127-853: Mole Creek Karst is a national park situated in the North of Tasmania , Australia , 168 km northwest of Hobart . It is located on the slopes of the Great Western Tiers to the east of the town of Mole Creek. It is the only national park in Tasmania created specifically to protect karst landforms. It is part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Site. The national park comprises twelve separate blocks of land, some of which are completely surrounded by cleared, private land, and many of which whose karst features and cave entrances are located outside
254-696: A European was on 24 November 1642 by Dutch explorer Abel Tasman , who landed at today's Blackman Bay . More than a century later, in 1772, a French expedition led by Marc-Joseph Marion du Fresne landed at (nearby but different) Blackmans Bay , and the following year Tobias Furneaux became the first Englishman to land in Tasmania when he arrived at Adventure Bay , which he named after his ship HMS Adventure . Captain James Cook also landed at Adventure Bay in 1777. Matthew Flinders and George Bass sailed through Bass Strait in 1798–1799, determining for
381-585: A Proclamation of Demarcation forbidding Aboriginal people to enter the settled districts without a passport issued by the government. Arthur declared martial law in the colony in November that year, and this remained in force for over three years, the longest period of martial law in Australian history. In November 1830, Arthur organised the so-called " Black Line ", ordering every able-bodied male colonist to assemble at one of seven designated places in
508-470: A 50-metre canopy and are varied by environmental factors. Emergent growth usually comes from eucalyptus , which can tower another 50 metres higher (usually less), providing the most common choice of nesting for giant wedge-tailed eagles . The human environment ranges from urban or industrial development to farming or grazing land. The most cultivated area is the Midlands , where it has suitable soil but
635-406: A band of Aboriginal Tasmanians who had not been removed from the island. Van Diemen's Land—which thus far had existed as a territory within the colony of New South Wales —was proclaimed a separate colony, with its own judicial establishment and Legislative Council , on 3 December 1825. Transportation to the island ceased in 1853 and the colony was renamed Tasmania in 1856, partly to differentiate
762-415: A combination of management and protection practices. The most successful avenue to the continued protection and conservation of the national park and the cave systems, is the education of the public that use them. Much of the physical degradation and damage to cave systems is due to the lack of knowledge of proper conservation minded caving exploration by the people visiting the caves. Providing education in
889-477: A government notice declaring that colonists were free to kill Aboriginal people when they attacked settlers or their property, and in the following eight months more than 200 Aboriginal people were killed in the Settled Districts in reprisal for the deaths of 15 colonists. After another eight months, the death toll had risen to 43 colonists and probably 350 Aboriginal people. In April 1828, Arthur issued
1016-488: A high concentration of waterfalls . These can be found in small creeks, alpine streams , rapid rivers , or off precipitous plunges. Some of the tallest waterfalls are found on mountain massifs , sometimes at a 200-metre cascade. The most famous and most visited waterfall in Tasmania is Russell Falls in Mount Field due to its proximity to Hobart and stepped falls at a total height of 58 metres. Tasmania also has
1143-516: A landmass of 68,401 km (26,410 sq mi) and is located directly in the pathway of the notorious " Roaring Forties " wind that encircles the globe. To its north, it is separated from mainland Australia by Bass Strait . Tasmania is the only Australian state that is not located on the Australian mainland. About 2,500 kilometres (1,300 nautical miles) south of Tasmania island lies the George V Coast of Antarctica . Depending on which borders of
1270-906: A large number of beaches , the longest of which is Ocean Beach on the West Coast at about 40 kilometres. Wineglass Bay in Freycinet on the east coast is a well-known landmark of the state. The Tasmanian temperate rainforests cover a few different types. These are also considered distinct from the more common wet sclerophyll forests, though these eucalypt forests often form with rainforest understorey and ferns (such as tree-ferns ) are usually never absent. Rainforest found in deep gullies are usually difficult to traverse due to dense understorey growth, such as from horizontal ( Anodopetalum biglandulosum ) . Higher-elevation forests (~500 to 800 m) have smaller ground vegetation and are thus easier to walk in. The most common rainforests usually have
1397-638: A large plateau which forms a number of ranges and escarpments on its north side, tapering off along the south, and radiating into the highest mountain ranges in the west. At the north-west of this, another plateau radiates into a system of hills where takayna / Tarkine is located. The Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia (IBRA) divides Tasmania into 9 bioregions: Ben Lomond , Furneaux , King , Central Highlands , Northern Midlands , Northern Slopes , Southern Ranges , South East , and West . Tasmania's environment consistes of many different biomes or communities across its different regions. It
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#17328020407901524-428: A means of suppressing the native threat – or even in some cases, exacting revenge. Van Diemen's Land had an enormous gender imbalance, with male colonists outnumbering females six to one in 1822—and 16 to one among the convict population. Historian Nicholas Clements has suggested the "voracious appetite" for native women was the most important trigger for the explosion of violence from the late 1820s. From 1825 to 1828,
1651-601: A party of 49, including 21 male and three female convicts, named the camp Risdon. Several months later, a second settlement was established by Captain David Collins , with 308 convicts, 5 kilometres (3.1 miles) to the south in Sullivans Cove on the western side of the Derwent, where fresh water was more plentiful. The latter settlement became known as Hobart Town or Hobarton, later shortened to Hobart , after
1778-478: A process whereby responsibility for environmental approvals could be devolved to state governments, intending to put agreements before parliament in late August 2020, before the release of the final report, due in October. Environmental groups said it would be better to await the final report before cementing the approvals processes. Ley said the government would improve protection of Indigenous heritage, starting with
1905-525: A reputation as "Sanitorium of the South" and a health-focused tourist boom began to grow. The MS Princess of Tasmania began her maiden voyage in 1959, the first car ferry to Tasmania. As part of the boom, Tasmania allowed the opening of the first casino in Australia in 1968. Queen Elizabeth II visited the state in 1954, and the 50s and 60s were charactered by the opening of major public services, including
