Basic bunkhouse-style accommodation is available in the old Penitentiary at Darlington – a unique opportunity to spend the evening at this World Heritage Listed convict site.
There are nine rustic sleeping rooms, each with six bunk beds and comfortable mattresses, a picnic-style table and chairs, and a wood-heater (wood supplied). A larger, tenth room sleeps 14 people.
There is no electricity in the Penitentiary rooms and the toilets block is separate but nearby. Drinking water is available in the Mess Hall.
You'll need to bring your own food, bedding, a torch or lamp, cooking equipment, crockery and cutlery. Gas stove tops are provided for cooking in the Mess Hall's camp kitchen.
Smoking is not permitted within the accommodation precincts. Please store your butts in your own carry-out container.
Changes due to COVID-19
The online booking system will reopen on the 15 June with rooms open from 21 July 2020 to 31 January 2021.
Due to COVID19, PWS has made some small changes to the Penitentiary accommodation on Maria Island. These changes have been implemented to improve the safety of visitors and include:
- Strict check-out time of 10am
- Strict check-in time of 2pm
- Maximum capacity signs are located at the entrances of each building. The Mess Hall can have a maximum of 20 people in it at any one time
- The spare mattresses that were in each Penitentiary room have been removed
- There are cleaning kits provided in the Mess Hall
- There are hand sanitiser stations located at the entrance of the main buildings.
We understand that there may be delays for you due to some of these changes. Some suggestions to improve this for yourself and other users are:
- Bring your own cooking equipment to avoid congestion in the Mess Hall. NOTE: stoves are not to be used in the Penitentiary rooms
- Be mindful of other users and the building capacities particularly when using the Mess Hall. Loitering in this room unnecessarily may mean that other users cannot access cooking facilities
- Use the Chapel if you wish to read a book, play games or socialise. This will help ensure that the Mess Hall is available for people wishing to use the cooking facilities. NOTE: there is limited seating in the Chapel.
- Use the Laundry room to store your luggage in before and after checking in if required
- Do not take the mattresses out of the Penitentiary rooms
- Clean the Mess Hall facilities before and after you use them. This room is cleaned once each day by Parks and Wildlife staff.
- Do not enter any Penitentiary room that is unoccupied. We may have already cleaned this in preparation for the next booking.
Please be patient. The cleaning of the Penitentiary rooms is a critical component of the reopening and there may be some delays. Know that we’re doing our best to keep you safe.
We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause, but all decisions have been made in the interest of your safety.
For further information please talk directly to Maria Island Parks and Wildlife staff.