Four kilometers off the Eastern Coast of Tasmania lies Maria Island. Named after Governor Van Diemen's wife, Maria, the entire island is now a national park, with no permanent inhabitants besides a few rangers. It is home to a wide variety of bird species, including Swift parrots and forty-spotted pardalotes, as well as possums, wombats, pademelons, and short-beaked echidnas. In 2012 a population of healthy cancer-free Tasmanian Devils was introduced as a contingency population; the population has been so successful it has raised concerns about the devils' impact on the native island birds.
Shoal Lagoon in Maria Island
Maria Island also features the spectacular Painted Cliffs. The cliffs were formed by iron oxide-laden water trickling down through sandstone over millions of years, and gradually being eroded by waves and sea spray.
Another cool feature is the Oast House, built during the second convict period (1844-5) for drying hops.
Tourists can take a ferry and visit! We're not scheduled to go but if anyone is staying longer in Tasmania it might make a fun trip.
Sources: http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/?base=1490
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria_Island
holy mother of photography spots! I bet bob would love to go after seeing these pictures! Its beautiful. I've always wanted to go to a national park island (didn't know they existed until this article). heeheh
ReplyDelete-Alicia