2032-470: A set of interim standards initially, in consultation with state governments and all other stakeholders, and also a process whereby traditional knowledge of country by Indigenous Australians can be better integrated into decision-making. The Minister for the Environment , Sussan Ley , said the government would immediately commit to developing national standards. She also indicated that it would start
2159-462: A significant dolerite exposure, though the western half of the state is older and more rugged, featuring buttongrass plains, temperate rainforests, and quartzite ranges, notably Federation Peak and Frenchmans Cap . The presence of these mountain ranges is a primary factor in the rain shadow effect , where the western half receives the majority of rainfall, which also influences the types of vegetation that can grow. The Central Highlands feature
2286-665: A stronger law and an independent regulator. He also pointed out that "in the 20 years the laws have been in operation, threatened species habitat greater in size than Tasmania has been logged and cleared". A statutory independent review led by Professor Graeme Samuel AC and supported by an expert panel commenced on 29 October 2019 and is due to run for a year. Submissions from the public closed in April 2020. The expert panel consists of Bruce Martin, Erika Smyth and Wendy Craik . The interim report, released in July 2020, concluded that
2413-521: Is Hobart , with around 40% of the population living in the Greater Hobart area. Tasmania is the most decentralised state in Australia, with the lowest proportion of its residents living within its capital city. Tasmania's main island was inhabited by Aboriginal peoples . It is thought that Aboriginal Tasmanians became separated from the mainland Aboriginal groups about 11,700 years ago, after rising sea levels formed Bass Strait . The island
2540-436: Is a diverse range of flora in the national park, suited to many different habitats due to the wide variance of different habitats and conditions present. Forested areas are dominated by brown-top stringybark ( Eucalyptus obliqua ), white-top stringybark ( E. delegatensis ), swamp gum ( E. regnans ), black gum ( E. ovata ), white gum ( E. viminalis ), black peppermint ( E. amygdalina ) and silver wattle ( Acacia dealbata ), while
2667-693: Is a list of some of the species within the Mole Creek Karst National Park; both within the caves, and in the surrounding forests. The following species are considered endangered, vulnerable and rare by the Threatened Species Protection Act 1995 . The Giant Freshwater Crayfish species Astacopsis gouldi is also considered vulnerable by the Australian Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 . There
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#17328020407902794-411: Is a significant agricultural exporter, as well as a significant destination for eco-tourism. About 42% of its land area, including national parks and World Heritage Sites (21%), is protected in some form of reserve. The first environmental political party in the world was founded in Tasmania. Tasmania is named after Dutch explorer Abel Tasman , who made the first reported European sighting of
2921-548: Is also the driest part of the state. Tasmania's insularity was possibly detected by Captain Abel Tasman when he charted Tasmania's coast in 1642. On 5 December, Tasman was following the east coast northward to see how far it went. When the land veered to the north-west at Eddystone Point , he tried to keep in with it but his ships were suddenly hit by the Roaring Forties howling through Bass Strait . Tasman
3048-549: Is an island state of Australia . It is located 240 kilometres (150 miles) to the south of the Australian mainland , and is separated from it by the Bass Strait . The state encompasses the main island of Tasmania, the 26th-largest island in the world , and the surrounding 1000 islands . It is Australia's smallest and least populous state, with 573,479 residents as of June 2023 . The state capital and largest city
3175-570: Is as of September 2024 administered by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water . As of 2020 , the Act identifies nine Matters of National Environmental Significance (MNES): The list must be reviewed every five years, and the government can add new matters to this list by regulation. "If a proposed action is likely to have a significant impact on any of the areas, it may require Commonwealth approval before it can begin. It
3302-558: Is found on the Central Plateau and the Southwest. Cradle Mountain , another dolerite peak, for example, was a nunatak . The combination of these different rock types contributes to scenery which is distinct from any other region of the world. In the far southwest corner of the state, the geology is almost wholly quartzite, which gives the mountains the false impression of having snow-capped peaks year round. Evidence indicates
3429-400: Is illegal to undertake such an action without that Commonwealth approval." The Matters of National Environmental Significance: Significant impact guidelines 1.1 "provide overarching guidance on determining whether an action is likely to have a significant impact on a matter protected under national environment law". Lists of threatened species, such as threatened fauna , are drawn up under
3556-582: Is indeed constitutionally valid and that it is making an important contribution to Australian environmental law, and its gains should be retained if and when any reforms are made. A review of the Act and actions taken under the Act was published by the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) in March 2007, entitled "The Conservation and Protection of National Threatened Species and Ecological Communities". The audit widely criticised
3683-685: Is listed as vulnerable on the Threatened Species Protection Act 1995 . Pseudotyrannochthonius typhlus, is known as the Mole Creek Cave Pseudoscorpion, and is an incredibly rare animal that makes its home in caves within the Mole Creek karst system. It is known from only about a dozen specimens, and is very rarely sighted. It is listed as rare on the Threatened Species Protection Act 1995 . Finally, Hickmanoxyomma gibbergunyar also known as
3810-549: Is popular for its fantastic glow worm display, and features two underground streams, large caverns, rim pools, reflections and shawl and flowstone features, have been developed as very successful show caves and are the main attraction of the guided cave tours. Many of the caves within the national park remain underdeveloped and are not promoted, although they are visited by the occasional recreational caver. Many other caves are located on private land, and therefore pose an issue in regards to management and conservation. The national park
3937-595: Is the Central Highlands area, which covers most of the central western parts of the state. The Midlands located in the central east, is fairly flat, and is predominantly used for agriculture, although farming activity is scattered throughout the state. Tasmania's tallest mountain is Mount Ossa at 1,617 m (5,305 ft). Much of Tasmania is still densely forested, with the Southwest National Park and neighbouring areas holding some of
