The Apple Isle’s remote islands are redefining the Australian escape. Discover the best islands in Tasmania through the eyes of a former lighthouse kid.

Tasmania’s wild edge, the hunting and spiritual heartland of the Lutruwita people, is made up of around 334 islands. Some of those islands served as isolated outposts for lighthouse families from the 1800s. Now a handful of these wild islands are emerging as some of Australia’s most intriguing island escapes.

As the daughter of a lighthouse keeper, islands hold a special place in my heart. In the 1970s I lived on four remote islands off Tasmania’s wild coast – Cape Bruny, Tasman Island, Maatsuyker and Swan Islands – where life revolved around wild weather, isolation and correspondence schooling.

Earlier this year I returned by helicopter to Tasman Island, a small dolerite rock off the Tasman Peninsula, with my sister and 86-year-old dad. That return trip sparked a little east coast island hopping – Tassie style. In no particular order, below are the best islands to visit in Tasmania.

1. Bruny Island

Bruny Island offers its own wild charm, and its own little penguin colony. Bruny is known for its pristine scenery and some of Tasmania’s best produce, from famed sourdough at the Bruny Baker Bread Fridge in Sheepwash Bay to artisan cheeses from Bruny Island Cheese Co. and freshly shucked oysters at Get Shucked.

As a lighthouse kid, I once wandered the wild shores of Cape Bruny, at the extreme southern tip of the island, while Dad tended the lighthouse. If you visit, it’s worth booking a tour of Australia’s second oldest lighthouse tower.

Bruny Island is 100 kilometres from end to end with the added convenience of being able to take your car on the ferry. It offers several accommodation options including Sheepwash Bay, a self-catering seafront stay perfect for taking advantage of Bruny’s fresh produce.

The Shack at Sheepwash Bay is an adults-only, off-grid retreat with panoramic ocean views over the D’Entrecasteaux Channel, where you can pick produce from the garden and collect fresh eggs from the chickens. Fresh Bruny Baker woodfired bread is baked onsite and can be delivered to your door, accompanied with homemade butter and jam. With long beach walks, a relaxing outdoor bathtub and a cosy log fire, it’s a unique and memorable island stay.

Getting there: SeaLink ferry departs Kettering regularly and takes 20 minutes. Cars welcome; no booking required. Kettering is 30 minutes from Hobart.

Stay: Three-night off-season Stargazer packages at Sheepwash from around $850 for two people. Standard stays start from $350 per night.

2. Satellite Island

If Bruny Island isn’t quite remote enough, Satellite Island (just off its coast) offers complete seclusion.

Satellite Island is an exclusive destination for a maximum of eight guests. A concierge can arrange your land, sea or air transfers and stock the pantry with local gourmet produce, including an endless supply of wild oysters. Your accommodation is the delightful waterfront Boathouse, the Summerhouse and a luxury bell tent.

While on Satellite, you can relax in the clifftop hot ocean bath or enjoy the waterfront sauna followed by a cold plunge. Spend your days exploring walking trails through the surrounding bushland or head out on the water to forage for oysters by kayak. Or just make the most of the ocean views from the deck with a glass of your favourite Tasmanian wine. You may never want to return to reality.

Getting there: Five-minute private ferry transfer from Alonnah on Bruny Island. Additional road, sea and air transfers available.

Stay: Exclusive island hire from $2950 for two guests, with a two-night minimum stay (excluding peak times and long weekends).

3. Picnic Island

While the now heritage site of Tasman Island and its impressive 29-metre lighthouse is no luxury holiday destination, the newly renovated Picnic Island off the coast of Coles Bay in Freycinet National Park certainly is. This intimate private island can only be booked for 100 days of the year, making it one of the most exclusive islands in Tasmania.

While on Picnic Island, you’ll have your very own attentive hosts who will work with you to curate a personalised itinerary of experiences on and off the island.

You’ll dine in style, with a private chef whipping up gourmet three-course meals from fresh local produce, paired with delicious Tasmanian wines. Your days can be spent exploring seal colonies on Refuge Island aboard the island’s custom-built boat or hiking to Wineglass Bay, before relaxing with an appetizer of fresh oysters, a local wine tasting, and a spectacular sunset.

Evenings are quiet, with uninterrupted views of the night sky and the iconic Hazards in Freycinet National Park. As you drift to sleep, waves lap the rocky shoreline below while the island’s other inhabitants, little penguins, emerge from the sea and march to their burrows like small sentinels in the night.

Getting there: Ten-minute boat transfer from Coles Bay. Road and air transfers from Hobart and Launceston can be arranged.

Stay: Exclusive-use luxury island for up to eight guests, with a three-night minimum, all-inclusive. From $16,000 per night.

