Maria Island Ferry & Eco Cruises delivers you back to a bygone era of Tasmania's history in the 1800's.

Maria Island Facts

• Location Latitude 41 degrees South, Longitude 148 degrees East, Maria Island is 4km East of the Tasmanian mainland, separated by the picturesque strip of water known as the Mercury Passage.
• Dimensions:
  • Length 22km, width 13km
  • Area of 23,000 acres or 10,000 hectares
  • Maximum height of 710 meters at Mt Maria
• Temperatures on the Island are mild due to its eastern location, protected from the prevailing cool westerly winds by the central plateau group of mountains. Although the average summer temperature is a pleasant 23 degrees Celcius, it is recommended that visitors bring a warm jacket.
• Terrain on the Island is generally gently sloping although rugged in parts with 2 small mountains. The Island contains several examples of magnificent tall eucalypt forests, fine white beaches and spectacular geological features including the sandstone painted cliffs, limestone fossil cliffs and dolerite rock formations.
• Nearest town is Triabunna with a proximity to the capital city of Hobart of 80km or 90 minutes drive.
• Access is a 35 minute trip by ferry from Triabunna to Darlington.
• No vehicles are on the Island other than those operated by National Parks and Wildlife who maintain the facilities.
• No shops are on the Island requiring all supplies to be brought to the island.
• Bicyles are welcome on the formed roads of the Island and are a good way to visit the more remote areas in the south of the Island. They are prohibited on beaches and walking tracks.
• Picnic and barbeque facilities are available at Darlington for visitors.
• Accommodation for the more adventurous is available on the Island at the Penitentiary in Darlington with showers, wood heaters and barbeques, as well as camping facilities at Darlington, Frenchs' farm and Encampment Cove. Contact National Parks and Wildlife for more information.
• National Park regulations apply to protect the Island. Where the Island itself is a wildlife sanctuary, much of the northern end of the Island is also protected by a marine reserve. This extends one kilometre from the Island. This area is popular with recreational divers and marine researchers alike. A National Park pass is required to visit the island.
• Permanent residents and frequently seen fauna on the Island include kangaroos, wallabies, wombats, possums and the occasional echidna.
• Marine locals to the Island include fur seals, fairy penguins, dolphins and humpback whales.
• Birdlife is quite remarkable on the Island providing one of the best viewing places in Tasmania for bird watchers. See albatross, mutton birds, Cape Barren geese, sea eagles as well as more common species and perhaps some of the rarer ones.

Maria Island A Brief History

Tasmanian Aborigines are thought to have inhabitated the Island for 30,000 years. The last sightings of Aboriginal families on the Island were made in the mid 1820's. Rare evidence of their habitation can still be seen on the Island such as the shell middens at Reidle Bay.

1642 is the earliest documented sighting of Maria Island and was recorded by the Dutch discoverer Abel Tasman on the same voyage where he discovered Van Diemens Land. He named the Island Marias' Eylandt after Maria Van Diemen, the wife of the then Governor of Batavia, Anthony Van Diemen.

1789 saw the first landing by European discoverers on the Island when the crew of Captain James Cox's vessel Mercury landed at Shoal Bay. This expedition provided one of the earliest contacts with the Tasmanian Aborigines as well as the naming of several parts of the island including the Mercury Passage.

1805 after news of the rich abundance of sealife near the Island spread, whaling and sealing teams began operating for oil and skins out of Whalers Cove to the east of the Isthmus. Shortly after 1825 operations moved to Haunted Bay due to the stench of boiling whale blubber reaching Darlington. Operations at Haunted Bay continuted through until the 1830's.

1825 saw the first permanent Western settlement on the Island. A convict penal station was established to relieve the pressure on the overflowing penal colony at Macquarie Harbour on the west coast. The settlement was named Darlington after the Governor of NSW, Sir Ralph Darlington. Convicts provided the labour required to construct the buildings and tend to agricultural duties. The settlement was abandoned in 1832 due to the creation of Port Arthur in 1830. Two buildings remain intact from this era, the Penitentiary (Prisoners Barracks) and the Commissariat (Police) store.

1842 saw the cessation of convict transportation to NSW and therefore an increased convict intake to Tasmania from England and consequently the reopening of the Darlington settlement for a probation station. Three years later another probation station was opened at Point Lesueur on the western coast of the Island to assist accomodation of the 600 prisoners. Again convicts were set to work in mainly agricultural activities. However by 1850 the settlement was abandoned due to many escapes, evidence of too much extreme punishment, overcrowding and issues with general maintenance and upkeep of the buildings. Point Lesueur was named after an artist aboard the vessel Mercury.

1850-1884 was a quiet period for the Island with the issuing of pastoral leases to private holders for farming of sheep and cattle.

1884 Tasmanian government issued a property lease of the Island to a wealthy Italian entrepreneur Diego Bernacchi to develop the island, initially for wine and silk. By 1888 the township of Darlington grew to approximately 200-300 residents with a post office, stores, blacksmiths, schools and even a hotel and coffee shop. Much of this development is still preserved for visitors to experience a glimpse of the past.

1889 saw development of a railway for mining of limestone behind the Fossil Cliffs site. However by the late 1890's a lack of capital investment and poor management saw development and the town of Darlington dwindle to a few local families.

1922 saw a renewed attempt to mine the unusual blue limestone for cement and the building of the conspicuous and rather ugly cement works on the foreshore of Darlington. The town again was revived and buoyant for eight years with a population of 500 until issues with the quality and quantity of the cement output combined with the Great Depression saw the industry decline and close.

1930-1966 resumed another period of quiet pastoral activity with the Island being farmed by four main families.

1971 Maria Island was declared a wildlife sanctuary and in 1972, was declared a National Park.

1991 a Marine Park was declared on the North and West Coast to protect any marine life.

2007 Darlington Probation station was included in the National Heritage List.

2010 The Probation station was considered of such significance that it has attained World Heritage listing.

Acknowledgement to Ludeke, M. (2001). Tasmania's Maria Island: A Comprehensive History and Visitor's Guide. Hobart: Ludeke Publishing