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Tasmania

The pencil pine

The pencil pine (Athrotaxis cupressoides) is a much loved and wonderfully charismatic tree of the Tasmanian mountains where it is largely restricted to sub-alpine areas above 800 metres. It is one of the Gondwanan species – dating back to the times of the Gondwana super continent – and often grows around tarns, streams and lakes because of its intolerance to fire. Pencil pines can reach ages in excess of 1,200 years, but have little chance of recovery after a ​fire.

 

It is hard to imagine the mountains of lutruwita without these wonderful trees.
I recently got the chance to visit some of my favourite pencils pines, in the northern section of the Cradle Mountain Lake St Clair national park. In a warming world of ever greater fires, it is always a relief to see them thriving.

Continue reading “The pencil pine” →

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Visiting the Canning Peak fire 13 months on

In February 2025, more than 20 fires were started by dry lightning strikes in western lutruwita/ Tasmania.

Some small blazes were quickly extinguished, and those that got away went on to burn more than 90,000 hectares of Tasmania, especially public land and within the Cradle Mountain Lake St Clair national park.  The Canning Peak fire burnt sections of the famous Overland walking track (around 860m of boardwalk and a foot bridge were damaged), precious sections of pencil pine and other fire sensitive communities were impacted, and a hut belonging to a guiding company was lost.

A year on, I managed to get in to have a look at the eastern edge of the fire, along the section that burnt across the Overland Track.

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Take action to protect kunanyi/ Mt Wellington. Again!

A secret plan to revive the cable car

As has been reported here for years there has been a long community campaign against plans by a developer to build a cable car up the face of Mt Wellington / kunanyi. It has long been supported by the Tasmanian government.

Whenever it seems like the battle has been won, the proposal resurfaces like a zombie at the end of a horror movie.

Now, it appears that it is back once more, and Respect the Mountain – no cable car is asking people to send a submission opposing the proposal.

Continue reading “Take action to protect kunanyi/ Mt Wellington. Again!” →

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A new push for a cable car on kunanyi/ Mt Wellington

There has been a long community-led campaign to oppose the plan to build a cable car up the face of kunanyi/ Mt Wellington, the mountain above Nipaluna/ Hobart. (You can read the many MJ stories on the topic here).

You may have heard of a new push by the government for a cable car.

The following information comes from Residents Opposed to the Cable Car.

Continue reading “A new push for a cable car on kunanyi/ Mt Wellington” →

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An updated management plan for Ben Lomond National Park. 

Ben Lomond is an important destination for those seeking winter recreational opportunities in lutruwita/ Tasmania (it is the main focus of downhill skiing in the state, which commenced there in the early 1930’s).

While most visitation currently happens during winter, there are also plans to expand visitation during the warmer months. The Tasmanian government is about to write the park’s first new management plan in almost 30 years and will consider environmental and commercial uses for the park.

In keeping with state government plans to continue to increase visitor numbers in national parks, a key consideration in the preparation of a new management plan will be ‘the opportunity for Ben Lomond National Park to become an important year-round destination’.

Continue reading “An updated management plan for Ben Lomond National Park. “ →

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‘Mountain Minds’ gathering on kunanyi / Mt Wellington

Friends of the Mountain are proud to invite you to Mountain Minds.

This will be a free community gathering of music, talks, workshops and yoga, designed to bring people together through their shared passion to protect kunanyi / Wellington Park from inappropriate commercial developments like cable cars, ziplines and restaurants/ whisky bars on the mountains summit. kunanyi / Mt Wellington sits above Hobart/ nipaluna and has been threatened by various development proposals in recent years.

Mountain Minds is an all – ages inclusive, alcohol free event featuring a kids area so the young ones are entertained. Including talks, music, workshops & more from an amazing array of locals, this half- day event aims to bring together a community of like minded people… to inspire, inform & enjoy all the reasons that kunanyi must stay protected.

 

Save the date: Saturday 3rd May, 1pm – late.

There is a facebook page for the event here.

 

Mountain Journal is proud to support this event.

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TAS Development Assessment Panels to take decisions away from local councils

There has been a long community-led campaign to oppose the plan to build a cable car up the face of kunanyi/ Mt Wellington, the mountain above Nipaluna/ Hobart. There is another important moment in the campaign.

The Tasmanian Government has now released the Development Assessment Panel (DAP) draft bill for comment. There are fears that, if passed, this legislation would mean that future Development Applications will be assessed by DAPs appointed by the Tasmanian Planning Commission rather than local councils.

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Mountain health snapshot

Much of the mountain country across south eastern Australia and lutruwita/ Tasmania is on protected public lands. While the ski resorts continue to intensify the impact of their existing footprint through continued building and infrastructure, across the undeveloped zones there are also a range of projects that threaten the health of ecosystems.

Seperately, each can feel insignificant. But when taken collectively the impact is enormous. This is a quick assessment of some of the big picture trends happening across the Alps and mountainous zones of Tasmania at present.

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State of the Environment report highlights threats to pencil pine forests

The mountains and wetter forests of lutruwita/ Tasmania are a stronghold of ancient vegetation that dates back to when the Australian continent was part of the mega continent of Gondwana.

We know that these areas of fire sensitive vegetation are at risk from changing fire regimes. We also know that climate change will bring ever more serious fire seasons, putting these remnant vegetation communities at greater risk.

The Tasmanian Planning Commission has just released the 2024 State of the Environment (SOE) Report, which, among many issues, highlights the threats posed to fire sensitive communities like the king billy and pencil pines.

Continue reading “State of the Environment report highlights threats to pencil pine forests” →

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The centenary Perrins Bluff pilgrimage

Perrins Bluff is a remote peak in the Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park in lutruwita/ Tasmania.

Tabatha Badger reflects on a journey to the mountain made by Florence Perrin in 1920. Perrins Bluff is a remote peak only visible from one tiny stretch of the Overland Track. In January 1920 Florence Perrin, her husband George, and friend Charlie Macfarlane were guided to the region by legendary bushman Paddy Hartnett. Florence embarked on annual walking trips with Paddy and was the first female, since colonisation, to summit several peaks including Mount Ossa, the highest in Tasmania. But it was their 14-day expedition in 1920 that made a mark in Lutruwita/Tasmania’s history.

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Mountain Journal magazine #4 now online

Once a year we produce the Mountain Journal magazine. It is distributed through mountain and valley towns from Melbourne to Canberra each autumn. 2024 is the fourth print edition, and the magazine is being distributed at present.

You can also enjoy this PDF of the magazine MJ4.

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An important meeting about the future of kunanyi/ Mt Wellington

There has been a long and spirited campaign against the proposal from The Mt Wellington Cableway Company (MWCC) to build a commercial centre on the summit of kunanyi/Mt Wellington, an aerial tramway up the face of the mountain, and associated infrastructure and works (background information available here). Now, with a state election coming up soon, Residents Opposed to the Cable Car are urging locals in nipaluna/ Hobart to attend an important public meeting.

Continue reading “An important meeting about the future of kunanyi/ Mt Wellington” →

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