"Top 10 Attractions of Tasmania"

Its quite interesting to see how different organizations do their rankings, and to discover new sights.

Apparently MONA Tops the list. The Museum of Old and New Art in Hobart is… Unique to say the lest. It is the most visited single attraction in Tasmania. It has been claimed to “attract visitors who otherwise would never have come to Tasmania.” I’m not sure I believe in the veracity of that last statement!

The rest of the list is actually almost all nature sites. Cradle Mountain, Wineglass Bay, Mt. Wellington, are commonly noted sites that we’ve already talk about. Interestingly, the #5 attraction is a river cruise - an a fascinating idea as Tasmania has many small rivers with almost no development. - should be a rather unique and rather pristine cruise environment. I hope we will be able to travel on a Tasmanian river.

#6 is the Tahune Forest Airwalk. I think this would be a scary experience, on a narrow bridge 150 feet above the ground, looking down at Tasmania’s forests. I also think it would be absolutely thrilling.

Finally, the #2 attraction is Port Arthur - the colonial and prison settlement in Hobart. I think getting a sense of both the human and the ecological history of Tasmania is very important.
Zheng

http://www.tasmaniatopten.com/lists/tasmanian_attractions.php

Population Centers of Tasmania

Tasmania is often considered a rural outpost of Australia. Let’s look at some of the state’s population centers to get a feel of its size.
Hobart is the biggest city although its not that much bigger than a small town. Its population of 240,000 makes up about 1/2 of Tasmania’s population (only 540,000!)
Launceston, in the north, has a population of 100,000.
Devonport has 30,000 people.
As we go further, no small town has over 30,000 people. Tasmania is a HUGE island - one of the biggest islands of the world (ranking #26)- and yet has a minuscule population- less than that of the SF Bay Area. That gives an idea of what we’ll see- less people, more nature!

Launceton, Population Center #2 of Tasmania

Zheng





http://www.tasmaniatopten.com/lists/population_centres.php

Parrots in Peril

This past month the Tasmania government, despite the disapproval of its own experts, made the decision to continue with logging the habitat of the endangered swift parrot.

Swift parrots, listed as endangered on the Australian Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, breeds in Tasmania. It migrates north to south eastern Australia from Griffith-Warialda in New South Wales and west to Adelaide in the winter. It is thought that only 1000 pairs remain in the wild. Habitat destruction and loss of old trees with nesting hollows are critical factors in its decline, demonstrating why this logging exhibition will be particularly dangerous for these birds.

The government went so far as to ignore warnings such as "the felling of trees will result in loss of breeding habitat that has been identified as being of very high importance for the species with the further fragmentation of foraging habitat. This cannot contribute to the long-term survival of the species.”

Phill Pullinger, a spokesman for Environment Tasmania, disagrees with the governments decision. He commented:

“Both [federal environment minister] Greg Hunt and [state environment minister] Matthew Groom have powers and responsibilities to protect endangered species – we need an injunction to prevent logging in swift parrot breeding areas,” he told Guardian Australia. This is highly alarming and shatters any confidence in how endangered species are being managed. The advice from scientists is so clear and blunt as to what these activities mean for this animal and yet the decision makers straight out ignore the advice. The swift parrot has had a lot of public profile. If one of the more high profile species is so clearly ignored, it raises questions as to what’s happening to a whole bunch of lesser known species.”



Will the government continue to prioritize commercial ventures over the safety of its friends of flight? Or will it defend the birds that help make its wilderness so beautiful? Hopefully Tasmania will continue to prioritize its natural beauty, as it has been doing for quite some time.

Author: Alicia Menendez

Biodiversity Corridor in Tasmania’s Midlands

The Midlands Restoration Program in Ross, Tasmania [Source: ABC Australia]

The Ian Potter Foundation has donated an additional $550,000 to Green Australia to construct a biodiversity corridor through Tasmania’s Midlands. This new contribution will make the foundation’s total contribution $1,000,000 — the largest landscape restoration contribution in Tasmania’s history.

All this will go towards the Midlands Restoration Program, which aims to:

• Create vegetation corridors for wildlife to move between resources 
• Preserve biodiversity 
• Remove introduced vegetation such as woody weeds and willows
• Re-establish native flora such as eucalyptus 
• Enable the flourishing of birds, bats, and small native mammals

This corridor will connect the Great Western Tiers (where Cradle Mountain is!) and eastern tiers. The project will be completed in 25 years, but perhaps we’ll see some of the preparation?

References

1. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-03-18/huge-boost-for-project-restoring-tasmania27s-midlands-region-a/6330526
2. http://www.greeningaustralia.org.au/project/tasmanian-midlands-restoration-program

Reliving Kiki's Delivery Service in Tasmania

Kiki's Delivery Service vs. Ross Village Bakery [Source: TraverlerFolio]

Do we have any Kiki’s Delivery Service Fans here?!

If so, you’re in luck! Apparently, there is a bakery in rural Tasmania that looks just like the bakery in the movie. Each day, hundreds of people visit the bakery to see the oven and climb the stairs to the second floor loft, which has been renovated to look just like Kiki’s bedroom. So far, thousands of fans have made the pilgrimage to Ross Village Bakery. Although it first started as comments about a resemblance to the film, a grassroots movement led to the owners' adding more artifacts and decorations. Many believe that this was the inspiration for Hayao Miyazaki's film.

