Dunalley

What’s special about Dunalley?

• It connects Forestier Peninsula with the rest of Tasmania.
• En route to Port Arthur and well known for fresh seafood.
• Substantially devastated by a bushfire in January 2013.

Take a look at the Denison Canal, hand-dug between 1901 and 1905. The swing bridge allows boats easy access between the two bays and local legend has it that the ‘toll’ to the gatekeeper is a bottle of beer. It is an area of stunning waterways. Look out the Dunalley Waterfront Café (survived) with its beautiful deck and array of antiques and collectables. The Potters Croft combining an art gallery and wine outlet with delightful bed and breakfast accommodation is presently closed for business. It was the only surviving structure from those operated by the Holmes Family who had a miraculous escape on their wooded point.

The weather on the Tasman Peninsula is affected by the winds coming off Frederick Henry Bay, so remember, no matter what time of year you visit; bring a warm jacket and all weather gear.

More things to do:

Bushwalking
Dunalley Hotel
Visit Port Arthur

The story of Dunalley:

On November 29, 1642 Abel Janszoon Tasman landed at Blackman Bay near present day Dunalley. It is believed the Dutch were the first Europeans to set foot on Tasmanian soil. Although they saw smoke and heard noises they did not see any Aboriginal people. Notches cut at considerable distances on nearby tree trunks led them to believe that the people must be very tall. Later, the British satirist, Jonathan Swift, had Gulliver sail to the country of Houyhnhnms, west of Tasmania.

Travel directions:

The town of Dunalley is about an hours’ drive (57 kilometres/35 miles) from Hobart on the A9 Highway. It is slowly offering services to visitors passing through however many resident's homes, businesses and the School were lost in the firestorm.