Labillardiere Peninsula Track
South Bruny National Park
Directions - Located on the south west corner of South Bruny Island, the Labillardiere Peninsula Circuit starts from the Jetty Beach Campground. From The Neck, take Bruny Island Main Road to the end, turning right onto Lighthouse Road. Follow this until you reach the turnoff for the Jetty Beach Campground along Old Jetty Road. Keep going until you reach the campground, parking near the toilet block where the signs for the Labillardiere Peninsula Circuit Walking Track are located.
The Hike - The Labillardiere Peninsula Circuit was one of the hikes I was most looking forward to visiting on Bruny Island as it's listed as one of the 60 Great Short Walks by the Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service. Anytime I can get in a decent length day hike I am a happy bunny, and this one fit the bill quite nicely. Having hiked the Cape Queen Elizabeth Track the previous day, along with a visit to The Neck, I was keen to see what South Bruny Island had in store.
With some inclement weather forecast for the afternoon, I wanted to make the most of my trip to Bruny Island, with plans to do this hike in the morning and maybe the East Cloudy Bay Walk afterwards if the weather played ball. After enjoying a hearty breakfast of hot cross buns (love they are sold from Boxing Day onwards), I made up some rolls for lunch and departed from my North Island accommodation. The drive was thoroughly enjoyable with winding road that provided a variety of beautiful scenery and plenty of sweeping bends. It's a decent drive to reach the Jetty Beach Campground and I was happy to finally arrive. Being the summer school holidays, the campground was full but there is an area for day hikers to park in. Applying sunscreen and lacing up my trail runners, I was soon ready to go experience one of the more highly rated day hikes in Tasmania. Following the blue signs that mark the start of most of the nice day walks in Tassie, I headed into the thick vegetation.
Finding a Walkers Registration box not far into my journey, I filled it out and was pleased to see many others had enjoyed this walk over the past few days. Continuing on, the first section takes you through a tunnel of Tea Trees and She-Oaks before settling down to reveal some lovely dry sclerophyll forest. After 400m of single track, you reach what looks like a management track and the markers point you to the right to follow it up the hill. I had disturbed some wallabies on the single track before I was able to get a photo, so I was pleased when they had taken up residence on the management track. Snapping some photos, I continued up the hill and was curious about what was in store as I headed towards the first of the coastal sections. Spotting lots of summer wildflowers including some Common Heath and Triggerplants, this would turn out to be one of the best wildflower days of my Tassie trip since hiking up and over the Ironbounds on the South Coast Track.
Rising up and over a small hill, the forest through here was really gnarly and made for some nice photos. Eventually clapping eyes on the coast, it was a majestic sight with a combination of white clouds, blue skies and calm waters. Overlooking Standaway Bay, this would be the main view for the next section of walking as you continue along the wide management track. While planning my hikes on Bruny Island, I had this vision that the island would provide nothing but expansive views over the water and the Labillardiere Peninsula would be similar to Cape Raoul or Cape Pillar. This was not the case here as the mainland of Tasmania is so close that it just feels like the hills near Southport could just be the other side of a bay that connects up eventually. This section leading out to the turnoff for the shorter Luggaboine Circuit dips back inland for a while and the views disappear.
Reaching the intersection for the two tracks at a wide grassy area, at this point I was starting to wonder why this was such a highly rated walk given it had mostly been on vehicle tracks with limited views. Heading off on the Labillardiere Peninsula Circuit, I was hoping it would get better from here. After walking through some thick coastal scrub, still on management tracks, the views over the coastline returned. This vista, in varying forms depending on how far along you get, will be the main view going forward and this was perfectly fine with me. The track dips up and down as you near the coast, taking you inland as it curves along the coastline, and then back towards the great views as the contours change. A little point of interest just off the coast is the funnily named Hen and Chicken Rocks, seen as you get closer to Point Labillardiere. Here I was treated to the sound of Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos coming out of the forest and thankfully one landed right below where I was, and I was able to get a photo while it fed.
