Gondwanan Dreaming

Yesterday I spend a considerable amount of time researching the Tarkine in Tasmania. Named after the Tarkayna people by the conservation movement that still fights so hard to save it. It is Australia’s largest Gondwanan cool temperate rainforest, the second largest temperate rainforest in the world. Gondwananland refers to the supercontinent that existed 550 million years ago. It is when we were still connected to Antartica, Africa and South America.

Interestingly, the banksia is an example of a plant with Gondwanan distribution, as are protea. Simply fascinating.

This Banksia was photographed in the Blue Mountains

Another fascinating thing is that as soon as I really dig deep into the conservational values of a place, I inevitably end up in politics. Basically, the main reason the Tarkine isn’t a world heritage site or preserved as a national park of national significance is because it is full of zinc, copper and lead. So we spend as much time as possible converting pristine rainforest into forestry coupes full of plantation timbers, so that it will be very easy to convert to mines when we need too. Ok, I do acknowledge that my analysis is very cynical. But I really struggle to understand why we are clear felling such important rainforest as quickly as possible for cardboard boxes and toilet paper.

There is a strong movement to have it listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. It meets seven out of ten of the criteria for inclusion as a world heritage site. If it was to be added only one other site in the world meets so many of the criteria.

It has even been recommended by our own government reports for National Heritage Listing. A recommendation that has been blissfully ignored except off a 2 km strip of coastline that was included in 2013.

I find it all heartbreaking. Yet so typical of how this modern world works.

I am so looking forward to returning again next year. I expect interstate travel will be welcomed in another ten months time. If you would like to join me on my favourite photography location for a tour, please book now, as there are only a few spots left. https://www.lensschool.com/workshops-tours/tarkine-photography-tour-2022

Photographs and text copyright © Len Metcalf 2021