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Natural State News
Issue 3 2007
TARGA TASMANIA
Some car aficionados believe Tassie has some of the best touring roads in the world. Hollywood star Eric Bana might be one of them for this year Bana will take part in the Targa Tasmania as it loops around the island state in April. Held over six days an expected field of around 300, including Lamborghinis, Ferraris and Porsches, purr over 2000km on roads that wind through a diverse range of landscapes including coast roads and mountain passes.
This Targa passes by, or close to, some of the very best of Tasmania’s acclaimed natural wonders including the Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park and an east coast touring route where, if the drivers weren’t racing they would surely stop at some of the charming fishing villages to sample spanking fresh oysters and crayfish.
An estimated 200,000 people turn out along the various stages of the Targa to see this multi-million dollar motor show. Of course if you can’t make it to Tasmania in April you could take your own Targa – and tour the very best of Tasmania at a pace where it is okay to linger over fine food and wine, and wonderful World Heritage wilds.
TASMANIA'S WORLD HERITAGE AREA TURNS 25
2007 is the 25th anniversary of Tasmania’s historic World Heritage Listing. It put Tasmania at the forefront of the eco-tourism movement.
In December 1982 the UNESCO Committee declared the wilderness a World Heritage Area (WHA). At the time of inscription, the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area (TWWHA) satisfied seven of a possible ten criteria - more than any other World Heritage Site. The TWWHA is still one of only 13 World Heritage properties that satisfy all natural criteria for selection and one of only 24 that meet both natural and cultural criteria.
Incredibly, the WHA covers about 20 per cent of Tasmania.
MARK WEBBER GIVES TASMANIA FORMULA 1 EXPOSURE
The 2007 Mark Webber Pure Tasmania Challenge was launched at the Melbourne Grand Prix. And the stars were out in Webber’s corporate box which had an entirely Tasmanian theme.
Kylie and Dannii Minogue, together with Anthony Edwards of Top Gun and ER fame, were surrounded by images of Tasmanian landscapes when they visited Mark’s hospitality suite to support the 2007 Mark Webber Pure Tasmania Challenge, which was launched at the Grand Prix on 16 March.
Following two successful Mark Webber Challenges in Tasmania, Mark has jumped at the chance to extend his partnership with the state, this time in the Formula 1 arena.
Webber has the words ‘discovertasmania.com’ inscribed on the chin bar of his racing helmet. The venture is expected to deliver enormous benefits for the State. Grand Prix race commentator Murray Walker made several references to “the Red Bull discovertasmania vehicle”.
With the Formula 1 viewing audience estimated at around 350 million, the arrangement will put Tasmania firmly in the international spotlight over the coming Formula 1 season.
Mark’s commitment to Tasmania’s natural values was further demonstrated by his donation of $20,000 to the Tasmanian Devil Appeal.
“Such a generous contribution to finding a cure for this devastating disease is a wonderful incentive for the rest of the Australian and international community to help where they can,” said Tourism Tasmania CEO Felicia Mariani.
Mark made the donation on Australia’s top-rating breakfast television show Sunrise, after presenting cheques of $243,500 to each of the two cancer charities supported by the 2006 Mark Webber Pure Tasmania Challenge, The Cancer Council Tasmania’s Cancer Plus and TLC for Kids.
The 2007 Challenge hits Cradle Mountain, the Kentish region, the Great Western Tiers, Freycinet and the Hobart area between 18 and 22 November.
www.discovertasmania.com
www.markwebberchallenge.com
FOOTSTEPS OF FOOD
As a way of highlighting local food as well as drawing attention to one of the diverse contributors to global warming, Meadowbank Estate has incorporated food-kilometres into its restaurant menu.
