Cradle Mountain
Your free eMagazine from CradleMountain.net
WINTER 2011
Image: Adam Holbrook - Wilderness Photography of Tasmania
Welcome to Cradle Mountain
Bushwalking? What’s that?
Welcome to a chilly Winter at Cradle Mountain.net
Think hiking, backpacking, tramping or thru hiking. In Australia we call it bushwalking and it usually means heading off into the “bush” for, well, a walk! Usually it is for a few days and usually somewhere off the beaten track.
As snow starts to settle in the higher reaches of Tasmania and across the National Park, visitors are enjoying a winter wonderland at Cradle Mountain. Snow started in mid May and continues to blanket the area. Winter is a great time to eat warming meals and what better than ethically produced meat? Read all about Mount Gnoman Farm where Guy and Eliza care for some very happy pigs and produce fantastic goods which are available across Australia.
Tasmania is a bushwalking mecca. People travel from across Australia and, in fact the world,to explore many of the tracks. For example, around 8000 people each year enjoy the Overland Track which starts at Cradle Mountain.
Fall in love with Liffey Falls, a must see among the many must see waterfalls in Tasmania. The sculptures at the car park are even stunning. The photo of the edition is a brilliant sunrise taken on the edge of the Park at Lake Ball. This stunning shot, by Matthias Siegel, will take your breathe away. You can also win three pairs of Injinji toe socks by entering our very simple competition. Valued at around $100, these socks have to be seen to be believed. Finally, the quiz of the edition is “What bird is that?” - most Aussies will get them easily but it may be a challenge for overseas folk. Don’t forget to click and listen to the calls! Enjoy this edition of Winter, there is lots more inside.
Over at Parks and Wildlife Service Tasmania there is a really useful video package - Bushwalking in Tasmania - the basics Well produced, interesting and highlighting spectacular wilderness, this is recommended viewing for anyone thinking of tackling one of Tasmania’s Great Bushwalks. Even if you’re not planning a trip, the video is worth a peek as you get to explore the Tasmanian Wilderness from your computer screen.
New on CradleMountain.net Great reads for the new season! Click on any article below to read more...
On top of the Climbing Mt Ossa
Cradle Mountain Walk: Marion’s Lookout via Wombat Pool
Cradle Mountain Activities: The executive summary
This 3km short walk around Cradle Mountain will give you a taste of the best Cradle Mountain has to offer from the relative comfort of a well maintained, easy to manage track.
If you’re looking for an overview of the top 15 activities at Cradle Mountain, check out this list we’ve compiled. From a short walk to the climbing the beast, you’re sure to find something that inspires you to try something new at the mountain.
world:
Tasmania’s highest mountain is right in the middle of the Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park, and there’s no better time to visit than on your way along the Overland Track. Find out how to tackle it at CradleMountain.net
Battling Bandicoots Tasmania has a lot of amazing wildlife, and some of it needs your help. The Eastern Barred Bandicoot is struggling to get ahead with introduced species and other nasties. Find out what you can do to help the Eastern Barred Bandicoot!
Lake St Clair: Walking the 8 You can combine three of the best short walks at Lake St Clair into a 90 minute tour of some of the best the Cradle MountainLake St Clair National Park has to offer. CradleMountain.net explains how to get into this great family walk.
On The Lookout Pademelons
for
Pademelons, or Thylogale Billardierrii are the little Tasmanian natives that you might spot around Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park. Check out our tips to know what to look for while you’re on the lookout.
Good Reads
Keep Warm as you Enjoy the Wilderness Tasmania, and of course, Cradle Mountain, is a terrific place to explore, even for a short stay, and yes, even in cold and wintry weather. Visitor numbers are reduced and many hotels offer special deals. The scenery is often magnificent with snow capped mountains and frozen tarns. To make the most of your visit, a small amount of advanced preparation will keep you warm and toasty as you explore the National Park. Dressing for warmth is the key, and layering the answer. Layering your clothing means rather than throwing on a cotton T-shirt and woolly jumper, you wear two, three or even four items. Each layer acts as a pocket that traps air between them creating thermal insulation (i.e. warm air) It is the best way to keep warm and dry as you explore the area or just pop out of your hotel to see some native animals. To read more about what clothes should you take on a holiday to Tasmania in the colder months check out the article below. It includes links off to some other great ideas.
