Hartz Mountains National Park
Encyclopedia
Hartz Mountains National Park is located in the south of Tasmania
, Australia
. It is one of 19 Tasmanian National Parks, and in 1989 it was included in the Tasmanian Wilderness
World Heritage Area, in recognition of its natural and cultural values. The Hartz Mountains
were named after the Harz
mountain range in Germany.
s formed from sediments deposited by marine, glacial and freshwater sources between 355 and 180 million years ago. The relief has been modified over time by several ice ages, forming cirque
s, horn peaks, aretes and glacial troughs.
forests, mixed forests dominated by stringybark
(Eucalyptus obliqua), rainforest
s, sub-alpine and alpine forests. The rainforest communities are dominated by myrtle (Nothofagus cunninghamii), sassafras (Atherosperma moschatum), leatherwood
(Eucryphia lucida) and native laurel
(Anopterus glandulosus). The sub-alpine forests are dominated by three eucalypt types: snow gum
(Eucalyptus coccifera), varnished gum
(E. vernicosa), Australia's smallest eucalypt, and yellow gum (E. subcrenulata). Much of the understorey is made of heath plants, including the Tasmanian waratah
(Telopea truncata).
Most mammals in the park are nocturnal, and include Bennett's wallabies
, Tasmanian Pademelon
s, brushtail possum
s, echidna
s and platypus
.
Among amphibians outstanding is the Moss Froglet
which was discovered at Hartz Mountains in 1992. Some of the common birds in the park include the Eastern Spinebill
, Green Rosella
, Forest Raven
and several honeyeater
s.
. The first Europeans came to the area in the 19th century in search of Huon pine timber.
In the 1840s early settlers including the Geeves family founded the township of Geeveston
, and laid the first track to the Hartz Mountains. As a result the area became one of Tasmania's earliest popular bushwalking destinations. The increasing popularity of the area for recreation led to it being declared a scenic reserve in 1939. In 1951 it was proclaimed to a national park, and in 1989 it was included in the Tasmanian Wilderness
World Heritage Area.
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. It is one of 19 Tasmanian National Parks, and in 1989 it was included in the Tasmanian Wilderness
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, Western and Central are the most well known. However, there are also other areas in Tasmania that have the elements of being known as wilderness areas, the Tarkine...
World Heritage Area, in recognition of its natural and cultural values. The Hartz Mountains
Hartz Mountains (Tasmania)
The Hartz Mountains are twin mountains located in Tasmania. They are 55 kilometres south west of Hobart, and are part of the Hartz Mountains National Park. The Hartz Mountains area experiences typical south-west weather conditions...
were named after the Harz
Harz
The Harz is the highest mountain range in northern Germany and its rugged terrain extends across parts of Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia. The name Harz derives from the Middle High German word Hardt or Hart , latinized as Hercynia. The legendary Brocken is the highest summit in the Harz...
mountain range in Germany.
Geography and geology
Most of the park is over 600 metres above sea level, with altitudes ranging from 160 m at the Picton River to 1,255 m at Hartz Peak. The backbone of rock in the park is dolerite, while the southern areas at lower altitudes are constituted from sedimentary rockSedimentary rock
Sedimentary rock are types of rock that are formed by the deposition of material at the Earth's surface and within bodies of water. Sedimentation is the collective name for processes that cause mineral and/or organic particles to settle and accumulate or minerals to precipitate from a solution....
s formed from sediments deposited by marine, glacial and freshwater sources between 355 and 180 million years ago. The relief has been modified over time by several ice ages, forming cirque
Cirque
Cirque may refer to:* Cirque, a geological formation* Makhtesh, an erosional landform found in the Negev desert of Israel and Sinai of Egypt*Cirque , an album by Biosphere* Cirque Corporation, a company that makes touchpads...
s, horn peaks, aretes and glacial troughs.
Flora and fauna
The varied vegetation includes wet eucalyptEucalypt
Eucalypts are woody plants belonging to three closely related genera:Eucalyptus, Corymbia and Angophora.In 1995 new evidence, largely genetic, indicated that some prominent Eucalyptus species were actually more closely related to Angophora than to the other eucalypts; they were split off into the...
forests, mixed forests dominated by stringybark
Eucalyptus obliqua
Eucalyptus obliqua, commonly known as Australian Oak, Brown Top, Brown Top Stringbark, Messmate, Messmate Stringybark, Stringybark and Tasmanian Oak, is a hardwood tree native to south-eastern Australia....