Perhaps we too can make a trip to this bakery? :)

Source: Foodie Island Blog

Source: www.flickr.com/photos/atsushikase/ 

Source: http://melhyak.web.fc2.com/ 

References:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-03-13/tasmanias-ross-bakery-continues-to-attract-japanese-anime-fans/6308038

Aboriginal Children Caught in Cultural Crossfire?

Tasmanian Aborigines protesting another issue. [Source: ABC Australia]

The Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre has published a report requesting that child welfare decisions be transferred to the Aboriginal community. The report's author Heather Sculthorpe stated, "There is a disproportionate number of Aboriginal children who get taken away from their families, they are lost then to the community, to their culture.” The report argues that child protection should not intervene in family situations unless a child is physically endangered. Advocates of the plan maintain that keeping Aboriginal children in their communities is a priority.

Should child protection matters be placed under Aboriginal jurisdiction instead of the state's? State child welfare services insist that they are sensitive to Aboriginal culture and try to keep Aboriginal children in their own communities. However, can the Tasmanian state government really understand the cultural differences? How can they make these moral decisions, especially given the history of European settlement and treatment of Aborigines?

An example of such moral ambiguity is Sculthorpe's stance that Family Violence Act should be amended so that there will only be intervention in cases of physical abuse. Otherwise, it would be better if Aboriginal children stayed with their families. But is that true? Which is more important: Children staying in their communities or children being free of abuse, whether not if it is physical?

References:

1. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-03-16/aboriginal-community-seeks-welfare-decisions-affecting-children/6322270?section=tas
2. http://www.news.com.au/national/tasmania/call-to-keep-kids-out-of-state-care/story-fnn32rbc-1227265984263

Tasmania Aspires for "Tobacco-Free" Generation

The end of smoking for a generation? [Source: The Guardian]

As part of the 2000 Smoke-Free Generation initiative, the Tasmanian government may be phasing out tobacco sales to young adults. The plan is to completely ban tobacco sales to anyone born after the year 2000 by raising the legal age of buying cigarettes each year. This initiative is supported by Tasmania’s independent upper house and the Legislative Council.

The first vote will be this coming Tuesday (March 24, 2015) and will likely pass the upper house. However, whether the lower house will pass it is unclear. Unsurprisingly, Imperial Tobacco Australia, which represents Australia’s tobacco industry, has been pushing against this legislation. The group argues that the prohibition is impractical and will only harm Tasmanian retailers, since the demand will shift to where the supply is at — the internet and the black market. However, other groups, such as the Australian Medical Association, see this bill as chance to “change social norms."

Nearly one third of Tasmanian young adults (ages 18-24) smoke. Reducing the prevalence of tobacco smoking would make a significant impact on public health. In 2011, the Australian federal government introduced plain packaged cigarettes to reduce smoking. If this bill passes in Tasmania, it will be the first place in the world to limit access to tobacco to certain generations — and a huge first step for ending smoking.

References

1. http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2014/11/20/tasmanian-tobacco-bill-ban-smoking-youth
2. https://uk.news.yahoo.com/campaign-hopes-tasmanian-tobacco-free-generation-law-215705975.html#oUgIsu1

Tasmania Mourns the Passing of Malcolm Fraser

Malcolm Fraser, the late 22nd Prime Minister of Australia. [Source: ABC Australia] 

Malcolm Fraser, the 22nd Prime Minister of Australia and the leader of the Liberal Party from 1975-1983, passed away this Friday (March 20, 2015). Many Tasmanian politicians reminisced of this political giant, praising him as a “strong friend of Tasmania.” An avid fly fisher, he was apparently very fond of Tasmania and had a fishing cabin in the Central Highlands.

During his political career, Fraser impacted Tasmania in many ways. He is well known for, to say a few:

• Launching the Tasmanian Freight Equalization Scheme in 1976
• Establishing the Australian Maritime College in Launceston
• Moving the Australian Antarctic Division from Melbourne to Southern Tasmania 
• Saving the Franklin River
• Nominating the surrounding areas for World Heritage Site consideration (He is often considered the father of the Franklin Gordon Rivers National Park and South-West National Park.)

Both the Tasmanian Premier and State Growth Minister had fathers who worked as ministers under Fraser. They agree that he leaves behind an extraordinary legacy in not only politics, but also human rights and conservation advocacy.

References 

1. http://www.examiner.com.au/story/2959777/praise-for-a-strong-friend-to-tasmania/?cs=95 
2. http://www.themercury.com.au/news/politics/tasmanian-mps-sing-malcolm-frasers-praises/story-fnpp9w4j-1227271668522
3. http://www.premier.tas.gov.au/releases/the_right_hon._malcolm_fraser,_ac 

Marsupial Lions and Monster Kangaroos: Australia's Vanished Fauna

At the end of the Pleistocene, Australia was still home to an extraordinary range of marsupial megafauna. These animals evolved independently from the rest of the placental world for millions of years, which is why it is so fascinating to see both how diverse and unusual they became and how similar some of them appear to placental mammals in both physiology and ecology.

 Thylacoleo, also known as the marsupial lion, was one of the largest predators in the Australian continent at up to 130 kg. Pound for pound, it had the strongest bite of any mammal, living or extinct. With retractable claws like a cat, semi-opposable thumbs and a stiff kangaroo-like tail, not to mention massive carnassial cheek teeth for tearing flesh, it would have made a fearsome predator, and were it still alive would probably make our trip to Tasmania a lot more dangerous.

