Up and out, we checkin and checkout of our hotel at the same time and speed over to Triabunna

Park up at the wharf, checkin for our ferry by a delightful park ranger, then head up to The Spirit of Maria cafe to grab a couple of coffees and some sarnies for lunch (since Maria Island has no shops or supplies on it at all)

Breakfasts is a ham and cheese toastie on Turkish bread

Head back to the wharf, a rather disorganised boarding onto the ferry

Boarded, we sit in the covered area upstairs at the back to keep the intense heat off us but still get the fresh sea air and views ????

45 minutes later and we land on Maria Island!! ????

Maria Island is a National Park managed by the Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service

We head towards Darlington to pick up our bike hires

Darlington Probation Station remains today the most intact example of a convict probation station in Australia. It is one of 11 historic sites that together form the Australian Convict Sites World Heritage Property

Start our bike ride up and around the convict built reservoirs – easy ride overall with a bit of a climb to go up and a windy bumpy dirt track down

We see a Blue Tongued Skink minutes into the ride, and plenty of geese and native hens

Post finding the reservoir, we head to the Workmans Cottage down a little side track

It’s adorable – we stop for a bite of our sarnies and checkout the 1890s house – still very intact including the outdoor loo

On the way out of the area, we encounter an Echidna just strutting his stuff – we affectionately name him Dwayne (because he looks a bit like a rock)

Next up, a bike ride to the top of the Fossil Cliffs … it’s a steep old ride but worth it for the views ????

A cheeky bite to eat to recover and we make our way down the steep path to the Fossil Quarry where the convicts quarried for stone for the cement – you can see many fossils laying about of all the sea creatures from millions of years ago

We bike along past the airstrip back to Darlington – aiming for the Painted Cliffs

But wait … what do we spot … a wombat.. and it’s only like 2:30pm! But a little further another one, and another, and a couple of babies ????????

Don’t forget a little visit from a Pademelon

We get to the Painted Cliffs at low tide … but so does everybody else – it’s weird seeing people again ????

On our way back, Dave manages to put his foot in the sea – classic

We take the circular track to Oast house on the way back, and spot a couple of Pademelons and a baby one!

Further on we see a Forrester Kangaroo – he scratches his bum then hops away

Back to Darlington, we spy even more Wombats and baby wombats, a Pademelon and baby Pademelon

Drop off bikes, have a wonder on the beach, get on the ferry and head home

We pickup the car, drive to Swansea, check into Swansea Backpackers, quick freshen up and walk into town for food … well by into town we mean next door as we spot the Bark Mill Tavern – it used to be a Bark Mill, but now does beer and food!

Dave goes for the Tasmania own Cascade Lager (tastes a bit like fosters), Daisy a real Ginger Beer

Stay for another cheeky glass of Tasmanian wine from just down the road, take a stroll and head home ????