The views across Standaway Bay continued to be impressive and had a New Zealand kind of feel to them thanks to the long white clouds and distant hills. Having been mostly on vehicle tracks that take you through the inner part of the peninsula, it was nice to finally arrive at a spot closer to the water, with a pebbly beach located right next to the track. When I arrived there were lots of small birds flitting about and given it was summer, I assumed this might be a nesting site where all the newly born youngsters would be hanging out. Deciding to observe from afar, I watched the flurry of activity over the rocks, along with photographing Hen and Chicken Rocks. This is the last point where you'll get views of the Point Labillardiere headland and from sea level it looks more imposing than from all the previous points you've seen it from before. From the rocky beach you head inland once again, this time towards an area that resembled a more plains type of vegetation than the thicker scrub up until this point.
I found a bevy of new wildflowers along this stretch that interested me greatly, and as I rounded a corner, the largest hill of the entire circuit was ahead of me. By Tassie standards it's a small hill that sees you rise about 130m vertically from the pebbly beach but it's still good enough to get the heart rate going and the blood pumping. The real climbing begins when you enter the forested section and with the morning sun beating down on me, I was happy to have some shade. The forest through here is superb and a taster for the eastern side of the peninsula but it doesn't last very long. Soon you rise to near the top of what is called Mount Bleak and more open scrub awaits. Starting to slowly descend, the canopy returns as you traverse the winding path down towards Butlers Beach. I was lucky through here as my wildflower spotting sense were on high alert thanks to some really cool finds. Spotting what I think is a Mauve Leek Orchid and several Scented Sun Orchids, these were by far some of the best finds of my Tassie trip so far.
With a smile on my face after those finds, I was extra aware as I continued to descend, which netted me a Short Purple Flag nestled in the undergrowth. Snaking through the thicker scrub, there were occasional moments where the views looking to the north opened up, including seeing Partridge Island for the first time. The final part of the descent sees you walk through some really nice forest, with the undergrowth filled with Bracken Ferns. I always love seeing masses of ferns, so slowed up through here to appreciate this part given the large amount of coastal scrub I had walked through to get here. Exiting the forest, you step out onto Butler's Beach for the first of the beach walks for the circuit. Located on the edge of a small bay, this was the beginning of the quality scenery that would last for the rest of the circuit. Finally feeling like the great walk that is promised, I stopped at the end of the bay for a small break and to soak in the gentle scene ahead of me.
With the mainland across the water, it didn't feel remote, more comforting like a little secluded bay you might find in a kids adventure novel. Spotting a few shells including a Common Warrener, plenty of washed up seaweed and lots of lichen covered rocks, I could have sat there for a while. Moving on, I set about walking across this small beach, accompanied by a few Pied Oystercatchers and Hooded Plovers, extremely small birds that blend into the sand quite well. With the sun out, the views looking up and down the beach were really enjoyable and I kept stopping to take photos looking both ahead and from where I had come from. The beach walking only lasts 400m before reaching the grassy headland at the end. Following the matching "Walking Track" sign up and over the headland, it's another 400m walk through a thick tunnel of coastal vegetation including the hardy Australian Pig Face. This section looked like it had been cut back recently as the tunnel looked almost manicured.
Popping out onto the second beach section, this is Hopwood Beach and in my opinion, is the best beach walking of the whole circuit. One of the first views you get to see is the nearby Partridge Island, which looks to be untouched and a haven for wildlife. This whole area is completely different to the first part of the walk and was a much better experience than the vehicle track walking that you get on the other side of the peninsula. With sheltered waters and sweeping views of hills in the distance, I tried to soak in as much as I could as I meandered along the narrow beach. I'm not sure where I was in terms of the tide but I assume it was near high tide given the smaller stretches of sand I came across. In wilder weather with a few waves, I'm not sure if the beach would be passable without getting wet shoes. On a calm and clear day, this wasn't an issue so I enjoyed the views, along with spotting some schooling fish in the shallow water to my left.
Living a dangerous life given the ample bird life about, these small fish turned out to be Yelloweye Mullet and I'm sure would make for a tasty snack for one of the larger sea birds. Rounding a small headland, the beach walking continues as the view to your right improves greatly thanks to some larger trees. The forest looked stunning and was serious competition to the open waters between Bruny Island and the mainland where the Huon River empties. With the way the sun was positioned in the sky, photographing straight ahead was a bit tricky but with the dark clouds gathering, it made for a moody scene. Reaching the end of Hopwood Beach, there is no blue sign to direct you towards the path into the forest, instead you need to use your trail instincts to find it (it's not that hard). Heading up a fern lined hill, it was a welcome return to the forest and this will be home for the next six kilometres as you head down the eastern flank of the peninsula. On the lookout for wildflowers once again, I first saw a Common Brown Butterfly that I recognised from my walk on the Cape Queen Elizabeth Track.