Diprotodon was the largest marsupial of all time, weighing in at a massive 2800 pounds, the size of a rhinoceros. Related to both wombats and koalas, Diprotodon probably behaved more similarly to a rhino or hippo, living in forests, woodlands, and grassland, grazing on vegetation and possibly staying close to waters. Diprotodon has been claimed as the basis behind the legendary bunyip of Aboriginal myth, and cave paintings exist that may depict both Diprotodon and Thylacoleo. 

Kangaroos were not immune to gigantism. Procoptodon reached 6.6 feet in height, and probably walked rather than hopped. Kangaroos also took on some niches we might have trouble imagining: the earlier (Pliocene) Propleopus oscillans had large shearing teeth which indicate it might have eaten meat.

Artist's recreation of Thylacoleo attacking Diprotodon. 

Finally, amidst all these marsupials there is one reptile that deserves our attention. We might know of the Komodo Dragon as the largest lizard in the world, but when the first Aborigines arrived in Australia, they had to deal with Megalania. At up to 20 feet in length Megalania was the largest lizard of all time, and undoubtedly the top predator anywhere it lived.

These are all examples of island gigantism and convergent evolution. Without big cats or ungulates, marsupials and reptiles evolved to huge sizes to fill these niches.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megalania
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thylacoleo
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diprotodon

Port Arthur, the first ‘industrial prison complex’ in the British Colonies

In the early 1820’s, transportation to Australia was no longer a sufficient deterrent to crime in Britain. At the same time, a British commission found that a more severe punishment was necessary for convicts who were committing more crime in Australia. That was when then governor George Arthur proposed to have a penal settlement on the Tasmania peninsular in 1827. The geographic shape of the peninsula offered an isolated area of land that was a natural prison. Furthermore, the Tasman Peninsula had many natural resources-- freshwater, timer, stone, lime, and coal. Instead of another prison, the governor wanted an actual settlement in which prisoners could work and sustain the system. Thus in 1830, the Port Arthur penal settlement, which covered 300 acres of land, opened to new convicts. 

At Port Arthur, convicts had to work in labor gangs, which were delegated to various tasks such as tree-felling, timber collecting (timber was in high demand at that time), road making, fishing, ship-building, brick-making. In fact, Port Arthur has been credited to jumpstarting the infrastructures to Tasmania’s main industries. For example, timber tramways connected the settlement to forests and quarries. Roads were also built to connect the settlement to coal mines. A ‘convict railway’ was completed in 1836. Port Arthur was the only settlement in the colonies to employ its prisoners in this way, marking it one of the first industrial prisons in the colonies. 

However, life was brutal for the prisoners in the settlement, especially for the second offenders. An extreme form of solitary confinement, in which prisoners were locked in total darkness for days, was practiced. Many were driven insane. Half starved dogs were stationed to guard the outskirts of the settlement to kill escapees. 

In 1853, Australia stopped transporting convicts to Tasmania, so by 1860’s, the convict population was aging as the settlement itself started decaying from lack of upkeep. In 1877, the settlement officially closed and the buildings were left to the elements. It wasn’t until early 1900s when the government decided to preserve the site. Nowadays, Port Arthur is one of Tasmania’s top tourist attractions. The setting is idyllic and pastoral, stark contrast to its brutal history. There’s even a ghost sightings and Paranormal Activity Investigations tour. In 2005, Port Arthur became one of Tasmania’s National Heritage sights. 

Antarctic Rescue

Emergency efforts to evacuate a seriously ill man from Australia's Antarctic Davis station are being hampered by sea ice.

The ice breaker vessel Aurora Australis, which left the base on Tuesday, has turned back to collect the expeditioner who fell ill late on Wednesday with a fast-deteriorating, but undisclosed, medical condition. However, the ship's progress is slow due to dense packs of ice on the Antarctic sea.

The Australian Antarctic Division said only that the man's condition had been stabilised and is not contagious, but added that he needs to be brought back to Hobart for ongoing treatment

The Aurora Australis is not expected to reach Davis station until overnight Saturday at the earliest, when the patient will be taken on board by helicopter

The ship will then require refuelling and is not expected to leave Davis station until late on Monday to embark on a voyage of some two weeks back to Hobart.

The man arrived in Antarctica in November and had been due to spend the winter at the base.

Reference: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/latest-news/antarctic-evacuation-still-a-day-away/story-fn3dxiwe-1227270850568

By: Edwina Owusu-Adjapong.

Animal Abuse In Australia.

A 53-YEAR-OLD woman has been banned from owning an animal for 20 years after neglecting her two dogs so badly they needed to be put down.

Peta Brien was also sentenced to a one-year, community-based order and ordered to pay costs of $1083.

She was convicted of animal cruelty offences in the Perth Magistrates Court on Friday after failing to provide sufficient food and water for the dogs and failing to take steps to alleviate harm to them.

Both had been abandoned at a Maylands property and were emaciated, but one of the dogs, a two-year-old Maltese shitzu cross named Little Man, was found lying lifeless and whining, suffering dehydration, conjunctivitis and ulcerated eyes.Little Man also had severely matted fur and grass seeds embedded in his skin, which had caused severe infection and maggots in and around his hind region.

RSPCA WA chief inspector Amanda Swift said the penalty was appropriate because a person who treated dogs so poorly did not deserve the privilege of owning one.

Reference: http://www.canberratimes.com.au/execute_search.html?cat=WA+News&text=WA+woman+banned+from+keeping+animals&ss=canberratimes.com.au&view=media

By: Edwina Owusu-Adjapong.

