Gondwana’s Legacy

Australia – Tasmania | Anno 2024

 

Friday 15 November | Geelong – Bass Strait

Saturday 16 November | Devonport – Railton – Sheffield – Cradle Mountain NP

 

 

Friday 15 November | Geelong – Bass Strait

Just after seven in the evening, the Spirit of Tasmania I slowly moves away from the quay. But it’s not the classic mooring ropes being cast off – instead, six double sets of giant suction cups release their grip on the ship. Automated mooring, they call this process. The docking and undocking of the vessel happens fully automatically. Dockworkers handling ropes around mooring posts in dangerous conditions are no longer needed – a simple push of a button is enough to grant the ship its autonomy.

Tasmania is the largest of the more than a thousand islands that together form the Australian state of Tasmania

It’s an impressive feat of technology, as the Spirit of Tasmania is a true giant, nearly 200 meters long, capable of carrying 500 vehicles and 1,400 passengers with ease. It has been doing so for more than a quarter of a century. In the past, this took place in Melbourne, but since October 2022, Geelong has taken over that role. However, the difference is minimal, as both terminals are located on Port Phillip, a sheltered bay along Australia’s southern coast.

 

Automated mooring

For us, this will be a night crossing to Tasmania, the largest of the more than a thousand islands that together form the Australian state of Tasmania. These islands are not particularly large – excluding the main island, they barely cover more than 4,000 km². Many are little more than barren rocky outcrops, and only a few hundred have even been given a name.

Eight thousand years ago, it was still possible to walk from mainland Australia to Tasmania

Eight thousand years ago, it was still possible to walk from mainland Australia to Tasmania – If you had the courage for such a journey, as it would have meant trekking at least 250 km. But when the last Ice Age ended, sea levels rose, and the area began to flood. This formed the Bass Strait, a waterway approximately 500 km long and an average of 60 meters deep. For comparison, the English Channel between the United Kingdom and mainland Europe is 560 km long, 34 km at its narrowest point, and has an average depth of 60 meters.

These waters are anything but calm, as evidenced by the hundreds of shipwrecks off the coasts of Tasmania and the Australian state of Victoria. The notorious westerly winds of the Southern Hemisphere, known as the Roaring Forties, are to blame for this. Between 40° and 50° south latitude, these winds are unhindered by landmasses, sweeping across the ocean at speeds of 80 to 100 km/h, keeping Antarctica in its icy isolation.

The windows of some cabins were shattered, causing even cabins on deck 9 to be flooded

In December 1642, Abel Tasman became the first European to encounter the Bass Strait. His mission was to map the Australian coast, but it was Tasmania that he first stumbled upon. After exploring the island’s eastern coastline, he was confronted by the howling winds of the Bass Strait. He immediately abandoned the effort and turned eastward. Two weeks later, he would discover New Zealand.

More than a hundred years later, the legendary explorer James Cook also met his match here. In April 1770, he tried for two hours to sail westward through the strait against the wind. He, too, was forced to give up.

For modern ships like the Spirit of Tasmania, the crossing is no longer a challenge – though caution is still necessary. In February 2005, the ship encountered rough waters with waves reaching twenty meters high. The windows of some cabins were shattered, causing even cabins on deck 9 to be flooded. The decision was made to return to Melbourne immediately, while passengers were left in the dark – literally and figuratively – since seawater had disabled the public announcement system.

If you're not flying to Tasmania, chances are you're making the journey aboard the Spirit of Tasmania

Spirit of Tasmania I

As the sun gradually sinks below the horizon in the west, we sail southeast. For more than an hour, the Australian coast remains visible on the port side. In the hallways, lounges, and restaurant, there is a lively yet relaxed atmosphere, though the ship is not fully booked. For many passengers, this is familiar territory – the iconic vessel has become one of Tasmania’s national landmarks. If you're not flying to Tasmania, chances are you're making the journey aboard the Spirit of Tasmania.

After dinner, we head to our cabin. It’s not particularly spacious, but it's clean and equipped with everything we need – nothing to complain about. Time for bed now, as the announcement system will wake us at 4:45 am tomorrow morning.

