Maria island is a picturesque piece of land located off the east coast of Tasmania. Accessible only by the daily ferry service that departs from Triabunna in Tasmania, Maria Island National Park is a natural wildlife sanctuary with historic ruins, beautiful bays, dramatic cliffs and lush bushland.
However, it’s the residents of the island that are the real drawcard here, if you want our opinion.
Once of Australia’s most famous and adorable animals, the humble wombats, has a population so plentiful on Maria Island that the little critters have become something of a tripping hazard.
In an interview with ABC, East Coast Tourism chief executive Ruth Dowty said that the wombats were so numerous they’re almost a tripping hazard, and are highly sought after for pats and selfies.
“Tourists are greeted by wombats as soon as they get off the ferry at Darlington. They pretty much ignore people, but people run up to them and they don’t run away.”
Maria Island National Park is also home to many other forms of fascinating wildlife, such as pademelons, Forester kangaroos, wallabies and Tasmanian Devils, For the bird watchers out there, you can find eleven of Tasmania’s endemic species of bird on Maria Island, including the endangered forty-spotted pardalote and the rare Cape Barren goose. The shores of Maria Island are also often visited by seals and whales – really, it’s the perfect location for spotting native Australian animals.
Aside from the furred and feathered residents, Maria Island is also the only place you’ll find the most intact example of a convict probation station in Australia, wonderful walking and cycling tracks, locations for snorkelling and diving, and view the Painted Cliffs of Hopground Beach, which are brightly patterned sandstone.
Seems like the local wildlife don’t mind snapping a selfie or two, though.
Rules for visiting the wombats
- Don’t pick up a wombat
- Don’t get too close is they have babies
- Don’t surround wombats
- Don’t chase wombats if they try to walk away
Looking for a similar wildlife encounter? Then you need to visit the quokkas on Rottnest Island in Western Australia.
You might also like:
The best places to see and watch wild animals in Australia
11 must-see sights in Tasmania
Looking for more places to meet Australia’s native animals? Watch the video below.
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