Aurora Australis Lights Up Sky

The swirls, twists, and curtains of light of the aurora australis were visible from the Australian and New Zealand mainland overnight.The natural light display caused a flurry of excitement.

As explained by the Australian Bureau of Meteorology, the phenomenon is caused when electrically charged electrons and protons accelerate down the Earth's magnetic field lines and collide with neutral atoms in the upper atmosphere — usually about 100 kilometers above the Earth.

"These collisions cause the neutral atoms to fluoresce, emitting light at many different wavelengths. The most common aurora colors are red and green, caused by the fluorescence of oxygen atoms, while nitrogen atoms can throw bluish-purple lights into the mix," it said.

The geomagnetic storm, which is just one notch below the highest category of solar storm, began at about 10 a.m. ET on Tuesday, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Space Weather Prediction Centre. The geomagnetic storm is the result of a pair of coronal mass ejections, or CMEs, that left the Sun on March 15 and are now interacting with Earth's atmosphere and geomagnetic field.

In a press briefing on Tuesday, NOAA scientists said the two CMEs may have unexpectedly combined as they sped toward Earth, which could explain why the geomagnetic storm has been so strong.

References: http://www.smh.com.au/environment/aurora-australis-flares-across-australian-and-new-zealand-skies-20150318-1m290i.html

By: Edwina Owusu-Adjapong.

Generational Ban On Smoking

A proposed ban on the sale of cigarettes to anyone born after the year 2000 risks turning Tasmania into a "nanny state”. Tasmanian Independent Upper House MP Ivan Dean has proposed a bill that would ban the sale of tobacco products to anyone born after 2000. If enacted, the proposed laws would prohibit licensed retailers from permitting the "sale, loan, gift or supply" of tobacco products to anyone born after January 1, of that year. Legislative councilors received briefings on the proposal from retailers and Imperial Tobacco at the Tasmanian Parliament on Tuesday.

Tasmanian MPs also received a briefing from a representative of Imperial Tobacco, a global conglomerate whose tobacco brands and products are sold in more than 160 countries. Imperial Tobacco's Australian head of corporate and legal affairs, Andrew Gregson, said Ivan Dean's bill was unenforceable, and claimed it would result in young people buying tobacco online or on the black market. He also predicted that Tasmanian businesses and Tasmanian jobs that will suffer as a result of the ban, and people will still be able to obtain tobacco

During the briefing, Mr. Dean denied those claims and insisted his proposal was about hastening the decline in the smoking rate. The Cancer Council of Tasmania has thrown its support behind Mr. Dean's proposal, urging his Upper House colleagues to support the bill. CEO Penny Egan said most of 600 Tasmanians surveyed by telephone over recent months also supported it.

References: http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2014/11/20/tasmanian-tobacco-bill-ban-smoking-youth

By: Edwina Owusu-Adjapong.

Single Transferable Vote

So, I just remembered that I promised Michelle and others that I write about the Single Transferable Vote system - its one that the Tasmanian parliament uses and a system that I personally like over the one person one vote system we have in the United States today.
Today, in the US, we have to pick one person/party for each election. We have to have full faith that our choice would win. This is not a very good system - only one person can run from each party and there is a fear that multiple people would split votes. This has happened in the United States before - when Theodore Roosevelt, William H. Taft, and Woodrow Wilson ran in the 1912 election, Roosevelt and Taft split the Republican Party, allowing Wilson, who was a minority candidate, to win the election.

The S.T.V. system isn't for presidential elections though - it's for representatives (which is why it is used in the Tasmanian legislature). In Tasmania, the entire state sends a total of 11 representatives. Each person, instead of voting for just one person, ranks their choices based on the ballot. They can rank however many they want, from 1 to all of them.

At election time, the votes are counted as such: A threshold must be passed to become a representative - in Tasmania's case, it's 100/11 or 9.1%. Once those who pass those threshold are selected, the fun comes in.

If you won the election, any of your votes over 9% get moved to the second choice on the ballot. If you were dead last, your votes get discarded, and each of your voters second choices gets your votes, and the system is reevaluated. This keeps happening until all the positions are filled.

I covered it in small, but if you like interesting education videos that are entertaining to watch, you should watch this one! (This is how I got interested in all this stuff)


-Avi

What Does Freedom of Religion Mean to Tasmania?

Religious schools may be exempt from Tasmania's Anti-Discrimination Act [Source: ABC News]

Tasmania seems to be having its fair share of political controversy! From the renaming of Tasmania's wilderness to its soon-to-expire fracking ban, this Australian state is set to make some important decisions. Among these include an amendment to the Anti-Discrimination Act that allows "faith-based schools to give preference in their admissions to students who have religious beliefs, affiliations or activities consistent with those of the school."

The reaction to this decision are mixed. On the one hand, Independent Schools Tasmania celebrates this amendment. According to its chief executive, Tony Crehan, religious schools should be allowed this exemption because the schools were largely founded (and funded) by church-based communities. However, the Tasmanian Gay and Lesbian Rights Group decry this decision as a "bigot's charter." A spokesperson for the group, Rodney Croome, argues that religious schools should not receive special rights that could allow them to discriminate against LGBTQ+ students or children of such couples.

It'll be interesting to see how this landmark decision turns out, especially since it toes the fine line between religious freedom and freedom to discriminate. To learn more about Tasmania's religious makeup, check out how its demographics compare to that of Australia at-large.

