Sail away to a unique island paradise – a Noah’s Ark for Tasmanian wildlife, spectacular scenery, unique geology and world heritage history.
Step back in time, slow down and enjoy a big day out on this island National Park. Maria Island has a diverse range of highlights including convict history, spectacular coastal cliffs and deserted beaches.
Days
- 1 day
Group size
- Small group, up to 24
Start / finish
- Hobart / Hobart
Return
- See itinerary for details
Transport
- Air-conditioned bus for the hour to the ferry, then a 30-minute crossing to Maria Island. Ferry costs and accommodation transfers are included.
Meals
- No meals included. There is a chance to buy lunch or sandwiches in the morning. There are no shops on the island, so carry what you need for the day.
Route
Included experiences
- Maria Island — around six hours on a car-free island national park
- Ferry crossing — 30 minutes each way, watching for dolphins, seals and penguins
- Painted Cliffs — patterned sandstone at Hopground Beach, a Great Short Walk
- Fossil Cliffs — sheer cliffs with expansive views to the Freycinet Peninsula
- Darlington — the World Heritage convict site
- Wildlife — wombats, pademelons, Forester kangaroos, Bennetts wallabies and Tasmanian devils
- Birdwatching — one of Tasmania's hot spots
- Around 10km of walking trails — both graded Great Short Walks of Tasmania
Itinerary
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. It is rich in local wildlife, amazing scenery and world heritage convict history. We enjoy a series of moderate walks exploring the beautiful Painted Cliffs, the dramatic Fossil Cliffs and the remarkable Darlington World Heritage convict site. With no cars on the island the area is peaceful, beautiful, the pace is slow and relaxed, and the beaches are perfect for summer swimming.
This is a tour for active travellers who are keen to walk and enjoy this unique island. Setting out on foot we have 2 main walking trails for the day, covering a total distance of almost 10 kilometers. Both of our walks are categorised as Great Short Walks of Tasmania. The Painted Cliffs Walk at Hopground Beach feature the beautifully patterned sandstone cliffs. The Fossil Cliffs walk, takes us along to amazing cliffs that drop sheer into the ocean. It offers a fascinating insight into the past environments of Maria Island along with expansive views of the Freycinet Peninsula.
You have an opportunity to swim, photograph and soak up the island life as Maria works its magic on you. Maria Island is a National Park so we are exposed to all that nature will offer on the day, so please come prepared.
The island is a haven for abundant wildlife, it is one of Tasmania’s bird watching hot spots. Wombats can also be seen around the island, as well as Pademelons, Forester Kangaroos, Bennetts wallabies and Tasmanian Devils.
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.
Join us on this day of discovery rich in environmental and cultural history.
Important Note:
Maria Island is a special, beautiful and wild island National Park accessible by boat. There are no cars, shops, charging stations for devices etc. on the island. Facilities are limited. Please ensure you are able to carry everything you will need for the day. You will need a day pack to carry warm clothing as necessary. A jacket suitable for walking in light rain conditions. Equally, you will need adequate sun protection should it be a warm sunny day. Please ensure you have a large water bottle. You will have an opportunity to purchase lunch/sandwiches in the morning but we recommend you buy your snacks prior to the day if you prefer a wider choice or have special dietary requirements to consider. Please ensure you wear comfortable footwear for walking. The walking on Maria Island is graded as easy walking. However, we are on the island for around 6 hours, with around 10 km’s of walking trails to explore.
Please ensure your clothing and footwear is adequate for this type of activity in the great outdoors. There is time to swim and relax should you choose to.
Departures- Monday and Thursday (01 Dec - 30 Apr only)
Reviews
5.0
Based on 7 reviews
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“Great day out”
I did this tour along with another overnight adventure and had a wonderful time. Great way to fill up a day.
“Wombats in the Wild - Maria Island”
Seeing wombats grazing on the island and sleeping in disused machinery in an old shed were the highlights of this trip. Our guide, Nick, suggested that we might see some Pademelons in a particular area, and sure enough under the trees we saw several adults and some infants too.
