Uploaded March 2020 | Updated September 2026, 51 minutes ago
Our Maria Island 2 night adventure was the perfect warm-up for more remote adventures to come. This trip included overnight stays at both French's Farm and the Darlington area as well as side trips to Encampment Cove and Mt Maria Summit.
The ideal combination of nature and history rewards those who seek to explore Maria Island, off Tasmania’s East Coast. After arriving on the Maria Island ferry, start your exploration at Darlington Probation Station – a World Heritage Australian Convict Site. From Darlington, continue your Maria Island discovery by weaving along the numerous trails on foot or by bike and leave your ordinary life behind.
Spectacular cliffs wrap around the eastern side of Maria Island, providing a perfect vantage point for watching birds dive and swoop into the ocean. In season, you may even be lucky enough to spot the whales that frequent these waters during their annual migration. On the western side of the island, the Painted Cliffs are one of Maria Island’s more memorable spectacles, showcasing the power of nature in their weathered contours, where the combination of wind and waves has eroded the sandstone to reveal a striking facade.
Maria is a special place where long sandy beaches, turquoise water, mountaintop vistas, abundant wildlife and a multi-layered human history come together to create a perfect island destination.
A valid parks pass is required for entry to Tasmania's national parks.
Choose from a range of pass options to best meet your needs.
The story of Maria Island is dominated by the ocean: from the rise and fall of the sea that created the island and left a legacy of creatures fossilized in its cliffs, to the history of its human occupation.
Start your explorations at Darlington, the most intact example of a convict probation station in Australia, and a World Heritage Australian Convict Site. You can visit convict buildings dating back to 1824 and ruins that reveal key features of the convict probation system. Rediscover the fascinating history through interpretive displays at the Coffee Palace Museum and Commissariat Store. You can even stay overnight in the old Penitentiary buildings or camp in the nearby campground.
Some of the text above was sourced from the following locations:
https://parks.tas.gov.au/explore-our-parks/maria-island-national-park
Special thanks to Petra Otte for providing additional media.
Maps by:
Avenza app for iPhone
Music by:
Brecker Brothers
"Wakaria (What's Up)"
Madonna
"La Isla Bonita"
Lyle Mays
"August"
Paul Oakenfold
"Nixon's Spirit"
Our Maria Island 2 night adventure was the perfect warm-up for more remote adventures to come. This trip included overnight stays at both French's Farm and the Darlington area as well as side trips to Encampment Cove and Mt Maria Summit.
The ideal combination of nature and history rewards those who seek to explore Maria Island, off Tasmania’s East Coast. After arriving on the Maria Island ferry, start your exploration at Darlington Probation Station – a World Heritage Australian Convict Site. From Darlington, continue your Maria Island discovery by weaving along the numerous trails on foot or by bike and leave your ordinary life behind.
Spectacular cliffs wrap around the eastern side of Maria Island, providing a perfect vantage point for watching birds dive and swoop into the ocean. In season, you may even be lucky enough to spot the whales that frequent these waters during their annual migration. On the western side of the island, the Painted Cliffs are one of Maria Island’s more memorable spectacles, showcasing the power of nature in their weathered contours, where the combination of wind and waves has eroded the sandstone to reveal a striking facade.
Maria is a special place where long sandy beaches, turquoise water, mountaintop vistas, abundant wildlife and a multi-layered human history come together to create a perfect island destination.
A valid parks pass is required for entry to Tasmania's national parks.
Choose from a range of pass options to best meet your needs.
The story of Maria Island is dominated by the ocean: from the rise and fall of the sea that created the island and left a legacy of creatures fossilized in its cliffs, to the history of its human occupation.
Start your explorations at Darlington, the most intact example of a convict probation station in Australia, and a World Heritage Australian Convict Site. You can visit convict buildings dating back to 1824 and ruins that reveal key features of the convict probation system. Rediscover the fascinating history through interpretive displays at the Coffee Palace Museum and Commissariat Store. You can even stay overnight in the old Penitentiary buildings or camp in the nearby campground.
Some of the text above was sourced from the following locations:
https://parks.tas.gov.au/explore-our-parks/maria-island-national-park
Special thanks to Petra Otte for providing additional media.
Maps by:
Avenza app for iPhone
Music by:
Brecker Brothers
"Wakaria (What's Up)"
Madonna
"La Isla Bonita"
Lyle Mays
"August"
Paul Oakenfold
"Nixon's Spirit"
