Here are more photos from the beautiful island of Tasmania.
HARTZ MOUNTAIN
One of the particularly nice areas that I visited was Hartz Mountain. This mountain was situated about an hour's drive to the southwest of Hobart. It was located in the eastern border of the Southwest National Park. This park was wild and untouched. The weather often was foul but the area was superb and well worth the effort to visit
The walk to the summit of the mountain was a scenic one and not all that steep. It was about a half-day trip to walk from the car park to the summit and then return.
The mountain was high enough to be snow capped in the winter. The weather here was often foul even during the summer. I visited the mountain on five occasions before I finally was able to walk to the summit on a clear day. The goal of my trips was to find and photograph an odd little snow skink that lives on the upper slope of the mountain.
... autumn photo. The lakes were full of a small shrimp and an ancient relative of trout known as Galaxia.
View of the southwest wilderness from the summit of Hartz Mtn. There were plenty of great treks here for the adventurous!
These shots were taken near the start of the walk to the summit. It was such a gorgeous place!
On one of my trips, it was clear everywhere but the summit that was enveloped in thick cloud. In February (mid-summer), it was windy and snowing.
1-2)The lakes were surrounded by King Billy Pines (Athrotaxis selaginoides).
3) unknown
4) Banksia, a member of Proteaceae
1) Tree ferns were thick at lower altitudes. These photos were taken at the base of Hartz Mountain.
2) Celery Top Pine (Phyllocladus aspleniifolius)
3) Strong-billed Honeyeater, a Tassie endemic
4) Pink Robin -- colourful but shy birds that seem to be particularly common in Tasmania. They also occur in southeastern Australia but seem to be easier to see in Tasmania.
1) Pandani (Richea pandanifolia) are the largest of the Tasmanian heaths (Epacridaceae). They look much like Pandanus or Screw Pines that grow along the tropical coasts of northern Australia.
2-3) Cushion Plants were numerous at high altitudes
4) Mountain Rockets (Bellendena montana), an odd member of Proteaceae.
5) habitat
6) Wallaby mum and joey. They have thick fur here in this cold climate.
One of the reasons for my trips to this mountain was to see a skink that is thought to only occur near the summits of several peaks in the southwest of Tasmania. I finally saw several on a cold but sunny day (10C) not far from the peak of Hartz Mtn.
Heath Cool-Skink (Niveoscincus orocryptus)
MT. FIELD
This national park was situated about an hour's drive to the northwest of Hobart. The alpine areas of this park were colourful for a short time in April when Deciduous Beech (Nothofagus gunii) trees loose their leaves. The colour of the leaves changed rapidly from green to yellow and then to orange. The slopes of the mountains were bathed with colour on two of my trips in April.
1-2) habitat
3) boardwalk
4) Galaxia sp., one of the ancient endemic relatives of trout
5) freshwater shrimp
6) lake where Platypus were frequent.
Southern Snow Skinks (Niveoscincus microlepidotus) were common at upper elevations.
Metallic Skinks (Niveoscincus metallicus) were more common at lower elevations.
White-lipped Snake (Drysdalia coronoides) -- a member of the family Elapidae (Cobra family) as are most Australian snakes.
Common Pinkberry (Leptecophylla junipera) and Pandani
Red-necked Wallaby and Tasmania Pademelon
TASMAN PENINSULA
The Tasman Peninsula was situated a little to the east of Hobart. The coastline of this region was rugged with spectacular cliffs.
Cape Raoul:
Cape Hauy -- has a colony of Australian Fur Seals.
Ocellated Skink (Niveoscincus ocellatus) were common on the rocks of the headlands.
Some of the skinks in Tasmania were hard to identify. I think that the following was a Tasmanian Tree Skink (Niveoscincus pretiosus) but I am not certain.
White's Skink (Liopholis whitii) and Eastern Three-lined Skink (Acritoscincus duperreyi):
Black Cockatoo and Tasmanian Native Hen (flightless endemic)
Echidna in Tasmania had thick fur when compared to those in the Wollongong area where I live.
BEN LOMOND NP
I visited Ben Lomond NP on a single occasion. This park was located several hours north of Hobart. It was another rugged and rocky place.
Northern Snow Skinks (Niveoscincus greeni) were numerous, especially on rocks along small creeks.
1) Cushion Plant
2) Scoparia (Richea scoparia)
3) Alpine Cheeseberry (Planocarpa petiolaris)
BAY-OF-FIRES
My wife and I went on a drive to this lovely coastal area one day. It was several hours northeast of Hobart. I saw a beautiful glossy black and yellow Tiger Snake but it was too quick for photos.
Red-neck Wallaby with joey
CRADLE MOUNTAIN NP
This would have to be one of the most beautiful places that I have visited. The country was just so scenic when the weather was clear. I spent a couple of days hiking the trails and climbed to the summit of the mountain.
1) King Billy Pine were frequent around some of the lakes
2) Pandani
3) Antarctic Beech Trees (Nothofagus moorei)
1) Northern Snow Skink (Niveoscincus greeni)
2-4) Metallic Skink (Niveoscincus metallicus) -- note that others have reported N. orocryptus from the area.
