Maria Island Field Trip/Workshop
Attending the field trip? View this blog post for the itinerary and details about transportation and payment.
Saturday 8th – Monday 10th of February 2014
Come and join on beautiful Maria Island National Park, home of the Tasmanian Devil Translocation Project. We have planned a trip that ensures you will get to appreciate the natural beauty of one of Tasmanian’s bigger islands. Fantastic opportunity to see wombats, wallabies, Cape Barren Geese, the endangered endemic 40-spotted pardalote and much more.
The weekend will be fully catered and transport to and from Hobart will be provided. Accommodation will be basic but charming in the historic old convict Penitentiary part of the World Heritage Darling convict settlement. Simple rooms with bunk beds and mattresses. All you need to bring is a sleeping bag, pillow and towel. There are hot showers and toilets. The current cost estimate is $250- $300 this will vary depending on how many people come. Partners and family welcome.
Image gallery of Maria Island
A rough itinerary: Saturday 8th Feb.
- 9 am: Bus from Hobart to ferry departure point (Triabunna)
- Ferry Triabunna to Maria (lunchtime) – 30 minute duration
- Optional half-day walk or short walk
- Dinner
- Saturday night activity- presentation on the Devil translocation program, translocation discussion and spotlighting trip
Sunday 9th February
- Breakfast
- Option of full day walk to Bishop & Clerk or Mt Maria (packed lunch) or short walk to Painted cliff and surrounding area
- Dinner and Sunday night activity- TBA
Monday 10th February
- Breakfast
- 9am Ferry to Triabunna
- Bus from Triabunna to Hobart
- Back to Hobart around lunchtime
- Symposium icebreaker at the Hobart Wharf precinct
More information about Maria Island
- Maria Island National Park profile from Parks & Wildlife Service
- Article: Devil refugees make Maria Island home
Interested delegates can contact Derek Ball to register their attendance at this workshop.
Helicopter field trip to Tasman Island
Interested in attending a field trip on Tasman Island? See this blog post for more details about registration and the itinerary.
Saturday 15 February 2014
Tasman Island
Tasman Island is part of the Tasman National Park and situated approximately 500 metres from Cape Pillar, the south-eastern point of the Tasman Peninsula. The island is approximately 1.6 kilometres long and one kilometre wide. Dolerite cliffs and steep coastal slopes rise 300 metres to a central plateau.
Tasman Island has significant breeding colonies of Fairy Prion (between 300,000 and 700,000 pairs) and small populations of Short-tailed and Sooty Shearwater. The prion colony is considered the largest in Australia. There are no native terrestrial mammals on the island; however Australian fur seals haul out on the lower rock platforms and a small breeding population of New Zealand fur seals occurs on the western side of the island. Domestic cats were introduced to the island in the early 1900s as pets for lighthouse staff and the resulting feral cat population was estimated to be killing between 30,000 and 60,000 seabirds per year. Parks and Wildlife undertook a successful cat eradication program from 2009 to 2011.
Images of Tasman Island
Tasman Island Trip
On Saturday 15 February, Tasman Island will be open to visitors. A short and very scenic helicopter flight from Safety Cove (Tasman Peninsula) will transport visitors to the island and they will have at least two hours, and up to 4 hours, on the island. The main light keeper’s house will be open and the extensive restoration work of the Wildcare group, Friends of Tasman Island, will be showcased. Visitors can walk 1 km to the top of the historic haulage way to view some of Tasmania’s most spectacular coastal scenery.
What you’ll experience
- Absolutely unique opportunity to visit the island – Tasman Island is rarely open to public access
- Scenic coastal flight to and from the island
- Spectacular scenery of the highest sea cliffs in southern hemisphere
- Site of recent successful cat eradication – Project manager Luke Gadd will be on site
- Showcasing of the restoration work of light-keepers’ quarters by Friends of Tasman Island
- Friends of Tasman Island members will be on site to present the island and their work
- Site of the largest fairy prion colony in Australia
- Walking track to historic haulage way and views of Cape Pillar will be open
Logistics & cost
Prices are being finalised, and it is subject to the number of people but will be as per the estimates below. Visitors will get 2 to 4 hours on the island depending on flights and numbers. The helicopter takes 5 passengers at a time so organisers will fill flights in blocks of 5 to ensure costs are minimised.
There are 3 or 4 limited return seats leaving Cambridge Airport (close to Hobart) to Tasman Island cost will be between $300-350.
Otherwise people will travel to Safety Cove, transport can be organised by Island Arks if needed. Cost from Safety Cove to Tasman return will be $200-250. Safety Cove is one and a half hours drive from Hobart, a beautiful spot to visit in its own right.
Interested delegates can contact Derek Ball to register their attendance at this workshop.
Norfolk Island Workshop
14th February 2013
The purpose of this workshop is to use the collective expertise, knowledge and experience of Symposium delegates to explore these opportunities in more detail, develop novel approaches, and to suggest management interventions. This workshop is a real opportunity for delegates to make a meaningful contribution to the conservation of one of Australia’s most important island groups.
Who should attend the Norfolk Island workshop
The workshop is open to all delegates with an interest in Norfolk Island regardless of expertise or experience. There are great opportunities for delegates to make contributions to this project by contributing their expertise in the areas of threatened bird and plant recovery planning and implementation, exotic species (including rats, ants, birds) control and/or eradication and/or impact mitigation on islands, community capacity building and entrepreneurship in conservation. Interested delegates can contact Derek Ball for further information or to register their attendance at this workshop.
For more details visit Norfolk Island: challenges and opportunities.
Island Cruise Field Trip
Information forthcoming.