The National Park is all about getting out and experiencing the wilderness. Why not dress for comfort and be prepared for all weather conditions. There are no dress rules in the Tasmanian outdoors, comfortable and practical are the answer. Just a reminder, until the 30th September you can save up to 22% off the standard nightly rate at Cradle Mountain Lodge with their Winter wonderland package. Click here to check availability at Cradle Mountain Lodge , these specials often disappear quickly.
Adam Holbrook Wilderness Photography of Tasmania Thanks to Adam for providing the cover image for Winter @ Cradlemountain.net. It is a classic shot of snow, autumnal Fagus leaves and a fallen gum. Just what you would see around Cradle Mountain and Tasmania in winter. Adam Holbrook currently has the following exhibitions and displays of his photography at venues throughout the state. At Barringwood Park Vineyard, halfway between Devonport and Sheffield, 16 framed images are displayed. Following on from his successful exhibition of images from the southwest corner of Tasmania, a new display portraying a spectrum of wilderness images from his extensive portfolio opens to the public on 28th May 2011. Barringwood Park Vineyard have a range of multiaward winning wines. The quality of this little known wine region is evident at Barringwood Park and a hidden gem, popular with the locals for good reason.
A display portraying over 30 images featuring “Abstract in Wilderness” can be seen at Tapas Lounge Bar in the Rooke Street Mall, Devonport. Tapas Lounge Bar is a licenced venue offering great food, and a real highlight is the live music. So if you’ve got some time to spare in Devonport, take the opportunity to grab a bite, groove to the beats, and enjoy the gallery too. At ETC Bakery in Elizabeth Town, over 30 captivating images of Tasmanian wilderness can be seen by visiting their upstairs gallery. This popular café on the highway 25 minutes from Devonport is a great place to stop for a rest and a bite to eat, so don’t miss the opportunity to see the gallery as well. Of course, all photos are for sale, and custom orders are catered for. Stay tuned to Adam’s website for updates to his list of exhibitions.
Fall in love with Liffey Falls Tasmania has a lot of amazing waterfalls, but perhaps none are more stunning than Liffey Falls. The falls are set in the Liffey Falls State Reserve, east of Cradle Mountain, off the Highland Lakes Rd 30km from Deloraine. Surrounded by lush temperate rainforest, Liffey Falls flows all year round. Once you’re there, you have the option of following one of two tracks, the upper track will take you past a number of waterfalls over 45 minutes with the cascading Liffey Falls as the prize for your effort. Alternatively, if you have 2-3 hours and feel like a challenge, continue walking past the falls along the path of an old logging tramway to Gulf Road and enjoy panoramic views of Drys Bluff, just remember your water proof hiking boots.
Photo: Samantha
Kotz
If hiking isn’t your thing, Liffey Falls State Reserve is home to Eucalyptus Obliqua or Tasmanian Hardwood trees which tower above the park at up to 50m tall and sit just meters from the car park. A variety of Tasmanian native birdlife including pink robins, green rosellas and fairy-wrens and many of aquatic animals call the Liffey River home. Picnic facilities, including barbeques and toilets, are provided near the main car park so you can enjoy a relaxing lunch before or after your hike to the falls. If you choose to hike through to Gulf Road, toilet and picnic facilities are also available there. If you’re looking for a day trip out of Launceston or Devonport, Liffey Falls should definitely be on your list of things to see.
