Pa r k s and w i l d l i fe s e r v i c e ne w s l e t t e r
Buttongrass
february 2009
Reformation and renovation on Maria Island
A major maintenance project at the
Darlington Probation Station on Maria
Island has restored a sense of community,
thanks to the efforts of volunteers,
tradesmen and Parks and Wildlife Service
staff.
It is one of 11 convict sites that are included
in Australia’s World Heritage nomination
to UNESCO.
The Darlington Probation Station on Maria
offers a glimpse into the convict past and
the probation system that was unique to
Tasmania, with the exception of Norfolk
Island. If the nomination is successful,
Maria’s convict heritage will take centre
stage for future visitors.
The cooperative project cost approximately
$500,000 and was funded from the Priority
Asset Maintenance Program.
It began in April with a unique focus on
involving volunteers, local school children
and island visitors as well as tradespeople
skilled in heritage conservation work.
Returning the majority of the Darlington
buildings back to a uniform white lime
wash finish has been a remarkable
transformation. The work highlights the
buildings as being part of a well-designed
and planned settlement with a purpose - to
house the officials and 600 male convicts
at Darlington while the probation station
operated from 1842 to 1850.
PWS historic heritage consultant Jody
Steele explained, `` the philosophy behind a
probation station was to use classification,
segregation, education, religious instruction
and stages of punishment to reform and
manage convicts. The system depended
on the separation of convicts into three
distinct classes and stipulated that the
physical layout of the stations had to
The rich brown of Bernacchi’s Coffee Palace now presents a stark contrast to limewashed
buildings of the Darlington Probation Station on Maria Island.
and supervisors spending a week each for
enforce the aim of classification.”
The conservation work concentrated on a total of 12 weeks on the island.
the 13 heritage buildings that make up They identified, cleaned and relocated
the Darlington Precinct. The precinct is artefacts and removed mortar from
already a focus for visitors with buildings thousands of bricks for reuse.
that include the penitentiary, the barn, The general clean-up of the site paved the
chapel, bakehouse, clothing store, mess way for the skilled tradesmen to begin
room, religious instructor’s and officers’ work on repairs and restoration of the
quarters and administration office.
buildings. With the work complete, the
While the majority were in poor final touch is a small stainless steel sign for
condition, the values remain in the fabric each building with the building’s name and
of the buildings. Many required extensive, date of construction.
yet basic maintenance works. A recent It’s hoped more buildings will be opened
Conservation Management Plan guided to the public in the future as a way of
the priorities for the works.
educating people on how each building
The large program of non-skilled work related to the probation settlement at
provided an opportunity for the public to Darlington.
become involved.
Volunteers were involved in removing
tonnes of weeds, general cleaning and
Health benefits of urban parks 2
preparing of buildings for tradesmen.
30 years of sharing the wonder 3
Conservation Volunteers Australia made a
major contribution with their ‘manpower’.
Hidden life in the buttongrass 4
This included teams of eight young people
Fact file - Freycinet NP 4
Department of Environment, Parks, Heritage and the Arts
Inside this issue
Planning progress for
Three Capes Track
In May 2007 a feasibility study for a new
Three Capes Track on the Tasman Peninsula
was launched.
The Three Capes Track concept includes
capes Hauy, Pillar and Raoul in a combined
six-day, five-night walking and water
experience that would be Australia’s
premier coastal bushwalking experience.
The feasibility study indicated broad
acceptance and support for such a walk.
It also indicated considerable economic
benefits for the Tasman Peninsula and
Tasmania.
Changes to the Tasman National Park Plan
of Management are necessary if the track
is to proceed. A draft Tasman National
Park Management Plan was released for
public comment in January 2008.
The draft included a number of changes,
the majority of which related to rezoning
a section of the Tasman National Park to
Recreation Zone, in order for the track
and overnight nodes to be built.
As part of the planning process, the Parks
and Wildlife Service (PWS) prepared a
Director’s Report.The report summarised
the public submissions and provided the
PWS response to a number of issues.
