Alonnah: History, Harbour and Foreshore Walk

Alonnah brings together island history, an easy walk and an unusual harbour story. Exhibitions at the History Room explore the history of Bruny Island; the Alonnah Foreshore Walk passes settlement remains left by early settlers from the 1850s. St Brenadan's Catholic Church and the breakwater at the boat harbour also offer their own historical highlights. If you don’t want to separate culture from exploring on foot when choosing a destination, Alonnah offers several different ways to do both.

Discover Island History

The History Room was established in 1997 as a community facility and central archive for the Bruny History Collection. Through its many exhibitions, visitors can explore the history of Bruny Island. It therefore serves several purposes: the room supports the community and the collection, while the exhibitions provide visitors with direct access. For your travel plans, it offers a distinctive cultural highlight, focused on the island’s history rather than just one historic building. If you like to add a themed visit to your stay, you’ll find both the collection and exhibitions here as two parts of local historical work.

Traces Along the Walk, in the Architecture and at the Harbour

The Alonnah Foreshore Walk offers a different way to explore. The easy 3-kilometre route starts at the Alonnah jetty and passes settlement remains left by early settlers from the 1850s. The route combines a specific distance with a historical connection. You can add the walk to your day’s plans as an activity in its own right while also taking in traces of early settlement. If you like to include a route in your itinerary as well as exhibitions, the experiences are quite distinct: here, the walk itself takes centre stage, while the History Room explores the past through exhibitions.

St Brenadan's Catholic Church in Alonnah is a Romanesque building. The breakwater at Alonnah’s boat harbour offers a different perspective on the past: it was built from the only surviving section of Hobart’s original pontoon road bridge, which connected Hobart across the Derwent. This surviving pontoon is heritage-listed. The church and breakwater therefore represent two different aspects of history—architecture on the one hand and transport infrastructure on the other. In this way, architectural and transport history add further perspectives on Alonnah alongside the collection and traces of settlement.

Planning Your Trip

The Gateway and Visitor Information Centre in Alonnah is the island’s official tourism information centre and can arrange tour bookings. Its role differs from the historic sites: it provides visitor information and tour bookings. If you’re considering including tours in your plans, this booking service is a practical option alongside the exhibitions, walk and historic buildings.

These different highlights can help you decide what suits you: would you like to explore the island’s history mainly through exhibitions, take an easy walk with traces of settlement, or focus on architectural and transport history? When looking for a hotel in Alonnah, you can first consider whether the destination fits the theme of your trip. If you’re travelling with a range of interests, its mix offers several ways to explore without limiting you to just one kind of experience.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Campania, Ellendale, Meadowbank, Eaglehawk Neck, Rossarden, Penguin, Glengarry, Moonah

For the main travel overview: Tasmania.