Maria Island National Park 1 Day Trip

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• Duration: 10.5 Hours (7:00 am - 5 pm).

Maria Island Day Tour – A Wildlife & Wilderness Escape

A short ferry ride takes us to a truly special destination — Maria Island, a unique island National Park often described as a "Noah’s Ark" for Tasmanian wildlife. This is the ultimate day tour for encountering Tasmania’s iconic animals in the wild, surrounded by spectacular scenery and rich convict heritage.

Maria Island rewards those who visit with World Heritage-listed convict history, abundant wildlife, dramatic coastal cliffs, and deserted beaches. Just a 30-minute ferry ride from the mainland, but it feels like a world away...

Tour Highlights

• Explore Maria Island National Park (approx. 6 hours on the island)
• Keep watch for dolphins, whales, and seals on the 30-minute ferry ride each way
• Walk to the stunning Painted Cliffs and explore unique rock formations
• Enjoy panoramic views on the walk to the dramatic Fossil Cliffs
• Discover ancient marine fossils embedded in the cliff face
• Immerse yourself in the rich convict history of the Darlington World Heritage Site
• Encounter wombats, kangaroos, wallabies, Tasmanian Devils, and more in their natural habitat

Tour Overview

Just one hour’s drive from Hobart brings us to the ferry terminal, followed by a scenic 30-minute crossing to Maria Island — an island, off an island, off an island!

This tour is ideal for active travellers who love walking and exploring in nature. Maria Island has no cars, no shops, and no distractions — just wide open space, wildlife, and natural beauty.

You’ll enjoy a series of easy to moderate walks, covering approximately 10 km in total across two main trails:

1. Fossil Cliffs Walk

We begin with a walk to the incredible Fossil Cliffs, where sheer sea cliffs drop dramatically into the ocean. Even if you're not a geology buff, you'll be fascinated by the abundance of visible fossils in the cliff face — a window into the island's ancient past. From here, you’ll enjoy sweeping views of the Freycinet Peninsula and surrounding coast.

1. Painted Cliffs Walk

This gentle, mostly flat walk takes us to Hopground Beach, with the beautiful Painted Cliffs at the far end. With plenty of time to explore, you'll be able to photograph the intricate swirling patterns in the sandstone, examine rock pools, and enjoy the peaceful coastal setting.

Wildlife Wonderland

Maria Island is one of the best places in Australia to see wildlife in the wild. The island is home to:

• Wombats (often seen up close!)
• Tasmanian Devils
• Forester kangaroos, Bennett’s wallabies, and Cape Barren geese
• Over 125 bird species, including all of Tasmania’s endemic birds
• Look out for the endangered Forty-spotted Pardalote and Swift Parrot

Even the ferry ride is a wildlife experience, with regular sightings of dolphins, seals, penguins, and sometimes even whales!

Rich Cultural Heritage

Our experienced guides will bring the island’s fascinating human history to life as we explore. Maria Island has been visited or inhabited by Aboriginal people (Tyreddeme nation), Dutch, French, English and Italian explorers, whalers, sealers, convicts, and farmers.

The Darlington Probation Station is beautifully preserved and is one of the best examples of a convict settlement in the world — predating even Port Arthur. The island was declared a National Park in 1972.

Island Activities

While on the island, you’ll have free time to:

• Swim at one of the pristine beaches
• Photograph landscapes, wildlife, and natural wonders
• Relax, explore, and soak up the peaceful atmosphere
• Enjoy a picnic lunch in one of Tasmania’s most scenic locations