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4064-685: Is the most forested state in Australia, and preserves the country's largest areas of temperate rainforest . A distinctive type of moorland found across the west, and particularly south-west of Tasmania, are buttongrass plains, which are speculated to have been expanded by Tasmanian Aboriginal burning practices . Tasmania also features a diverse alpine garden environment , such as cushion plant . Highland areas receive consistent snowfall above ~1,000 metres every year, and due to cold air from Antarctica , this level often reaches 800 m, and more occasionally 600 or 400 metres. Every five or so years, snow can form at sea level. This environment gives rise to
4191-553: The 1943 federal election and first female to serve in the federal cabinet . In May 1948, Margaret McIntyre achieved another milestone as the first female elected to the Parliament of Tasmania. Less than six months after her election, McIntyre died in the crash of the Lutana near Quirindi on 2 September 1948. After the end of World War II, the state saw major urbanisation, and the growth of towns like Ulverstone . It gained
4318-771: The Australian Conservation Foundation is taking the Morrison government to court for failing to apply the water trigger when it assessed Adani 's North Galilee Water Scheme, part of its essential infrastructure for the proposed Carmichael coal mine . On 27 August 2020, the Minister for the Environment, Sussan Ley , introduced the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Streamlining Environmental Approvals) Bill 2020 (Cth) (EPBC Amendment Bill), which for
4445-403: The Australian environment , including its biodiversity and its natural and culturally significant places. Enacted on 17 July 2000, it established a range of processes to help protect and promote the recovery of threatened species and ecological communities , and preserve significant places from decline. The Act is as of September 2024 administered by the Department of Climate Change, Energy,
4572-570: The British Colonial Secretary of the time, Lord Hobart . The settlement at Risdon was later abandoned. Left on their own without further supplies, the Sullivans Cove settlement suffered severe food shortages and by 1806 its inhabitants were starving, with many resorting to scraping seaweed off rocks and scavenging washed-up whale blubber from the shore to survive. A smaller colony was established at Port Dalrymple on
4699-484: The Bruny Island Tasmanian language . George Augustus Robinson recorded it as Loe.trou.witter and also as Trow.wer.nar , probably from one or more of the eastern or Northeastern Tasmanian languages . However, he also recorded it as a name for Cape Barren Island . In the 20th century, some writers used it as an Aboriginal name for Tasmania, spelled "Trowenna" or "Trowunna". It is now believed that
4826-495: The Department of the Environment and Water Resources for inaction with respect to the EPBC; key findings of the audit include: Australian Greens leader Bob Brown said the audit showed that the government had not provided enough funding to properly protect Australia's endangered species of flora, fauna and ecological communities. He said that there were no plans to save three out of four threatened species. On 31 October 2008
4953-572: The Environmental Reform (Consequential Provisions) Act 1999 . The Environmental Reform Act also repealed four other acts: Environment Protection (Impact of Proposals) Act 1974 ; Endangered Species Protection Act 1992 ; World Heritage Properties Conservation Act 1983 ; and the Whale Protection Act 1980 . This Act also made consequential changes to other legislation, and various administrative arrangements, required by
5080-463: The Furneaux Group of Bass Strait , King Island in the west of Bass Strait, Cape Barren Island south of Flinders Island, Bruny Island separated from Tasmania by the D'Entrecasteaux Channel , Macquarie Island 1,500 km from Tasmania, and Maria Island off the east coast. Tasmania features a number of separated and continuous mountain ranges. The majority of the state is defined by
5207-597: The Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts commissioned the first 10-year statutory independent review of the Act . The review was led by Dr Allan Hawke , supported by an expert panel. The aim of the report was to review the performance of the Act and, consistent with the objective of protecting the environment and biological diversity and maintain ecological processes, to recommend reforms that: The "Final Report"
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5334-762: The National Firearms Agreement . In 2000, Queen Elizabeth II once again visited the state. Gunns rose to prominence as a major forestry company during this decade, only to collapse in 2013. In 2004, Premier Jim Bacon died in office from lung cancer. In January 2011 philanthropist David Walsh opened the Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) in Hobart to international acclaim. Within 12 months, MONA became Tasmania's top tourism attraction. The COVID-19 pandemic in Tasmania resulted in at least 230 cases and 13 deaths as of September 2021 . In 2020, after
5461-643: The Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area . The Franklin Dam was blocked by the federal government in 1983, and CSIRO opened its marine studies centre in Hobart. Pope John Paul II would hold mass at Elwick Racecourse in 1986. The 1990s were characterised by the fight for LGBT rights in Tasmania , culminating in the intervention of the United Nations Human Rights Committee in 1997 and
5588-596: The cypress forests of the Central Plateau and mountainous highlands. In particular, the Walls of Jerusalem with large areas of rare pencil pine , and its closest relative King Billy pine . On the West Coast Range and partially on Mount Field , Australia's only winter- deciduous plant, deciduous beech is found, which forms a carpet or krummholz , or very rarely a 4-metre tree. Tasmania features
5715-632: The Act and these lists are the primary reference to threatened species in Australia and are available online through the Species Profile and Threats Database (SPRAT). As an Act of the Australian Parliament, it relies for its Constitutional validity upon the legislative powers of the Parliament granted by the Australian Constitution , which does not expressly refer to the environment. As such, key provisions of
5842-477: The Act are largely based on a number of international, multilateral or bilateral treaties . A number of reviews, audits and assessments of the Act have found the Act deeply flawed and thus not providing adequate environmental protection. The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 replaced the National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act 1975 , after this legislation was repealed by
5969-558: The Act are largely based on a number of treaties including: Bilateral agreements concerning migratory bird conservation include: The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Independent Expert Scientific Committee on Coal Seam Gas and Large Coal Mining Development) Act 2012 , assented to in October 2012, amended the Act to require that the "Minister must obtain advice from Independent Expert Scientific Committee on Coal Seam Gas and Large Coal Mining Development". Significant impacts on MNES trigger assessment under