I had contemplated traveling to Maria Island on my own but I am glad I made the decision to join the Tours Tasmania day trip as Nick explained a lot of history of the island and shared information about the flora and fauna too. He was very knowledgeable and has good communication skills.
We spent 6 hours on the island and cover ~10km on foot. Despite the drizzly and cool weather, I had a great day and would recommend this tour. Make sure you are prepared for all weather conditions as you are exposed to the elements for most of the day.
“A fantastic dayout to one of the most pristine place in Tas”
Although the island itself does not belong to one of famous attractions in Tas, it definitely worth a visit. It is relatively untouched and a natural, The scenery it offered is unparallel. Our tour guide, Clinton is great at telling stories and offerinng insights regarding the wildlife living on the island--there were so many, everywhere. We set off nice and early and spent ~6 hours on the island, but time passed by so quickly becauss it was so fun. I don't consider myself as a "fit" person, but the walking distance was not an issue at all. There was no stairs, no steep slopes and very leisurely paced. You get to sit down and enjoy a lunch with no rush. We returned to the hobart CBD before 5pm.
“Beautiful tour, great guide, fun experience.”
I did the Maria Island day tour in early February, 2019 and highly recommend it. After an on time hotel pick up, we stopped at a couple of interesting spots (as well as a food pickup spot) before reaching the ferry to the island. Once there, we saw lots of wildlife (birds, wombats, kangaroos) and were able to hike and explore many of the historic buildings. The painted cliffs are beautiful (as is most of the island). A great combination of history and nature. Make sure to bring a camera and good walking shoes (otherwise you won't be able to go on the cliffs)s.
“A Must!”
David is a FANTASTIC guide, very friendly, polite, patient, knowledgeable and to top it off funny. To anybody considering doing this tour, its an absolute must! We all had a great day full of laughter and fun. Highly recommend you do it with this company and if possible request ben, you wont regret it.
If youre reading this David, thanks again for the fantastic day, Maria Island is INCREDIBLE!
Regards, Alex
“Great tours and Connor was fantastic”
I did two one day trip departing Hobart - 1 day on Maria Island and 1 day Port Arthur & Devils and it was amazing. Maria Island is a beautiful place and we did some amazing hikes, the painted cliffs were stunning and we had the chance to see some wombats. Port Arthur is such an interesting place and the stop at the Unzoo to see the Tasmanian devils was short but nice. I got Connor as a tour guide for both of my trips and he is a great guy, funny, friendly, professional but overall such a storyteller. He is really passionate about what he is doing and knows literally everything about Tasmania and the tour you are booked on. He got an answer to all my questions. He knows a lot of random facts and he explained everything with passion. I recommend this company and wish you to get Connor as a guide.
“Stunning Views and Devils’ Droppings”
We were not sure how well we would manage this tour. We are the wrong side of 65 but hoped we would have the necessary fitness for a full day out and about. We were glad we took the chance. We were picked up from our hotel by Trevor, our guide, and driven to the ferry. From there we crossed to the World Heritage Maria Island. The island turned out to have a jumble of buildings left over from its previous incarnations as convict settlement, farm and cement works. It also has an odd assortment of native and introduced wildlife. We saw pademelons, wombats, Bennett wallaby, kangaroos, ‘turbo chooks’ and Cape Barren Geese. We walked a loop via the limestone Fossil Cliffs admiring the jaw-dropping scenery along the way. We relaxed in the shade at the old settlement at Darlington, ate our lunches (bring your own), and refilled our water bottles. Trevor gave us the option of exploring the settlement further on our own and meeting up later, or joining him on the second loop walk to the Painted Cliffs. We chose the latter and were delighted we did. The beach and cliffs were stunning. The day concluded with the ferry back to Triabunna and the drive back to Hobart. All day Trevor was a font of knowledge about Maria Island in particular, and Tasmania in general. He is rightly passionate about Tasmania’s wilderness areas, fauna and flora. I will treasure many of his anecdotes and, in particular, his learned lectures on Tasmanian Devil droppings. Throughout the day we covered 10 kms but there were no stairs, the walking was on either open ground or well-marked paths, there were two moderately challenging hills and a bit of a clamber at the Painted Cliffs.