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Saturday 16 November | Devonport – Railton – Sheffield – Cradle Mountain NP

Half an hour later than scheduled, the wake-up call echoes through the speakers. Apparently, the Spirit of Tasmania is running a bit behind, supposedly due to bad weather. We didn’t notice anything unusual while in bed, but out on deck, the signs are clear – puddles of water, dark grey clouds, and a cool breeze sweeping across the sea. Even though we are at roughly the same latitude as Barcelona, the climate here is noticeably colder. Fortunately, the rain has stopped.

Just before six, we dock at the port of Devonport – the primary gateway to Tasmania for those arriving by sea rather than by air. Near the escalators in the lounge, a calm yet eager crowd is already gathering. Everyone wants to get off the ship. That’s going pretty smoothly, as by 6:30, we already meet Rick, our cheerful driver for the next five days. Officially, he’s retired – he turns 69 in January – but driving tourists around is his hobby. Our exploration of Tasmania is about to begin.

If you ever want to tease the Tassies – as Tasmanians sometimes are called – just pull out a map of Australia where Tasmania is missing

With an area of 68,400 km², Tasmania is twice the size of Belgium or slightly larger than Sri Lanka. That’s not insignificant, but of course, it pales in comparison to the vast Australian mainland, which is more than a hundred times larger. If you ever want to tease the Tassies – as Tasmanians sometimes are called – just pull out a map of Australia where Tasmania is missing. Strangely enough, even the Australian government has been guilty of this oversight, including in promotional materials for the Commonwealth Games – much to the outrage of Tasmanians.

 

Sheffield

There are just over 570,000 Tassies, but more than sixty percent of them live in one of the three major cities – Devonport, Launceston, and the capital, Hobart. This means that, on average, you’ll meet only one Tassie per two square kilometres in rural areas. In terms of population, Tasmania is the most homogeneous state in Australia, as the vast majority of its residents are of British descent. The palawa, as the descendants of the Aboriginal people call themselves, make up a tiny minority – around 23,500 people, just under 5% of the population. Yet, they are the ones who have shaped the island’s landscape over the past 50,000 years through sustainable land management and controlled burns.

It’s the Aboriginals who have shaped the island’s landscape over the past 50,000 years through sustainable land management and controlled burns

Meanwhile, we have arrived in Latrobe. It’s seven in the morning – time for breakfast. And what better place for that than The House of Anvers? The owner, Igor Van Gerwen, is of Flemish descent, trained as a pastry chef and chocolatier at PIVA, the provincial hospitality school in Antwerp, and has lived and worked in Tasmania since 1986. His establishment specialises in chocolate, complete with a café, a tasting centre, guided tours for groups, and even a museum. In other words, The Total Chocolate Experience, as they call it here. But, they add with a wink, if you manage to get hold of their secret recipes, you may never be allowed to leave the building.

And yes, they also serve breakfast. Tempting towers of croissants, cheese, salmon, and more appear on our tables.

 

Sheffield

Railton, a small town with barely a thousand residents, didn’t have much to offer passers-by – until a certain Neil Hurley came up with an idea in 1999 to transform the quiet village into The Town of Topiary. Evergreen shrubs were sculpted into shapes resembling elephants, emus, wombats, or various geometric forms. This ornamental gardening technique is known as topiary. However, as we drive along the main road, we don’t see many of these creations.

To save their town from oblivion, they’ve turned to murals in Sheffield

Sheffield – Mural

There seems to be more momentum in the Sheffield initiative. To save their town from obscurity, they turned to murals. The first artwork appeared in 1986, and since then, more than 60 murals have brightened the streetscape. Now proudly calling itself The Town of Murals, Sheffield has even hosted the International Mural Fest every April since 2003. The nine finalists of this competition have their entries displayed for a year in the specially designated Mural Park.

 

While the murals on the building facades mostly depict historical and rural scenes, the ones in the park focus on more contemporary themes

Sheffield - Murals

Curiously, we stroll through the little town. Not without surprise, we note that in High Street, despite the cool climate, even palm trees grow. A few houses date back to the late 19th century, and some tassies we encounter on the street look as if they’ve stepped straight out of the Australian outback.