6096-408: The Act as implemented was achieving its objective of safeguarding Australia's biodiversity with regard to regulating loss of habitat for threatened species and ecological communities between 2000 and 2017. It showed that since the Act came into force in 2000, over 7,700,000 hectares (19,000,000 acres) of potential habitat and communities had been cleared. Of this clearing, over 93% was not referred to
6223-634: The Act by the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment (DAWE) was ineffective, disproportionate to environmental risk, errors have occurred, procedural protocols have not been followed, and the Department is "not well positioned to measure its contribution to the objectives of the Act". The Auditor-General made eight recommendations to the Department. ANAO found that the Department did not have adequate performance measures in place; that administration had been poorly handled and that conflicts of interests were not well-managed. DAWE responded to
6350-415: The Act is ineffective at protecting potential habitat for terrestrial threatened species, terrestrial migratory species, or threatened ecological communities. The 2020 audit was the sixth audit of referrals, assessments and approvals under the Act. Published and tabled in Parliament on 25 June 2020, the report found that the administration of referrals, assessments and approvals of controlled actions under
6477-511: The Act. A new assessment trigger was added to the Act in mid-2013, via the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment Act 2013 . The amendment relates to significant impacts on water resources , for example where actions by a large coal mining development, in particular coal seam gas may adversely affect groundwater in the area. The amendment was introduced by Tony Windsor , an independent Member of Parliament (MP). This became known as "water trigger". As of March 2020 ,
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#17328020407906604-500: The Bill and expressed concerns about the delegation of Commonwealth environmental approval powers. Two different types of bilateral agreements ("assessment" and "approval") with each state and territory provided for the approvals process, depending on differing requirements, to result in either two approval decisions and two sets of conditions, or only one decision, which includes conditions (if appropriate), being made. The Act established
6731-712: The British Empire. The colony suffered from economic fluctuations, but for the most part was prosperous, experiencing steady growth. With few external threats and strong trade links with the Empire, Tasmania enjoyed many fruitful periods in the late 19th century, becoming a world-centre of shipbuilding. It raised a local defence force that eventually played a significant role in the Second Boer War in South Africa, and Tasmanian soldiers in that conflict won
6858-482: The Central Highlands and flow out to the coast. Tasmania's major population centres are mainly situated around estuaries (some of which are named rivers). Tasmania is in the shape of a downward-facing triangle, likened to a shield, heart, or face. It consists of the main island as well as at least a thousand neighbouring islands within the state's jurisdiction. The largest of these are Flinders Island in
6985-634: The Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science at the School at the University of Queensland was published in September 2019 as a "quantitative assessment on the effectiveness of the Act in regulating the loss of habitat for terrestrial threatened species, threatened ecological communities, or terrestrial migratory species", as there had been little quantitative study in this area. It looked at whether
7112-498: The Environment and Water . Lists of threatened species are drawn up under the Act, and these lists, the primary reference to threatened species in Australia, are available online through the Species Profile and Threats Database (SPRAT). As an Act of the Australian Parliament, it relies for its constitutional validity upon the legislative powers of the Parliament granted by the Australian Constitution , and key provisions of
7239-504: The Federal Government for assessment, meaning the loss was not scrutinised under the Act. While 1,390 (84%) species suffered loss, Mount Cooper striped skink , Keighery's macarthuria , and Southern black-throated finch lost 25, 23, and 10% of potential habitat, respectively. Iconic Australian species such as the koala , also lost about 1,000,000 hectares (2,500,000 acres) (2.3%) of potential habitat. This analysis showed that
7366-690: The Mole Creek Cave Harvestman is a troglobite species, present in many of the cave systems in the Mole Creek area, and is endemic to the Mole Creek Karst. This species is also listed as rare by the Tasmanian Threatened Species Protection Act 1995 . There is a variety of bacteria, algae and fungi associated with the caves which are believed to be involved in crystalline and amorphous speleothem germination and growth. The following
7493-448: The Mole Creek Karst National Park are considered by the Threatened Species Protection Act 1995 (Tas), to be vulnerable and rare respectively. South Esk heath ( Epacris exserta ) is also determined by the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 to be endangered. Tourism is somewhat of a double-edged blade in this national park. While tourism is an important form of revenue to ensure ongoing care and maintenance of
7620-415: The Mole Creek Karst National Park are significantly important in scientific, conservation and recreational aspects. For the purpose of scientific importance and conservation, the caves in the national park contain rare fauna, which exist only in these caves, as well as an entire ecosystem of unique cave-dwelling organisms completely dependent and constrained to the cave systems. These organisms can live only in
7747-555: The Mole Creek Karst National Park, and also provide one of the main tourist attractions to the area. The Marakoopa Cave houses one of the most spectacular glow-worm displays in the entire system, and is a major tourist attraction on the guided cave tours. The karst system is also home to many other protected cave species, such as crickets Micropathus cavernicola , and Parvotettix geode ; beetles, Tasmanotrechus cockerilli ; harvestman, Hickmanoxyomma gibbergunyar ; and pseudoscorpions Pseudotyrannochthonius typhlus . Three species present in
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#17328020407907874-687: The Settled Districts to join a massive drive to sweep Aboriginal people out of the region and on to the Tasman Peninsula . The campaign failed and was abandoned seven weeks later, but by then Tasmania's Aboriginal population had fallen to about 300. After hostilities between settlers and Aboriginal peoples ceased in 1832, almost all of the remnants of the Indigenous population were persuaded by government agent George Augustus Robinson to move to Flinders Island . Many quickly succumbed to infectious diseases to which they had no immunity, reducing
8001-623: The Tamar River in the island's north in October 1804 and several other convict-based settlements were established, including the particularly harsh penal colonies at Port Arthur in the southeast and Macquarie Harbour on the West Coast. Tasmania was eventually sent 75,000 convicts—four out of every ten people transported to Australia. By 1819, the Aboriginal and British population reached parity with about 5000 of each, although among
