Date: 25th February 2022
Travelled: 60 kms from Triabunna to Swansea, Tasmania.
Visited: Maria Island National Park
Stayed: Swansea Caravan Park, $45, S42.12865, E148.07838 ย
Budget: 28 days @ $0 per day.
After a social evening at the Tandara Hotel we retreat to Jayco as we have an early start In the morning.
We are up well before 7am making a coffee before readying the Jayco for the road. Only a short drive, less than a kilometre to the marina, then we have breakfast and relax. We only need to validate our tickets ($39 pp concession card holders) before boarding the ferry at 8.30am.
Crossing Mercury Passage to Maria Island takes 30 minutes and thereโs a reasonable swell running this morning so we get a ride as well.
Maria Island has a long history and often difficult history. Named by Abel Tasman in 1642, it has been a penal settlement, mined for limestone, farmed and logged finally in 1972 a National Park. You can read about it by following the link above.
All that aside we are here for the walks, the scenery and wildlife.
Off the ferry, the rain starts. 
We seek shelter in the information office for 15 minutes until the weather passes. 
The rain stops and we walk to the remnants of Darlington
Darlingtonโs avenue of Cypress Trees, bit of a Game of Thrones feel. 
Lots of historic old homes and work buildings. 
Our first walk is around Darlington Bay to the Painted Cliffs
The coloured sand make for some beautiful formations, mind you the rocks are slippery, getting to the best of it.
Our guide book indicates the Painted Cliffs is a 90 minute return walk, but it takes us less than an hour. As we return to Darlington we have an interesting encounter.
From Darlington we take the Fossil Cliffs Circuit east. The guide book tell us itโs a 2.5 hour walk. Almost immediately itโs Forrester kangaroos, pademelons and Cape Barren Geese wherever you look. Itโs a steep walk up to the Fossil Cliffs and it seems there are very few walkers doing this loop.
Cape Barren Geese 
Tasmanian Native Hens (Turbo Chooks) 
Camouflaged ?
Views of Bishop and Clerk to the south 
Views of the Freycinet to the north.
From the highest point of the cliffs we make our way down an old limestone quarry and have a scavenge for fossils.
The cemetery was used from 1823-1942 
Some of the whale bones scattered around the information centre.
From the Fossil Cliffs we make our way back to Darlington passing the airfield and the cemetery on the way. As we wait for the ferry Pam notes we have walked almost 11 kms on Maria.
Back off the ferry in Triabunna we ready the Jayco and return to the Tasman Hwy heading north to Swansea. We have some washing to do and the caravan park in Swansea will make that easier. While the washing machine is doing what it does we find Andy and Simone (from the Bruny social club) have arrived here shortly after us. Simone has recommended dinner out at the Waterloo Hotelโฆ
What a great evening we had. Kitschy 1960โs decor, an excellent 1980โs playlist and a fabulous menu, not to mention the local beer and wines.
Michael + Pam
One thought on “Maria Island, Tasmania ๐ฆ๐บ 2022”
Top post and photos. Thank you.