While the murals on the building facades mostly depict historical and rural scenes, the ones in the park focus on more contemporary themes. One thing is clear – the project has paid off for the town.

 

Sheffield – Mural

As we continue westward, Tasmania increasingly reveals itself as the Australian version of New Zealand – specifically, the South Island. Fertile soil, rolling green pastures, cows and sheep in an idyllic landscape, and mountains in the distance. Even a remote, rugged, and nearly inaccessible southwestern corner is something both islands share. The only things missing in Tasmania are glaciers and eternal snow.

Tasmania increasingly reveals itself as the Australian version of New Zealand – specifically, the South Island

 

It is said that this resemblance extends to the people as well. Just like New Zealanders, Tasmanians are known for their laid-back attitude toward life – calm, relaxed, and not too easily stressed. What we don’t do today, we’ll do tomorrow. Wars, geopolitical tensions, international trade conflicts, and the rush of modern life all seem to pass this remote corner of the world by.

However, our driver Rick is quick to correct this deceptively carefree image. In recent years, housing prices have skyrocketed, employment is becoming a serious issue, private healthcare has become unaffordable, and the public healthcare system is plagued by endless waiting lists.

It’s no coincidence that this region is referred to as the Tasmanian Wilderness

 

Gradually, the landscape begins to change. The green pastures give way to dense forests on steep slopes, where the C132 winds its way through a hundred twists and turns. The sun occasionally breaks through the clouds – just long enough to grant us glimpses of the bare peaks of Cradle Mountain, towering at 1,545 meters.

This means we are approaching Cradle Mountain – Lake St Clair National Park, covering 161,000 hectares (almost 400 000 acres). The park is widely praised for its exceptional natural beauty, but what makes it truly remarkable is its virtually untouched wilderness. Difficult to access, it is no coincidence that this region is referred to as the Tasmanian Wilderness.

Ancient rainforests here harbour vegetation that has changed little from what once covered Gondwana – the supercontinent that, over a hundred million years ago, would later break apart to form Antarctica, Africa, India, and Australia. This was reason enough for UNESCO to designate the area as a World Heritage Site. It was also reason enough for the BBC to film parts of their famous documentary series Walking with Dinosaurs here, bringing prehistoric creatures to life in an authentic, primeval setting.

The park is widely praised for its exceptional natural beauty, but what makes it truly remarkable is its virtually untouched wilderness

Cradle Mountain

That this area became a national park is primarily thanks to Austrian Gustav Weindorfer and his wife, Kate. In the second half of the 19th century, the region teemed with explorers, prospectors, trappers, hunters, loggers, and farmers – each with their own vision for its future. Plans were drawn up for railways, mining operations, farms, and plantations. But Weindorfer had different ideas. In 1922, he succeeded in securing protection for nearly 64,000 hectares (nearly 160 000 acres), initially designated as a Scenic Reserve.

For a moment, Rick draws our attention to a hollow tree by the roadside. Once, it served as a post office tree – a natural mailbox where people would check occasionally to see if any letters had arrived or leave their own outgoing mail.

Every now and then, we spot a dead wallaby along the roadside. Most likely, it was drawn into the path of an oncoming vehicle by the headlights during the night and didn’t survive the collision. Dead or alive, all wallabies here are considered park property. Taking a carcass, Rick explains, is strictly prohibited and carries a hefty fine.

 

 

It is a quarter to eleven when we arrive at the Cradle Mountain Hotel, our resting place for the night. Almost immediately, our attention is unexpectedly drawn to the Wilderness Gallery, an art gallery featuring, among other works, stunning pieces by several Aboriginal artists.

One such piece is the vibrant Bugalma Jagun or Motherlands, a painting by Gypsy Draven, a member of the Bundjalung community. Through this artwork, she seeks to express the spiritual journey one experiences when connecting with the subconscious during sleep. It took her four years to complete – not because of technical complexity, but because the spirits of her ancestors sometimes whispered to her, urging her to wait before working on certain parts. She explains that it could take months before they granted her permission to proceed.