8128-613: The Tasmanian Housing Department and Metro Tasmania public bus services. A jail was opened at Risdon in 1960, and the State Library of Tasmania the same year. The University of Tasmania also moved to its present location in 1963. The state was badly affected by the 1967 Tasmanian fires , killing 64 people and destroying over 652,000 acres in five hours. In 1975 the Tasman Bridge collapsed when
8255-563: The aboriginal community, or without having a connection to the place in question. As well as a diverse First Nations geography, where remnants are preserved in rough form by European documentation, Tasmania is known as a place for unorthodox place-names . These names often come about from lost definitions, where descriptive names have lost their old meanings and have taken on new modern interpretations (e.g. 'Bobs Knobs'). Other names have retained their original meaning, and are often quaint or endearing descriptions (e.g. 'Paradise' ). The island
8382-583: The arrival of 600 colonists from Norfolk Island between 1807 and 1813. They established farms along the River Derwent and east and west of Launceston , occupying ten percent of Van Diemen's Land. By 1824 the colonial population had swelled to 12,600, while the island's sheep population had reached 200,000. The rapid colonisation transformed traditional kangaroo hunting grounds into farms with grazing livestock as well as fences, hedges and stone walls, while police and military patrols were increased to control
8509-484: The audit, agreeing to all eight recommendations. The Secretary of DAWE, Andrew Metcalfe , also reported that the Act was at the time undergoing an independent statutory review led by Professor Graeme Samuel AC , which was likely to result in legislative changes to the Act. James Tresize of the Australian Conservation Foundation commented that law was "fundamentally broken" and not equipped to deal with dual "extinction and climate crises", saying that Australia needs
8636-446: The bilateral agreement, and the prohibition on matters involving the "water trigger" will be removed, so that states can make their own decisions when assessing applications by large coal mines and coal seam gas projects that can impact water resources. The proposed changes do not include the promised prototype national standards. A large number of studies, audits, reviews and parliamentary inquiries have examined various aspects of
8763-462: The bounds of the national park. The Mole Creek Karst National Park is characterised by its numerous and spectacular cave networks, which attract many tourists each year. Two of these particular caves; King Solomons cave, which features an extensive network of sediment and bone deposit, as well as shawls, and speleothems which make up stalactites and stalagmites., as well as the Marakoopa cave; which
8890-555: The bridge was struck by the bulk ore carrier Lake Illawarra . It was the only bridge in Hobart, and made crossing the Derwent River by road at the city impossible. The nearest bridge was approximately 20 kilometres (12 mi) to the north, at Bridgewater. Throughout the 1980s, strong environmental concerns saw the building of the Australian Antarctic Division headquarters, and the proclamation of
9017-417: The burgeoning society of free settlers from the island's convict past. The Legislative Council of Van Diemen's Land drafted a new constitution which gained Royal Assent in 1855. The Privy Council also approved the colony changing its name from "Van Diemen's Land" to "Tasmania", and in 1856 the newly elected bicameral parliament sat for the first time, establishing Tasmania as a self-governing colony of
9144-536: The caves, and as such, the caves need to be preserved in order to ensure the continued preservation of the organisms they contain. The national park draws visitors from all around the world, and the revenue garnered from their stay helps fund the continued conservation and protection of the Mole Creek Karst National Park. The national park itself as an entirety contains a wide and diverse range of flora, fauna and landforms, many of which are rare, threatened or endangered. It also possesses many unique natural wonders, such as
9271-526: The caves, as well as damage unique cave formations, flora, and habitat for fauna. A large aspect of tourism that effects cave environments is the need to build structures, and provide lighting in order to accommodate tourists and visitors. The building of infrastructure and installation of lights and ventilation necessary to accommodate tourists has been linked to severe changes in the delicate microclimates within caves. These changes in microclimate can be devastating, and in fact have been shown to adversely affect
9398-408: The caves, by tracking mud and dirt across the delicate surfaces by not sticking to marked paths, or due to irresponsible cave exploring. Mud and dirt, deposits of hair, lint from clothing and skin follicles, and excess nutrients trekked in from the outside world build up in the caves due to them being cut-off from the outside world. These foreign objects can also destroy the fragile microclimate within
9525-442: The caves. Monitoring systems to assess the changes in baseline microclimate aspects would also be a worthwhile investment in the continued protection of fragile cave ecosystems. Timely knowledge of changes in air pressure or intensity, condensation and humidity levels, and temperature of caves could help to thwart potentially catastrophic effects to cave-dwelling organisms caused by changes in their microclimate. The caves present in
9652-681: The caves. Trampling of floors by large quantities of visitors also hard pack the dirt rendering it unsuitable as habitat for species. One aspect that draws tourists every year are the fantastic formation of speleothems present in the cave, otherwise known as stalagmites and stalactites, well as the sparkling calcite that adorns many of the cave walls. However, these beautiful natural formations are delicate and easily damaged and destroyed. Visitors in Georgies Hall, Honeycomb 1 cave and Tailender Cave have already caused serious, and in some cases, irreparable damage to speleothems and calcite formations in
9779-527: The colonists men outnumbered women four-to-one. Free settlers began arriving in large numbers from 1820, lured by the promise of land grants and free convict labour. Settlement in the island's northwest corner was monopolised by the Van Diemen's Land Company , which sent its first surveyors to the district in 1826. By 1830, one-third of Australia's non-Indigenous population lived in Van Diemen's Land and
9906-407: The convict farm labourers. Violence began to spiral rapidly from the mid-1820s in what became described as the " Black War ". Aboriginal inhabitants were driven to desperation by hunger – that included a desire for agricultural produce, as well as feeling anger at the prevalence of abductions of women and girls. New settlers motivated by fear carried out self-defence operations as well as attacks as
10033-594: The decriminalization of homosexuality that year. Christine Milne became the first female leader of a Tasmanian political party in 1993, and major council amalgamations reduce the number of councils from 46 to 29. Following the Port Arthur massacre on 28 April 1996, which resulted in the loss of 35 lives and injured 21 others, the Australian Government conducted a review of its firearms policies and enacted new nationwide gun ownership laws under
