Maria Island

Australian Wildlife Paradise

By World Wild Places

February 7^th, 2018

I spent a few days in the company of wombats on Maria Island. Other than two rangers and two construction workers I was the only tourist on the island for 4 days.

The island is a Tasmanian wildlife paradise. Most of the time, especially on the open grasslands, you are surrounded by wombats, kangaroos, pademelons, cape barren goose, native-hens and other animals. While camping in a tent, I was hearing wombats chewing grass. And the time I left my shirt outside, it was teared apart by Tasmanian devil.

Before Maria Island become a National Park it was established as a penal settlement at Darlington. Now the town become a historic site and it is possible to rent convict quarters for accommodation.

Wildlife at Darlington

Because of facial tumour disease, devils have been introduced to Maria Island as to the quarantine, disease free zone. Now, the devil population on the island reached about 120 animals. This is about islands carrying capacity point and some are going to be relocated to the other parts of Tasmania.