The spirits of her ancestors sometimes whispered to her, urging her to wait before working on certain parts

Gypsy Draven – Motherlands

Gypsy Draven – Sacred winds and the medicine leaves

Equally remarkable is the work of Kataraina Kohoreke. Her Spirit of Tasmania may appear naive at first glance, but for her, it is a tribute to a ship that has meant so much to so many people. Additionally, she sees it as a reminder of the times when she watched the ferry depart from the shores of the Mersey.

Creating such a piece was no easy feat, given her visual impairment. She has to work up close to the canvas, as keratoconus increasingly distorts her perception of colour and light. She describes Tasmania as a sanctuary, a place where one can escape the hustle of life. Through her art, she hopes to convey that very feeling.

Creating such a piece was no easy feat, given her visual impairment

Kataraina Kohoreke – Spirit of Tasmania

The respect Aboriginal artists receive in Tasmania should not make us forget the suffering Aboriginal people endured in the past. Exactly how many there were when the first British colonists arrived in Tasmania in 1803 is uncertain, with estimates ranging from 3,000 to 15,000.

At first, conflicts between Aboriginal people and settlers were sporadic, mostly concerning access to scarce food sources or due to the kidnapping of Aboriginal women and children – women to serve as sexual partners, children to perform slave labour. By the 1820s, tensions escalated into a structured conflict. Reports speak of massacres and guerrilla warfare, culminating in the infamous Black War. More and more often the Aboriginals were defeated.

Reports speak of massacres and guerrilla warfare, culminating in the infamous Black War

In 1835, the settlers managed to relocate all remaining Aboriginal people – by order of the infamous Governor George Arthur – to Wybalenna, an internment camp on Flinders Island. By then, only 220 remained. Some perished during transport, others succumbed to hunger and hardship on the small island. When the camp closed in 1847, the survivors returned to Tasmania – only 47 of them. Truganini is often referred to as the last full-blooded Aboriginal Tasmanian. In 1876 she died, and with her an entire nation.

Many historians openly describe the events of British colonisation as genocide. There is much truth in this claim, but alongside violence, hunger, hardship, and war, infectious diseases introduced by Europeans also played a major role in the destruction of this people.

The six-kilometre walk around Dove Lake is one of Tasmania’s most popular hikes

Dove Lake, Glacier Rock and Cradle Mountain

After lunch, we quickly board Rick’s bus, with one of Tasmania’s most popular hikes ahead of us – a six-kilometre walk around Dove Lake. A short drive of just a few minutes takes us to the Visitor Centre. From there, Chief takes us to the lake in his shuttle bus in about ten minutes, reaching an altitude of approximately 940 meters above sea level.

A true gem it is, this trail – perfectly maintained and easy to walk on, so much so that it al-most becomes dangerous

Dove Lake Walk

The scenery is stunning, the sun shines brighter than ever, and there are few clouds in the sky. However, a strong, cold wind blows, and the weather here can change quickly. Will it rain? We decide to take the risk, leaving our raincoats behind and setting off in sweaters, but with a poncho in our bags – just in case.

These spectacular mountains owe their rugged, jagged shapes to dolerite

Cradle Mountain

Preferably walk around the lake in a clockwise direction, they told us beforehand, as that way you get the best view of Cradle Mountain. And they were right. Surrounded by towering mountains on three sides, the jagged peaks of Cradle Mountain rising above the southern end of the lake are by far the most impressive. The mountain gets its name from its resemblance to a cradle, a wooden device used by gold prospectors to separate gold from gravel and sand.

A true gem it is, this trail – perfectly maintained and easy to walk on, so much so that it almost becomes dangerous. The breathtaking scenery and the extraordinary vegetation make it hard to resist constantly looking around, paying little attention to where you step.

 

 

It was a glacier that sculpted this fabulous landscape, a process that took about two million years. Snow accumulated against shaded mountain slopes and gradually transformed into glacial ice. The abrasive action of the debris carried by the glacier slowly eroded the slopes, creating a bowl-shaped cirque. Where the glacier deposited its debris, it formed the high wall that still holds the waters of Dove Lake today.

