One of the great pleasures of being a schoolteacher in Tasmania is getting a nice long summer holiday over much of December and January, perfect for getting outdoors and exploring the immense natural wealth of this little jewel of an island. No less than 45% of the state lies protected within National Parks and reserves - an absolutely vast amount. Much of the southwestern portion of the state, accounting for nearly a fifth of the island's area, remains almost completely untouched by Man and forms the UNESCO-listed Tasmanian Wilderness Heritage Area. From wild, deserted coastline to the world's largest tracts of untouched temperature rainforest, the range of landscapes and ecosystems is exceptional. One of the parks making up this vast emptiness is the intuitively-named Southwest National Park. Its highest peak, Mount Anne, is well known among
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