References

1. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-03-19/religious-schools-to-be-given-the-right-to-reject-non-religious/6333256
2. http://profile.id.com.au/australia/religion?WebID=150 

Tasmania Greyhound Racing: Way off track

Greyhound racing is under scrutiny after allegations of live baiting. [Source: The Advocate]

In Tasmania, controversy has erupted over the use of live baiting in greyhound racing. Although live baiting has long been banned, last month, ABC's Four Corners broadcasted a graphic exposé of the practice. In the videos, live piglets, possums and rabbits were strapped to mechanical lures for the greyhounds to chase and eventually kill. If the animals were maimed in a run, but still alive, they were reused again and again. In one clip, a possum was chased around the track 26 times. By the end, the possum had been snapped in half and was only attached to the lure by its spinal cord.

Greyhound trainers use live baiting to gain a competitive edge in races. The pressure is intense, given how much money is funneled into greyhound racing each year (Australians spend $4 billion on the sport annually). The footage was recorded at private training tracks in Queensland and Victoria, but investigations have been launched in Tasmania, as well.

Tasmanian politicians and citizens alike have expressed their outrage at these reports and footage. Although evidence has yet to be obtained and live baiting may be difficult to prove, The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) is dedicated to the investigation, and plans to enforce a lifetime ban of any offenders.

I vote NAY for seeing greyhound races in Tasmania.

References:

1. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-02-17/tasmanian-greyhound-racing-industry-to-be-reviewed-live-baiting/6132270
2. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-03-17/life-ban-sought-for-greyhound-live-baiting-offenders-in-tasmania/6326408
3. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-02-16/live-baiting-expose-to-rock-greyhound-industry/6109878 
4. http://tasracing.com.au/
5. http://www.greyhoundcruelty.com/ 

5 Australian foods to try out

You know how Dr. Bob likes to take pictures of animals and capture incredible displays of biogeography? Well, I like to take pictures of myself eating food. I visited Australia this past winter break and while I was there, I had an ambitious food agenda. These are some of the foods I ate:

1. Kangaroo

It may be ethically challenging to consider eating Australia's unofficial mascot, but the animal runs pretty rampant in some places. Plus, unlike cows, they're methane-free.

This is me weirdly documenting my kangaroo-eating experience. As you can see, I was hesitant and had ethical challenges, too... I still kinda feel bad and heartless about eating kangaroo.

http://thetastingbuds.com/2010/06/crazy-for-kangaroo-in-australia/

2. Vegemite

This is a classic Australian spread made from brewer's yeast. I thought it tasted like soy sauce with a mix of bitterness.

Here's a song from one of their commercials:

We are happy little Vegemites, as bright as bright can be,

We all enjoy our Vegemite for breakfast, lunch and tea,

Our mummy says we're growing stronger every single week,
Because we love our Vegemite, we all adore our Vegemite —

It puts a rose in every cheek!
We're growing stronger every week!

3. Macadamia nuts

These nuts are native to Australia and can be eaten raw or included in a variety of dishes like breads and cakes. 

4. Ethnic foods

Australia enjoys a multicultural dining scene thanks to its large number of immigrants. This was the first time I've ever tried chicken feet — apparently a Chinese delicacy. It's quite tasty, once you get over the fact that you're eating the feet of chickens.

5. Crocodile

After I visited Daintree Rainforest — home to some beastly crocodiles — I couldn't help but try out a crocodile burger conveniently located at a restaurant nearby. The meat tasted lumpy, but other than that, it was like chicken.

6. Koalas
Kidding! Despite the other animals I ate, I would not eat koalas. I love them and took an absurd number of selfies with this koala at Featherdale Wildlife Park. As a result of this class, I now have a Pinterest board on koalas.

Thanks for looking at pictures of me eating food! I'm excited for Tasmania and trying out the food there — it's reputed to be better than the mainland.

THAT IS ALL, FOLKS. It's been a fun quarter, fellow Tassie Safari explorers!

The Tasmanian Arboretum

The Tasmanian Arboretum is the world's largest collection of Tasmanian living woody plants. Within the park there are Eugegana limestone beds. In addition to this there are 80 bird species in this area and we can also see platypuses. What is most interesting about the Arboretum is the fact that is has been developed and is maintained by local volunteers. So far, much of our focus on this class has been on natural preserves or parks, but this is an example of a community run and managed project. I was wondering what other people thought about this model, the benefits and potential hazards of designating significant tracts of lands to local communities to manage, since they often know best about how to preserve and take care of the land.

Rehan

Sources:
http://www.tasmanianarboretum.org.au/index.shtml

Mount William National Park

Mount William (Wukalina) National Park is an 8,640 hectare park in far north-eastern Tasmania. It looks absolutely beautiful. Activities include boating, swimming, hiking, and camping. The spectacular Bay of Fires is part of the park, and visitors also have a chance to see Forester Kangaroos, Bennett wallabies, pademelons, wombats, echidnas, devils, and possums, along with a variety of bird species, including yellow-tailed cockatoos, honey-eaters, wedge-tailed eagles, and albatross.

http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/index.aspx?base=3634

Do Tasmanian Animals Hibernate?

When I realized our trip was planned for the winter, I was initially concerned that the season would affect our chances of seeing some of the wildlife, since they would be hibernating for the winter. Hibernation is a state of lowered metabolism marked by lack of activity. In mammals it is characterized by a low body temperature and sometimes dramatically lowered breathing and heart rate. Common animals that hibernate include ground squirrels and other rodents, hedgehogs and other insectivores, some mouse lemurs, and bears, although the latter experience a less dramatic drop in body temperature.