These spectacular mountains owe their rugged, jagged shapes to dolerite. Around 170 million years ago, when dinosaurs had already ruled the Earth for some time, scorching magma emerged through fractures in the surface. This was one of the first signs that the supercontinent Gondwana was continuing to break apart. The molten rock, with a temperature of 1,150°C (2,102 °F), flooded low-lying areas in Antarctica, South Africa, and Tasmania, solidifying into dolerite.

Nowhere else in the world is dolerite found in such immense concentrations as in Tasmania

Pineapple grass

But nowhere else in the world is dolerite found in such immense concentrations as in Tasmania. Over the course of a million years, approximately 40,000 cubic kilometres of magma spread across the island. If you were to pour that volume evenly over the United Kingdom, it would create a layer of magma 16.5 centimetres thick.

But it's not just the mountains that captivate us – the lush vegetation also sparks the imagination. In all its bizarre forms, it sometimes appears almost otherworldly. That shouldn't be surprising, as some of these plants have remained virtually unchanged since the age of the dinosaurs.

 

Grasstree

Some of these plants have remained virtually unchanged since the age of the dinosaurs

Buttongrass

The many colourful flowers enhance the feeling of early spring. If we were to visit in April, we would witness the autumn hues of the fagus, the only tree in all of Australia that sheds its leaves in winter. This phenomenon creates a unique spectacle – a carpet of golden, rust-brown, and orange leaves spread across the alpine landscape, Tasmania’s equivalent of the North American Indian summer.

As for wildlife, we will have to go without. We neither hear nor see birds. In theory, some of the world’s largest carnivorous marsupials can be found here – quolls and Tasmanian devils. Platypuses and echidnas also thrive in this environment. But, alas, these elusive creatures are unlikely to make an appearance today. The noise of Homo sapiens on the boardwalk keeps them at bay.

 

 

Another rarity is the climbing galaxias – yes, indeed, a climbing fish – which is said to inhabit this lake. This tubular fish, typically 16 to 18 cm long, can be found throughout Australia and New Zealand. With its broad, downward-facing pectoral and pelvic fins, it manages to climb very steep surfaces. Waterfalls, wet rocks, and even dam sluices are no challenge for it. Put it in a bucket, and it will casually climb out on its own.

On the west side of the lake, the path becomes a bit more difficult. There’s more climbing and descending, and the view is not as expansive. However, this is more than made up for once the trail winds through immense trees. This is a cathedral of a forest, with ancient myrtle beeches largely covered in moss, reaching towards the sky. This cool-temperate rainforest, called Ballroom Forest, has been thriving in the shadow of the mountain for so long. In fact, it’s something of a miracle that this forest is still here, as myrtle beeches are extremely sensitive to fire. When a wildfire breaks out, it's fatal for these trees.

This is a cathedral of a forest, with ancient myrtle beeches largely covered in moss, reaching towards the sky

Myrtle beeches in Ballroom Forest

We return in the direction of the Visitor Centre with the shuttle bus, but we get off at Ronny Creek. This is the starting point of the famous Overland Track, one of the most well-known long-distance walks in Australia. It’s not a walk you can just start. You must reserve your spot in advance – only 34 people are allowed to depart daily – and pay 295 dollars. It then takes six days to cover the 65 km that separate Ronny Creek from Lake St Clair. It’s an experience that is physically demanding and emotionally challenging, but it offers spectacular landscapes. In short, it’s a life-changing journey, to use the words of the park authorities.

The famous Overland Track is one of the most well-known long-distance walks in Australia. It’s not a walk you can just start

Ronny Creek – Wombat, buttongrass, grasstrees

But that's not what we're here for. We are more interested in what's happening along the banks of Ronny Creek. Upstream, we follow the babbling stream for a short distance. We don't need to go far, just a few hundred meters at most. At first, we see them higher up on the slope, but gradually they also appear along the boardwalk, almost literally within reach. There, the plump little creatures are grazing on their four short legs as if their lives depend on it. These Tasmanian wombats are not shy at all, in fact, they completely ignore us. Their cuddliness is almost as great as that of their closest relative, the koala. But the koala doesn't live in Tasmania.