Food kilometres are the approximate distance the main ingredients in each dish have travelled from their source to the Meadowbank kitchen and every menu item indicates the food kilometres travelled:
Smoked eel, potato pancakes, crispy bacon and horseradish cream
Food kilometres - 180
Barilla Bay oysters, asparagus granita
Food kilometres - 2
Grandview "Blue by Ewe" (Tassie sheep milk cheese) with leatherwood honeycomb
Food kilometres - 45
AUTUMN IN TASSIE
When Hobart was founded in 1804 some European settlers invested a good deal of effort in recreating versions of England and when you fetch up in Hobart this might at first be noticeable in some of the Georgian architecture. But during autumn it's the blooming gardens that might captivate you more. Gardens planted with species redolent of England become pregnant with stunning ambers, reds and yellows and the contrast with the non-deciduous native landscape can make the countryside almost as lively as an artist's palette.
The essence of Tasmania's autumn can be found in Hobart's Botanical Gardens. The Garden's first superintendent, William Davidson, was appointed in 1828 and set about importing plants from England as well as collecting native species from Mount Wellington (at 1270 metres this its forested east face presides over Hobart). Now there are stately trees all over the garden. The National Trust of Tasmania has a Significant Tree register and it includes 64 trees planted in these gardens, including all the grand oaks.
Other highlights include a conservatory (the chrysanthemums will be flowering in autumn), the sub-Antarctic house and a carefully tended Japanese Garden - Hobart has a sister-city relationship with Yaizu in Japan - as well as a surrounding brick wall that was once innovately heated in order to promote the growth of ornamentals including espalliered fruit trees.
www.rtbg.tas.gov.au
www.discovertasmania.com
HARVEST CELEBRATION LUNCH
Celebrate the 2007 grape harvest. Graeme Philips, Tasmania's foremost wine writer and food critic, and the Coal Valley Vineyard chefs Jo, Tony and Justin will be preparing a delicious traditional goose cassoulet to compliment this season's wine. Fill your wine jug straight from the barrel. And after the cassoulet help yourself to the special selection of cheeses.
The lunch will be held on Sunday 20th May. Bookings essential.
HOBART FRINGE FESTIVAL
The festival promotes experimental, emerging and multi-disciplinary art. The challenge given to the artistic director was to find new art forms for 2007 and the festival gives artists the freedom to create non-commercial works. The heartland of the festival will be in North Hobart.
THREE PEAKS
The Hydro Tasmania Three Peaks Race is a four-day non-stop 335 nautical mile sailing race around Tasmania's East Coast. Teams made up of two runners go ashore to run and scale three mountains.
This is Australia's ultimate endurance challenge. The Three Peaks Race commences at Beauty Point on the Tamar River just north of Launceston and finishes in Hobart on the Derwent River. En-route, teams have to scale Mt Strzelecki, Mt Freycinet and Mt Wellington.
The race is held over Easter.
CELEBRATE PORT ARTHUR
Significant anniversaries for the Port Arthur Historic Site are being celebrated in 2007.
It is 30 years since the first archaeological research project was carried out on the site and this year also marks the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Port Arthur Historic Site Management Authority.
The historic site is now considered to be Australia's foremost 'archaeological park', where archaeological activities are actively coordinated and shared with the public. Archaeology is a fundamental element of Port Arthur's approach to managing the cultural heritage value of the site. Indeed, archaeological field experience is one of Port Arthur's most notable exports.
A range of celebratory events and activities is planned to mark the anniversary including an on-site display with a focus on past projects, signage at sites of previous excavations, public talks, conference presentations and activities arranged to coincide with National Archaeology Week in May.
WORLD FIRST FOR WHALE RESCUE
Some folk in Tassie are still celebrating their latest whale rescue at Macquarie Harbour. In a world-first for whale rescues, seven of the 12 sperm whales stranded in Macquarie Harbour near Strahan have been safely returned to the ocean.
Rescuers were ecstatic after the last two whales were moved off a sandbar and out past Macquarie Heads on Sunday 11 March. A netting technique that has been used previously in Strahan was a key component of the successful rescue effort.
Two documentary film crews, including one from the BBC Natural History Unit, were on hand to record the landmark rescue, and the footage will be used to show other whale rescuers the successfully employed techniques.
Check the Events Tasmania website for upcoming events
For further information:
travelmedia.tourismtasmania.com.au
www.discovertasmania.com
www.eventstasmania.com