5) Southern Snow Skink (Niveoscincus microlepidotus)
6) Ocellated Skink (Niveoscincus ocellatus)
Tasmanian Pademelon and Wombat
Regards,
David
HARTZ MOUNTAIN
One of the particularly nice areas that I visited was Hartz Mountain. This mountain was situated about an hour's drive to the southwest of Hobart. It was located in the eastern border of the Southwest National Park. This park was wild and untouched. The weather often was foul but the area was superb and well worth the effort to visit
The walk to the summit of the mountain was a scenic one and not all that steep. It was about a half-day trip to walk from the car park to the summit and then return.
The mountain was high enough to be snow capped in the winter. The weather here was often foul even during the summer. I visited the mountain on five occasions before I finally was able to walk to the summit on a clear day. The goal of my trips was to find and photograph an odd little snow skink that lives on the upper slope of the mountain.
... autumn photo. The lakes were full of a small shrimp and an ancient relative of trout known as Galaxia.
View of the southwest wilderness from the summit of Hartz Mtn. There were plenty of great treks here for the adventurous!
These shots were taken near the start of the walk to the summit. It was such a gorgeous place!
On one of my trips, it was clear everywhere but the summit that was enveloped in thick cloud. In February (mid-summer), it was windy and snowing.
1-2)The lakes were surrounded by King Billy Pines (Athrotaxis selaginoides).
3) unknown
4) Banksia, a member of Proteaceae
1) Tree ferns were thick at lower altitudes. These photos were taken at the base of Hartz Mountain.
2) Celery Top Pine (Phyllocladus aspleniifolius)
3) Strong-billed Honeyeater, a Tassie endemic
4) Pink Robin -- colourful but shy birds that seem to be particularly common in Tasmania. They also occur in southeastern Australia but seem to be easier to see in Tasmania.
1) Pandani (Richea pandanifolia) are the largest of the Tasmanian heaths (Epacridaceae). They look much like Pandanus or Screw Pines that grow along the tropical coasts of northern Australia.
2-3) Cushion Plants were numerous at high altitudes
4) Mountain Rockets (Bellendena montana), an odd member of Proteaceae.
5) habitat
6) Wallaby mum and joey. They have thick fur here in this cold climate.
One of the reasons for my trips to this mountain was to see a skink that is thought to only occur near the summits of several peaks in the southwest of Tasmania. I finally saw several on a cold but sunny day (10C) not far from the peak of Hartz Mtn.
Heath Cool-Skink (Niveoscincus orocryptus)
MT. FIELD
This national park was situated about an hour's drive to the northwest of Hobart. The alpine areas of this park were colourful for a short time in April when Deciduous Beech (Nothofagus gunii) trees loose their leaves. The colour of the leaves changed rapidly from green to yellow and then to orange. The slopes of the mountains were bathed with colour on two of my trips in April.
1-2) habitat
3) boardwalk
4) Galaxia sp., one of the ancient endemic relatives of trout
5) freshwater shrimp
6) lake where Platypus were frequent.
Southern Snow Skinks (Niveoscincus microlepidotus) were common at upper elevations.
Metallic Skinks (Niveoscincus metallicus) were more common at lower elevations.
White-lipped Snake (Drysdalia coronoides) -- a member of the family Elapidae (Cobra family) as are most Australian snakes.
Common Pinkberry (Leptecophylla junipera) and Pandani
Red-necked Wallaby and Tasmania Pademelon
TASMAN PENINSULA
The Tasman Peninsula was situated a little to the east of Hobart. The coastline of this region was rugged with spectacular cliffs.
Cape Raoul:
Cape Hauy -- has a colony of Australian Fur Seals.
Ocellated Skink (Niveoscincus ocellatus) were common on the rocks of the headlands.
Some of the skinks in Tasmania were hard to identify. I think that the following was a Tasmanian Tree Skink (Niveoscincus pretiosus) but I am not certain.
White's Skink (Liopholis whitii) and Eastern Three-lined Skink (Acritoscincus duperreyi):
Black Cockatoo and Tasmanian Native Hen (flightless endemic)
Echidna in Tasmania had thick fur when compared to those in the Wollongong area where I live.
BEN LOMOND NP
I visited Ben Lomond NP on a single occasion. This park was located several hours north of Hobart. It was another rugged and rocky place.
Northern Snow Skinks (Niveoscincus greeni) were numerous, especially on rocks along small creeks.
1) Cushion Plant
2) Scoparia (Richea scoparia)
3) Alpine Cheeseberry (Planocarpa petiolaris)
BAY-OF-FIRES
My wife and I went on a drive to this lovely coastal area one day. It was several hours northeast of Hobart. I saw a beautiful glossy black and yellow Tiger Snake but it was too quick for photos.
Red-neck Wallaby with joey
CRADLE MOUNTAIN NP
This would have to be one of the most beautiful places that I have visited. The country was just so scenic when the weather was clear. I spent a couple of days hiking the trails and climbed to the summit of the mountain.
1) King Billy Pine were frequent around some of the lakes
2) Pandani
3) Antarctic Beech Trees (Nothofagus moorei)
1) Northern Snow Skink (Niveoscincus greeni)
2-4) Metallic Skink (Niveoscincus metallicus) -- note that others have reported N. orocryptus from the area.
5) Southern Snow Skink (Niveoscincus microlepidotus)
6) Ocellated Skink (Niveoscincus ocellatus)
Tasmanian Pademelon and Wombat
Regards,
David
And keep traveling and taking photos!