Bruny Island Wilderness Cruise from Adventure Bay

★★★★★ 4.9 (316 traveller reviews)

Starts at Adventure BayLunch at your costYou drive to Adventure Bay

Three hours on the water under the sea cliffs of South Bruny. The boat takes you into sea caves, up close to a blowhole and out to the rocks where the seals haul out. Dolphins, albatross and sea eagles often join in. You start on the island itself, so you bring your own car across on the ferry.

Hours, prices and access verified by the Bruny Island Tours team — last checked 2026-09-21.

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Cliffs, caves and seals in three hours on the water

Getting yourself to Adventure Bay

This cruise starts on the island, at the Bruny Island Cruises base in Adventure Bay, and there is no pickup. So you need a car. Allow about 90 minutes from Hobart, which includes the drive to Kettering and the ferry across. The ferry runs often, but there can be a queue. Aim to reach the terminal at least 30 minutes before the ferry you want.

From the ferry landing at Roberts Point it is about 40 minutes' drive south, over The Neck, to the cruise base. The road from the ferry to the base is sealed all the way, so a hire car is fine. The ferry charges per vehicle, and your passengers ride free. How the ferry works is on the getting to Bruny Island page.

Check-in and the waterproofs

Check in 30 minutes before your cruise: by 9:30am, 10:30am or 1pm. The crew then brief you on safety and on what to expect. You get a full-length jacket that keeps out wind and spray, and Hoc P. remembered the big red waterproof overalls, the ginger tablets and a crew that took safety seriously.

Dress warmly under the jacket. It is cold on the water even in summer, and the crew suggest a warm coat, scarf, beanie and gloves. Robert G. said the same. The boat has a canopy overhead, open sides and tiered seats all facing forward, so everyone gets a view.

The sea cliffs, the caves and Breathing Rock

The boat runs south from Adventure Bay along the east coast of South Bruny National Park. You pass under towering cliffs and sea stacks, and the boat goes right into the deep sea caves. At Breathing Rock you drift close enough to hear the swell push air through the rock. Anthony G. called the blowhole a surprise.

The skipper also takes the boat through the narrow gap between the coast and a sea stack called The Monument. You see the same coast from the land on the Fluted Cape walk, which is on the things to do page.

The Friars, where the seals haul out

The far point of the cruise is The Friars, a group of rocks off the southern end of the island, near where the Tasman Sea meets the Southern Ocean. Australian fur seals haul out here in large numbers, and rare seabirds nest on the rocks. The boat drifts past quietly, so you can watch without disturbing them.

This is the one sight on the island you cannot reach from the land. The open ocean starts here, so hold on when the crew tell you to. Joyce W. had a lumpy, windy day and still called the seals the highlight.

What you may see: dolphins, albatross and whales

Nobody can promise an animal. But you have a good chance of more than seals. Look for sea eagles over the cliffs, dolphins riding the bow wave, albatross on the wind and shearwaters over the swell. Hoc P. had dolphins swim right alongside the boat.

Whales pass the island on their migration, and are sometimes seen from the boat and from Adventure Bay. Which seasons suit the water best is on the best time to visit page, and every trip that looks for animals is compared on Bruny Island wildlife tours.

How your cruise day runs

1. Leave Hobart about 90 minutes ahead. Drive to Kettering, queue and cross on the ferry.
2. Drive south to Adventure Bay. About 40 minutes on a sealed road from the ferry.
3. Check in 30 minutes before. By 9:30am, 10:30am or 1pm, for the 10am, 11am or 1:30pm cruise.
4. Briefing and jackets. Safety talk, waterproofs and ginger tablets for anyone who wants them.
5. The cliffs, caves and Breathing Rock. South along the national park coast.
6. The Friars. The seals and the seabirds at the southern end.
7. Back at Adventure Bay. About 3 hours after you left, with food for sale at the base.

Who this suits: you have a car and you want the coast from the sea

What the fare covers

Meeting at the cruise base in Adventure Bay

You meet at Bruny Island Cruises, 1005 Adventure Bay Road, Adventure Bay, and the cruise ends back there. Check in 30 minutes before your departure. The base has a restaurant where you can buy morning tea or lunch before or after.

The cruise does not suit cruise-ship passengers: the timing does not work with ship arrivals, so plan a land day instead. The base, the ferry landing and the other meeting points are on the Bruny Island map.

Know before you go

• Bring your own transport. No pickup; allow about 90 minutes from Hobart with the ferry.
• Dress warmly. Warm coat, scarf, beanie and gloves; the waterproof jacket goes on top.
• If you get seasick, sit at the back. The back third of the boat moves least; take the ginger tablets.
• It runs in all weather. The operator can cancel for bad weather, and then you get your money back.
• Food is not included. Buy morning tea or lunch at the base restaurant.
• Not for cruise-ship days. Ship arrival times do not fit; the boat is not wheelchair accessible.

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