It turns out that most marsupials don't experience full-blown winter hibernation. Some, like the dunnart and the pygmy possum, experience a daily or multi-day torpor, which is like a mini-hibernation.

A sleepy echidna

One Tasmanian animal that does curl up for the winter is the short-beaked echidna, which isn't a marsupial but a monotreme or egg-laying mammal. In the autumn and winter, echidnas will burrow into the ground and hibernate for several months, during which their body temperature can fall to as low as 5 degrees C. They're actually have the slowest metabolism of any mammal, about 3
0% of that of placental mammals (that's even slower than sloths!). Luckily, we'll be there in spring, and most of the echidnas will have woken up by then (not that we're particularly likely to see them in the wild anyway, but at least we have a chance).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hibernation
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Short-beaked_echidna
http://www.nature.com/news/2009/090105/full/news.2008.1344.html
http://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:9717/hib_by_echidnas_.pdf

Hosteling in Tasmania

I’m a huge fan of staying in hostels whenever I travel. One, it’s about all I could afford as a student, but secondly, it’s a great way to meet people from around the world and you can usually find another travel buddy if you’re going solo. (Ask me about the time I hung out with beatboxing champs in Basel, Switzerland.)

If people want to spend a couple days earlier in Hobart (as Bob recommends), you might want to check out these hostels and knock elbows with other Tassie adventurers!

The Pickled Frog

https://www.facebook.com/151906591505958/photos/a.434306283265986.116268.151906591505958/434306293265985/?type=1&theater

​This hostel was built around a historic 1834 stable and drinking establishment. It is a 5 minute walk to the Salamanca Markets and Hobart's historic Waterfront, Aquatic Centre & Botanic Gardens.

"Cheap beer, big-screen TVs, pool table, slightly homesick backpackers checking out Facebook - you get the picture." - Lonely Planet Tasmania


Tassie Backpackers

This hostel has been converted from the venerable old Brunswick Hotel. Some of the original sandstone walls date back to 1816

http://www.hostelbookers.com/property/prp/61400/arr/2015-03-19/ngt/2/ppl/1/

http://www.hostelbookers.com/property/prp/61400/arr/2015-03-19/ngt/2/ppl/1/

Narrara Backpackers

"Travelers slump on couches in front of the TV, working through the pain of last night's efforts." - Lonely Planet Tasmania

http://www.narrarabackpackers.com/rooms_rates/

Wild Beach Cleanups

The accumulation of plastic in our ocean and on beaches is a problem worldwide. In Tasmania, it is most shocking when these nasty remnants of human's presence are found on remote, almost inaccessible beaches. The west coast of Tasmania is one of the most remote coastlines in the world, according to Matt Dell, from Tasmania Environmental Consultants. Most of the rubbish winding up on these beaches is originally from land, having been swept to sea and eventually coming ashore again after spending some time in the ocean. The debris comes from as far as South Africa sometimes, and is mainly used fishing gear or rubbish from industrial freighters. While the rubbish used to consist of mainly ropes and gear, now plastic dominates. This is a small part of a larger problem - plastics are accumulating in the ocean in astounding quantities, where they not only pollute the oceans but also contribute to the death of so much marine life that either gets entangled or mistakes plastic for food. 

There is a glimmer of hope though, as Mr. Dell is leading a cleanup crew to brave the strong weather and spend a week or so cleaning up these secluded beaches. It is the fifteenth year of this cleanup effort, and every time volunteers are equally shocked. It takes a long time to get to these beaches, which they must approach by boat, braving storms and strong winds, only to find them covered in plastic and trash. Hopefully, these efforts continue to add at least a small sparkle to our increasingly damaged natural world.

-Isabella

Tasmania Tourism Developments

There is an interest for expanding tourism in world heritage sites and national parks in Tasmania. The Hodgman Government expressed wanting to expand the different kinds of ways people can be involved with these environments. In particular, six proposals have moved on to the stages of becoming something that's actually possible. A particular activity that could potentially be implemented involves Cradle Mountain Canyons. In this area, people have proposed flying tourists to a remote river at Cradle Mountain, and then allowing them to jump and rappel down the waterfall. Another idea was to build a standing camp on Halls Island in the Walls of Jerusalem Natural Park. This would be accessed by sea planes, which sounds really awesome and fun! There have also been plans to expand lodges that already exist by adding cabins, such as in Freycinet Lodge. The remaining proposals should be revised by the middle of the month, and then it would be decided whether or not they are implemented. One interesting thing that came about from this was the fact that there was no limit on the number of accommodation facilities allowed under the World Heritage Management Plan. There are concerns as to what kinds of drawbacks there are to making these ideas a reality. Some believe there would be an increase of people in these areas, and it would be a determine to the ecology that has been preserved. Ultimately, those who are for the creation of these tourist attractions want Tasmania to be the environmental tourism capital of the world!

Sources:
Source 1

Crown Land in Tasmania

Crown land is an area that belongs to the monarch and can be passed with the monarchy. In Canada and Australia, it is the official term used to refer to public land. In Tasmania, the Crown Land is managed by the Tasmanian State Government (technically on behalf of the Crown, and the people of Tasmania). Crown Land can refer to public reserves, school land, hospital land, police stations, and road verges. Different governmental agencies manage different types of land. Parks & Wildlife Services manage wildlife parks (as sanctioned under the Nature Conservation Act of 2002), Forestry Tasmania manage timber production zones, and government departments manage Crown public utility properties. Like many public lands, Crown Land can be sold through public auction or leased to individuals or organizations. 

