Bruny busy but weather drives visitors indoors

IT was a mixed blessing for many Bruny Island businesses during the Easter weekend as bad weather meant many visitors headed straight for their accommodation.

Bruny Island Cheese Company manager Nona Auderset said Good Friday and Saturday were less busy than expected despite traffic on Friday backing up to the Channel Highway.

“We got told it was going to be like Christmas,” she said.

“But Friday and Saturday were dead compared to what we imagined. I think people were put off by the weather and many people went straight to their accommodation.”

Ms Auderset said things picked up on Sunday.

“Sunday was flat out and we didn’t expect that,” she said.

“We ran out of glasses to serve beers.”

Bruny Island Ferry Com- pany owner Graeme Phillips said things had run reasonably during the long weekend.

He expected today to be less busy as the MV Bowen and the Mirambeena continued to shuttle passengers to and from the island.

Hotel Bruny owner Dave Gunton said it had been a busy time on the island.

“Our accommodation has been fully booked as have our restaurant seats,” he said.

Mr Gunton said 60 per cent to 70 per cent of the visitors to the island during Easter were Tasmanians, many of whom came each year.

“And we’re getting our share of interstate and international visitors,” he said.

Mr Gunton said while visitor numbers eased after Easter, Bruny was becoming a place to be enjoyed year-round.

He said the island attracted “a different sort of visitor” in the winter period, mostly Tasmanians holidaying at home.