Australia, Tasmania – On the Other Side of the Planet IV

We travel to Bruny island. This small island of only 362 km² is, however, bit deceptive regarding its size as its length extends 100 kilometers so don’t expect to walk through it in a day or two. Only around 600 people live there. Originally, it was the home of the Aborigines yet they were gradually replaced by the Europeans during the 19th century.

In the 20th century, the island became popular for its beaches, great surfing locations, nature parks, and some historical landmarks. Tourism pressures blood into island’s economy. The east coast sees some huge cliffs whereas the north is the area of beautiful beaches at Dennes Point and Killora. Don’t forget to visit the Cape Bruny lighthouse which is out of commission yet still charming.

The lighthouse was built in 1838 after several ships sunk around. It was a harsh job to work at the lighthouse – nearest civilization was miles away (only in the beginning of the 20th century a telephone was installed there). Maintaining the light was was a non-stop work (which was poorly paid). The staff ad to know about mixing different kinds of oil to get the best light.

New technologies and electrification resulted in significant changes regarding the operation of the lighthouse. Automatization resulted in lack of need of human staff. In 1996, the lighthouse beaconed its light for the last time.

You will find great relax on Bruny Island. Local travel agencies offer, for instance, a three-day trip. You will enjoy local wine in beautiful nature, and peak into wilderness in Bruny. Another trip is more food-oriented – you can get to Bruny Island Cheese Co., a cheese factory founded in 2001, however the fervor of its owner, Nick Haddow, is exemplary. He makes cheeses from cow and goat milk. His inspiration stems from his travels across Spain, France, Italy, or Great Britain. There he learned the craft of local cheese experts. In Tasmania, he seeks to make cheeses which would become typical for Tasmania. Well, the only way to assess his effort is to actually go there and taste it.

However, you can enjoy cheeses in our country. A more interesting food would be oysters. To buy some you have to visit an oyster farm in the north part of island. Every day from 10.00 to 17.00 you can buy some fresh. They are delicious.

GPS: 43°12'14.6"S 147°23'10.7"E

Text: Maxim Kucer

Photo: Wikipedia.org: FSII, JJ Harrison, JJ Harrison (2), Reinhard Dietrich, JJ Harrison (3)