10160-405: The first completely electrified city on the island in 1885, followed closely by the township of Zeehan in 1900. The state economy was riding mining prosperity until World War I. In 1901, the state population was 172,475. The 1910 foundation of what would become Hydro Tasmania began to shape urban patterns, as well as future major damming programs. Hydro's influence culminated in the 1970s when
10287-481: The first time that Tasmania was an island. Sealers and whalers based themselves on Tasmania's islands from 1798, and in August 1803 New South Wales Governor Philip King sent Lieutenant John Bowen to establish a small military outpost on the eastern shore of the Derwent River in order to forestall any claims to the island by French explorers who had been exploring the southern Australian coastline. Bowen, who led
10414-611: The first two Victoria Crosses awarded to Australians. In 1901, the Colony of Tasmania united with the five other Australian colonies to form the Commonwealth of Australia. Tasmanians voted in favour of federation with the largest majority of all the Australian colonies. Tasmania was an early adopter of electric street lighting . Australia's first electric street lights were switched on in Waratah in 1886. Launceston became
10541-514: The fluctuating light levels due to the inclusion of lighting systems in caves to aid in visibility for human access can have detrimental effects on the organisms within a cave. It has been found that the exposure to light can cause glow worms to dim their display, which holds potential detrimental effects to tourism built on glow worm show caves. Another detrimental effect of artificial lights is that they have been seen to cause algae and cyanobacteria to grow in places that they would not usually grow, and
10668-701: The following: On 16 October 2013 the Environment Minister announced that the Government had approved a framework for a "one-stop shop" environmental approval process to accredit state planning systems under national environmental law, "to create a single environmental assessment and approval process for nationally protected matters". On 16 June 2014 the proposed amendments passed the House of Representatives , despite opposition from environmental campaigners and significant legal commentators who criticised
10795-422: The form of guided tours; which already exist for some of the caves, with tour guides or are knowledgeable and passionate about the conservation of the unique cave flora and fauna, will be a worthwhile aspect in improving education of the delicacy of the cave ecosystems. Providing signage containing information of the cave species present, their significance to the ecosystem and their delicate nature would help keep
10922-543: The genocide thesis, arguing that the colonial authorities did not intend to destroy the Aboriginal population in whole or in part. Boyce has claimed that the April 1828 "Proclamation Separating the Aborigines from the White Inhabitants" sanctioned force against Aboriginal people "for no other reason than that they were Aboriginal". However, as Reynolds, Broome and Clements point out, there was open warfare at
11049-473: The island accounted for about half of all land under cultivation and exports. Tensions between Tasmania's Aboriginal and white inhabitants rose, partly driven by increasing competition for kangaroo and other game. Explorer and naval officer John Oxley in 1810 noted the "many atrocious cruelties" inflicted on Aboriginal people by convict bushrangers in the north, which in turn led to black attacks on solitary white hunters. Hostilities increased further with
11176-678: The island on 24 November 1642. Tasman named the island Anthony van Diemen's Land after his sponsor Anthony van Diemen , the Governor of the Dutch East Indies . The name was later shortened to Van Diemen's Land by the British. It was officially renamed Tasmania in honour of its first European discoverer on 1 January 1856. Tasmania was sometimes referred to as "Dervon", as mentioned in the Jerilderie Letter written by
11303-404: The island's nine nations; Nicholas Clements, citing research by N.J.B. Plomley and Rhys Jones , settled on a figure of 3,000 to 4,000. They engaged in fire-stick farming , hunted game including kangaroo and wallabies , caught seals, mutton-birds, shellfish and fish and lived as nine separate "nations" on the island, which they knew as "Trouwunna". The first reported sighting of Tasmania by
11430-500: The karst landscape and its extensive cave network. Protection of the national park ensures the preservation of these species and unique landforms, to be studied and enjoyed by future generations. These aspects are important for no reason other than their own intrinsic value, and inherent uniqueness and beauty, and the continued preservation will ensure it can be enjoyed for generations to come. Tasmania Tasmania ( / t æ z ˈ m eɪ n i ə / ; palawa kani : lutruwita )
11557-534: The last temperate rain forests in the Southern Hemisphere . The Tarkine , containing Savage River National Park located in the island's far north west, is the largest temperate rainforest area in Australia covering about 3,800 square kilometres (1,500 sq mi). With its rugged topography, Tasmania has a great number of rivers. Several of Tasmania's largest rivers have been dammed at some point to provide hydroelectricity . Many rivers begin in
11684-486: The laws created to protect unique species and habitats are ineffective, and the "current environmental trajectory is unsustainable". Criticism of the Act included that it is too focused on process rather than on clear outcomes, and that its current ad hoc , "project-by-project" approach does not address cumulative harm. During its time in operation, "the list of threatened species and communities has increased over time and there have been very few species that have recovered to
11811-471: The legislation over the years. Section 522A of the Act requires that an independent review is conducted every 10 years, to examine its operation and the extent to which its objects have been met. A 2005 study looked specifically at threatened species recovery. In 2006 Chris McGrath examined the constitutional validity of the Act and its effectiveness at regulating non-compliance after two recent publications had called for major changes, concluding that it
11938-409: The long-term survival and success for many flora and fauna species, and fantastic natural wonders present within these caves. Cave-dwelling species present in the cave systems are easily damaged or killed by cave visitors. People visiting the caves can crush, damage and destroy food sources and important habitats of cave-dwelling species, and also potentially kill rare and endangered species dwelling in
12065-534: The most part reflects reforms to the bilateral approval agreement provisions first proposed in 2014. The proposed changes would make it easier to establish bilateral approval agreements between federal and state governments, and also to make it harder to challenge the devolution process under the law (by clarifying that an action cannot be referred under Part 7 of the Act if it is covered by a bilateral approval agreement. Other changes include allowing minor changes to state and territory assessment processes without impacting