Photo: Loraine Phela
n
Photo of the Edition
Lake BAll at Dawn
Congratulations to Matthias Siegel for capturing this brilliant early morning shot. Matthias recently hiked from Lake St Clair in the southern part of the Cradle Mountain Lake St Clair National Park to the Walls of Jerusalem. This area is part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area of 1.38 million hectares (about 3.46 million acres) That is almost a fifth of the whole State!
Taken with a Sony SLT-A55V camera it is a brilliant capture of light and colour. To read about this fantastic bushwalking trip, head over to Matt Down Under and enjoy his articles about this eight day adventure. You can check out more of Matthias’ images on his Flickr stream He is currently travelling in Central Australia and uploading some beautiful images of his travels. Well worth a peek!
A traditional style meat produced at the foot of Penguin’s Dial Range Wessex Saddleback is a heritage pig breed that produces juicy, flavoursome pork. It’s a slow-growing pig, not suited to intensive farming, and reminds people of how pork “used to taste”. The Wessex Saddleback is critically endangered, and while it might sound a bit strange, it’s important to eat their bacon to save their bacon. Without demand for the meat, the breed is at risk of extinction. Farmers Guy Robertson and Eliza Wood run their happy pigs on rich red soil bordered by the pristine bushland of the Dial Range at Penguin. The pigs are free to graze lush north-west Tasmanian pasture, and drink the fresh water that runs off Mount Gnomon. Guy and Eliza are passionate about preserving the genetic diversity of the world’s plants and animals. As well as breeding Wessex Saddlebacks, they keep Shropshire sheep, Traditional Dairy Shorthorn cattle, Scottish Highland cattle and various rare breeds of poultry.
Wessex Saddleback pork is a versatile meat that is available year-round and suited to both fresh cuts and cured products such as ham and bacon.
You can find Mount Gnomon Farm at the Burnie and Devonport farmers’ markets and Evandale market. By “liking” Mount Gnomon Farm on their Facebook page you can find out when they will next be at the markets.
Peter Dombrovskis wilderness photographer
You can also try some of our ham at:
Can you remember the battle to stop the construction of the Gordon-below-Franklin hydro-electric dam in south west Tasmanian in 1982-3?
• Delish Fine Foods, Wivenhoe • Alps and Amici, East Launceston • Ut Si Café, Perth • Hill Street Grocer, West Hobart Mount Gnomon Farm free-range Wessex Saddleback pork is available in restaurants in Tasmania, Melbourne and Sydney that are committed to sourcing ethically-produced meat. You can find out the latest news from the farm at the website. Follow us on Facebook or Twitter @mountgnomonfarm
Do you remember the brilliant photograph by Peter Dombrovskis, Morning Mist, Rock Island Bend taken in the lower reaches of the wild Franklin River used during the 1983 Federal election? Dombrovskis, is a legendary Tasmanian wilderness photographer and until July 31st, The Tasmanian Museum and Art Galley have on offer an exhibition about his work finding the mysterious and unknowable. For more details head over to their website.
National Library of Australia
What bird is that?
1 2
Most Australian’s won’t be stumped by this quiz but for overseas readers it may be a challenge! Tasmania is brilliant location to photograph Australian native bird life. The trick is to use a great camera lens and lots of patience. We have selected five different birds for you to identify. Thanks to Matthias Siegel for sharing these delightful images.
5
3 4
Check your a nswers on the last p age!
What will we do today?
3 Day Cradle Mountain Experience
We all know Tasmania is renowned for wilderness, great beaches and intriguing convict history. There is a huge assortment of activities available where you can leave the driving and navigating to someone else and sit back and enjoy being a tourist! We have selected a small sample of activities that may “tickle your fancy� during a Tasmanian holiday. So, click to find out more and enjoy!
Stay near the National Park and explore the mountainous terrain, temperate forests & unique flora and fauna of this amazing area. Photo: Grant Williamson
Learn to Fly Fish
Jet Boat Riding
A full day tour that takes to a private fishery, teaches you the correct techniques and then lets you loose amongst the brown and rainbow trout.
