A true love story: Tasmania, and I

My first travel blog — and let’s start with a bang.

I feel like many people come to Australia and travel around the obvious places: the Gold Coast, the big cities like Sydney and Melbourne, or the Great Ocean Road. But so many miss one of the most beautiful states entirely — Tasmania.

I have been to Tassie, as we lovingly call it, twice now, and both times were completely different experiences. Not comparable in any way.

The first time, my fiancé Andrew and I travelled to Bruny Island, just off the south coast of Tasmania. To get there, you need to catch the ferry from Kettering, south of Hobart. The crossing only takes around 15–20 minutes and honestly, it feels like part of the adventure. Watching the mainland disappear while Bruny slowly comes into view gets you excited before you have even arrived. The ferry runs daily and there is no need to pre-book — you simply queue up. Very Tassie.

Bruny is home to breathtaking and diverse landscapes and is essentially made up of two islands — North and South Bruny — connected by “The Neck”, a narrow strip of land that has become one of the island’s most iconic viewpoints. It is also home to a penguin rookery where little penguins return at night. If you are lucky, patient and respectful, you may spot them after sunset.

Fun fact: Bruny Island is around 100 km long but only home to a small population, which is probably why parts of it still feel untouched.

Andrew and I stayed in a little cottage in Lunawanna with a fireplace — as it should be — and only a short walk to the beach. Lunawanna is tiny and quiet, the kind of place where you stop checking the time. Mornings started with coffee, evenings ended by the fire, and in between there was fresh air and nowhere we urgently needed to be.

We were also lucky enough to be there on market day at the community hall. Keep in mind it is tiny, nothing like Salamanca Market. The locals sell homemade produce, baked goods and handmade jewellery and are always happy for a chat.

There is something calming about staying somewhere where the loudest thing around is usually the wind.

There is so much to do on Bruny. You could spend a whole day eating your way around the island — fresh oysters, whisky tastings, local wine, local beer. And honestly, I recommend it.

The next day? Go hiking.

Bruny is a small island, so the walks are not overly dramatic in length, but they are beautiful. In my opinion, some of the best hikes are in South Bruny National Park. A bit of driving on dirt roads, but worth every bump.

What struck me most was just how wild everything felt.

Do not forget to stop by Cape Bruny Lighthouse. Stand there, look at the ocean, and try to get your head around the fact that the next landmass south is Antarctica.

That messed with my brain a bit.

This lighthouse was built in 1836 and is one of Australia’s oldest continuously staffed lighthouses. Standing there with the wind hitting your face and nothing but ocean in front of you makes you feel very small.

For something more adventurous, the Fluted Cape Track offers stunning cliff views and the chance to spot seals and seabirds below. The coastal walks around Cloudy Bay are also worth doing. Bring proper shoes and layers — Tassie weather likes to keep you guessing.

After a hike around the cape and lots of fresh air, Andrew and I would go back to our cabin, light the fire, pour a glass of local wine, and just sit and watch the stars.

The night sky out there is something else.

So clear. So close.

I remember standing outside with him thinking, bloody hell, this place is special.

I think that was one of my favourite things about Bruny — the quiet. No rush, no crowds. Just ocean, fresh air, and a reminder that slowing down is sometimes exactly what you need.

Another place worth visiting is Adventure Bay. There is a small supermarket, a petrol station and a few cafés, but mostly beautiful beaches.

A personal highlight for us was spotting one of Bruny’s white Bennett’s wallabies. I was absolutely stoked. One minute nothing, the next there he was, just casually appearing as if it was no big deal. Meanwhile, I was losing my mind and Andrew was laughing at me. I am a sucker for wildlife — I will fully admit that. Coming from Europe, it is not normal to see kangaroos, wallabies, echidnas, emus and all the colourful birds. Even after four years in Australia, I am still the first person to take a bushwalk if there is even a chance of spotting wildlife.

If you are in Adventure Bay, stop by the place where James Cook anchored in 1777. Standing somewhere with that much history while looking at water that has probably not changed much at all is quite a feeling.

Bruny surprised me.

I expected pretty views, but I did not expect to leave feeling calmer, lighter somehow. Maybe that is what happens when you spend a few days with someone you love, surrounded by wild places, fireplaces, fresh air and absolutely no rush.

Anyway, I will leave it here for now.

Stay tuned for part two of our Bruny Island adventure. Tasmania has a way of getting under your skin.