Alonnah: History and Foreshore Walk

Discover Alonnah through its history and distinctive buildings—and on foot along the Foreshore Walk. The town offers several ways to plan your trip: a visit to the History Room offers insights into the history of Bruny Island, while the 3 km walk starts at the jetty and passes remnants of early settlement. There are also notable buildings and a breakwater with an unusual connection to Hobart’s history.

Discover Bruny Island at the History Room

The History Room was established in 1997 as a community facility and central archive for the Bruny History Collection. Visitors can explore the history of Bruny Island through its many displays. The combination of an archive and displays makes it a practical starting point for anyone interested in the island’s past.

If you want to combine different interests on your trip, you can plan a visit to the History Room as a cultural highlight alongside outdoor exploration. Anyone particularly interested in the history of Bruny Island will find a place here dedicated specifically to the island. But in Alonnah, history is not only found in displays: traces of early settlement also line the Foreshore Walk.

The Foreshore Walk and traces of early settlement

The Alonnah Foreshore Walk is an easy 3 km trail that starts at the Alonnah jetty. Along the way, it passes remnants of settlement by early settlers from the 1850s. The walk therefore combines time outdoors with a specific historical theme: the traces lie along the route and make early settlement part of the walk.

The stated distance of 3 km gives you a clear route for planning your day. Starting at the jetty also provides a clear landmark for the beginning of the walk.

Buildings with different stories

Alonnah’s architectural landmarks include St Brenadan's Catholic Church and Bruny Island District School. The church is a Romanesque building. The school comprises three timber buildings clad in weatherboards. Both descriptions draw attention to different aspects of the architecture: the church’s Romanesque design, and the number of school buildings and their exterior.

The breakwater at the boat harbour also tells a story that reaches beyond Alonnah. It was built using the only surviving section of Hobart’s original pontoon bridge, which connected Hobart across the Derwent. This pontoon is heritage-listed. The harbour is therefore home to a structure whose material is linked to a historic connection between Hobart and the Derwent. For visitors interested in history, it adds another tangible link to the past alongside the History Room’s themes and the traces of settlement along the walk.

Choose Alonnah as your destination

The Gateway and Visitor Information Centre in Alonnah is the island’s official tourism information centre and can arrange tour bookings. If you choose Alonnah as a destination for these discoveries, you can focus your search for holiday accommodation on the town.

More places to explore: Woodbridge, Tea Tree, St Marys, Ranelagh, Moorina, Oatlands, Moonah, Promised Land.

For the broader travel overview: Tasmania.