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 A Guided Walk through History and Nature
Explore a unique historic National Park Island off Tasmania - 3 nights/4 days
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Walkers on one of the island's many beaches, Tasmania
Conveniently accessed via Hobart, the entire island is a National Park, with unspoiled beaches and tall Tasmanian Blue Gum forests, and this relaxed, guided walk is a great way to explore it.  The four day trip includes two nights at comfortable beachfront wilderness camps and the final night is accommodated at historic Bernacchi House at the Darlington settlement.  
The Island's wildlife viewing is exceptional with a variety of rare kangaroos, wallabies, wombats, echidna and fur seals.  The island is also a renowned destination for bird watching with 10 of the 11 endemic Tasmanian species being found here.
For more information about the island's history and the national park click Historic Island General Information
 
About the ACCOMMODATION on the walk...
Casuarina Beach Camp and White Gums Camp each provide twin share accommodation in environmentally sensitive standing camps built on wooden platforms with canvas walls.  Foam mattresses and pillows are provided, as well as camp showers and composting toilets.  Guests stay in restored Bernacchi House on the final night.
 
Historic Island Guided Walk ITINERARY ...
Truly Ref 1303
Departs and ends in Hobart. 
The four-day trips leave Hobart on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, from October to the end of April - additional departures also operate subject to bookings.  Participants meet at 8.00 am at Hobart's Salamanca Arts Centre, returning to the same venue by 5 pm on Day 4 of the trip - airport drop off is optional (ensure flights are are after 7pm) .
Group size is limited to eight persons, accompanied by a guide, and light packs of 6-8 kilos are carried along firm sandy beaches or gentle forest trails; the distances are 10-15 km per day.  The walk is graded easy/gentle.
Vegetarians and special diets are catered for (please make your request at the time of booking).  Participants are to be 12 years or older unless by prior approval - those over 70 years require a medical certificate.
 
DAY 1:  Hobart - Casuarina Beach Camp
Starting at historic Salamanca Arts Centre in Hobart, drive through lush east coast farmland to the pioneering coastal town of Triabunna.  Board a charter boat the whet your appetite for adventure, exploring Mercury Passage en route to the isthmus on the Island where you will land on an untouched beach feeling just like Robinson Crusoe. Soon you are walking in the footsteps of French explorer Nicholas Baudin, and recall his enchanting encounters from 1802 with the Tyredderne Aboriginal people of the island.  After enjoying lunch you can choose to visit dramatic Haunted Bay with its magnificent granite outcrops and fairy penguins or alternatively relax wandering along the beautiful beaches or take a dip at a sheltered bay.
Spend overnight at the delightful Casuarina Beach Camp in an open forest busy with the sound of Tasmania's native birds.
Distance: 3 km walk - 2 hrs (or with Haunted Bay 12 km walk - 4 hrs).
  
DAY 2: Five great beaches - White Gums Camp
East does it - this is 'five beaches day'. Walk from Reidle Bay across the rare land formation of the isthmus (pictured below) to Shoal Bay to stroll five fabulous beaches. Explore the convict cells at Point Lesueur and visit an ochre pit at Bloodstone Point - one of the original ochre sources for the Tasmanian Aborigines. 

Walking along the island's Isthmus, Tasmania

Put your feet up at White Gums Camp, where native birds will entertain you while you sip wine on the deck and anticipate dinner.  There's time to take a swim, observe the resident Cape Barren Goose family with the new goslings or just relax on the sparkling beach and breathe in some the worlds cleanest air. Then at night you will relax and drift into a slumber to the murmur of the lapping waves.
Distance:  13km – 6hrs
 
DAY 3:  Gondwana Rainforest - White Gums to Bernacchi House
View from the summit of Mt Maria, Tasmania Leave behind the pristine white beach for the rich green of grand forests. This is a prime habitat of the endangered 40-spotted Pardalotes one of our smallest and rarest birds. Take the gentle inland track through the planet's largest stand of tall Tasmanian blue gums with its great ferns that are relics of the super continent of Gondwana.
Emerge from the forest at the Painted Cliffs and Hopgrounds Beach and after lunch you can climb to either the 709 metre peak of Mount Maria (as pictured) or Bishop and Clerk which is over the eastern side of the island towers 600m straight out of the ocean. Views to take your breath away!
Explore the restored convict settlement of Darlington and its doomed silk making, winemaking and cement manufacturing industries. Enjoy a sumptuous banquet and accommodation in the historic home once occupied by Italian entrepreneur, Diego Bernacchi.
Distance:  8 km - 4 hrs (or 15 km - 7 hrs with Bishop and Clerk)
 
DAY 4: Relaxed final day - Return to Hobart
A chance to relax and enjoy the serenity of Darlington and walk through the tall Blue Gum forest, to the convict brickworks and heritage reservoir and around to the world class fossil cliffs.
After a leisurely champagne lunch, overlooking the Freycinet Peninsula, explore the world class fossil cliffs and fascinating ruins of the industrial period, as your guides unravel their hidden secrets.
Relaxed and refreshed, you will catch the ferry back to Triabunna from the Darlington jetty and enjoy a gentle journey back to Hobart through the beautiful Coal River Valley and pioneering Richmond.
 
For more information about Maria Island and the Walk, including a Gear List, click onto General Information and Fact about the Historic Island Walk
Please note:  Due to weather conditions, the itinerary may be amended without notice
 
Island Wombat, Tasmania Island Wallaby, Tasmania Island Cape Barren Goose, Tasmania Island Yellow Winged Black Cockatoo, Tasmania Island Green Rosella, Tasmania
Wombat
 
Wallaby
 
Cape Barren Goose
 
Yellow Winged Black Cockatoo Green Rosella
 

Included in the Island Guided Walk
 ~  All Transport:  Hobart - Island - Hobart
 ~  Three night twin share accommodation and excellent meals
 ~  Two guides per trip with maximum 8 guests
 ~  National Park entrance fees
 ~  Gear: Guests carry a light backpack (between 6-8 kg) with their own personal items. Packs, waterproof jackets, silk sleeping sheets, head torches and sleeping bags are supplied (sleeping bags are stored at each camp). Guests should have their own walking boots, well worn in with good ankle support and tread.  Light day packs are also available for use on side trips from Camp 1 and Bernacchi House.
 ~  Single travellers: A single traveller paying the standard rate is matched with a single traveller of the same gender to share a room.   If there is no other single traveller of the same gender then that person will have a single room at no additional charge. To guarantee a single room a single supplement of 75% (A$1612.50) is charged on top of the regular price of A$2150.
 
If you like the sound of this, you'll love these three other great Tasmanian walks ...  
World Heritage Trek 6 Day Walk, the East Coast Wilderness 4 Day Walk and the Best of Freycinet 4 Day Walk
 
PRICES:  Per person per tour
 
Oct '11 - end April '12 Oct '11 - end April '12 Truly Ref
Twin Share - per person Twin Share - per person
Historic Island Guided Walk, Tasmania A$2150** Request 1303
To check approximate prices in other key currencies, see the Currency Converter
** SPECIAL OFFER to international visitors to Australia. To try and tempt you to experience this superb walk, all international visitors will receive a A$50 per person reduction off the price shown for the 2011/2012 season.
Single travellers are welcome and will normally share accommodation with someone of the same gender
DEPOSIT:  A$400 per person deposit is required at the time of booking.
For details of pre and post walk accommodation, click onto City Hotels Hobart
Click here for details of How to Book
Please use the Truly Reference Number when making booking enquiries
  
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