The Bonnet Island Experience

Sunset and seabirds, lightkeepers and landscapes

A unique signature experience at Strahan on Tasmania’s West Coast, The Bonnet Island Experience offers the rare opportunity to go ashore on a tiny island at the mouth of Macquarie Harbour.

The island is home to a thriving colony of Little Penguins and Short-tailed Shearwaters. In all weathers, these amazing birds spend their days fishing at sea, returning each evening at dusk to their burrows on the island.

Observing this phenomenon of nature from close quarters is the heart of the Bonnet Island Experience – in a memorable and intimate encounter, you’ll watch seabirds following their natural instincts, as they have always done.

As well as discovering new insights about Tasmania’s wildlife, you’ll hear some astonishing tales about the people who lived on the island all year, weathering the harsh conditions. Your knowledgeable local guide will tell stories of wrecks and rescues, storms and survival – and the memories will come to life because you’ll be close to the historic lighthouse and the remains of the keepers’ cottage, on the very spot where they tended the light, cooked their meals, raised their families and even grew their gardens!

You’ll experience the area in comfort, cruising from Strahan in time to go ashore just before dusk to enjoy gourmet local Tasmanian specialties.

After watching the seabirds come ashore – the shearwaters from the air, penguins from the sea – cruise back across the harbour to Strahan, after a fascinating experience highlighting the native wildlife and human heritage of Tasmania’s wild and wonderful West Coast.

Duration: 2.5 hours (twilight tour). Departure time varies in accordance with the time of sunset. Please call 1800 420 155 or visit the Strahan Activities Centre on the day of your tour to confirm the departure time.

Cost: adults $85, children $40 (minimum age 5 yrs), family (2 adults, 2 children) $200. Children must be minimum 5 years old.

Please note: The Bonnet Island Experience will not be operating from the 27th September 2010 - 24th October 2010.

This experience requires a minimum of two and a maximum of 10 people to operate. Subject to availability.

To view The Bonnet Island Experience brochure, please click the image below: