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maltatoday, SUNDAY, 4 OCTOBER 2015 42 A get-away destination for get-away dwellers AS Malta is a tourist destination, tourists often wonder where lo- cals go for their own holidays. As do we when we find a gem of a destination. If you live in para- dise, where do you go to escape daily routine? One such destina- tion that made me feel this way was Tasmania. A holiday destina- tion for many Australians, Tas- manians tend to get away to the tiny island of Bruny. Bruny is an island just 20km² larger than Malta, however in- stead of having a population of close to 450,000, theirs is 2,000 at a maximum. One warning though, this is also as South as you can go before you hit the ice cap of the southern pole. Hence if you go here in winter you will most likely find yourself in sub- zero temperatures, but you may also be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of the Aurora Australis, a sight so rare, some locals could go a lifetime without witnessing this. Most people's interpretation of Australia has always been that of a place with surf, sun, dangerous wildlife, the Great Barrier Reef, the didgeridoo and Uluru. How- ever places such as Bruny Island seem to be either overlooked or simply lie below the radar. Located South of Australia's most southern island of Tasma- nia, a huge island in itself and in fact a state of its own, Bruny Is- land is a hidden paradise full of awe-inspiring scenery and great place to fish, eat fresh oysters, go off roading and catch a long glimpse of dolphins, orcas and a variety of other whales. As al- ways I would recommend visiting this place with your own vehicle and preferably a 4x4. If not how- ever you can always catch a flight into Hobart and book transport from there. Flights are generally six times a week, and the ferry from the mainland town of Ket- tering depart from 6:30am every day and run every hour up until 6:30pm. With schedules altering according to severe weather con- ditions that do happen occasion- ally in the middle of winter. When looking for accommo- dation on the island, unless you have a camper van or a vehicle that you can sleep in, I would definitely recommend booking in advance both in peak season as place tend to fill up very quickly, and also in low season as places tend to be closed. There is quite a variety regarding accommoda- tion in most parts of the North and South Bruny islands. You can go for a simple and comfortable cabin to a luxurious villa or cabin, or opt for something different like an eco-house. There is also one caravan park in Adventure Bay and the owners there are as friendly as they get and prices are fair, which is great consider- ing they are a monopoly business in Bruny. There is also an option to stay at a birdlife adventure re- sort. This is a pretty cool set up as all bungalows are set between the islands intriguing forest sur- rounded by bird life and equipped to stalk your favourite birds from your very own room. They also offer other excursions but I found this pretty unique for a birdlife tour. The north and south islands of Bruny are separated by a sand- bank that stretches over 4km and is a great drive. If you are trav- elling at dusk or dawn you will most likely come across dwarf penguins crossing from one side to the other. Giving both islands around two weeks to fully explore and relax in the major scenic areas would be a fair estimate. On the North island you can find some good off roading tracks and some sce- nic high points that over look the South of Tasmania, there's also a very cute little fishing vil- lage in Barnes bay. The best part of the North Island is also found in Barnes bay and this comes in the form of exquisitely fresh oys- ters. They do not get any fresher than this, you literally go down to the rocky water's edge with a hammer and chisel, or anything that will do, and start popping off those oysters from the rocks. There are loads of them and don't forget, this is Bruny, the water temperature is around 9°C therefore keeping the oysters at the perfect temperature. Don't forget your lemon! There is also the game reserve found on the North Island were locals hunt deer when the sea- son is open. Once you head down into the South Island, you could start off by taking in the awesome panoramic view from above at Adventure Bay lookout which is just before you cross over the sand bridge. There are loads of beautiful and tropical looking beaches to be found in the South, but the top choices for this would have to be Adventure Bay, Cloudy Bay and Lighthouse Rd bay. There is also a great off- roading track that goes up and down through the centre of the South Island. This boasts some fantastic views of both sides of the island. Apart from all the sightseeing and adventure activities to do here, you are also spoilt with a whiskey tasting establishment that offer their very own casks and a great selection of local sin- gle malts. The best of these be- ing the world famous Sullivan's Cove, which sells for a staggering $200 per bottle. The chocolate and cheese factory are the other places where you can indulge in some of the finest delicacies. If you head up to the lighthouse at the right time of the year, be- tween May and September, you may get to see whales migrat- ing Northwards for the annual breeding. Bruny island is definitely one of those places that is not well known to us Europeans when we think of Australia, and I hope that this article will help change that. How to get there Emirates offer regular flights to Melbourne, in Australia, with a stopover in Dubai. Flight de- parting from Malta on October 15 and returning on 29 October were priced at €1,565, including tax, at the time of going to print. From there you can catch an internal flight to Hobart, in Tas- mania, and just 40 minutes away, from a town called Kettering, you can get a 20-minute ferry across to Bruny Island. Travel Bruny Island, Australia