Tourists walking through an ancient myrtle forest in the Tarkine, the second largest tract of temperate rainforest in the world, in north-west Tasmani
Tourists walking through an ancient myrtle forest in the Tarkine, the second largest tract of temperate rainforest in the world, in north-west Tasmania. The Tarkine became the centre of a bitter battle in the early 1990's between conservationists, who believed it should have been nominated for World Heritage listing, and Forestry Tasmania, a government agency keen to develop the region’s timber and mineral resources. Named after the Tarkineers, one of three Aboriginal bands that once roamed here, the area is rich in indigenous sassafras and myrtle trees and naturally guarded by blustery mountains and torrential rivers, with many parts inaccessible to machinery. More than a dozen endangered species called the Tarkine home and there were several known Aboriginal remnants. The Australian Heritage council declared it to be one of the world’s great archaeological regions. Hoping to prove that tourism could be an economically viable alternative development, local outfitter Tiger Trails developed several tourist walks through the forest. Their camps are semi permanent, with composting toilets and canvas tents for sleeping.
Size: 2358px × 3543px
Photo credit: © Leisa Tyler / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ancient, eco-tourism, forest, forestry, forests, gondwana-era, hiking, huskinsson, myrtle, nature, north-west, people, rainforest, river, sassafras, tarkine, tarkineers, tasmania, tasmanian, temperate, tourism, trees, trekking, walking, wilderness
