The group is noted for its rich marine wildlife, predominantly wet and windy weather conditions, and Australia's most southerly lighthouse.

The group are contained within the Southwest National Park, part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Site.

Maatsuyker Island is near the south side of the group, and its distance from the Tasmanian mainland is around 10.4 kilometres (6.5 mi).

In his seminal work, Tasmania's offshore islands, Nigel Brothers includes four extra in an extended group.

This journal entry for 1 December came only 7 days after the first sighting of Tasmania, so it is evident that the Maatsuyker Islands Group was named in honour of Joan Maetsuycker (today's spelling would be Johan), who was also a councillor.

A second, smaller and automated lighthouse was installed in 1996 but it is unclear whether volunteers are going to continue to work the lights on Maatsuyker Island.

Maatsuyker Island has an annual mean temperature of around 11 °C (52 °F) with strikingly cool summers that are reminiscent of those in northern Scotland, despite sharing a latitude with Nice in southern France.

Due to the high vegetation in patches on the top of the island, it is possible to shelter on the "jeep trail" that runs from the lighthouse to the landing.

The soil is reportedly extremely rich due to thousands of years of sea bird guano deposits,[10] and supports a variety of native and imported flora.

Sea birds present include the critically endangered northern soft-plumaged petrel (Pterodroma mollis deceptornis).