This has now has been submitted to the
Resource Planning and Development
Commission for review.
PWS was allocated $200,000 in the
2008/09 budget to run a tender process
for the Three Capes Track.
PWS Strategy and Sustainable Use
manager, Stuart Lennox, said that without
formal planning approval and full funding,
the tender process has been split into
two parts. The first will be called the
‘Identification of Commercial Interest’.
“The track is still in the planning stages, so
the purpose of this process is to engage
commercial expertise to refine the details
regarding the land and sea transport and
the provision of a commercially guided
experience,” Mr Lennox said.
“It’s designed to provide an insight into
the various business models and the level
of investment that operators may want to
make for this project.”
When the project is funded and has
planning approval, the second step of the
tender, the provision of services, will be
conducted.
Urban parks provide health and
fitness benefits
Launceston’s Trevallyn Nature Recreation Area is meeting a need for exercise areas for people,
dogs and horses.
The real value of our urban and national
parks has been explored by Victorian
academic, Dr MardieTownsend, at the Parks
and Wildlife Service annual conference.
Dr Townsend referred to the importance
of all parklands, including large World
Heritage Areas, small neighbourhood
parks and popular reserve areas.
She made the point that humans are
psychologically dependent on nature. The
American naturalist, John Muir, observed
in 1912 that “Everybody needs beauty as
well as bread, places to play in and pray in,
where nature may heal and cheer and give
strength to body and soul.
Australia is an urban society with 84 per
cent of its population concentrated in only
one per cent of its landmass. Nearly 37 per
cent of Tasmania’s land area is reserved
in parks and reserves, one of the highest
percentages in the world.
The economic value of parks such as Cradle
Mountain and Freycinet, as a tourism
generator for the State is immense. What
is not as often recognised is the true value
of urban reserves.
The Trevallyn Nature Recreation Area is a
case in point. The 440 hectare reserve is
located on the South Esk River, only four
kilometres from Launceston’s centre.
The reserve was set aside to meet the recreation needs of a growing urban population,
a role that can only increase in importance
as Tasmania’s population continues to grow.
2 Buttongrass Newsletter – Februar y 2009 – www.parks.tas.gov.au
The local community appreciates the value
of the reserve for a variety of activities
including picnics, exercising, dog walking,
horse riding, mountain bike riding, cycling,
orienteering and rock climbing. The lake
is also popular for water skiing, canoeing,
swimming and windsurfing.
The popularity has led to user surveys being
conducted to develop track strategies for
Trevallyn and the Kate Reed reserves
to ensure that track use is sustainably
managed into the future.
The results have reinforced the recreational
and health values of this urban reserve to
the community, with 90 per cent of survey
respondents listing fitness, exercise and
health as a key reason for visiting.
Sixty-four per cent of all respondents
identified fun and relaxation as their main
reason for visiting Trevallyn.
Mountain-biking and dog-walking were the
two most popular track-based activities at
Trevallyn, with walking also popular.
Not surprisingly, the dog walkers were the
most frequent users, with over half using
the reserve daily and 80 per cent visiting
the reserve more frequently.
Natural and cultural values assessments
have been completed for both reserves.
PWS Northern Region manager Chris
Colley said that as a major open space
close to an expanding city, Trevallyn will
be of increased social, economic and
ecological importance in the future.
Macquarie Island pest eradication
project gains momentum
Aerial baiting to rid Macquarie Island of its
more than 100,000 rabbits and an unknown
number of rats and mice is scheduled for
winter 2010, and preparations are forging
ahead in both planning and operational
aspects.
New Zealand has built a reputation
for expertise in island pest eradication
projects since commencing this type of
work in the 1970s, and the Macquarie
Island Pest Eradication Project is fortunate
to have a number of New Zealanders in key
roles. The project manager, Keith Springer
and the assistant project manager, Geoff
Woodhouse are both New Zealanders
with island pest eradication experience.
