In this photo essay, Land of the lost tiger, I travel to the great southern island of Tasmania with the express goal of capturing some of the unique animals and landscapes that make this one of the most breathtaking of wilderness locations. I’m undertaking this particular trip with my father, who has hiked and explored the island far more extensively than myself and who brings both insightful commentary and fresh perspectives to the entire expedition and to the photographs that arise.
Disappointingly but unsurprisingly, no Tasmanian tigers were discovered this time around.
Before touchdown in Launceston we were already off to a turbulent journey, with last second flight cancellations of connections, and anxiety-inducing baggage service delays that properly threatened to derail a significant portion of the trip. Fortunately, luck was favourable and we arrived with equipment intact at Launceston airport ready to hit the ground running and venture into some of the surrounding vegetation.
Though the small city has seen considerable growth in recent times and the sprawling expansion of residential estates from the outskirts, there is still a humble turn-of-the-century charm to the older parts of the CBD that remain dominated by Federation style houses, Victorian, and Georgian buildings.
Not far from the centre of the city is one of the most touristed nature areas and impressive geological formations of the region, the Cataract Gorge Reserve. The wandering track from the Alexandra suspension bridge all the way up to the Duck Reach power station presents some incredible views of the South Esk River that flows towards the city, accompanied by the relaxing twitter of local birdlife along its length.
Whilst limited in size and number, the nature reserves around the city can be seen to attempt to serve a dual function of wildlife space and recreational areas - used for mountain biking, running, picnics, and dog parks. In thorough endorsement of all of the above activities which get people out of the house and active in nature, from both a public health and personal interest perspective, I was somewhat disappointed to see the lack of land protected as dedicated to wildlife. Though I did spy a wallaby as it bounded along one of the tracks before disappearing into the thickets of undergrowth, changes to vegetation type and density due to human activity are apparent. Just as we don’t expect native animals to co-habit our attic spaces, sheds, and houses, I ardently believe in our moral obligation to pay it back through the provision of dedicated national parks and protected habitats.
Moving out from the undulating hills of the city to the north leads to some of the nearby wetlands and floodplains that abut the River Tamar, representing some of the only vegetation remaining in proximity given the extensive farmlands that now stretch back kilometres from its banks on either side along its length. Unsurprisingly, the fertility of the soil adjacent to the river and subsequent intensity of abutting agricultural operations means that the runoff of agrochemicals (and effluent) has significantly affected the health of the river (1) and polluted this key watersource for humans and wildlife alike.
In a more uplifting reflection of the hard work by a dedicated few, the Tamar Island Wetlands Centre presents a unique opportunity for spotting some of the iconic along with some of the more reclusive birdlife of the region. I imagine the appeal is more captivating for the casual or professional birdwatchers among us - with bird hides scattered among the timber boardwalks to ensure you achieve optimal camouflage whilst incognito.
Of all the diverse bushland, forests, woodlands, the Tasmanian landscape has its own distinct charm with an array of eucalyptus species standing tall above the lower canopy to create a dominant presence. The occasional river or stream cuts dramatically through the undergrowth, tumbling over craggy rocks with powerful momentum and creating a dynamic chorus to accompany the sights and sounds of the daily happenings on the forest floor.
Recently, dual threats to Tasmania’s wilderness have included devastating bushfires in 2016 (2) and again in summer 2019-2020 (3), along with ongoing logging operations across the state which remain as politically and emotionally charged as ever before (4,5). The sordid and unpleasant history of clearfelling, thinning, and ecosystem destruction across the state, whilst requiring a multi-part anthology in itself, suffice to say that since first colonisation has historically been one of the driving forces behind large-scale habitat, wildlife, and ecosystem loss. These challenges are ongoing in Tasmania (6,7,8) and mirror some of the same issues with species extinction on the mainland (6,9).
One of the most impressive pockets of nature which still maintains a lush density of greenery and remarkable abundance of biodiversity despite the encroachment of adjacent farmland is Lilydale falls. This highly accessible and highly touristed destination deserves mention for the inspiring cascading waterfalls alone, and feels like it represents a window in time into what much of the state’s rivers and streams may have looked like in the Gondwanaland era.
Of note, although astonished by the ubiquitous abundance of blackberry littering the landscape and in no way condoning planting or tolerance of such an introduced invasive species, it was a pretty pleasant surprise to have ready-made berries for snacking on whilst walking around.
