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Maria Island
Maria Island is a special place with abundant wildlife, long sandy beaches, painted cliffs, fossil bays, convict heritage and fantastic scenery. This mountainous island is located in the Tasman Sea, off the east coast of Tasmania. The entire island is a national park.
Maria Island is about 20 kilometres long from north to south and, at its widest, is about 13 kilometres from west to east. At its closest point, Point Lesueur, the island lies approximately 4 kilometres off the east coast of Tasmania.
One of the great joys of visiting Maria Island is the opportunity to see wildlife in its natural habitat.
There are so many wombats on Maria Island, and I enjoyed watching them feed and stroll around. However, please keep a respectable distance from native animals and resist the temptation to feed or touch them. This will ensure they continue to behave naturally in their habitat.
You may also see pademelons, Forester Kangaroos, Bennetts wallabies and Tasmanian Devils on Maria Island.
The waters around Maria Island include a Marine Nature Reserve and are visited regularly by seals and whales. The abundant marine life and clear waters make for spectacular diving and snorkelling.
In April 2021, we arrived on the 8.30 am Ferry and departed on the 4.15 pm Ferry; we had time to do the Painted Cliff walk and the Fossil Cliffs walk, look around Darlington (the old convict settlement), and have a picnic. We spent a lot of time watching the wildlife and taking photos.
Maria Island is a remote island experience; there are no shops or cafes on the island. You will need to bring enough food for your stay, a refillable water bottle, sturdy walking shoes, warm and waterproof clothing including a beanie, sun protection including a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen, a personal first aid kit, a mobile phone and a backpack to carry all of your belongings securely.
Please take all your rubbish with you when you leave. There is no rubbish tip or collection service on the island.
A valid Tasmania National Parks Pass is required to enter Maria Island National Park, and no pets are allowed. You can also take your bike over on the ferry or hire one on the island; roads and tracks are all gravel.
Maria Island is a 30-minute ferry ride from Triabunna, about 1.5 hours from Hobart and 2.5 hours from Launceston.
Maria Island Short Walks
The Painted Cliffs - 4.3 kilometres (2 hours return) from Darlington
The Painted Cliffs are beautifully coloured and patterned sandstone, carved and moulded by the sea. Although they are not exceptionally high cliffs, they have unique colours and swirling patterns.
The patterns are caused by groundwater percolating down through the sandstone and staining the rock. Wave action and sea spray have continued the erosion, resulting in magical honeycomb patterns, potholes and notches.
Note: The Painted Cliffs are best visited within 2 hours of low tide so you can access the rocky ledge at the front of the cliffs.
From the Ferry Terminal, walk along the road towards Darlington, cross over the bridge and continue following the road along the paddock. You will probably see wombats grazing here. Continue along until you reach Hopground Beach, where you can walk along the beach or continue along the path until you see a sandstone outcrop.
This is the beginning of the Painted Cliffs; at low tide, you can climb the outcrop and walk along the rock shelf at the front of the cliffs.
You can walk back the way you came or take a slight detour to Oast House. Oast House is the ruins of an old hop kiln that nature is slowly taking back.
Fossil Cliffs - 4.5 kilometres (2 hours Return) from Darlington
The Fossil Cliffs extend along the northern shores of Maria Island, where you will see these spectacular cliffs plunge sheer into the sea. The walk brings you to an old limestone quarry where you can get a close-up look at various fossils, including sea fans, coral-like creatures, scallop shells and sea lilies.
Leave Darlington on the road behind the penitentiary, walk past the foundations of the 12 Apostles, continue over the creek bed, and walk up the gully (it gets a bit steep here).
At the top of the gully, you will come to the edge of the cliffs (take care here as they are not fenced and are a little unstable due to loose rocks). The views from here are amazing!
After admiring the views, turn left and head up the hill (it's also a bit steep here). Walk to the base, climb over a stile, and follow the path to a concrete drain. Walk down this drain to reach the bottom of the Fossil Cliffs.
When you have had a good look around, follow the road past the airstrip back to the ferry terminal.
Other Walks on Maria Island -
Reservoir Circuit - 4 kilometres (1.5 hours Return)
Bishop & Clerk - 11 kilometres (5 hours Return)
Mount Maria - 16 kilometres (8 hours Return)
There is plenty of parking near the Ferry Terminal. It is also suitable for parking buses and motorhomes. There are no cars or public transport on Maria Island.
There is an excellent selection of short walks around Maria Island; the Visitor Centre at the Ferry Terminal will give you handouts of any of interest.
Public toilets are available at the ferry terminal in Triabunna, on the Ferry, at the Ferry Terminal on Maria Island and in Darlington.
Picnic Tables and BBQs are available on Maria Island. There are No Cafes or shops, so bring everything you need from the Mainland.
There is limited Phone Coverage on the island.
Camping is allowed on Maria Island National Park; you must book with the Visitors Centre.
This is one of the best cruises you can do in Tasmania,