The project team is also drawing on
the experience of the NZ Department
of Conservation’s Island Eradication
Advisory Group (IEAG). Members of the
group have been involved in many island
eradication projects in NZ and worldwide,
and use that experience to advise project
managers with recommendations for their
projects.
Keith said that the group has already proven
a valuable knowledge resource for the
Macquarie Island project, with the group
having a far higher degree of technical
knowledge than is available in Tasmania
or elsewhere in Australia. The group
contributed extensively to development
of the Operational Plan for the Macquarie
Island project in 2005.
The project’s dog training coordinator,
John Cheyne is based in New Zealand,
where he performs a similar role for the
Department of Conservation.Two of three
dog training contractors, Guus Knopers
and John Meads are also located there.
The third dog training contractor is Steve
Austin who is based in New South Wales.
A total of 14 dogs - a mixture of labradors,
springer spaniels and terriers - are
currently in training. The dogs will play a
critical role in follow-up hunting of rabbit
survivors following the baiting operation.
The dogs need to pass rigorous training
standards developed to reflect the working
environment on Macquarie Island.
The project team is also putting its efforts
into the preparation of eight field huts
that will be used on the island for the
baiting phase of the project and follow-up
hunting work. The race is on to finish the
refurbishment of the huts in time for the
annual re-supply voyage to Macquarie
Island in late summer 2009.
The huts will be used as operation centres
for staff at diverse locations on the island
to supplement the five existing field huts.
The Tasmanian Quarantine Service has
been closely involved in the refitting of
the huts, providing advice on biosecurity
requirements and issues.
More information about the Macquarie
Island Pest Eradication Project is available
on the Parks and Wildlife Service website,
including a newsletter about the project.
New South Wales dog trainer Steve Austin with two of the springer spaniels in training for the
pest eradication project on Macquarie Island.
Buttongrass Newsletter – Februar y 2009 – www.parks.tas.gov.au
30 years of sharing
the wonder
Discovery Ranger Alex Dudley
must have one of the best jobs in
Tasmania. During the peak summer
months, he’s outdoors in some of
the State’s most beautiful national
parks sharing his passion for the
natural world with visitors.
The Discovery Ranger program is
celebrating three decades of free
activities at parks and reserves
around the State.
Parks and Wildlife Service general
manager Peter Mooney said the
program has gone from strength to
strength, with events and activities
at 14 locations across Tasmania.
“One of the key strengths of the
program has always been the
Discovery Rangers themselves,” Mr
Mooney said.
“They are fantastic ambassadors
with a solid knowledge base of the
natural and cultural values of the
park or reserve where they are
based and an enthusiasm to help
people connect with the natural
world.”
As the longest serving Discovery
Ranger, Alex will be based at
Lake St Clair for his 14th year
with the program. This follows
previous seasons at Freycinet,
Cradle Mountain, Narawntapu and
Hobart.
“I have been passionately interested
in wildlife since I could talk, and
have always been keen to share
my passion and knowledge with
others,” Alex said.
“Being a Discovery Ranger is a
perfect vehicle for sharing what I
enjoy while inspiring others to look
after the precious natural places
they visit.”
The Discovery Program has
changed through the years.
Originally it provided activities
at the most visited parks. More
recently it’s changed to focus on
connecting with communities. The
program has also expanded to
include Freycinet and Mt Field as
well as smaller regional reserves
from Anson’s Bay in the far northeast, to Bruny Island and the northwest coast.
3
Fact file: Freycinet National Park
What: The rugged and beautiful Freycinet
National Park is situated on Tasmania’s East
Coast. Along with Mt Field, it was reserved
in 1916, making the two parks, Tasmania’s
oldest.
Freycinet’s spectacular granite mountains
and its white sandy beaches make it a
‘must see’ destination for interstate and
international visitors and a favourite for
Tasmanians.
