Maria Island Walk

Adventure Seekers Itinerary:

Day 1 We leave Hobart Airport and fly south over Port Arthur and the Tasman Peninsula while observing the intriguing geological features of the towering seacliffs. The coastline has numerous underwater cliffs and caves, the habitat for abundant marine life. We round Cape Pillar and Tasman Island where we get a chance to see Austrailian Fur Seal colonies on the rocks below. Our flight then tracks up the coast to Maria Island and we get spectacular veiws of the lay of the island and where our 4 day walk will travel. Flying further north we pass over Schouten Island then come to the beautiful Freycinet Peninsula and the much noted Wineglass Bay (voted one of the worlds top 10 beaches) and Hazards Beach. We turn around at Coles Bay and head back south touching down at Darlington on Maria Island. From Darlington we visit the amazingly patterned painted cliffs on our journey to Encampment Cove. We can take in a evening swim in the sheltered cove and visit the historic convict cells at Point Lesueur.

Day 2 We stroll along the beautiful beach of Shoal Bay on our way to Robeys Farm, once an early period sheep station. Now, the sheep have been removed and some building ruins and old machinery remain. After lunch we walk to Haunted Bay and the expansive veiws to the Tasman Sea. We then retrace our footsteps along the shores of Shoal Bay passing through forest and coastal vegetation to historic Frenchs Farm, home of the French family in the mid 1900. We camp in the picturesque clearing of the now dissused partially restored farmhouse that gives us ocean and beach veiws.

Day 3 Today we travel inland throught the heart of Maria Island. 5km along the track we have the opportunity to climb Mount Maria before visiting the Oast House and our final destination, Darlington.

Day 4 We spend most of the day exploring Darlington, the buildings, the relics and the fantastic Fossil Bay and cliffs. For the energetic we can also climb Bishop and Clerk. From Darlington we catch the 1 hour voyage on the Maria Island Ferry across the Mercury Passage to Triabunna and our waiting bus. Our journey back to Hobart will take us about 1 1/2 hours.

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