12192-594: The name is more properly applied to Cape Barren Island, which has had an official dual name of "Truwana" since 2014. A number of palawa kani names, based on historical records of aboriginal names, have been accepted by the Tasmanian government. A dozen of these (below) are 'dual-use' (bilingual) names, and another two are unbounded areas with only palawa names. There are also a number of archaeological sites with Palawa names. Some of these names have been contentious, with names being proposed without consultation with
12319-462: The national park. Many of the species present, especially in the caves, are endemic to the area, and therefore are very important in regards to conservation and protection. There are many animal species present in the Mole Creek Karst National Park that are both unique to the Karst system, and listed as protected cave species. The glow worms Arachnocampus tasmaniensis inhabit many of the caves present in
12446-458: The new scheme introduced by the Act. The Act received Royal Assent on 16 July 1999 and commenced on 16 July 2000. The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Regulations 2000 also commenced on 16 July 2000, (with 21 amendments up to the latest on 17 December 2018 ). The purpose of the regulations is to give effect to the provisions of the Act. The Act has had many amendments through its lifetime. Significant amendments include
12573-471: The northeast and east, continental granites can be seen, such as at Freycinet, similar to coastal granites on mainland Australia. In the northwest and west, mineral-rich volcanic rock can be seen at Mount Read near Rosebery , or at Mount Lyell near Queenstown . Also present in the south and northwest is limestone with caves. The quartzite and dolerite areas in the higher mountains show evidence of glaciation , and much of Australia's glaciated landscape
12700-830: The northernmost point on mainland Tasmania is approximately 40°38′26″S 144°43′33″E / 40.64056°S 144.72583°E / -40.64056; 144.72583 in Woolnorth / Temdudheker near Cape Grim / Kennaook . Tasmania lies at similar latitudes to Te Waipounamu / South Island of New Zealand and parts of Patagonia in South America. Areas at equivalent latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere include Hokkaido in Japan, Northeast China ( Manchuria ), Central Italy , and United States cities such as New York and Chicago . The most mountainous region
12827-471: The notorious Australian bushranger Ned Kelly in 1879. The colloquial expression for the state is "Tassie". Tasmania is also colloquially shortened to "Tas", mainly when used in business names and website addresses. TAS is also the Australia Post abbreviation for the state. In the constructed palawa kani language, the main island of Tasmania is called lutruwita , a name originally derived from
12954-506: The number of native attacks more than doubled each year, raising panic among settlers. Over the summer of 1826–1827 clans from the Big River, Oyster Bay and North Midlands nations speared stock-keepers on farms and made it clear that they wanted the settlers and their sheep and cattle to move from their kangaroo hunting grounds. Settlers responded vigorously, resulting in many mass-killings. In November 1826, Governor Sir George Arthur issued
13081-811: The oceans are used, the island can be said to be either surrounded by the Southern Ocean, or to have the Pacific on its east and the Indian to its west. Still other definitions of the ocean boundaries would have Tasmania with the Great Australian Bight to the west, and the Tasman Sea to the east. The southernmost point on mainland Tasmania is approximately 43°38′37″S 146°49′38″E / 43.64361°S 146.82722°E / -43.64361; 146.82722 at South East Cape , and
13208-434: The organic acid produced when they grow can potentially damage speleothems and cave paintings. The presence of humans alone is enough to influence the microclimate of a cave. Carbon dioxide and water are expelled by groups of cave visitors, and as caves are closed systems, these gases accumulate. Banbury and de Freitas found that carbon dioxide builds up in caves over time, and can reach levels that are dangerous for humans. It
13335-504: The organisms living in the caves. The Glow Worm cave in New Zealand was closed for 4 months, after approximately only four percent of the glow worm population in the cave had their lights on. It was found to be caused by increased air flow causing a reduction in humidity and increased evaporation. This is an example of the fickle nature of a caves microclimate, and how important it is to the species who rely on it. It has also been found
13462-597: The outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic ( SARS-CoV-2 ) and its spread to Australia, the Tasmanian government issued a public health emergency on 17 March, the following month receiving the state's most significant outbreak from the North-West which required assistance from the Federal government . In late 2021, Tasmania was leading the nationwide vaccination response. Tasmania, the largest island of Australia, has
13589-480: The park, as well as an important aspect of education regarding the natural world, and conservation of the flora and fauna within the Mole Creek Karst National Park, it is also by far the greatest threat. Much of the touristic value of the Mole Creek Karst National Park comes from the cave systems. The environment within these cave systems is very stable and closed, and the impact that increase human activity has already had, and will continue to have could be devastating for
13716-443: The point that they can be removed from the list". Among the changes the report proposes is a framework of legislated national environmental standards with legally enforceable rules, which would underpin all powers allocated to the states and territories. It recommends the establishment of an independent body "to monitor and enforce compliance with environmental laws". The report recommends that the federal government should start creating
13843-400: The population further. Of those removed from Tasmania, the last to die was Truganini , in 1876. The near-destruction of Tasmania's Aboriginal population has been described as an act of genocide by historians including Robert Hughes , James Boyce , Lyndall Ryan and Tom Lawson. However, other historians including Henry Reynolds , Richard Broome and Nicholas Clements do not agree with
13970-537: The presence of Aboriginal people in Tasmania about 42,000 years ago. Rising sea levels cut Tasmania off from mainland Australia about 10,000 years ago and by the time of European contact, the Aboriginal people in Tasmania had nine major nations or ethnic groups. At the time of the British occupation and colonisation in 1803, the indigenous population was estimated at between 3,000 and 10,000. Historian Lyndall Ryan's analysis of population studies led her to conclude that there were about 7,000 spread throughout
14097-410: The present Constitution of Tasmania was enacted, and the following year the colony formally changed its name to Tasmania. In 1901, it became a state of Australia through the process of the federation of Australia . Today, Tasmania has the second smallest economy of the Australian states and territories , and comprises principally tourism, agriculture, aquaculture, education, and healthcare. Tasmania
