Cheeses of Bruny Island
A Tasmanian island of farms and coves where a farmhouse dairy makes raw-milk and washed-rind cheese.
Made, aged and sold here
Best time: December to March, the warmer months.
Bruny Island lies off the south-east coast of Tasmania, reached by a short ferry from Kettering. Its two halves are joined by a thin sandy neck, and its quiet farms, beaches and forests make it a food destination. A farmhouse cheese maker at Great Bay has worked here since the early 2000s, making washed-rind, tomme-style and fresh cheeses, including some from raw milk.
The cheese
Bruny's cheeses follow French and British farmhouse models: wheels with washed rinds, firm tomme-style cheeses aged on wooden boards, and soft fresh cheeses. Tasmania's cool climate and green pastures suit dairy, and the island maker uses raw milk for some cheeses, which is unusual under Australia's strict food rules. Tastings and a farm cellar door draw many visitors.
The island
The island also has oyster farms, a berry farm, chocolate and whisky shops and a small vineyard, so visitors often make a day of eating their way along the main road. The Neck has a lookout over both bays, with fairy penguins nesting below. South Bruny National Park protects sea cliffs and the Cape Bruny lighthouse.
A trail idea for Bruny Island
- Kettering ferry Cross the D'Entrecasteaux Channel to the island.
- Great Bay cheese maker Taste washed-rind and tomme-style cheeses where they are made.
- The Neck Climb the lookout over the isthmus and its penguin rookery.
- Cape Bruny lighthouse The cliffs and lighthouse at the island's southern tip.
Written by the EveryCheese desk with AI assistance. Background: "Bruny Island" on Wikipedia. Opening hours, markets, caves and tours change; check locally before travelling. If something is wrong, tell us.
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