Maria Island, Tasmania

Where

Maria Island, Tasmania.

Why now

Apart from sharing a name with our Head of Digital Maria Alafouzou, Maria Island is a national park that offers a rare opportunity to get up close and personal with nature without hordes of tourists. With easy access by ferry from Hobart, you can choose to spend as little as a day here or embark on a several day walking tour. Don't expect any frills but do expect to see the incredible Painted Cliffs and some spectacular wildlife. For history buffs, Maria Island is also home to Darlington, the most intact version of a 19th-century penal station for convicts in Australia.

When to go

December­

or

January.

Who to take with you

Someone adventurous and practical.

Most likely to bump into...

A wombat.

Don't miss

The Painted Cliffs and spectrum of wildlife from echidnas to Tasmanian devils.

An essential you need to bring with you

Everything

- there are no shops on the island.

How to get there

Take a boat from Triabunna by

ferry

. Triabunna is a 90-minute drive from Hobart.

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