Tasmanian Wilderness
The Tasmanian Wilderness is a term that is used for a range of areas in Tasmania, Australia.
The World Heritage Areas in South West Tasmania, Western Tasmania and Central Highlands are the most well known.
However, there are also other wilderness areas in Tasmania, Tarkine and the Cradle mountain wilderness. There is also an organisation known as the Tasmanian Wilderness Society.
The World Heritage Area is one of the largest conservation areas in Australia, covering 13,800 km2, or almost 20% of Tasmania. The area constitutes one of the last expanses of temperate wilderness in the world, including the renowned South West Wilderness. The area became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982, and it was extended in 1989. It is important for both its natural value but also its cultural values as well.
Remains found in limestone caves show that humans have lived in the area for well over 20,000 years.
The Tasmanian Tiger was the largest Dasyuromorphia and the last living specimen of the family Thylacinidae. The last known specimen died in captivity in 1936.p77 The world's largest surviving carnivorous marsupial is the Tasmanian Devil; it is the size of a small dog and can hunt, although it is mainly a scavenger.p46 It became extinct on the mainland some 600 years ago, and is now found only in Tasmania.p69
World Heritage area
The following National Parks and reserves make up the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area:
Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park
Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park
Hartz Mountains National Park
Mole Creek Karst National Park
Southwest National Park
Walls of Jerusalem National Park
Central Plateau Conservation Area
Devils Gullet State Reserve
South East Mutton Bird Islet
Related pages
List of World Heritage Sites in Australia
References
Other websites
World heritage listing for Tasmanian Wilderness
Tasmanian Parks & Wildlife Service site
Position of World Heritage Area
UNESCO site