Maria's Island: From the author of the million copy bestseller, The Island

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Each populated center features a different economic activity. The primary population center is Puerto Balleto, the location of the administrative offices and the primary centers of commerce and recreation. It is subdivided into four jefaturas [1]: Maria Island is a destination of pristine untouched beaches, lapped by crystal clear waters, and with a surrounding Marine Reserve. Its scenery is incredibly majestic, with vantage points like the magnificent Mt Maria and Bishop and Clerk peaks that can be summited for a view that is guaranteed to take your breath away. Wandering through tall eucalypt forest, you’ll come across the old reservoir which is a perfect spot for a picnic. Maria Island or wukaluwikiwayna [2] in palawa kani is a mountainous island located in the Tasman Sea, off the east coast of Tasmania, Australia. The 115.5-square-kilometre (44.6sqmi) island is contained within the Maria Island National Park, which includes a marine area of 18.78 square kilometres (7.25sqmi) off the island's northwest coast. The island is about 20 kilometres (12mi) in length from north to south and, at its widest, is about 13 kilometres (8.1mi) west to east. At its closest point, Point Lesueur, the island lies approximately 4 kilometres (2.5mi) off the east coast of Tasmania.

Maria Island | Tourist Attractions | Discover Tasmania Maria Island | Tourist Attractions | Discover Tasmania

Fires set by careless visitors or the introduction of animals such as goats, rats or mongooses could have a devastating effect on the islands’ ecology. To protect the unique fauna and the more than eighty plant species that are found there, the Maria Islands, were declared a Wildlife Reserve in 1982. After some restorations and of course protection of UNESCO and the Parks and Wildlife service, a number of those buildings still exist today. They lived in the Oyster Bay nation for over 35,000 years, before being forcibly removed from their land by European settlers from 1789 onwards. However, the island is largely known today as a previous convict settlement for two periods in the first half of the 19th century. The island's first convict era took place between 1825 and 1832 and its second - the probation station era - was between 1842 and 1850.Rich in indigenous and European history, abundant in wildlife, boasting spectacular views and remarkable geological features, the entire island is a National Park, managed by the Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service. The island's first ranger was Rex Gatenby. Prior to the island being declared a national park, many of the historical cement works buildings were demolished due to the danger the government thought the buildings would present to tourists. At this time such buildings were not generally considered historically significant.

Maria’s Island – Victoria Hislop

Whispering Stories was established in 2015. The blog is here to share our love of books and the bookish world, alongside our other passions in life. We are based in the UK. Standing 711 meters tall and much more remote than Bishop and Clerk, not many people make it to the summit which is a shame, because the panoramic views from the top are next level.Accommodation is available but very limited on Maria Island, so make sure you book ahead here. Don’t forget to bring a tent and spend the night here! Do I Need a National Parks Pass? The locality of Maria Island is in the local government area of Glamorgan–Spring Bay in the South-east region of Tasmania. [4] Local community and economy [ edit ] You can walk to a lot of attractions from the ferry terminal. If you’re on foot take the earliest ferry possible to maximise your time over here. There is one town on Maria Island, called Darlington. It lies near the northern tip of the island. Darlington has several historic buildings and no permanent inhabitants other than a few park rangers. There are no cars other than a few National Parks vehicles. Even more amazingly, all of Tasmania’s twelve endemic birds live on Maria Island, including the Forty-spotted pardalote, one of the rarest birds in Australia!