For more information, here is a FAQ about Crown Lands in Tasmania:

http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/index.aspx?base=33344#CanIpurchaseCrownland

Royal Visits to Tasmania

Since 1867, there have been over fifty visits by a member of the British Royal Family to Australia. Even though constitutional ties were cut between Britain and Australia with the 1986 Australia Act, the royal family is still considered the constitutional head of state in Australia. Therefore, royal visits are merry affairs that involve parades, parties, speeches, award ceremonies, and also fun vacation tours. 

Elizabeth II is the only reigning monarch of Australia to have set foot on Australian soil. In total, she has made sixteen journeys and visited every Australian states. Here is a 20 minute video documenting Elizabeth II’s third visit to Tasmania in 1970. It is very obvious that the Tasmanians were very excited to see her, lining up the streets with Australian and British flags. 

Most recently, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge did a 2014 royal tour of Australia and New Zealand. Unfortunately Prince William did not travel to Tasmania (which based on the Tasmanian newspaper The Examiner, it seemed like the Tassies were not too happy about that). 

Tourism in world heritage sites

Among the most recent proposals to expand tourism in world heritage sites, something that we have talked a fair amount in this class are helicopter canyoning and cabins in parts of tasmania that are not easily accessible by foot or land transport. The minister for parks and heritage has said that he wants to make tasmania the tourism capital of the world, which, in this case, means going into areas that have historically been closed off to tourist development. What does everyone think about this? Some of the concerns that have been brought of relate to waste resulting from tourist activities. What are some of the other issues that everyone forsees if these plans start to materialize, even if carried out very conservatively?

Source:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-03-07/helicopter-canyoning-among-new-proposals-for-tasmania-wildernes/6288282

Rehan

Happy Eight Hour Day!

Happy Eight Hours Day everyone (aka Happy Tasmanian Labor Day). Labor day falls on different dates for different territories in Australia, but the second Monday of March is Tassie’s labor day, which they exclusively call the “Eight Hours Day.” Eight Hours Day is a public holiday, during which all government offices are closed. Since it is currently summer in the Land Down Under, Tasmanians celebrate their labor day similarly to Americans-- BBQ, play or watch sports, camping, wine-tasting at a winery, relaxing.  

As you can probably surmise from the name of the holiday, it is a celebration of the granting of the eight-hour working day for Australians. In the late 1800s Australians worked long hours, up to 12 hours a day, six days a week. On April 21, 1856, stonemasons marched to Parliament House to push for better working conditions. The Parliament decided to grant Australian workers a 48-hour work week (8 hours a day, but still for 6 days). The regulations were adopted by other territories until in 1874 Tasmania was the last territory to adopt the 8-hour working day. In 1979, the Victorian Engish government proclaimed Labor Day a paid public holiday. And as they say, the rest is history! 

Taste of the Huon Festival

Taste of the Huon -  a two-day festival in the Huon Valley region celebrated its 23rd year this weekend. Saturday held a record-breaking crowd of 14,000 visitors as people from all over the island came out to celebrate this diverse and productive region of Tasmania. Only 30 minutes away from Hobart, this region produces an abundance of apples (giving Tasmania its nickname of the "Apple Isle", cherries, truffles, mushrooms, berries, vineyards and salmon. The festival is run by a volunteer committee, and profits made throughout the weekend are returned to the community via funding of groups that volunteer during the weekend. There were vendors, exhibits and musical performance - all making for a sunny, fun day full of appreciation for Tasmania's beautiful, productive regions.

-Isabella

Hartz Mountains National Park

Let's throw another national park into our mix!  I came across the Hartz Mountain National Park, located less than 100 km from Hobart near the southern tip of the island, when searching for the harz flower, which looks like the one picture below.

Hartz Mountains have been formed by glaciers over the centuries and past ice ages, and now they are beautiful hike-able mountains with a nice view of the ocean and lots of interesting geographical features, like glacial lakes or the waterfalls pictured below.

A cool adventurous part of the Hartz Mountains is because they are so far south the weather can be unpredictable, inhospitable, and even wild.  My source details how in any season there can be heavy rain, drastic wind, snow, extreme temperatures and sudden weather changes.  It also says its a good place to see wallabies, pademelons, and possums.  Sounds like a fun and extreme adventure to me!

Brittany Hallawell

source: http://tasmaniaforeveryone.com.au/hartz-mtns-np.htm

Happy International Women's Day: National Council of Women of Tasmania

In honor of International Women’s Day, I will devote my last blog post of the quarter to discussing the National Council of Women of Tasmania. In 1899, Countess of Aberdeen founded the National Council of Women of Tasmania after Tasmania was invited to join the International Council of Women Congress in London. The organization is a non-part, non-sectarian group that encompasses all other affiliated women’s groups in Tasmania. The National Council of Women of Tasmania mostly functions to influence policies on a local, state, and federal level and was originally founded to focus on activism for middle-class women. The group has 20 different committees and a range of subgroups covering professional, religious, and welfare/service areas. The organization’s main goals include:

1. To provide a strong network and a means for affiliated groups to support each other

2. To work together on matters of mutual interest or concern, as well as links to the wider community

3. To promote the best interests of women and their families and people in general

4. To confer and provide a two-way flow of information on issues related to the welfare of the family, the state, and the Commonwealth

5. To work in every way for the application of equity, social justice (the Golden Rule), and improvements in quality of life in a sustainable environment, for everyone.

