Tasman to Bruny (River Derwent)

A beautiful 23km swim down Timtumili Minanya/ River Derwent, starting at the Tasman Bridge in Hobart down to the mouth of the Derwent estuary, past beautiful beaches and stunning cliffs before crossing the D'Entrecasteaux Channel to Bruny Island.

DISTANCE

23.1km

WATER TYPE

River / Estuary

EXPERIENCE

Intermediate

LOCATION

Hobart

REGION

Hobart & South

Swim Stats

First completed: January 2023 (Sam Poulsen (Australia) & Val Kalmikovs (Latvia), Tandem swim)

Successful swims: 5

Fastest male: 6:01:20 (Anton Ilchenko, February 2025, as part of New Norfolk to Bruny swim)

Fastest female: 6:36:43 (Helen Conway, February 2026, as part of Bowen to Bruny swim)

See the Honour Roll below

Overview

The Tasman Bridge to Bruny Island swim is framed by some of the most beautiful scenery on Timtumili Minanya/ River Derwent from the heart of Hobart towards the river mouth and the open waters of Storm Bay.

The swim starts in the heart of the city and covers urban waterfront, million dollar mansions, spectacular cliffs and beautiful beaches. The final crossing of the D'Entrecasteaux Channel can make for a tough finish if the afternoon winds have picked up but a finish on the stunning sandy beaches of Bruny Island is the reward.

At 23.1km, this swim provides a great stepping stone for those looking to increase their marathon swimming distance, before potentially tackling the Derwent River Big Swim.

Or for those who may have already completed the longer swim, the Tasman to Bruny swim offers a different perspective on the river, with water temperatures typically colder than upstream and more exposure to Tasmania's challenging winds.

Route Description

The swim starts under the Tasman Bridge in the heart of Hobart.

The swim then heads down the western shore of the Derwent, passing by the mansions of Sandy Bay and onto the leafier suburb of Taroona. Here, the swimmer experiences the joy of swimming along the spectacular Alum Cliffs (make sure you can breathe to the right!) followed by the beaches of Kingston and Blackmans Bay.

There are more great views for the next 8km along the hills of Tinderbox before the final 1.5km stretch across the D'Entrecasteaux Channel, finishing at Jetty Beach near Dennes Point on Bruny Island.

The swim is typically timed to start near high tide to take advantage of the tidal flow. There can be opposing tidal forces as you cross the D'Entrecasteaux Channel towards Bruny, which may result in the swimmer being swept past Jetty Beach. In this event, the swim is likely to finish close to Dennes Point Boat Ramp on nearby Nebraska Beach.

See map below or click here to view in Maps.

What you should know

Swims will typically start around high tide, with approximately 6-7 hours of outgoing tide providing assistance to the swimmer.
While this is the Derwent River, the swim is in the lower parts of the estuary and therefore salt water.
Almost - if not all - of the swim will be in daylight hours, unless you specifically want to practice night swimming.
The water temperature in December will be around 15C, around 16-17C in January and March, and likely to reach 18C in February.
During the summer months, winds tend to pick up from mid-morning, either from the south-west or south-east, so be prepared to head into these for the latter part of the swim.
Depending on the wind forecast, your pilot may recommend that you switch to the Tasman to Iron Pot swim instead, to get more shelter from any strong winds. The swim is a similar distance.

Before you go

Pilots must notify MAST of the planned swim route at least 48 hours in advance due to restrictions on swimming at the Tasman Bridge.
Your pilot will typically meet you at one of the marinas or boat ramps close to the city (e.g. Rosny boat ramp, Prince of Wales marina, Regatta Grounds boat ramp). From there, you will have a short boat trip to the Tasman Bridge where you will jump in to start the swim.
Your pilot may take you back to the pick-up point or can drop you at nearby Tinderbox boat ramp if your shore support team wants to greet you there.

Honour Roll

Swim #	Name	Date	Time	Country	Route	Category	Type	Notes	Ratified By
1	Sam Poulsen	06/01/2023	6:57:24	Australia	Tasman-Bruny	Unassisted	Tandem	First recorded swim (tandem)	DRBS
2	Val Kalmikovs	06/01/2023	6:57:24	Latvia	Tasman-Bruny	Unassisted	Tandem	First recorded swim (tandem)	DRBS
3	Jonathan Wall	17/01/2023	6:27:13	Australia	Tasman-Bruny	Unassisted	Solo	Swum as part of Bowen-Bruny	ALDSF
4	Anton Ilchenko	06/02/2025	6:01:20	Australia	Tasman-Bruny	Unassisted	Solo	Fastest male	DRBS
5	Miu Tanaka	13/02/2026	8:47:36	Japan	Tasman-Bruny	Unassisted	Solo		DRBS
6	Helen Conway	28/02/2026	6:36:43	Australia	Tasman-Bruny	Unassisted	Solo	Fastest female	DRBS