The Darlington settlement lawns are the main event. Common wombats graze in the open through the afternoon and evening, entirely unbothered — Maria is probably the easiest place in the world to watch wild wombats — along with Forester kangaroos, Bennett's wallabies and Cape Barren geese.

The island's trails hold echidnas trundling across the path, pademelons at forest edges, and the introduced Tasmanian devils, which are nocturnal and rarely seen but present as an insurance population against the facial tumour disease devastating mainland Tasmania.

The Painted Cliffs and Fossil Cliffs are the geological set pieces, the former a wave-sculpted sandstone at the water's edge best visited at low tide.

The Bishop and Clerk and Mount Maria walks climb into forest with sea eagles overhead and views across the whole island.

The waters offshore hold fur seals, dolphins and, in season, migrating whales.

Wildlife is present year-round; spring and summer bring the longest days, and autumn is quiet and mild. The island is exposed and the ferry is weather-dependent.

Practicalities

A passenger ferry runs from Triabunna, around 90 minutes from Hobart. There are no shops, no fuel and no vehicles on the island — bring all food and water, and either camp or book the basic bunkhouse in the old penitentiary.

Bicycles can be taken on the ferry and are the practical way to cover the island. Do not feed the wildlife, however close it comes: habituated wombats and geese are already a management problem here.