Jessica Tam

 

http://trove.nla.gov.au/people/758080?c=people

Talk Aussie to Me

Care for anotha shrimp on tha barbie? Hows tha weatha down unda... MATE?

Yep. One of the many phrases you've probably heard before that exemplifies Australian lingo. A bit stereotypical but nevertheless accurate. So, what do Australians/Tasmanians even speak anyways? Sure, its English but is the English we use in the U.S.? Not quite.

Lets talk Aussie.

Common Words:

• Ace!  -  excellent!, splendid! (You found it? Ace!)
•  Ankle biter  -  small child 
•  Arvo  -  afternoon (We are leaving in the Arvo)
•  Aussie  -  an Australian (Mel Gibson is an Aussie (pronounced ah-zee))
•  Aussie salute  -  brushing flies away (Picnicking requires Aussie salutes)
•  Barbie  -  barbecue (Yes. They do throw shrimps on the barbie)
•  Beaut  -  terrific, fantastic (The movie was a beaut!)
•  Bush  -  remote inland area (You'll be lonely in the bush)
•  Bities  -  annoying biting insects (Buy some repellent for the bities)
•  Captain Cook  -  look (I'll give it a quick Captain Cook)
•  Chook  -  chicken (Have some roasted chook)
•  Coldie  -  beer (Let's stop in and have a coldie)
•  Cuppa  -  cup of tea or coffee (Give me a cuppa)
•  Cut lunch  -  sandwich (I'm hankering for a cut lunch)
•  Down Under  -  Australia and New Zealand (Have you seen the Down Under?)
•  G'day  -  hi, hello (G'day (pronounced gid'day) everyone!)
•  Good on ya  -  well done, good for you (You won? Good on ya!)
•  Lollies  -  candy and other sweets (I have some lollies for you)
•  Mate  -  buddy, friend (Loan me a dollar, mate)
•  Never, Never  -  the distant hinterland (I'm moving to the never, never)
•  Outback  -  remote inland Australia (You can get lost in the Outback)
•  Oz  -  Australia (I was born in Oz)
•  Pommy  -  Englishman (The Pommy likes our beer)
•  Ripper  -  sensational, fantastic (It was a ripper game)
•  Road train  -  truck pulling several trailers (Road trains intimate car drivers)
•  Seppo  -  American (A busload of Seppos disembarked)
•  Sheila  -  young woman (A sheila broke his heart)
• She'll be apples  -  it will be all right (Forget your error, she'll be apples)
•  Snag (or "mystery bag")  -  sausage (Are you cooking snags on the barbie?)

Ettiquitte:

• Goes without being said but I'll say it anyways... If you don't understand just ask!
• If someone explains to you the meaning of a word, don't comment on how strange or "wrong" their usage is. Our English isn't the "correct" English it is simply one of several versions.
• Be open to trying out their lingo! It will make communication easier and impress the Australians you interact with

Wondering if there are any other words you should know how to use? Check out this link, which is basically an Australian lingo dictionary!

http://www.koalanet.com.au/australian-slang.html

Don't be shy!

Look at how friendly this Aussie is!

Author: Alicia Menendez

Tasmania Woodchip Industry

Even though eucalyptus trees are abundant in Tasmania, the wood chip industry has slowly collapsed, due to the combined forces of campaigning environmentalists and shifting global demands. Last year, one of Tasmania’s last big wood mill in Triabunna closed down, which came to no one’s surprise. Gunns, a major forestry company based in Tasmania was declared insolvent in 2012 after the company was forced to close all of its woodchipping mills and sawmills. Gunns was one of Australia’s oldest companies and used to be the largest export woodchip operations in the Souther Hemisphere. Because Gunns specialized in selling wood from native, old eucalyptus trees, it had been under the attack of many environmental groups. 

Ironically, the pride of Gunns, woodchips made from beautiful old eucalyptus trees, also became their downfall. As South East Asia, South Africa, and South America started planting eucalyptus trees, they also started selling wood chips and pulp to the paper industry. These large plantations grew eucalyptus trees in large plantations quickly, and more importantly, cheaply. Research just published in Biodiversity and Conservationshows that global wood production from natural forests peaked around 1989 and has been declining since.

In 2010, then CEO of Gunns, Greg L’Estrange wanted to pivot Gunns from the dying woodchip industry to a pulp industry, with pulp created from non-forest eucalyptus. However, because of the ensuing “forest wars” between environmentalists and pro-industry politicians, the idea was killed, even though a pulp mill with pulp made from non-forest eucalyptus would have been more environmentally friendly than a woodchip mill. 

5 years later, it doesn’t seem like politicians have listened to L’Estrange’s proposal. While politicians are worried about the dying wood industry, their proposed policy changes do not reflect the growing global demands of the wood industry nor environmental concerns of forest logging. Instead of trying to stimulate the wood processing or plantation industry, Australia is proposing to open up more of the Tasmania Wilderness World Heritage sites to logging. Not only will this hurt the environment, it will hardly help the wood industry, which makes it a mind-boggling policy change. 

Sources: 

http://theconversation.com/tasmania-defers-logging-plans-as-timber-industry-resists-free-for-all-25396

http://www.themonthly.com.au/issue/2014/july/1404136800/john-van-tiggelen/destruction-triabunna-mill-and-fall-tasmanias-woodchip-