See the light

See

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IN THE DEPTHS OF WINTER there are things that dazzle across Tasmania far beyond the man-made. In the isolation and purity of its position, Tasmania has a sky that dances with celestial lights, an ocean that flares with bioluminescence, and glow-worms and ghost mushrooms that add neon touches to the land. Look up, look down, look around – writes Andrew Bain – there’s light on the horizon. light

Wonders of the worm

Brighter to the naked eye is the light of glowworms, which do exactly what their name suggests. Though they aren’t actually worms (they are an insect larvae), they most certainly glow, lighting their abdomens to attract prey.

Tasmania’s most radiant display is found inside Marakoopa Cave, which contains a chamber covered in these tiny creatures, creating a virtual night sky lit with glow-worms instead of stars. Marakoopa Cave can be visited on ranger-led tours from Mole Creek.

Mystery Creek Cave, near Ida Bay in the far south, is also home to glow-worms.

Above the ground, there’s a grotto of glowworms beside the walking trail to Russell Falls in Mount Field National Park – grab a torch and take the short walk after dark. Glow-worms also surround campers in the Great Ravine on the Franklin River, with the darkness serving to accentuate the tiny lights that make the Tasmanian night literally so brilliant.

Night lights

The star feature in Tasmania’s winter light show is the aurora australis, or southern lights. The southern sibling to the northern hemisphere’s famed aurora borealis, the southern lights are the result of solar wind bursts from the sun carrying electrically charged particles into the

Earth’s atmosphere, where they collide with gases and emit brilliant light. The southern lights don’t get the same international attention as the northern lights primarily because there are fewer inhabited land masses from which to observe them. But outside of Antarctica, Tasmania is one of the best places in the world to view this night-sky spectacular, which, like most natural phenomena, is an unpredictable beauty. The best chance of sighting the aurora australis is to find a place away from light pollution, choose the darkest time of night, and, typically, head south. Cockle Creek, South

Arm, Howden and Tinderbox are popular viewing spots. Photos typically depict aurora displays as dazzling drapes of green, purple and yellow light, though that’s a product of long shutter exposures, so expect a fainter – but still fantastic – display of cosmic colour.

Waves of light

Brighter than aurora, but equally flukey, is the watery wonder of bioluminescence, created when blooms of glowing plankton accumulate in neon scenes along the Tasmanian coast. These glittering blue displays can occur anywhere and are becoming increasingly common, likely due to warming ocean currents and waters. While most often seen in summer, when waters are warmest, they blaze brightest on long, dark winter nights.

A few factors influence the appearance of this so-called ‘sea sparkle’. The blooms glow when they’re disturbed by waves, and typically appear in places that have a gentle onshore breeze holding the plankton against the shores.

Tasmania’s prevailing westerly winds make

Hobart’s eastern shoreline a good bet for spotting bioluminescence, with favourite spots including Montagu Bay and near the Bellerive

Yacht Club. Freycinet Peninsula is another glowing go-to zone.

Ghostly fungi

Bioluminescence finds its way onto land in the form of ghost mushrooms. These captivating fungi are a species called

Omphalotus nidiformis, which appear ordinary by day but mesmeric at night. They emit a faint white light that, like aurora australis, reveals itself far more powerfully – and luminously green – through long-exposure photography.

The mushrooms grow most prolifically after rain and are typically found growing on or around the base of trees during autumn and winter. It’s worth seeking them out during the day, then returning after dark to witness these fungi of the night. The epicentre of ghostly mushroom encounters has been Dooleys Hill in Latrobe.

Check it out… Switch on to the aurora australis, bioluminescence and ghost mushrooms at the following Facebook pages: Aurora Australis Tasmania; Bioluminescence for all Tasmania Locations; and Tasmanian Fungi.

Congratulations to the winners of

Tassie’s Top Tourism Towns 2021

DERWENT RIVER RACT SMALL TOURISM TOWN AWARD, POPULATION OVER 5000

New Norfolk

Picturesque vistas, a food-lover’s delight, an adventurer’s playground – New Norfolk, at the start of the Derwent Valley, may only be 40 minutes from Hobart, but it feels a world away. It’s a region full of surprises, wilderness and magic.

Much of what makes New Norfolk so special flows from the wondrous Derwent River. Aside from being picturesque – and home to some of the world’s biggest platypuses – locals also claim the river has magical powers: mesmerising those brave enough to explore it, but able to change the direction of the wind at any given time. Traverse the Derwent River aboard a kayak, paddle board or hydro bike with tour guides that will help translate the river’s many mysteries.

