On the 20th of October 2018, Friends of North Bruny officially opened the Dennes Point Heritage Trail Interpretation Panels and Website. The Heritage Trail is a fantastic new short walk on the very northern-most tip of Bruny Island, a site of incredible heritage significance – it was here that some of the very first encounters between Europeans and the first people of lutruwita-Tasmania occurred, with visits by the French on D’Entrecasteaux’s and Baudin’s expeditions. They made beautiful and haunting pictures of the people, animals, plants and landscapes they encountered, many of which have been stunningly reproduced on fourteen panels installed on the Heritage Trail.
The panels also represent the subsequent history of the site, including early settlement by Europeans, and their commercial endeavours and marine policing efforts. These included farming and whaling, but also plenty of frivolity with events like fetes and regattas. Other aspects of the site that you can learn about as you follow the trail include its geology and natural history, and the somewhat fraught history of transport to the Island.
The Dennes Point Heritage Trail also provides access to the beautiful northern tip of Bruny Island, Tasmania, where you can enjoy stunning views across the waters where the D’Entrecasteaux Channel, Derwent Estuary and Storm Bay all converge. The walk can be completed by strolling along Jetty Beach (watch out for quolls!), or perhaps a swim?
Bright South is proud to have supported the development of the Heritage Trail, including coordinating production of the panels and production of Friends of North Bruny’s website. Take a look – you can even do a virtual tour of the site or download the panel audios to listen as you walk. Perfect for those who spend so long in front of books and screens their eyes need a rest! Jump straight to the Heritage Trail welcome page.
