocturnal birds and mammals.

The best of Bruny’s plants, birds and animals whilst combining this with local Tassie produce. This relaxed tour will use the 1,500 acre Inala property as our base. The tour is all inclusive of food and beverages (featuring lots of delicious local Bruny produce) and includes transfers from and to Hobart

AT A GLANCE

Activity Level

Easy to moderate

Group Size

Minimum 4, maximum 6 guests

ITINERARY

Day 1: Hobart to Bruny Island

This morning at 08:30 we will meet our guide at Hobart’s waterfront to head out on our adventure. We shall make our way down the Channel towards Bruny Island with the opportunity to stop at some lovely locations along the way depending on the weather and the interests/wishes of the group. Situated 40km south of Hobart, Bruny Island is separated from the Tasmanian mainland by the D’Entrecasteaux Channel and accessed by a vehicle ferry. The ferry trip takes approximately 15 minutes where one can enjoy some wonderful scenery. 

A picnic lunch of local Tasmanian and Bruny produce will be provided and enjoyed in a beautiful location.

This afternoon we will visit Bruny’s southern coastline to view the second oldest lighthouse in Australia, and search for species such as tawny-crowned honeyeater, olive whistler and yellow-tailed black-cockatoo. Here we also have a chance to see the Tasmanian subspecies of short-beaked echidna, one of Australia’s two egg-laying mammal (monotreme) species

Accommodation: Cottages on the Inala property, South Bruny Island 

Lunch and dinner provided.

Day 2: Inala Private Reserve

After a generous breakfast comprised of fresh local produce, the day will begin with a walk around the Inala Private Reserve, a 1,500 acre (600 ha) Land for Wildlife property which is home to a variety of threatened species and all 12 Tasmanian endemic birds. View at close range the endangered Tasmanian endemic forty-spotted pardalote from the purpose-built canopy platform within one of its largest known colonies, raptors such as the Tasmanian subspecies of the wedge-tailed eagle and the white morph of the grey goshawk from the raptor hide and learn of the conservation efforts to protect these species and their habitats.

We will then explore further afield, travelling to historic and scenically beautiful Adventure Bay to explore the beautiful beaches, and cool temperate rainforests containing some Gondwanan and Tasmanian endemic flora. Stroll along the shore in search of hooded plovers, white-bellied sea-eagles, kelp and Pacific gulls and, if we are lucky, humpback whales, dolphins, shy albatross, and rafts of thousands of short-tailed shearwaters. We will also be looking for the uncommon white colour form of the red-necked wallaby for which Bruny has become famous

After a delicious lunch, we will visit the site of collection of the first botanical specimens of the genus Eucalyptus, learn about the ecology of wet eucalyptus forest and the relationship between eucalypts and cool temperate rainforest, and stroll along a streamside reserve lined with giant tree-ferns while searching for the elusive Tasmanian endemic small-brown-birds: scrubtit, Tasmanian scrubwren and Tasmanian thornbill, as well as the striking pink robin.

We will return to the Inala Reserve in the late afternoon, so that you can settle into your cottage and freshen up before a BBQ dinner at Inala comprised of fresh local produce.

Accommodation: Cottages on the Inala property, South Bruny Island

Breakfast, lunch and dinner provided.

Day 3: Return to Hobart

After breakfast, we will spend another day on Bruny Island. Activities today include a walk to some lagoons and a fantastic stone arch on Cape Queen Elizabeth, with a stop en route on The Neck to absorb the magnificent views. Lunch will again be provided en route at one of Bruny’s onsite eateries, with the chance to sample local oysters and cheeses. There will also be a chance to visit more of north Bruny Island this afternoon. This area of the island only receives around half of the average annual rainfall of south Bruny and the different vegetation and birds on this part of the island reflect this. We shall loop around to Dennes Point with its fabulous views of South Arm and Mt Wellington and if time allows, we shall walk the short history trail in Dennes Point. Crossing the channel once again, we shall return you to a central Hobart location at around 5:00pm and bid you farewell, with your heart and your taste-buds bursting with memories.

WHAT’S INCLUDED

• 2 nights accommodation
• Daily breakfast, 3 x lunches, 2 x dinners
• Transport and specialist guiding for day and night tours as outlined above
• Transfers from and to central Hobart  
• Entry fees and activities as outlined in itinerary
• Bruny Island ferry

COSTS DO NOT INCLUDE

• Domestic flights
• Hobart hotel accommodation
• Guide services other than specified
• Meals/beverages other than specified
• Tips & gratuities
• Personal expenditure

COVID-19

Until further notice: from 1st October 2021 we will require that all participants on our tours must be fully vaccinated with a Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) approved vaccine against Covid-19 with the final dose administered no later than two weeks prior to departure. See terms and conditions for more details.

• Accommodation and meals:  Strict hygiene conditions apply to the way accommodation is prepared for your stay and in the serving of meals.
• Vehicles, hygiene & social distancing:  all activities will involve careful adherence to cleanliness. Hand sanitiser will be available in many locations and in all land-based vehicles and water-based vessels. Social distancing will always be an issue on board vehicles and vessels; it would be sensible for you to bring your own facemasks and hand sanitiser. We may not fill all seats in a vehicle to allow for social distancing.
• The government approved Covid-19 Safety Plan is in place and all suppliers are Covid Clean accredited.