After exploring the fragile and intricate other-worldly universe that exists within some of the underground limestone caves of the region, we ventured out to one of the dedicated wildlife conservation, research, and rehabilitation parks. The Trowunna wildlife sanctuary at Mole Creek is an example of the conservation effort to protect species currently under threat and critically endangered. With threats of habitat loss and the infectious tasmanian devil facial tumour disease, population numbers of Tassie devils in the wild have been rapidly plummeting since the mid 1990s (10). Specialised in protecting Quoll and Tassie devils, and monitoring the health of wild populations, the Trowunna sanctuary has been operating since 1979 to provide care for native animals and research ways in which we can minimise impacts on native species going into the future. In addition, the sanctuary is engaged in creating active rehabilitation programmes for injured native animals, ranging from Wedge-tailed eagles to albino magpies to potoroos.
Trowunna Wildlife Sanctuary, February 2020
Trowunna Wildlife Sanctuary, February 2020
Trowunna Wildlife Sanctuary, February 2020
What remains of the Tasmanian wilderness is now one of the last vestiges of a natural world disappearing before us with the relentless advance of anthropocentric industries. Whilst the faustian allure of exploiting natural resources to engineer the designer lifestyle and living conditions that most of the developed world is now unyieldingly accustomed to with entitled and demanding ferocity, we have been left with large swathes of anaemic, soulless, and barren desert where trees once grew. As living-generation Australians we are in a most privileged position of inheriting one of the last unspoilt realms on the earth from our Indigenous human custodians and antecedents, and the populations and animals which existed before them. Though scarred from historical missteps, the resilience of the natural world is inextinguishable if we make the collective and conscious decision to respect and protect the unfathomably diverse, infinitely exciting, and vibrant ecosystems of this great southern land. Let’s each of us work together to keep these places wild.
T Michniewicz, 04/04/2020
Never stop exploring (not yet sponsored by The North Face)
Reference
1. Gooch, D (2018) ‘Health of Tamar River takes a dip under the impact of pollutants stirred up by 2016 floods’[online]. ABC Australia. 3 August. Available at: <https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-08-03/tamar-health-worse-after-floods/10070042> [Accessed: 04/04/2020].
2. Mathiesen, K (2016) ‘World heritage forests burn as global tragedy unfolds in Tasmania’[online]. The Guardian. 27 January. Available at: <https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/jan/27/world-heritage-forests-burn-as-global-tragedy-unfolds-in-tasmania> [Accessed: 04/04/2020].
3. Brown, B (2019) ‘Tasmania’s flowering giants: ‘we will never see such trees again’’[online]. The Guardian. 14 December. Available at: <https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/dec/15/tasmanias-flowering-giants-we-will-never-see-such-trees-again> [Accessed: 04/04/2020].
4. Coulter, E (2020) ‘Tasmania’s forest conflict has been quiet for years, but that could all be set to change in 2020’[online]. The ABC. 9 January. Available at: <https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-01-09/tasmania-to-refocus-on-forestry-in-2020/11844326> [Accessed: 04/04/2020].
5. SBS (2020) ‘Man charged with ramming car containing anti-logging protesters in Tasmania’[online]. SBS Australia. 5 March. Available at: <https://www.sbs.com.au/news/man-charged-with-ramming-car-containing-anti-logging-protesters-in-tasmania> [Accessed: 04/04/2020].
6. Pike, F (2015) ‘Australia: world leader in deforestation and species extinction’[online]. Independent Australia. 3 June. Available at: <https://independentaustralia.net/environment/environment-display/australian-logging-and-the-end-of-species,7788> [Accessed: 04/04/2020].
7. Atwood, M (2020) ‘‘Extinction is a choice’: Margaret Atwood on Tasmania’s forests and saving the swift parrot’[online]. The Guardian. 28 February. Available at: <https://www.theguardian.com/books/2020/feb/29/extinction-is-a-choice-margaret-atwood-on-tasmanias-forests-and-saving-the-swift-parrot> [Accessed: 04/04/2020].
8. Edgar, G, Samson, C and Barrett, N (2005) ‘Species extinction in the marine environment: Tasmania as a regional example of overlooked losses in biodiversity’. Conservation Biology. 19(4):1294-1300. Available at: <https://www.jstor.org/stable/3591314> [Accessed: 04/04/2020].
9. Woinarski, J, Murphy, B, Nimmo, D, Braby, M, Legge, S and Garnett, S (2019) ‘Scientists re-counted Australia’s extinct species, and the result is devastating’[online]. The Conversation. 2 December. Available at: <https://theconversation.com/scientists-re-counted-australias-extinct-species-and-the-result-is-devastating-127611> [Accessed: 04/04/2020].
10. McGuirk, R (2009) ‘Tasmanian devils listed as endangered in Australia’[webpage]. Phys.org. 22 May. Available at: <https://phys.org/news/2009-05-tasmanian-devils-endangered-australia.html> [Accessed: 04/04/2020].
Trowunna Wildlife Sanctuary, February 2020