Settling in to the forest walking proved difficult at first as the track seemed to contain a lot of slopes and obstacles as it headed through some She-Oak groves on the edge of the water. The uneven surface that sloped down the hill made settling into a rhythm a challenge but I was stopping a bit anyway to photograph various details I found along the track. One of those details included a few Green Rosellas that I had spotted on the beach but wasn't quick enough to get a photo. Sneaking up on these ones, they stayed still long enough for me to get the all important shot. Looking down into the water at one point, I thought something had washed away from the fish farms setup in Great Taylors Bay but the closer I looked, the more it resembled a giant jellyfish. The photo in the above gallery doesn't show it off that well but it was about the size of large medicine ball and is the biggest I've ever seen. I would see them up close on my Fluted Capes hike the following day but seeing them for the first time was an eye-opener. Exiting the She-Oak groves, the walking gets easier as you head along the edge of Great Taylors Bay and through dry sclerophyll forest.
With flat walking for the rest of the circuit, I could enjoy getting through the kilometres at a steady pace, looking out for wildflowers and soaking in the views, that if I'm honest, didn't really change too much along here. That wasn't a bad thing at all, with the excellent combination of enjoyable forest to the right, the waters of Great Taylors Bay to the left, and a narrow track running right up the middle. The wildflower and fungi finds continued along here with some new ones that included a flowering Australian Blackthorn (including one with a Buff-tailed Bumble Bee). At this point I was still considering doing the East Cloudy Bay Walk but the more I walked on, the more I decided that adding another 14-16km onto my day wasn't a good idea. Stopping in a shaded area, I thought I may as well have lunch instead of powering on to finish by a set time. Re-jigging my plans, I decided that a visit to Cape Bruny Lighthouse followed by some chill time was a much better, especially if the weather was going to be rolling in this afternoon.
With a couple of salad rolls in me, plus rested legs, this final stretch of walking was some of the most enjoyable of the whole circuit. Adding to the enjoyment was a little Tasmanian bush-floof (echidna) that was having a snack in the middle of the track and didn't mind me being there one bit. Being somewhat of an echidna whisperer while in Tasmania (but the complete opposite back home in WA), this was the fourth echidna I'd seen and the second for this visit. Stopping and taking plenty of photos, it's always a pleasure to come across native wildlife like this. With way too many photos in the bag, I left the echidna to its lunch and continued along the track. The forest and the views over the bay through here is top notch and the turquoise waters looked very inviting. Google Maps suggests there is a reef just offshore that I would love to check out if I'm ever back here in the summer (and the giant jellyfish are not here). Occasionally you will get some stunning views looking up and down the edge of the peninsula, with overhanging trees and rocky beaches providing great focal points to photograph.
Joining up with the Luggaboine Circuit again, there are two more beach walks as you complete the circuit. The first one is really special with a pristine stretch of sand overlooking the sheltered waters, where two boats had parked up while I was there. About halfway along the beach there was an overhanging tree that would be the Tasmanian equivalent of a sloping Coconut Palm on a tropical island. Lighthouse Jetty Beach only lasts about 100-200 metres before you head back into the forest for another lovely stretch of walking to reach Jetty Beach or Kingfisher Beach, Google isn't quite sure on that. Spotting people for the first time since starting the walk, this last beach walk marks the end of the Labillardiere Peninsula Circuit. With plenty of holiday makers enjoying the relatively warm day by having a swim or relaxing in the sun, I was a bit out of place with all my hiking gear on. Walking up the road that leads off the beach, I walked along the loop that goes around the outside of the campground to reach my car, very pleased with the walk I'd just done.
Final Thoughts – While not initially impressed with the Labillardiere Peninsula Circuit thanks to a lot of ho-hum vehicle track walking, the last two-thirds of the walk was really spectacular.
Scenic beach walking combined with excellent forests, views for days and a variety of flora and fauna made this a thoroughly enjoyable experience.
While the length of this hike may put a few people off, there aren't too many hills to deal with and the quality of the scenery more than makes up for any sore legs you might get.
If you're looking for a longer hike while you're staying on Bruny Island then this is one of a few options that you can take.
Get out there and experience it!
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