We are currently on an off-road camping adventure in the island state of Tasmania. If you have been tuning into the news (anywhere in the world) you’d know that Tasmania is in the grip of bushfires. They are burning in the south-east, centre, north-east and north-west of the state. Our thoughts and best wishes are with everyone who going through this. Last Friday our own community (Aireys Inlet) was on high alert with high temperatures and winds. From high up, just below Cradle Mountain, we were nervously watching Victorian conditions as well.

So far, we have had some good luck and have made some good decisions to keep clear of the fire affected areas. We would have struggled without access to internet though. The Tasmanian fire service website has been helpful and the BOM site (via the iphone app) has allowed us to look a few days ahead and decide where to go. Our solid understanding of bushfire behaviour has been invaluable as well.

Yesterday we left Lake St Claire National Park (after some beautiful SUP’ing) a day early than our plans and headed between the fire affected areas on a warm but very calm day where main roads were safe. The forecast of high temperatures and savage winds materialised this morning and the sedate fire flanks (all across Tasmania) raged to life into active fronts. Emergency warnings are out everywhere and communities across Tasmania are on high alert … with some being advised to relocate.

Yesterday at 2.30pm we arrived, by ferry, to Bruny Island. The southern most island that is (currently) free of fires with camping grounds located right on the beach. From our southern vantage point, we had a light sprinkling of ash falling from the sky carried by strong NW winds from the central island fires. Here is an eerie photo of the sky to Bruny’s north – the large Tasman Peninsular fire is somewhere in the distance.

The sanctuary of Bruny Island is quite something indeed! In search of a National Park campsite, we drove from the north tip to southern most point of Cloudy Bay. This place is a paradise … I could move here in a heartbeat! So, whilst we wait for the fires on the east coast of Tassie to re open, Bruny will be our home along a thin strip of land known as the ‘Neck’. Here are a few pics taken so far:

The strip of land linking the north and south of Bruny Isand known as The Neck. Our boys watching ‘almost’ surfable barrels out in front of our campsite.

Bruny’s Sour Dough & Cheese Makers are divine!

Food and wine is a huge focus on Bruny, here is a description (of the food at the Bruny Hotel) and some evidence!

Next Stop … Hobart where we have Mona, Salamanca Markets and The Hobbit (in 3D) in our sights!