The cuddliness of the wombats is almost as great as that of their closest relative, the koala. But the koala doesn't live in Tasmania

Wombat

Given their clumsy build and short legs, you wouldn’t expect it, but wombats are highly skilled at digging burrows. Using their powerful claws and even their front teeth, they excavate complex underground tunnel systems, with tunnels reaching up to twenty meters in length. If a predator chases them into a tunnel, wombats have a unique defence mechanism. Most of their rear body consists of cartilage, which an attacker cannot bite into. If the wombat remains completely still in the tunnel, the predator is essentially faced with a closed door.

Wombats are sometimes called ecological engineers because their digging helps with soil turnover and aeration, promoting plant growth and creating habitats for various species. However, farmers do not share this appreciation. It is precisely because of this digging behaviour that they regard wombats as a pest. This went so far that, in 1906, the Australian government classified wombats as vermin, which had a negative impact on the species. But that is a thing of the past. In 2023, the wombat population in Tasmania was estimated at 840,000. In any case, they are now legally protected in every Australian state.

The forest raven is even bold enough to attack and eat birds as large as a small penguin

Forest raven

Higher up in the grass, a forest raven is watching us closely. Its feathers are beautifully glossy black, but it is especially the white irises of its eyes that stand out. Its presence in a creek valley like that of Ronny Creek is not unusual. It usually searches for food near water. The raven is an omnivore, eating everything from fruit and grains to insects and earthworms, as well as the carcasses of mammals. It is even bold enough to attack and eat birds as large as a small penguin.

In 1906, the Australian government classified wombats as vermin, which had a negative impact on the species

 

In the meantime, we have noticed something peculiar. It takes a moment for us to fully grasp what is happening, but gradually, it becomes clear. What we see between the hind legs of one of the wombats is indeed the tiny snout of a very young wombat, still nestled inside its mother’s pouch. At first glance, this seems like a rather unusual position, but evolution has done its job well. In wombats, the pouch opens towards the back to prevent soil from accumulating inside while digging.

In wombats, the pouch opens towards the back to prevent soil from accumulating inside while digging

Female with young in pouch

The young wombat seems a bit restless, constantly shifting and turning inside the pouch. Sometimes we catch a glimpse of its head, other times its tiny paws – already equipped with a set of formidable-looking claws. A joey – that’s what a young marsupial is called at this stage of its life.

 

 

The pregnancy of this wombat lasted only twenty to twenty-two days. Barely the size of a postage stamp, the newborn made its way through the mother’s fur to her pouch – naked, hairless, and with paper-thin skin. The joey couldn’t see or hear yet, but it did have a large mouth. And it needed it, because once inside the pouch, it latched onto one of the mother’s teats. The teat then swelled in its mouth, securing the joey in place and preventing it from accidentally falling out of the pouch.

The joey couldn’t see or hear yet, but it did have a large mouth. And it needed it

Juvenile wombat

Juvenile wombat

Estimating the age of this joey is difficult. Normally, it stays in the pouch for about eight months, only leaving it occasionally. Gradually, it begins spending more time outside the pouch, learning to forage and develop survival skills. However, it will still return to the pouch to sleep or seek safety when threatened. By around twelve months, the joey will be fully weaned and leave the pouch for good. Still, it often stays close to its mother for a long time – sometimes up to two years. Typically, a female wombat gives birth to one young every two years.

Tasmanian nativehens cannot fly, but they are excellent runners – reaching speeds of up to 35 km/h. No human can match that

Tasmanian nativehen

A few Tasmanian nativehens are also present. These indigenous flightless birds can be found all over the island. Unlike many other flightless birds that were wiped out after colonists arrived, the nativehens have thrived. They prefer to graze in open spaces where another grazer keeps the grass short. The colonists created these open areas, while their rabbits provided the initial grazing.

 

Echidna

Tasmanian nativehens cannot fly, but they are excellent runners – reaching speeds of up to 35 km/h. No human can match that. They lay between five and eight eggs, but more male than female chicks typically hatch. This results in a form of polyandry, where a single female mates with all the males in the group.

With the last shuttle bus, we return to the Cradle Mountain Hotel.

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Jaak Palmans
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