It was time to consider where to have our prepacked lunch and to remember we had a ferry to catch back to mainland Tasmania later in the afternoon. So far North Bruny had not been explored so we headed for Dennes Point near the northern tip of North Bruny.  We took the main road north and wound around and around many hills. Sparkling views across  Storm Bay, towards the Tasman Peninsular and out to sea greeted us at every twist and turn.   

We saw old signs.

Watch Jeanette’s video to get a sense of the place.

In the early afternoon when we reached Dennes Point, we felt too mentally exhausted by all the experiences of the day to do much more.  We could have walked to the point at Kelly’s Point and I could have taken photos of Pearson Point (marking the mouth of the Derwent River on the western/southern shore where I walked during my ‘walkingthederwent’ project).  Instead we found a picnic table on the north western side of North Bruny and ate our lunch while watching boat owners load their trailer and other motor boats whizzing around the D’Entrecasteaux Channel. We tried to figure out what we were looking at on mainland Tasmania and soon realised the towns of Electrona and Margate were almost opposite us, and Kettering with its ferry terminal was out of sight around a hill. Almost no-one on the roads or in sight. Obviously the tourists focus on South Bruny. Incredibly pleasant and would be the perfect place to stay. We resolved that on our next visit to Bruny, we will stay in this part of the island and explore more.

We returned to the main road by a different route; down the western side through the settlement of Killora Bay. We stopped at signage pointing to the Quarantine Station on Barnes Bay, then put a visit here on our ‘to do’ list for the future and drove on.  I had no brain cells left to learn more history that day.

Our final stopover for the afternoon was the Bruny Island House of Whisky. Jeanette likes whisky but it’s not a drop I touch since my virtual poisoning with an excess in my youth.  I hoped they might have gin for me to try.  We were both set to sample locally produced spirits.

Jeanette settled in with her knowledgeable staff member and ordered a set of four Tasmanian whiskies and I settled in my knowledgeable staff member and ordered a set of three Tasmanian gins produced by Seclusion – the owners of this establishment. I learnt the gin as distilled on the Tasman Peninsula. While not of Bruny  Island origin I was happy it was Tasmanian. Wherever possible I try and support local producers, and since we have world class produce in so many fields now, this approach causes me no hardship.

Visiting this outlet finished off a wonderful long weekend on Bruny Island. Great service, wonderful gin and whisky, superb location with expansive views across Barnes Bay, and only a short distance to the ferry to return us to Kettering on mainland Tasmania.  What more could we want?To cap the day, we drove off to the ferry to find one had arrived, cars had already offloaded, and we could drive on almost immediately.  No waiting around. Perfect.

 I wandered in the fresh air during the crossing and savoured the moments.   Almost back to the mainland I looked across the blue Channel and remembered the sun dried hills of Bruny.The crossing only takes fifteen to twenty minutes before reaching Kettering.Back to Hobart and the weekend was over. I now understand why people talk about Bruny Island with love, with sunshine in their voices, and with a longing to return.