The Tasmanian Advantage natural and cultural features of Tasmania a resource manual aimed at developing knowledge and interpretive skills specific to Tasmania Contents 1 INTRODUCTION The aim of the manual Notesheets & how to use them Interpretation tips & useful references Minimal impact tourism 2 TASMANIA IN BRIEF Location Size Climate Population National parks Tasmania’s Wilderness World Heritage Area (WHA) Marine reserves Regional Forest Agreement (RFA) 4 INTERPRETATION AND TIPS Background What is interpretation? What is the aim of your operation? Principles of interpretation Planning to interpret Conducting your tour Research your content Manage the potential risks Evaluate your tour Commercial operators information 5 NATURAL ADVANTAGE Antarctic connection Geodiversity Marine environment Plant communities Threatened fauna species Mammals Birds Reptiles Freshwater fishes Invertebrates Fire Threats 6 HERITAGE Tasmanian Aboriginal heritage European history Convicts Whaling Pining Mining Coastal fishing Inland fishing History of the parks service History of forestry History of hydro electric power Gordon below Franklin dam controversy 6 WHAT AND WHERE: EAST & NORTHEAST National parks Reserved areas Great short walks Tasmanian trail Snippets of history What’s in a name? 7 WHAT AND WHERE: SOUTH & CENTRAL PLATEAU 8 WHAT AND WHERE: WEST & NORTHWEST 9 REFERENCES Useful references List of notesheets 10 NOTESHEETS: FAUNA Wildlife, Living with wildlife, Caring for nature, Threatened species, Threats 11 NOTESHEETS: PARKS & PLACES Parks & places, Visiting, Walking notes, Great bushwalks, Natural values, Boating 12 NOTESHEETS: FLORA & GEOLOGY Plants, Threatened habitat, Geodiversity Copyright © Commonwealth of Australia 2003. This work is copyright. No part of this work may be reproduced in whole or in part without prior written permission unless the reproduction is: i) for the purpose of furthering education/interpretation activities in Tasmania, provided that its reproduction and dissemination is done only on a cost- DTPHA: Department of Tourism, Parks, Heritage and the Arts recovery basis, or PWS: Parks and Wildlife Service ii) permitted under the Copyright Act 1968. (DTPHA) DPIWE: Department of Primary Requests and inquiries concerning reproduction and rights should be directed Industries, Water and the in the first instance to the Group Manager, Vocational Education and Training Environment Group, Department of Education, Science and Training, GPO Box 980, NCB: Nature Conservation Canberra City, ACT 2601. Branch (DPIWE) ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND DISCLAIMER Published by the Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service, Department of Tourism, Parks, Heritage and the Arts, on behalf of the Department of Education, Science and Training, Commonwealth of Australia. This material has been funded by the Environmental Tourism Program with the assistance of the Commonwealth Department of Education, Science and Training and the Office of Post-Compulsory Education and Training, Department of Education. The views expressed in this work do not necessarily represent the views of the Commonwealth. The Commonwealth, the State of Tasmania, and their employees and agents, will not be responsible for any loss, however arising, from the use of or reliance on, this information. The Parks and Wildlife Service, DTPHA, gratefully acknowledges the time, enthusiasm and information supplied by specialist staff from the Nature Conservation Branch, DPIWE. Without such specialist support there would not be a scientifically informed Parks and Wildlife Service, able to share Cartoons are copyright of Parks such a wealth of information with the tourism industry. and Wildlife Service and artist Robyn Holmes PO Box Many and varied people have contributed information ideas and assistance to 3026, Launceston (unless the creation of this manual; from tour operators and accommodation providers otherwise stated). to government agencies. Thanks to all those who have assisted with this compilation, for your support, enthusiasm and direction during the many and varied stages. Foreword The Tasmanian Advantage Natural and cultural features of Tasmania On behalf of the Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service, I am pleased to present The Tasmanian Advantage, an informative interpretation manual of interest to everyone involved in the environmental tourism industry. This compilation of resources available from various government agencies will assist the environmental tourism industry to expand their knowledge and better their practices for the long-term sustainability of tourism in Tasmania. As identified in recent strategies such as Tourism 21 and the Tasmanian Experience Strategy, there is growing demand on tourism operators in Tasmania to meet and exceed