Guide · Tasmania day trips ·
Maria Island day trip: ferry, bikes and wombats
This publication shares ownership with PeptaraLabs, Lab Ranked Agency, and Dental Link.
A Maria Island day trip is easy to plan: take the ferry from Triabunna, which is about 30 minutes each way, then spend the day on foot or on a hired bike at Darlington and the cliffs nearby. The whole island is a national park with no shops and no cars, so you bring your own food and water. The ferry fare includes park entry.
This guide covers the summer timetable, what you pay, the best short walks, bike hire and the wildlife you are likely to meet.
Sources for this section: Encounter Maria Island, home page (August 2018); Wikipedia, Maria Island National Park.
Getting there: the ferry from Triabunna
Encounter Maria Island is the official ferry operator for the Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service. It took over the service in April 2017. The boat runs from Triabunna, on the east coast, to Darlington on the island.
The summer timetable starts on 1 September and runs to April, every day except Christmas Day. There are five services a day in summer, and the first sailing is at 9:00am. In winter, from May to August, the ferry does not run on Tuesdays or Thursdays, and the first sailing is at 10:30am. All sailings depend on safe conditions, and extra sailings appear online in busy periods.
Plan your return carefully. The last ferry leaves Maria Island at 5:00pm in summer and 3:30pm in winter. Check in at the Triabunna Visitor Information Centre, next to the wharf, at least 30 minutes before you sail. If you miss a ferry or want to change a booking, call 03 6256 4772.
Sources for this section: Encounter Maria Island, Timetable, Pricing, Luggage and Check-In (September 2018); Encounter Maria Island, home page (August 2018).
What a day trip costs
The return fare includes national park entry. A day trip needs no separate park pass, but a valid pass saves you $5 off the fare if you enter the code PARKSPASS when you book.
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Adult return | $50 |
| Concession return (pension or health care card) | $44 |
| Child, 4 to 16 years, or secondary student | $33 |
| Infant, 0 to 3 years | Free |
| Your own bicycle on the ferry | $10 |
| Hire bike, adult, one day | $33 |
| Hire bike, child, one day | $20 |
Your ticket includes one small carry-on bag up to 7 kg. Larger luggage costs extra. Because you carry everything yourself on a day trip, pack light: lunch, water, a hat, sunscreen and a warm layer.
Sources for this section: Encounter Maria Island, Timetable, Pricing, Luggage and Check-In (September 2018); Encounter Maria Island, Bike Hire (September 2018).
Darlington and the short walks
The ferry lands at Darlington, a former convict probation station. East Coast Tasmania calls it a UNESCO World Heritage-listed convict site and Australia's most intact convict probation station. Stop at the Commissariat Store first, because it holds information about the island's history, and look at the displays in the old buildings around the village.
The ferry operator says the rangers' list of easy "must-dos" includes two short walks from Darlington.
- Fossil Cliffs: about a 30 minute walk north of Darlington. You can walk down to the base of the cliffs and see fossils in the rock, with views across the sea to Freycinet and Schouten Island.
- Painted Cliffs: sandstone cliffs just south of Darlington, with patterns made by wind and water. They are one of the island's most photographed spots.
Two longer walks, Bishop and Clerk (about four hours return) and Mount Maria (about six hours return), are too long for a day trip that starts at the ferry. Most visitors save those for an overnight stay.
Sources for this section: Encounter Maria Island, Activities (September 2018); East Coast Tasmania, Leave ordinary life behind on Maria Island (December 2017); Wikipedia, Maria Island National Park.
Bike hire on Maria Island
With no cars on the island, a bike is a good way to cover more ground. The hire bikes are Montari trail bikes with eight gears, hydraulic brakes and 100 mm of suspension. They come in four sizes, from a child's 24 inch wheel to a large 29 inch frame.
Book online at least 24 hours before your ferry. A few bikes may be free on the day, but that is not certain, so do not count on it. You collect and return the bike next to the penitentiary in Darlington. A day costs $33 for an adult and $20 for a child. For two or more days the price falls to $25 and $15 a day.
- Ride only on the roads, vehicle tracks and, in some places, open paddocks.
- Do not ride on the walking tracks.
- Weather changes fast, so ride to your ability.
Sources for this section: Encounter Maria Island, Bike Hire (September 2018); Encounter Maria Island, Activities (September 2018).
Wombats and other wildlife
You do not have to look hard for animals. The wildlife is thickest around Darlington, the penitentiary and the campground. Expect to see Forester kangaroos, wallabies, wombats and Cape Barren geese within minutes of leaving the ferry. The island's wombats are the common wombat, and Wikipedia says they can be seen almost anywhere.
Tasmanian devils live on the island too, but they come out at night. If seeing one matters to you, plan an overnight stay instead of a day trip. Wikipedia also notes that all three of Tasmania's snake species live on the island, so watch where you step and stay on the tracks.
Keep your food in your bag, and do not feed any animal.
Sources for this section: East Coast Tasmania, Leave ordinary life behind on Maria Island (December 2017); Wikipedia, Maria Island National Park.
Other ways to do it
Travelling from Hobart? Gray Line runs a full day tour that leaves Hobart at 8:15am and returns at 5:30pm. It runs on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays from 1 October to 30 April. The price is $180 for adults and $120 for children, and it includes the ferry, park entry, lunch and a ranger-guided walk. Another operator offers a scenic cruise that passes the Painted Cliffs and Fossil Cliffs, and you can combine that with time on the island.
If you like Tasmanian walks, our Overland Track guide covers the state's best-known long trail.
Sources for this section: Encounter Maria Island, Activities (September 2018).
Sources
- Encounter Maria Island, home page: encountermaria.com.au
- Encounter Maria Island, Timetable, Pricing, Luggage and Check-In: encountermaria.com.au
- Encounter Maria Island, Bike Hire: encountermaria.com.au
- Encounter Maria Island, Activities: encountermaria.com.au
- East Coast Tasmania, Leave ordinary life behind on Maria Island: eastcoasttasmania.com
- Wikipedia, Maria Island National Park: en.wikipedia.org