Freycinet National Park, East Coast of Tasmania

Tasmania’s Coastal Wildlife

 

These Australian fur seals have come ashore to enjoy a bit of “rest and recreation”. The waters are abundant with food supply for these animals. It is not unusual to see seals on many of the coastal areas of Tasmania’s rugged coastline.

 

Freycinet Spectacle

 

 
The coastline of the Freycinet Peninsula area is covered in orange lichen. This unique lichen is very tolerant of intense salt in the environment and quite iconic in the area.

 

Wineglass Bay Cruise

Rocky outcrops on the way to Wineglass Bay in the beautiful Freycinet National Park.

Launceston, Tasmania

City Park, Launceston

 
The beautiful City Park in Launceston was opened to the people of Launceston in the 1820’s. It displays some very old trees and gardens that are beautifully maintained by the Launceston City Council since 1863.

 

Launceston, City Park

The continuous running water of the fountain is very relaxing and is surrounded by many different plants from Europe. Being different seasonal annual plants, the colours change from season to season here.

 

Colour at City Park Launceston.

The beautiful display of colour outside the John Hart Conservatory in City Park is just a sample of what this park enjoys throughout the year.

Tasmanian Trees

Unusual home for a Tree

 
Recently, while in Launceston in the northern part of Tasmania, I was walking down the street and I happened to notice this tree in the building. I was once told that a tree just needs a place to dig its roots into and with Carbon Dioxide and water it can live quite happily. Not sure what the roots are doing to the building.

Contrasts of flora at Cradle Mountain

I was walking the Dove Lake circuit, in the Cradle Mountain Lake St Clair National Park when I saw this contrast of trees. One tree’s life is complete while the other, the iconic fagus tree is about to change colour for this year’s beautiful spectacle. This is our only deciduous native plant.

Death at devils@cradle, Cradle Mountain???

This magnificent ancient eucalyptus tree at devils@cradle has come to the end of its natural life. Even though it is dead it makes a stunning sight with a blue sky and the other younger trees growing up around it. Life continues.

Cradle Mountain, World Heritage Area, Tasmania

Snow Gums

 

The beautiful Tasmanian snow gums (Eucalyptus coccifera) are very abundant in the alpine areas of Tasmania. This picture was take on the track to Marions Lookout, Cradle Mountain the World Heritage National Park.

 

Harsh Life

 
Snow gums have stunning colours just below their bark. Their trunks are smooth, so the weight of the snow doesn’t have a chance to stay on the bark and cause them to snap under the weight.

 

Signage to the Top of Tasmania

 
This sign points to different walks in the World Heritage National Park. This part of the track is part of the world-famous Overland Track, which starts at Ronny Creek, Cradle Mountain. It is a 6-day hike through some of Tasmania’s harshest and most stunning terrain.

Fury and Beauty of Nature

Eaglehawk Neck

Eaglehawk Neck on the Tasman Peninsula is often lashed by wild storms. The storms in this part of Tasmania have eroded the coastline for millions of years to make it such a stunningly beautiful part of Tasmania.

Nature at its Most Stunning

This beautiful sunrise over Bicheno on Tasmania’s east coast was a most spectacular site. Soon after the sunrise the weather changed to a furious storm that often accompanies a pink sunrise. One extreme to another.

 

After the Storm

As often happens after the storm, comes calm. The east coast of Tasmania, on the Great Eastern Drive, has some beautiful beaches and scenery. In the distance is the Freycinet Peninsula.

Unusual Things in Nature in Tasmania

What is this?

 
While hiking in many areas of Tasmania you are likely to find these things scattered around. They are the unique shaped “poo” of our wonderful wombats. This particular one was found in the Cradle Mountain Lake St Clair National Park, World Heritage Area, which is the largest National Park on the Island.

 

How Many Blue Tongue Lizards?

 
These beautiful blue tongue lizards were all tied up together. If you guessed correctly there are 4 of them. Their camouflage makes it tricky to count. Blue tongue lizards are the largest lizard found in Tasmania. 

Rare Golden Possum

This beautiful golden possum is very rare. In the wild he would be easy prey for bigger animals. This guy was found in a back yard in suburbia as a baby and lived in a wildlife sanctuary close to Hobart where he was safe from any harm coming to him
.

West Coast of Tasmania

What creature is this?

Often there is a lot of different debris washed up onto Ocean Beach, 6 Km from Strahan Village. Sometimes if you use your imagination you will notice things others may not.

Colours of Queenstown, Tasmania

When driving on the Lyell Highway, into the former copper mining town of Queenstown, on west coast of Tasmania, there are some brilliant colours in the hills. This part of the island attracts high rainfall and often on the overcast days the colours most apparent.

Sunset over Macquarie Harbour,

Strahan, Tasmania

Macquarie Harbour in the seaside village of Strahan, on Tasmania’s rugged west coast, experiences some spectacular sunsets. This natural harbour is 6 time the size of Sydney harbour and the second largest harbour in Australia. The entrance to the harbour is called Hells Gates.

Wallabys, Kangaroos, Macropods

Wallaby Misery

Some days are just too cold to be outside. This wallaby was looking totally miserable in the car park at the iconic Cradle Mountain in the Lake St Claire World Heritage National Park, central Tasmania.

 

Time to Leave Home

This very large kangaroo joey is definitely too big to get back into mother kangaroos warm pouch to feed, but mum is so patient she allows her joey to still put its head into the pouch for a quick snack. She looks totally bored and ready for an afternoon nap instead of being the lunchtime “milk bar”.

 

Kangaroo Joey and Mum

Some days are just too hot to be bothered leaving the safety of kangaroo mum’s pouch. The pouch stretches a long way to accommodate growing joeys

Mersey Bluff Reserve, Devonport, Northern Tasmania

 Stones

This rugged coastline of Tasmania is covered with beautiful rounded stones of all colours and sizes. The constant tidal activity has moulded them into perfectly smooth shapes.

 

All Alone, Mersey Bluff, Devonport

 

The coastline is littered with drift wood that has been washed up during high tides and storms. Even in this seemingly deserted area little plants begin to take shape until the next storm washes them away.

 

Bass Strait

Not all days are as calm as this one. Bass Strait in the background can be very treacherous but on this day, it appears as still as a millpond. That can change in a truly short period of time.