Derwent Valley views are said to have inspired Irish composer William Vincent Wallace’s operatic masterpiece Scenes that are brightest. See for yourself with a short drive from the town centre to the Pulpit Rock Lookout, with its spectacular views of the New Norfolk township, rolling hills and the Derwent River.

Summer might be glorious in New Norfolk, but every season is stunning. Explore the back roads in spring to witness lambs gambolling in the fields and calves stumbling as they learn to walk. In autumn, gardens at the many heritage-listed B&Bs put on a colour show in shades of orange, red and yellow. In the cooler months, a dusting of snow coats the surrounding hills, showing visitors ‘The Valley’ in a completely different light.

Produce is so abundant here, it feels too good to be true – but true it is, thanks to the many passionate and caring primary producers. Glossy, plump cherries are one claim to fame, as are world-class wines and brews. If you’re a foodie, dine at one of Tasmania’s few Chefhatted restaurants, where chefs source seasonally and locally; or find the crème de la crème of local produce at Banjo’s New Norfolk Market on Saturday morning.

Browse High Street shops for trinkets, collectables and antiques. Trash or treasure? It’s for you to decide. There’s also cooking and ceramics classes to learn a new skill.

It’s the personalities of New Norfolk that make it. The faces behind the businesses, attractions and activities – all so willing to share their time and local knowledge.

Things in New Norfolk are just that little bit sweeter, bigger, deeper, fresher, wilder and weirder. It’s what makes it so unquestionably Derwent Valley.

HISTORIC STREETSCAPES

Photos: Tourism Tasmania / Brian Dullaghan; Sean Scott THE NUT

RUNNERS-UP

STANLEY FISHING FLEET SPIRIT OF TASMANIA TOP TOURISM TOWN AWARD, POPULATION UNDER 5000

Stanley

It takes a long time to get to Stanley. Maybe that’s what makes it so special.

This old-world fishing hamlet in Tasmania’s far north-west offers solitude and mindfulness to anyone seeking respite from crowds.

It rewards explorers with secluded beaches, wild landscapes and an off-beat charm that only salt-ofthe-earth Tasmanians can provide. “Come on in, get comfortable,” they’ll say, through warm grins. “Did you know this building is almost 200 years old? And, this whisky is a world-beater”.

This place has a culture of its own. Anything larger than a station wagon is a ‘bus’. What is that weirdly addictive North West Tassie delicacy ‘savoury toast’? Why does everyone go ‘up’ the coast, never ‘down’, and how do locals know ‘top beach’ from ‘bottom beach’? These are questions worth exploring, slowly, as the island culture warms your soul like an open fire warms your toes.

Locals think nothing of being raised on grass-fed beef, mutton-bird, oysters, abalone, fresh fish, lobster and scallops. It’s normal to forage on the pristine coast for samphire or saltbush for the evening meal. Even the local pub deserves culinary acclaim, with a stone cellar dating back to the 1800s, let alone the seafood restaurant with its own fishing fleet and a giant lobster on the roof.

Despite the challenges of 2020, seafood sales are booming and locals now sell platters, grazing boxes and giftware. They are a resilient and creative bunch, but then, you have to be when you live on the edge of the world.

There is a magic here that changes people. Climb the iconic The Nut to gaze across Bass Strait and rolling hills, while breathing the world’s cleanest air… it’s capable of altering your perspective. Highfield House and quirky museums with seashell sculptures, run by volunteers in home-spun jumpers, are a reminder of life’s simple beauty. And, Instagram loves the fat, happy cows grazing volcanic pastures on The Nut.

Stanley also offers worldclass sophistication. Local B&Bs adorn covers of glossy magazines and the art deco town hall hosts regular film nights (followed by tea and scones, of course). Cellar doors and wine bars offer true hospitality; and the local artistic community includes a Glover Prize winner.

Stanley is jaw-dropping, but to locals it’s simply home. They proudly make way for wide-eyed visitors.

It’s a long journey, but it’s worth it. Escape the crowds and encounter the magic.

/ SILVER ST HELENS Immerse yourself in St Helens’ enviable coastal lifestyle.

/ BRONZE RICHMOND Beyond the bridge, there’s so much to see and do in this historic town.