Thursday, 5 May 2011

Maria Island - 25th to 30th April 2011

Having visited Maria Island about 18 months ago and walked to the south end of the island, I thought it was time to return and do redo some of the walks at the northern end. I got a week of superb weather, and will provide some posts about the individual walks.

A note on transport: Make sure you ring the ferry companies (this one, and this one) and check exactly what times they are sailing. One of them was actually sailing at slightly different times to their advertised schedule last week. You really do need to book as early as possible to make sure they are going when you expect, and that some unexpected change isn't going to throw out your plans.

The camping area: This has changed. Following the floods which occurred before and after my last trip, the camping area was flooded significantly by water which overtopped the reservoir. They now have concerns about the safety of the reservoir, and have moved the camping ground over to where the barbecue shelter and shower block are. (Yes, you can get showers.) It's not a bad site, and is certainly more convenient for cooking under cover.

Before any trip, check out these pages at Parks and Wildlife, and give them a ring with any questions. They are very helpful. Note especially that you can't buy anything on Maria Island except a shower. You will need to take everything you need for however long you are going to stay. The rangers are really good at giving you advice about the best activities for your interests, abilities and length of stay.

The Painted Cliffs, Maria Island - 26th April 2011
The Painted Cliffs, Maria Island - 26th April 2011

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