Triabunna & Maria Island National Park

Maria Island, 15km offshore from Triabunna, is a former penal settlement that has been protected as a national park. The park is also known for its wildlife and many endangered species have been introduced to the island in a bid to build their numbers in a car-free environment.

There are some good hiking trails on the island. The Fossil Cliffs walk (2 hours) and Painted Cliffs walk (2½ hours) are popular with day trippers and the challenging Bishop and Clerk walk (4 hours) offers breathtaking ocean views. The ruins of the penal settlement at Darlington, where the ferry arrives, is also worth exploring.

There are no shops on the island so you’ll need to stock up on supplies in Triabunna. A lot of travellers use Triabunna as a base for exploring the island but many stay at the hostels in Bicheno or Swansea before catching the ferry to the island.

The national park fee is $11 per person.

Practical Information

Triabunna Visitor Information Centre

Esplanade, Triabunna
Tel (03) 6257 4772
Open 10am-4pm daily

Coming & Going

TassieLink (tel 1300 300 520) stop at Triabunna on their Hobart-Swansea service. Buses stop outside the Shell service station.

Seawings (tel 0419 746 668) operate a ferry service between Triabunna and Maria Island on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays departing Triabunna at 10.30am and 3.15pm and returning at 11.30am and 4pm. The return fare is $50.

Accommodation

There is no longer a hostel in Triabunna so the closest backpackers accommodation is now in Swansea.

Camping and basic dormitory-style accommodation is available on the island. Camping at Darlington on Maria Island costs $4.40 per person and there are free campsites at Encampment Grove and French’s Farm, both campsites are a three to four hour hike from Darlington. Dormitory accommodation on the island is in the Old Penitentiary.

Old Penitentiary

Darlington, Maria Island
Tel (03) 6257 1420

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