Hobart: Maria Island National Park, Nature & Wildlife active tour

What's Included

Meeting and pickup

Itinerary

• 1

  Maria Island is a special place, rewarding those that visit with World Heritage convict history, abundant wildlife, spectacular coastal cliffs, and deserted beaches. Boasting a diverse range of highlights, our active day tour takes it all in! Maria Island is just a 30 minute ferry ride from Triabunna, but it feels like a world away.Just one hour’s drive from Hobart to the ferry and 30 minutes across the water, brings us to Maria Island - a stunning island National Park. An island, off an island, off an island!

  1 hour • Admission ticket free
• 2
  Maria Island National Park

  This is a tour for the active traveller who is keen to walk and enjoy this unique island. There are no cars on Maria Island and the only way across is on the passenger ferry. The main highlights are the Painted Cliffs, the Fossil Cliffs, and of course the wildlife, history and amazing scenery. Maria Island has a fascinating history, which our tour guides will share with you as walk the trails. The World Heritage listed Darlington settlement is beautifully preserved. The Darlington convict settlement pre-dates the more widely known Port Arthur. The island was declared a National Park in 1972.

  4 hours • Admission ticket included
• 3

  We enjoy a series of easy-moderate walks exploring the history and the main highlights of the island. Setting out on foot we have 2 main walking trails for the day, covering a total distance of almost 10 kilometers. From Darlington we walk the Fossil Cliffs trail and return. The Fossil Cliffs walk, takes us to amazing cliffs that drop sheer into the ocean. The views from the top are sensational. Even the non-avid geological fan, will be fascinated by the sheer abundance of the various shell fossils exposed in the cliff face. It offers a fascinating insight into the past environments of Maria Island along with expansive views of the Freycinet Peninsula.

  2 hours • Admission ticket free
• 4

  Then we walk the Painted Cliffs trail and return. The walk to the Painted Cliffs is gentle, mostly flat and leads us to Hopground Beach with the Painted Cliffs at the far end. We have plenty of time to explore the cliffs, photograph the unique features, and discover the many rock pools and beautiful nature in the area.

  2 hours • Admission ticket included
• 5

  The island is a haven for wildlife, and one of the best places in Australia for viewing wombats, Tasmanian Devils, Cape Barren geese, kangaroos and wallabies. The bird life is also an attraction with 125 species including all of Tasmania’s endemics including the endangered Forty-spotted pardalote and Swift parrot. Even the ferry ride is part of the highlights of the day, the waters we cross are also abundant in sea life, we keep our eyes peeled for dolphins, seals and penguins along the way. While on the island, you have an opportunity to swim, photograph, observe the wildlife, and soak up the island life as Maria works its magic on you. Join us on this day of discovery rich in environmental and cultural history, the perfect island playground for an adventurous day out. Maria Island is a special wild island accessible by boat. There are no cars, shops, charging stations for devices etc. Facilities are limited.

  1 hour • Admission ticket free

Additional info

• Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
• Minimum age to participate in tour is 8 years
• Minimum numbers apply. There is a possibility of cancellation after confirmation if there is not enough passengers to meet requirements. In the event of this occurring, you will be offered an alternative or full refund
• This is an active tour. A suitable level of general health & fitness and physical abilities is essential
• We provide accurate interpretation, and keep wildlife disturbance to a minimum by viewing from appropriate distances and informing our guests how to view wildlife with patience and respect. Activities are always confined to tracks and boardwalks to minimize negative impacts.
• We depart Hobart promptly . If you are late we can not wait. It is very important to be on time for your pickup, as we have a time line to keep to ensure we do not miss our ferry to Maria Island. We have very limited capacity to wait for late passengers and we may have to make the unfortunate decision to depart without you! If you have any concerns about your pick up - our phone line is open at 6.30am, please call us promptly on 03 6231 5390.

Tags

Rating