4. Maria Island

Still on the east coast is Maria Island, also known as the ‘wombat capital of the world’. Accessible by ferry, Maria Island is a car-free family day trip; a favourite when I was a kid.

If you’d like more wombat time (and really, who wouldn’t?), Wild Bush Luxury offers a pack-free portered walk with experienced guides. Their four-day Maria Island Walk leads you through Maria Island National Park and the world heritage area of Darlington. You’ll encounter white sandy beaches, lush rainforests, striking fossilised cliffs and abundant wildlife.

Rest and recover at the end of each day in delightful beachside eco-cabins, and one night in the beautiful world heritage listed Bernacchi House. Each evening you’ll be treated to a gourmet three-course meal of local produce and Tasmanian wine from local family-owned vineyards. As you drift off to sleep, the only thing you’ll hear is the lapping of waves and the sounds of wombats grazing.

Getting there: The Encounter Maria Island ferry departs Triabunna, 1.25 hours from Hobart.

Stay: The four-day Wild Bush Luxury Maria Island Walk starts from $3610 per person, including meals, transfers, ferry tickets and accommodation in exclusive wilderness camps.

5. Flinders Island

Out in Bass Strait lies an island with plenty of heart; Flinders Island. You’ll arrive by light plane to be greeted by rugged white-sand beaches and the striking granite peaks of Mt Strzelecki.

The largest of the Furneux group, Flinders Island is home to a tight-knit fishing and farming community of around 800 residents, 16 percent of which identify as Palawa people. It also has Tasmania’s smallest lighthouse; the four-metre-tall Holloway Point Lighthouse. A hire car is the best way to explore. Hike in Strzelecki National Park, head to Trousers Point Beach or visit Furneaux Museum.

In terms of accommodation, you’ll mostly find cosy cabins and hosted stays with incredible views and open fires. Set up base at Sawyers Bay Shacks, a luxury stay providing uninterrupted views of the sunset over Bass Strait with floor-to-ceiling glass and a deck overlooking Sawyers Bay.

Getting there: Light plane flights depart from Launceston, Melbourne and Bridport. The Flinders Island Ferry takes 7-8 hours and departs from Bridport.

Stay: Mountain Seas Lodge from $210 to $310 per night, or Sawyers Bay Shacks from $450 per night (two bedrooms sleeping four) or $600 per night (three bedrooms sleeping six).

6. King Island

West of Flinders Island is Tasmania’s world-renowned dairy and grass-fed beef capital of the Apple Isle, King Island. One of the best islands in Tasmania for golfers, it’s home to two of Australia’s top ranked golf courses as well as the tallest lighthouse in the southern hemisphere, Cape Wickham Lighthouse.

Ocean Dunes and Cape Wickham Golf Courses offer luxury golf packages that include accommodation, golf buggies and breakfast. If you’d prefer a slower pace, award-winning Kittawa Lodge and its latest luxury addition, Kittawa Retreat, sit on an exclusive 96-acre property with stunning views of the Southern Ocean. Enjoy a customised luxury stay including a private chef to showcase the island’s exceptional produce and an outdoor hot tub under the stars.

Hire a car to discover coastal walks, surf breaks, local history and culture. And don’t miss a visit to Currie Lighthouse, King Island Museum and King Island Dairy for cheese tastings.

Getting there: Flights depart from Melbourne, Hobart, Launceston and Burnie. There is no passenger ferry.

Stay: Two-day King Island Golf Packages start from $810 per person. Kittawa Lodge rates start from $1850 per night and include gourmet meals and recipe cards.

7. Three Hummock Island

For a true castaway escape, head for Three Hummock Island off Tasmania’s north-west coast, accessible by light plane or charter boat.

Here you’ll have exclusive use of The Homestead, a beautifully restored 100-year-old farmhouse. Alongside abundant wildlife, your hosts live on the off-grid island, ensuring complete privacy while remaining close at hand if needed. Groceries can be delivered with bespoke recipe cards for self-catering or arrange a private chef for a completely effortless stay.

Spend days exploring deserted beaches and coastal walk tracks before unwinding in the woodfired sauna and spa as the sun sets over the ocean.

Getting there: Your hosts will arrange a private charter plane or boat from Tasmania or Melbourne.

Stay: The Homestead stay starts at $800 per night for four guests, with a minimum of two nights.

8. Tasman Island

While you can’t actually stay overnight on Tasman Island, and landing requires a special permit from the Tasmanian Parks & Wildlife Service, witnessing its rugged landscapes from a distance is equally awe-inspiring.

View the island from the Tasman Peninsula, Cape Pillar on the famous Three Capes Track or by boat with Pennicott Wilderness Journeys, or via the annual Rotary helicopter day trip.

For this lighthouse kid, life on Tasmania’s islands was the experience of a lifetime. These hand-picked escapes may be less rugged than the islands of my childhood, but they’re every bit as memorable.