Hobart: Maria Island National Park, Nature & Wildlife active tour
Description
Maria Island is a National Park off the East Coast of Tasmania. The only permanent residents are the abundant wildlife. There are no cars or buses, and we explore this wild island on foot. Following a series of trails, expect at least 10km of hiking across this day. We hike to the Painted Cliffs, beautiful sandstone sculpted and stained into swirling patterns by millennia of tidal action. We continue our hike to the Fossil Cliffs, which drop sheer to the ocean, their faces packed with ancient marine life and with sweeping views across to the Freycinet Peninsula. We explore Darlington, one of the world's best preserved convict probation settlements, predating Port Arthur and every bit as compelling. • Explore Maria Island National Park on our active day tour • Hike to the Painted Cliffs and explore the unusual rock formations, hike to the Fossil Cliffs and discover the geological history in the exposed fossils • Discover the convict history at the Darlington World Heritage convict site
Tour Options
Itinerary
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Minimum age to participate in tour is 8 years
- 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.
- There are no shops on Maria, and limited drinking water, so make sure you bring enough water and food for your day out. There will be a brief stop on the way to the Ferry for some last minute food purchases - sandwiches/rolls etc. And there is normally a chance to buy some takeaway food on the return trip back to Hobart.
Reviews(42)
Yesterday’s tour on Maria Island was amazing The guides were so friendly and full of knowledge, we learned a lot and saw so many animals! The walks were beautiful, the timing was perfect… everything was just perfect. Thank you!
A lot of walking but a great experience: wallabies, kangaroo, wombats, pademelons and a host of different birds. Guided by Heather from Tours Tasmania who was just the right level of informative, and a terrific guide. She also drove the bus smoothly and safely. Fossil Cliffs, Painted Cliffs and wombats were the highlights. Boat crossing was smooth (for us) and swift. Very enjoyable day - thank you Heather. Recommended trip
Maria Island is beautiful and we saw of wild animals such as wombats, wallabies, paddlymellon and beautiful landscapes. In the other reviews, people wrote that their walk were at a leisure pace and mostly flat surfaces on Maria Island. This was not our experience . We are couples in our 70s and we travelled to Africa, South America & Asia frequently. This day tour is one of the toughest we experienced. If you are 65+, read the fine print before signing up if this tour is suitable for you. We have a guide that is not helpful. He gave minimal information about the island & wild life. He started walking away before we had a chance to ask further questions . He looked annoyed if you asked him to repeat. He had no consideration and patience for slower walker. Starting from the walk from the pier to Painted Cliff, he was 1/2 mile ahead of us. We had to run to catch up. Afterwards, I asked if he could slow down a bit for us to catch up. His response was "NO & NO !" and if we could not catch up we should be on our own and wait for him at the pier. The walk was mostly upslope with a few flat surfaces. We were only allowed a 20 min lunch and bathroom break. During the break, he was hurrying us to go. We felt like we were in a boot camp. We felt rushed and stress the whole trip. We did not appreciated of how we were treated.
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience, and we are genuinely sorry that you left the day feeling rushed and unsupported. That is never our intention. Maria Island is one of our most loved tours, and we are glad the island's beauty and wildlife came through for you. Our Maria Island tour covers 10-12 kilometres of walking over approx. five hours, and we do describe it as an active day tour suited to guests who are comfortable with that level of activity. When our guides sense that a guest is finding the pace difficult, they do have the option to offer an alternative, to sit out the second walk and relax in the beautiful Darlington area, and then rejoin us ready for departure. We understand this may not have felt like a welcome solution in the moment, and we are sorry if it came across that way. Our guides genuinely want every guest to enjoy their day, and they do need to ensure we walk at a pace that achieves the itinerary. We are truly sorry that the communication between you and our guide did not land as it should have on the day. We wish you many more wonderful adventures in your travels.
Very picturesque, great tour guide, very tired from walking but definitely worth it
So, a long day, but worth it for the views. Some overseas visitors were more interested in the wildlife, wombats, echidnas, roos / wallabies / paddymelons, they got to see the lot. A fair bit of walking, as advertised, but at a leisurely pace. Good guide, good commentary, a good day.
Thank you! Maria Island really is a special place. Ticking off wombats, echidnas, wallabies, roos and pademelons in one day is pretty hard to beat. We'll pass your kind words on to the guide. So glad it was worth the long day and we hope to see you out on the trails again soon!
Very organised. Guide was excellent and very knowledgeable. Lucas was very caring with the slower walkers. Not many animals as it was too hot and dry but the guide kept looking.
We experienced strong winds, torrential rain, and clear skies on the island 😂 We were lucky to see wombets and wallabies. This trip not only offers the fun of animal hunting but also allows you to enjoy various scenic views. Highly recommended!
Thanks so much for the great review. Tasmania certainly loves to show all four seasons in one day. We’re glad you enjoyed the wildlife sightings and scenic views despite the wild weather, and really appreciate the recommendation.
A wonderful day's outing on Maria Island withTours Tasmania. Our excellent driver and guide Heather provided a five star experience walking to key locations on the island and sighting roos, pademelons, wombats and amazingly (because they're nocturnal) even a Tasmanian Devil!
Thank you for such a lovely review. We’re so glad you enjoyed your day on Maria Island and the incredible wildlife encounters. Heather will be thrilled to hear your kind words. Spotting wombats, kangaroos and even a Tasmanian Devil is always special. We really appreciate you travelling with Tours Tasmania. The Tours Tasmania Team
This was a great mix of history, spectacular scenery, and wildlife viewing! Matt was an excellent and enthusiastic guide, leading us on 2 walks to different parts of Maria Island. The scenery was incredibly gorgeous, particularly the Painted Cliffs, and the history of the different stages of convict occupation of the island was really interesting. We were lucky enough to see forester kangaroos, pademelons, and wombats!
Thank you Heather for exploring Maria Island with us. We are thrilled to hear you loved the mix of history, scenery and wildlife. Matt will be so pleased to know his enthusiasm and knowledge helped bring the island to life. Seeing the Painted Cliffs, the wildlife and the convict history all in one day makes Maria Island a very special place. Happy and safe travels. The Tours Tasmania Team.
An active day walking over 12km to view the fossil beds, Darlington convict station/settlement and the coloured cliffs. The bonus was our guide had a great knowledge of the island and native flora and fauna and the best places to locate these, especially on the windy day we experienced. Lucky enough to sight a critically endangered swift parrot drinking and bathing in a creek. Lots of wombats, Bennet's wallabies and Paddymelons to top it off. Probably one of the best day trips I’ve been on.
Thank you for joining our Maria Island Nature and Wildlife Adventure. It is wonderful to hear you enjoyed the full walk and the rich mix of history, landscapes and native wildlife. Your guide will be very pleased to know their knowledge helped you spot so many animals, especially on a windy day. Maria Island is a special place and we are glad it was a standout for you. Warm regards from The Tours Tasmania Team.