14224-457: The public mindful to take care when exploring caves. Proper restoration and construction of barriers and marked paths within the caves is an important aspect of cave protection and conservation. By marking paths clearly within caves, and roping off areas of significant known fragility, it can be ensured that visitors do not damage or degrade the habitat of cave-dwelling organisms, or the fantastic natural speleothem sand calcite structures present in
14351-518: The representativeness of listed species, and the other insects and allied invertebrates, proposing a new, strategic national approach for the conservation of these animals. A The Guardian reported in March 2018 that Australia had not listed any critical habitat in the preceding 10 years, and only five areas had been registered since the introduction of the Act , although more than 1,800 species and ecological communities had been classed as threatened. A recent investigation had shown that Australia
14478-530: The southeast portions of the island are mostly dolerites. Mount Wellington above Hobart is a good example, showing distinct columns known as the Organ Pipes. In the southern midlands as far south as Hobart, the dolerite is underlaid by sandstone and similar sedimentary stones. In the southwest, Precambrian quartzites were formed from very ancient sea sediments and form strikingly sharp ridges and ranges, such as Federation Peak or Frenchmans Cap . In
14605-592: The spread of infectious diseases . The conflict, which peaked between 1825 and 1831 and led to more than three years of martial law, cost the lives of almost 1,100 Aboriginal people and settlers. Under British rule, the island was initially part of the Colony of New South Wales ; however, it became a separate colony under the name Van Diemen's Land (named after Anthony van Diemen ) in 1825. Approximately 80,000 convicts were sent to Van Diemen's Land before this practice, known as transportation , ceased in 1853. In 1855,
14732-552: The state government announced plans to flood environmentally significant Lake Pedder . As a result of the eventual flooding of Lake Pedder, the world's first green party was established; the United Tasmania Group . National and international attention surrounded the campaign against the Franklin Dam in the early 1980s. Tasmanian Enid Lyons became the first female member of the House of Representatives at
14859-467: The system, listed on the Tasmanian Threatened Species Protection Act 1995 , are endemic to the area and confined to the cave systems. Tasmanotrechus cockerilli , a beetle present in the cave systems is a rare and highly cave modified beetle, having evolved to live in a dark cave environment, its eyes have become vestigial. T. cockerilli belongs to the Tribe Trechinae (Family Carabidae ) and
14986-461: The time. Boyce described the decision to remove all Tasmanian Aboriginal people after 1832—by which time they had given up their fight against white colonists—as an extreme policy position. He concluded: "The colonial government from 1832 to 1838 ethnically cleansed the western half of Van Diemen's Land." Nevertheless, Clements and Flood note that there was another wave of violence in north-west Tasmania in 1841, involving attacks on settlers' huts by
15113-528: The underbrush of the forests is mainly shrubby. Some of the national park has been affected by its surrounding rural environment, as blocks of flora have been modified by fire regimes and grazing on private land. Due to this some of the more burnt areas are open and dominated by sedges and ferns. There are many sinkholes present in areas of the national park, and many of these are associated with Sphagnum peatlands that are found scattered amongst eucalyptus forests. The following list of flora species, located in
15240-507: The use of Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Regulations, which have provided for the issuing of approvals and permits for a range of activities on Commonwealth land and land affecting the Commonwealth. For example, commercial picking of wildflowers is regulated under the Act, and cannot be undertaken without an appropriate permit. Failure to comply with the Act can result in penalties including remediation of damage, court injunctions, and criminal and civil penalties. The Act
15367-419: Was adjoined to the mainland of Australia until the end of the last glacial period about 11,700 years ago. Much of the island is composed of Jurassic dolerite intrusions (the upwelling of magma ) through other rock types, sometimes forming large columnar joints. Tasmania has the world's largest areas of dolerite, with many distinctive mountains and cliffs formed from this rock type. The central plateau and
15494-399: Was also found by Sarbu and Lascu that increased condensation due to increased water vapour has been shown to degrade speleothems. The temperature of a cave can also be greatly altered by the energy given off as body heat and from lights present in the cave system. The future success of the Mole Creek Karst National Park as both a tourist attraction, and as a conservation refuge is dependent on
15621-423: Was declared in 1996 to provide protection for an extensive system of over 300 known caves and sinkholes, including Marakoopa and King Solomons Cave. The national park is categorised as an IUCN Category II protected area . The Mole Creek Karst National Park features a wide range of flora and fauna, of varying conservation status. These species are contained both in the caves, and in the surrounding forests within
15748-443: Was delivered to the Minister on 30 October 2009 and publicly released on 21 December 2009. In its summary, it said that public comments had been "broadly supportive" of the Act, and that the Act had brought about many important reforms, and in many respects was still regarded as world leading. However it included 71 recommendations, "summarised into a reform package revolving around a nine-point plan": In 2018, two studies looked at
15875-549: Was on a mission to find the Southern Continent , not more islands, so he abruptly turned away to the east and continued his continent-hunting. Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 International Associated acts The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth) is an Act of the Parliament of Australia that provides a framework for protection of
16002-605: Was permanently settled by Europeans in 1803 as a penal settlement of the British Empire to prevent claims to the land by the First French Empire during the Napoleonic Wars . The Aboriginal population is estimated to have been between 3,000 and 7,000 at the time of British settlement, but was almost wiped out within 30 years during a period of conflicts with settlers known as the " Black War " and
16129-497: Was planning to clear 3,000,000 hectares (7,400,000 acres) of native forest by 2030, much of it in Queensland . One weakness of the critical habitat register is that its offence provisions do not apply to state or private land, only to Commonwealth land. This had a big impact on the ability to name a critical habitat for the endangered Leadbeater's possum , whose habitat was mainly on state- and privately-owned land. A study by
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