the expectations of visitors to the State. The Parks and Wildlife Service has broadly expanded on some of the key attributes that visitors come to Tasmania to experience – nature and cultural heritage. By using this manual and better understanding the values of the natural and cultural features of Tasmania, the industry will be more able to sustain the growth of tourism in Tasmania. The manual is the first comprehensive information resource produced by the Parks and Wildlife Service for the environmental tourism industry and will prove to be useful for the experienced operators and staff, as well as those who are not so familiar with Tasmania’s many unique natural and cultural values. This initiative was made possible through financial support from the Environmental Tourism Training and Employment Program with assistance from the Commonwealth Department of Education, Training and Youth Affairs and the Tasmanian Office of Post Compulsory Education and Training. Jim Bacon MHA Premier Minister for Tourism, Parks and Heritage Minister for the Arts 1. Introduction Tasmania is one of the world’s premier travel destinations. Its magnificent natural attractions, rich cultural history and industries such as craft, food and wine combine to draw people to the State. It is not surprising that environmental tourism has become a significant contributor to the State’s economy. Either directly or indirectly, the natural and cultural values of Tasmania impact upon all those involved in the tourism industry in this State. Whether you run a guided walk, a bed and breakfast house, or are employed in the service industry, being able to understand, share and appreciate the natural and cultural attributes of Tasmania are vital aspects of your business. The aim of the manual The Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service has compiled this manual with the aim of benefiting the environment, the tourism industry, employees, and visitors by: • setting a basic standard of knowledge of the natural and cultural features of Tasmania in a concise resource that will include specific information; • developing the interpretive skills of tour guides, operators, activity leaders and customer service staff; • sustainably combining tourism within national parks, reserved areas and involving flora, fauna and cultural sites through the adoption of appropriate practisces; • increasing the understanding, appreciation and conservation of the diversity of Tasmania’s flora and fauna; • helping to provide enriching experiences for visitors to Tasmania while minimising their impact on the environment. For the purposes of this manual the State has been divided into three regions. The regions are a combination of areas already defined by Parks and Wildlife Service, Tourism Tasmania and Forestry Tasmania: a) South and Central Plateau–including Hobart, the Huon Valley, the Derwent Valley, Mt Field National Park, the Southwest, Port Arthur and the Central Plateau. b) East and Northeast–including Maria Island, Freycinet, the Midlands, Mt William National Park, Bridport, Launceston, the Tamar Valley and Ben Lomond National Park. d) West and Northwest–including Lake St Clair–Cradle Mountain National Park, Queenstown, Strahan, Corrina, Narwantapu National Park, the Meander Valley, Smithton, Rocky Cape National Park and Wynyard. The Islands of Tasmania are included in the appropriate geographic region. 1 2003 1. Introduction HOW TO FIND NOTESHEETS Notesheets This symbol, when shown in The notesheets provide concise, factual information and also refer to sources the sidebar, refers to a where more detailed information can be found. The notesheet series was notesheet relating to the produced by Parks and Wildlife in collaboration with Nature Conservation subject in the text. Branch and the Tasmanian Heritage Office and are available in PDF format from the Parks and Wildlife website. <www.parks.tas.gov.au> Notesheets are continually created and altered and we recommend that you check the website regularly and print a hard copy of each new/updated notesheet in order to maintain an up-to-date reference folder. All notesheets are included in the back of the manual. There are various categories of notesheets including: Caring for nature Geodiversity Great bushwalks Living with wildlife Natural values Parks & places Plants Threats Threatened habitats How to use the notesheets Threatened species Visiting ... • Training resources: use these notesheets as training material for your staff. Walking notes • Visitor information: with access to this manual, visitors will be able to Wildlife gather accurate facts and information to suit their interests. • Research: the notesheets contain references to further sources of information and contacts for those who wish to gather more detailed information. • Customer handouts: