Inala Nature Tours & Bruny Island Long Weekend Collaboration
Three Day Birding & Walking Tour
November 10-12 2023 | $2,695
We are delighted to be offering this collaboration between Inala and our friends and neighbours - the excellent company 'Bruny Island Long Weekend'
The tour offers birdwatching with Inala's expert bird guides in a diverse range of habitats, from the ocean to rocky shores, remote beaches, coastal heath, temperate rainforest, and towering eucalypt forests and includes a private extensive tour of Inala's nature conservation sanctuary.
Take a journey by boat to Tasmania’s unspoilt gem, Bruny Island. Walk to beautiful, remote places with Inala's celebrated birding guides, and discover Tasmania's endemic birds.
Each day, carry lightweight packs and then return to the comfort of the Brung Long Weekend private camp with hot showers, an outdoor fire and a cosy bed. You’ll partake in Bruny Island’s famed produce, including fresh seafood, cheese, wine and beer.
ITINERARY
Day One: Great Bay
Approximately 5-6 hours walking and birding
This morning you will meet your tour guides and fellow guests (maximum of 10) on the waterfront of Tasmania’s capital city, Hobart. Step aboard your private boat and let the adventure begin with a cruise down the Derwent River to Bruny Island. If the birdlife is good then we can stay out and enjoy it. Today our goal is to walk out towards a spectacular cape on the east coast of Bruny Island.
Excellent birding opportunities present in the first kilometre, at the lagoons and on Miles Beach. Our guides will create the right balance between walking and bird watching with a stop for lunch on Miles Beach.
On returning from our walk we will wade out into the crystal clear waters of Great Bay to learn how the famous Bruny Island oysters are farmed and shuck them straight out of the water. The perfect way to cool down after a walk!
Next stop; camp. After a hot shower, join us in the dining house for a drink and to share stories of the day’s adventures as the guides busy themselves preparing your dinner sourced from either on the island or in the waters surrounding it.
Day Two: Inala
5-6 hours walking and birding
Day two might begin with a gentle thumping past your tent. While the inquisitive wallaby isn’t your wake up call, his visit, or the promise of warm croissants might lure you from your crisp sheets to reunite with us at the rustic wooden dining table once more.
Today is devoted to a private guided tour with one of Inala's expert guides at our Inala Private Conservation Reserve, a 1,500 acre Land for Wildlife property which is home to a variety of threatened species and all 12 Tasmanian endemic birds. Observe at close range the Endangered Tasmanian endemic Forty-spotted Pardalote from the purpose-built canopy platform within one of its largest known colonies. View raptors such as the Tasmanian subspecies of the Wedge-tailed Eagle and the white morph of the Grey Goshawk from the raptor hide. Endemics including the Tasmanian Thornbill, Tasmanian Scrubwren, Dusky Robin, Green Rosella, and all four endemic honeyeaters are also commonly seen here. There is also a good chance of spotting Swift Parrots which breed on the property between September and January, as well as Flame, Scarlet and Pink Robins, and Beautiful Firetails.
Learn of the ecosystem in which these birds live, and conservation efforts to protect these species and their habitats. The property is also a great place to see Bennetts Wallaby, Tasmanian Pademelon, enormous eucalypt trees and tree-ferns, a magnificent stand of Blackwood trees, and some native terrestrial orchids that mostly flower between August and March.
After lunch at the Inala lookout which has a beautiful wide vista over Cloudy Bay, afternoon walk options include a drive to the Bruny Island lighthouse and the Luggaboine circuit where we may see Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo’s feasting on Banksias and a great range of coastal and bush birds, or we may take another winding track amongst the Eucalypts up at Benbullen, a range of hills that include Stafford’s Hill at Inala.
Back at camp enjoy time to sit on the deck, walk among the ferns, partake in another lavish shower or simply read a book while your guides prepare the evening meal.
Day Three: Mavista to Adventure Bay
2-3 hrs walking and birding
Rise early and explore the 100-acre 'Long Weekend' property and try to spot some of Bruny Island’s 150 species of birds (including all 12 Tasmanian endemics).
Once we farewell camp, we will wind our way round the mountain to beautiful Adventure Bay and there we shall take a short walk through ancient towering tree-ferns and lush cool-temperate rainforest species like Nothofagus and Sassafras as we walk the entrancing Mavista rainforest track, hoping to spot along the way some of the most elusive endemics like the Scrubtit as well at the radiantly colourful Pink Robin.
After the shady rainforest we shall contrast that with our final walk along to sunny Grass Point looking out to Penguin Island. This lovely flat coastline walk takes you through Casuarina forest and past the sites of the ancient whaling stations of Adventure Bay. Yellow-throated Honeyeaters, Satin Flycatchers and various seasonal Cuckoos may be sighted as we take this walk through history. As we depart Adventure Bay to head north we may be lucky enough to get glimpse of the rare and unique White Wallabies.
To finish the long weekend in style, Ray Jones at The Jetty Café’s deck will serve a multi-course lunch of Bruny Island produce as we await the arrival of our private boat on the beach below.
The return boat trip to Hobart offers a scenic farewell to your birding adventure.
Unique canvas-tent accommodation
The group will have exclusive use of the 'Bruny Island Long Weekend' completely off-grid private accommodation, nestled in amongst tall eucalypts on the foothills of Mt Mangana at the southern end of Bruny Island.
With our days spent walking in wild, powerful, coastal places, the campsite is a sanctuary we can return to each evening. Featuring a gorgeous bespoke designed celery top timber kitchen and dining room, four canvas tents containing split king beds with quality linen, towels and pillows. The highlight for many of guests is an incredible hot water shower discretely located with spectacular views!
One of the best things about the accommodation being located at the southern end of Bruny Island is the night sky. With no light pollution, the stars are just incredible.
The 'Bruny Island Long Weekend' accommodation is built completely off-grid. They harvest the rain from the roof and pressure feed this water for all of your needs, including the incredible outdoor shower. For your shower and hot water in the kitchen, we use a gas system. A solar panel on the main roof provides the power to run pumps, small energy efficient lighting in the main structure and just two power points to enable guests to recharge your cameras.
Itinerary Details
Price per person for departures (inc. GST)
October 23-25 2023 | $2,695
November 10-12 2023 | $2,695
Minimum guests: 8 Maximum guests: 10
Single supplement: $500
Inclusions
Return transfers between Hobart and Bruny Island
Accommodation (twin-share) each evening in one of our five private tents
All meals and non-alcoholic beverages, plus a limited selection of Tasmanian wines
Two qualified guides including one Inala guide
A full day at Inala Conservation Reserve with an expert guide
A night tour to see Bruny Island's penguins and shearwaters
National Park passes
All bedding and linen
All prices are quoted per person in $AUD including GST
Travel and pre and post-trip accommodation expenses are not included.
You can extend your stay on Bruny Island at Inala's own accommodation.
Nestled in tall eucalypt forest on Inala's 1,500 acre private reserve at the foot of the South Bruny Ranges on Bruny Island our guests have a choice of a three bedroom Inala cottage, or a one bedroom spa unit, Nairana cottage.
The cottages combine modern conveniences such as TV, VCR/DVD, microwave oven, washing machine, clothes dryer and electric blankets with old-world charm such as slow combustion wood-heaters and timber panelling. When you book a cottage you get the entire cottage, the price includes two adults.
Staying at Inala cottage places you inside the Inala private nature reserve, you are free to walk the property unaccompanied and use the pardalote platform and bird viewing hides.
For more information about the two on-site cottages, click here
Please note: this three-day tour finished in Hobart and guests need to organise their own transport to return to Bruny on the Bruny Island ferry.