Hold on and get a fast paced, on the water, experience of the wild Derwent River. Shoot some rapids and hang on!
Photo: helti
Photo: Steve Cadman
A day in the South West Wilderness
!
MOUNTAIN E L D RA C ITH W WIN Win Injinji Toe socks These weird looking socks are brilliant for hikers, bushwalkers, runners and anyone into adventure sport. In fact they are perfect for a long day hike around the National Park.
Take a flight over the Tasmanian wilderness then explore Melaleuca and Bathurst Harbour and see the endangered Orange Bellied parrot. Brilliant day!
With a high tech design, they help to reduce blisters and keep your feet comfortable. Thanks to Injinji Australia you can win 3 pairs by entering a simple competition. Up for grabs are two pairs of the Mini Crew (Large) and one pair of small Outdoor quarters - Total value around $100.
Grand Port Arthur
THE QUESTION In 1999, two brothers set out to redesign the basic structure and shape of the regular sock. What is their surname? A must visit, the brilliant Port Arthur Historic site is a Tasmanian icon. Explore and understand the convict history that underpins Tasmania’s past. Photo: Don Shearman
To enter, find the answer on the Injinji website and email it to competitions@cradlemountain.net. The competition closes on Friday 22nd July 2011 at midnight with one correct answer randomly drawn from the entries. The winner will be notified by email.
Which shot would you prefer to show to your friends?
Which shot would you prefer to show your friends? Taking great images can be an art, there is no question. But without understanding how your camera works you are already limited in achieving the goal of producing terrific images each and every time. Look closely at the two pictures of Cradle Mountain on this page. The one on the left is a quick snap we took a while back. It’s a bit dull, boring and well, flat. It is like one of hundreds of pictures of Cradle Mountain taken each day.
We have been working on improving our photography. Understanding our digital camera and all its functions is the first goal. We are after great images every time our camera is in action. Often there is only one chance to take a great shot. One terrific resource we have been using is Photo Nuts and Bolts: Know Your Camera and Take Better Photos. Darren Rowse at Digital Photography School developed this terrific guide with Neil Creek, a Aussie professional photographer.
Now, the one on the right is a bit different. Look at the use of light, composition and spectacular colours. It is a classic Cradle Mountain shot! ToniFish may have got lucky with a magnificent day at Cradle Mountain. The shot is probably one in one thousand. The weather was perfect, no wind, a great reflection and perfect sprinkling of snow! A fine example of great yet simple photography.
Rather than taking up space here, if you want to really know your camera, click here for more information on the eBook. By the way, over 500 people like this guide on Facebook so they must be doing something right!
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Quiz Answers
Keep your eye out for the next edition…
WHICH BIRD IS THAT?
The next edition, Late Winter, will be delivered in late July.
1. Eastern Rosella - Platycercus eximius - these colourful natives are a beautiful sight to enjoy when visiting Tasmania. 2. Ground Parrot - Pezoporus wallicus - this secretive bird prefers buttongrass and open heathlands and will surprise walkers by flying quickly ahead at low levels when disturbed. 3. Laughing Kookaburra - Dacelo novaeguineae - a common bird in Tasmania with a fantastic laugh! Check out this video and enjoy! 4. Galah - Eolophus roseicapilla - these crazy birds are quite common across most of Australia. For more information and to listen to their call visit Birds Australia 5. Green Rosella - Platycercus caledonicus - Australia’s largest rosella is common in Tasmania. You can listen to it’s call by clicking here.
In between editions, check out Cradle Mountain Tasmania on Facebook. There is a growing community of people who enjoy Cradle Mountain and all things Tasmania. Drop by and share your stories and pictures of your adventures at Cradle with the world.
Advertise on Cradlemountain.net If you are interested in reaching fantastic people who are passionate about the outdoors, adventure travel, Cradle Mountain and Tasmania, we would love to hear from you. Contact Frank@cradlemountain.net , and let’s have a chat.