About 20,000
years ago, glacial ice activity began to form what is now known as Cradle
Mountain. 10,00 years later, ice began to melt, eroding the land, and Cradle
Valley was soon exposed, eventually becoming the habitat for lots of plant and
animal life [1]. Aboriginal tribes soon moved into the area as ice continued to
melt and led to an abundance of natural resources that were useful for living
spaces [2]. In 1826, Joseph Fossey, a British explorer gave the area the name “Cradle
Mountain”. In 1831, Henry Hellyer became the first European to reach the top of
the mountain and was soon after followed by a series of explorers and tourists
who were fascinated with the area. Finally, in 1927, some of the park’s land
was put aside to become a natural reserve, free of human destruction. Almost 50
years later, in 1971, Cradle Mountain became an official national park [3]. Today,
the park expands over 124,942 hectares with a diverse landscape that is characterized
by glacial formation and includes over 25 major peaks [4]. Ranging from
rainforests to grasslands, the area is home to endemic conifers and beech
trees, as well as various mammals, birds, and invertebrates. Perhaps one of the
most exciting aspects of Cradle Mountain is that it houses some of Tasmania’s
most exotic species, including the Tasmanian devil, platypus, and echidna [2].
Jessica Tam
Whoa that sounds really awesome Jessica! I hope we get to go there, but it sounds like a place that it would be silly to miss so I'm sure we will. Super interesting to hear how it formed too!
ReplyDeleteBrittany Hallawell