Hotel Review: Free Spirit Pods, Bruny Island

Bruny Island has some of Tasmania’s most beautifully preserved natural environments with abundant wildlife and stunning cliff top views.

The island is about 50 km long but appears to be two islands with North and South Bruny joined by a narrow strip of land called The Neck. South Bruny National Park’s towering cliffs and long sandy beaches offer loads of spots to set up a spot to see the lights.

Bruny Island is accessed via a 20-min crossing on vehicular ferry from Kettering, around a 35-min drive south of Hobart. The service runs seven days a week. To get some elevated perspective on the island, head to the lookout at the Neck for views that are spectacular for sunrise and are met with gorgeous penguins after sunset as they come to the rookery to rest for the night.

Stay

On Bruny Island you will find the eco-friendly and sustainable Free Spirit Pods. The delightful, luxurious pods are situated on the waterfront with beautiful views of Quarantine Bay. Set on eight acres to enjoy and explore, you will even have some friendly local wildlife come visit. The open-plan studio-pods, Flying Duck and Blue Wren, feature double glazed floor to ceiling bi-fold doors leading onto your spacious private deck. Each pod sleeps two adults and has room available for a couple of kids.

There are plenty of hikes and walks right from your doorstep at Free Spirit Pods. Take a picnic lunch down to the water and have a swim or kayak. If you are looking for a fuller day tour, jump on Pennicott Wilderness Journeys for their Bruny Island Cruise, which explores the rugged coastline of Bruny Island. It takes in some of Australia’s highest sea cliffs, towering crags and pass through the narrow gap between the coast and ‘The Monument’ and feel the power of nature at the point where the Tasman Sea meets the might of the Southern Ocean. You can expect to see some coastal wildlife too, such as seals, dolphins, migrating whales and sea birds.

Dining

At Free Spirit Pods, it is self-catering so you can bring all your own supplies and utilize the kitchen in your pod. In the evening, settle down with a glass of wine and cook up home-made woodfire pizza’s in the pizza oven before sitting around the campfire and enjoy a spot of stargazing. You will really feel disconnected and out in the wilderness.

Hot Tip

There is a full kitchen, so take your supplies for the stay. At night, you can feed the local pademelons that come up to the pods.

Booking

Address: 2021 Free Spirit Pods. Davis Rd, North Bruny TAS 7150

Phone: 0408 821 468

Website: freespiritpods.com

Disclosure: The writer stayed as a guest of Free Spirit Pods