Where: Freycinet is 2.5 to 3 hours’ drive
from either Hobart (194 kilometres)
or Launceston (173 km). From Hobart,
take the Tasman Highway (A3) to Sorell
and continue up the East Coast. From
Launceston, take the Midland Highway
(route1) to Campbell Town, then turn onto
the B34 toward Lake Leake, continuing
on until it reaches the A3. Follow the A4
northward. To reach the main part of the
park, travel to the Coles Bay township. Just
beyond the entrance to the park, call into
the Freycinet Visitor Centre.
Highlights: The Hazards mountain range
rises impressively from the low lying coastal
vegetation and the striking half-moon
beach at Wineglass Bay is consistently
recognised as one of the most beautiful
beaches in the world. Wildflowers, birds
and native animals can be seen, along with
various marine creatures.
Activities: Freycinet has four ofTasmania’s
60 Great Short Walks. The Cape Tourville
Walk is a 20-minute circuit around the
lighthouse, with a stunning panorama from
Wineglass Bay to the Friendly Beaches.
You can walk along the Friendly Beaches
for only a few minutes to five hours, taking
in the unspoilt white sandy beaches.
Longer day walks include the worldfamous Wineglass Bay Lookout walk (1-1
1/2 hours). The walk has recently been
substantially improved, offering walkers a
milder grade and improved safety.
For the keener walkers, the Wineglass Bay
walk continues from the saddle where
the lookout is located down to the beach.
Walking to the southern end of the beach
provides magnificent views back towards
The Hazards.
Water activities: Honeymoon Bay is a good
sheltered area for beginner snorkelers and
divers. Sleepy Bay is a great place for those
who are more experienced.
The Hazards as seen from Cooks Beach, Freycinet National Park.
Hidden life among the buttongrass
Buttongrass is an extraordinarily successful sedge and the centre-piece of a
plant community that covers more than
a million hectares of Tasmania. Found
from coastal plains to alpine moors, it is
arguably the vegetation type most often
associated with the wilds of Tasmania.
Seen from the air, it appears that walking
across flowing buttongrass plains would be
a stroll, yet the ground level view provides
a harsh reality check. The first European
explorers to encounter buttongrass soon
grew to loathe the stuff. James Backhouse
Walker in his travel book “Walk to the
West” (1887) remarked:
“The worst of buttongrass is that
the tussocks are so placed that [it] is
equally difficult to walk between them
as on them, and as the boggy ground
is generally undermined by ‘crabholes’
made by a little land-lobster, you find
yourself now twisting your ankle by an
insecure tread on the top of a springy
tussock, now plunging over the top of
your boot-tops into a mud hole, each a
sufficiently exasperating alternative. A
few miles of this sort of walking tends to
become monotonous.”
A survey of today’s bushwalkers would
likely yield a strong endorsement of these
comments.
Buttongrass moorland is most extensive
in very wet environments with poor
drainage on nutrient poor rock types such
as quartzite. Yet despite these conditions,
4 Buttongrass Newsletter – Februar y 2009 – www.parks.tas.gov.au
Buttongrass plains are a thriving ecosystem.
there’s a thriving ecosystem beneath and
between the large tussocks. More than
165 different flowering plants have been
recorded in buttongrass moorlands and
they provide homes for species as diverse
as Bennetts wallabies, wombats, ground
parrots, burrowing crayfish, frogs, lizards
and grasshoppers.
The green-patterned ground parrots are
one of only three species of parrot found
in the world that nest on the ground.
The numerous burrows of the native
burrowing crayfish are a rare source
of water for other moorland residents
when the peat dries out in summer. The
moorland is also home to the broadtoothed mouse, a mainland species that
thrives in Tasmania’s remote west.
Some of the best examples of this fascinating community can be seen on the Lyell
Highway west of Lake St Clair and the
Strathgordon Road within the Southwest
National Park. A fact sheet titled ‘Buttongrass moorlands’ is available on the Parks
and Wildlife Service website.