World Heritage Ancient Forests


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Oceania » Australia » Tasmania » Strahan
March 19th 2014
Published: March 21st 2014
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The big Red BoatThe big Red BoatThe big Red Boat

World Heritage Cruise boat
The people of Tasmania face an interesting and somewhat difficult situation, and it affects politics in parliament and talk over a beer at the local. Much of Tasmania is locked up against future development, particularly forestry. The result is that once busy timber milling and or wood chipping plants and their support towns have died.

One small, remote coastal town, Strahan, seems to have survived rather than succumbed. The population there is only half what it was in its heyday, but is a living museum supporting 21st century enterprise.

It seems odd that we talked to locals who have never ventured outside the Strahan, Zeehan and Queenstown region. One man said he avoids going to the bigger centres (Hobart or Launceston) because he finds the four lane roads too difficult to navigate. It is like they live in a different historical era. Yet they serve clients who fly from the farthermost areas of our planet to see Strahan, and be catered for by these same people.

A couple of geese wanted a drink from a puddle which just happened to be on the main road through town. No tooting car horns. The traffic just stopped for a couple of minutes until the birds were satisfied and wandered off the road to graze again.

The World Heritage Temperate Rain Forest on the Gordon River is an impressive place to visit. Almost mystical in some ways, and certainly a diverse ancient forest where we can see living proof of all sorts of unusual variations in nature.

We would recommend that you come to Strahan and travel on the World Heritage Cruise of the Gordon River - the big red boat. The commentary is excellent but not intrusive. The catamaran is run by fourth generation locals. And because of intermarriage within the community, the young lady doing one of the forest talks is niece of one of the fourth generation saw millers in town, so knows a lot about the history.

We discovered what is known about why Hell's Gate got its name. We sailed through the gate and the photos show just how stirred up the river mouth is, and also what was done to make this happen and how sailing ships got through this deadly channel. Remember, this western coast is latitude 42 south, right in the roaring 40s. (Lucky we got a good day)

The day cruise also stops at a fish farm. One of the success stories here is the production of Atlantic Salmon in the river's tidal area inside Hell's Gate. The technique of catching a salmon would make any angler shake their head. A barge comes out when the fish have grown sufficiently, and the mature fish are vacuumed up into a tanker truck on the barge. From there, the fish are chilled , processed on land and then distributed around the world.

Next on the program was a fantastic lunch with smoked Atlantic Salmon being the feature. Very good too. We did meet a few on the cruise who do not like salmon. There were excellent alternatives for them as well.

With tastebuds well satisfied we were escorted around Sarah Island. This convict penal centre predated Port Arthur by several years, and to be sent here was literally being sent to hell on earth. But there are some interesting twists that you will discover such as why the Magistrates Court became a luxury accommodation centre for the convicts.

But there is more. Find out how a Huon Pine tree that fell many years ago is still alive and supporting a third generation tree. The initial tree is thought to be 10,000 years old. This is recognised as the oldest tree in the Southern Hemisphere, and the only known tree thought to be older is found in China.

The final part of the cruise was to a working sawmill where they were splitting a Huon Pine log.

The World Heritage protection of the Huon Pine now means that no tree can be felled for timber. The Huon became a timber of choice for masts and ship building. Its oil makes the timber both rot and sea worm proof. The logs being cut today are ones that the early loggers rejected for ship building, and have often sat stuck up on riverbanks etc. As they have come free, they have been stockpiled for craft and furniture, and maybe some for small wooden craft.

It is not possible at this time to plant Huon for managed forestry. They have a limited type of habitat where they grow, and the growth is around 1mm diameter per year. One of my photos is of a 75 year old pine which is growing piggy back on a fallen pine. The trees that the Brits used for shipbuilding were often 2.5 meters diameter, maybe more.

I purchased a slab of pine that has recently been milled. The tree would have been about 600 years old when felled, and had been sitting on the river bank for around 100 years. It will be about a year before it is sufficiently dry to make a coffee table top.

There is plenty of other things to do and walks to enjoy around Strahan. Some of these are in the photos as well.


Additional photos below
Photos: 35, Displayed: 25


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Highway into townHighway into town
Highway into town

One minute you are in the forest, the next here at the ice cream shop.
Guide on Sarah IslandGuide on Sarah Island
Guide on Sarah Island

A great storey teller that engages the crowd.
Not a pizza ovenNot a pizza oven
Not a pizza oven

Baked 40 loaves of bread a day
Court became quartersCourt became quarters
Court became quarters

Why? You will have to go to find out!


21st March 2014

Another interesting effort
You are certainly finding some great places to visit. The cruise was in good weather mostly and looked as if it was worth the money. Hope the weather fines up for you. All well at 68. Looks like we are in for showers again today and cooler temps. Have fun and love from 136
22nd March 2014
Light house marks the channel

HELLS GATES
Great you went through Hells Gates...the unpredictable entrance to the massive Macquarie Harbour...everyone who does so seems to have a different experience.

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