Can you take a hire car to Bruny Island?
Kettering is about 35 minutes from Hobart and the vehicle ferry to Roberts Point takes about 20 minutes. SeaLink sells return tickets on a next-available-ferry queue, so prepaying does not reserve a sailing. A rental car can travel only if your rental agreement permits the ferry and your planned island roads. Cape Bruny Lighthouse is about 1 hour 15 minutes from the island landing on roads that include unsealed sections.
Updated
Key facts
- Hobart to Kettering
- About 35 minutes
- Crossing
- About 20 minutes
- Arrival point
- Roberts Point on Bruny Island
- Ticket type
- All tickets are return fares, valid for 365 days from purchase
- Queue
- Pre-purchased tickets are for next available ferry, not a specific sailing
- Vehicle ferry
- SeaLink operates vehicle-carrying ferries
- Cape Bruny Lighthouse
- About 1 hour 15 minutes from Roberts Point; the route includes unsealed road
Can a Hobart rental car board the Bruny ferry?
SeaLink carries vehicles from Kettering to Roberts Point, but the rental contract controls whether your specific car may cross. Check ferry permission and any island or unsealed-road exclusions in writing before paying for the vehicle ticket.
If your rental agreement excludes the ferry, you could cross as a passenger without the car, but you would still need a workable island transport plan. Do not assume a rental car is available at Roberts Point.
How does the ferry queue work?
The crossing is about 20 minutes and the service runs 365 days a year. Tickets are return fares, but pre-purchase is not a reservation for a specific departure: vehicles queue for the next available ferry. The return is open rather than tied to a same-day time.
Allow queue time on both sides, especially before a booked activity or Hobart return. Check the timetable and weekly Saver fare times for your travel day, and note that additional services may run in peak periods.
How long is the ticket valid?
All tickets are return fares valid for 365 days from purchase, and you need not return on the same day. Tickets can be bought online in advance or at the Kettering terminal on arrival.
Use the SeaLink fare page to price your exact vehicle and travel date rather than relying on a figure copied into an itinerary.
Are the island roads all sealed?
No. The route toward Cape Bruny Lighthouse uses sealed and unsealed roads, and the lighthouse is about 1 hour 15 minutes from Roberts Point, with a final 20 km to the car park at Cape Bruny.
Being able to reach the lighthouse by road is not rental permission. If your agreement excludes unsealed roads, stay on permitted routes and do not make the lighthouse the goal. Vehicle access at the lighthouse is from 9.30am to 4.30pm, and outside those hours access is on foot only. A valid parks pass is required for entry to Tasmania’s national parks, so check the pass requirements and park alerts before the southbound drive.
Is a Bruny day trip from Hobart realistic?
A focused day can work, but add the 35-minute Hobart-to-Kettering drive, ferry queue, 20-minute crossing, island travel and the same return sequence. The lighthouse alone is a long southbound island drive, so select a smaller set of stops rather than assuming every attraction fits.
Collect the car at Hobart Airport or a city branch whose hours fit the whole day and confirm your return time. Avoid a tight evening depot deadline when the ferry operates by queue rather than reservation.
Compare cars at Hobart Airport
Prices are shown in Australian dollars. Check the pickup point and what the agreement allows on the roads in this guide before you book.
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Questions people ask
Can I take a rental car to Bruny Island?
Only if your rental agreement permits the ferry and the island roads on your plan. SeaLink itself carries vehicles.
Can I book a specific Bruny ferry?
No. Pre-purchased tickets join the queue for the next available sailing.
How much is the Bruny car ferry?
Check the SeaLink fare page for your vehicle and travel date. All tickets are return fares valid for 365 days from purchase.
Is the road to Cape Bruny Lighthouse sealed?
No. The route includes unsealed sections; check rental permission before planning the lighthouse.
How long is Hobart to Bruny Island by car?
Allow about 35 minutes to Kettering, ferry queue time and a 20-minute crossing before island driving.