(Eucalyptus obliqua), rainforest
Rainforest
Rainforests are forests characterized by high rainfall, with definitions based on a minimum normal annual rainfall of 1750-2000 mm...
s, sub-alpine and alpine forests. The rainforest communities are dominated by myrtle (Nothofagus cunninghamii), sassafras (Atherosperma moschatum), leatherwood
Eucryphia lucida
Eucryphia lucida, commonly known as the Leatherwood is a small tree or large shrub found in forest in Tasmania. An attractive plant utilised in both the horticulture and apiculture industries, it was promoted by the Tasmanian Branch of the then SGAP as an alternative to the Tasmanian blue gum for...
(Eucryphia lucida) and native laurel
Anopterus glandulosus
Anopterus glandulosus is a species of shrub or small tree in the family Escalloniaceae, native to Tasmania in Australia....
(Anopterus glandulosus). The sub-alpine forests are dominated by three eucalypt types: snow gum
Eucalyptus coccifera
Eucalyptus coccifera, the Tasmanian snow gum or the Mount Wellington Peppermint, is a native tree of Tasmania.It grows as a shrub on margins of the alpine Central Highland Tasmania....
(Eucalyptus coccifera), varnished gum
Eucalyptus vernicosa
Eucalyptus vernicosa is the smallest of all the eucalypt species, a shrub growing to a maximum height of 4 metres, but is typically shorter than 1 metre....
(E. vernicosa), Australia's smallest eucalypt, and yellow gum (E. subcrenulata). Much of the understorey is made of heath plants, including the Tasmanian waratah
Telopea truncata
Telopea truncata, commonly known as the Tasmanian Waratah, is a large shrub in the Proteaceae family. It is endemic to Tasmania in Australia.-Description:...
(Telopea truncata).
Most mammals in the park are nocturnal, and include Bennett's wallabies
Red-necked Wallaby
The Red-necked Wallaby is a medium-sized marsupial macropod, common in the more temperate and fertile parts of eastern Australia, including Tasmania.- Description :...
, Tasmanian Pademelon
Tasmanian Pademelon
The Tasmanian Pademelon , also known as the Rufous-bellied Pademelon or Red-bellied Pademelon, is the sole endemic species of pademelon found in Tasmania, and formerly throughout south-eastern Australia...
s, brushtail possum
Brushtail possum
The brushtail possums are the members of the genus, Trichosurus, a genus of marsupial in the Phalangeridae family.It contains the following species:*Northern Brushtail Possum, Trichosurus arnhemensis...
s, echidna
Echidna
Echidnas , also known as spiny anteaters, belong to the family Tachyglossidae in the monotreme order of egg-laying mammals. There are four extant species, which, together with the platypus, are the only surviving members of that order and are the only extant mammals that lay eggs...
s and platypus
Platypus
The platypus is a semi-aquatic mammal endemic to eastern Australia, including Tasmania. Together with the four species of echidna, it is one of the five extant species of monotremes, the only mammals that lay eggs instead of giving birth to live young...
.
Among amphibians outstanding is the Moss Froglet
Moss Froglet
The Moss Froglet or Moss Frog is a species of frog in the Myobatrachidae family.It is endemic to Tasmania.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, temperate shrubland, and swamps.-References:...
which was discovered at Hartz Mountains in 1992. Some of the common birds in the park include the Eastern Spinebill
Eastern Spinebill
The Eastern Spinebill, Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris, is a species of honeyeater found in south-eastern Australia in forest and woodland areas, as well as gardens in urban areas of Sydney and Melbourne...
, Green Rosella
Green Rosella
The Green Rosella or Tasmanian Rosella is endemic to Tasmania and Bass Strait islands. At 37 cm long it is the largest species of the Rosella genus...
, Forest Raven
Forest Raven
The Forest Raven is a large species of the crow genus native to south-eastern Australia and Tasmania.-Description:The Forest Raven is 50–52 cm in length with glossy black plumage and a white iris. It has a proportionately larger bill and shorter tail than the other mainland corvid species and...
and several honeyeater
Honeyeater
The honeyeaters are a large and diverse family of small to medium sized birds most common in Australia and New Guinea, but also found in New Zealand, the Pacific islands as far east as Samoa and Tonga, and the islands to the north and west of New Guinea known as Wallacea...
s.
Human history
The area of the park was once inhabited by the Mellukerdee aboriginal peopleTasmanian Aborigines
The Tasmanian Aborigines were the indigenous people of the island state of Tasmania, Australia. Before British colonisation in 1803, there were an estimated 3,000–15,000 Parlevar. A number of historians point to introduced disease as the major cause of the destruction of the full-blooded...
. The first Europeans came to the area in the 19th century in search of Huon pine timber.
In the 1840s early settlers including the Geeves family founded the township of Geeveston
Geeveston, Tasmania
Geeveston is a small Australian town located in the south of Tasmania on the Huon River, 62 km south west of Hobart, making it Australia's most southerly administrative centre. The town takes its name from William Geeves, an English settler who was given a land grant by Lady Jane Franklin in the...
, and laid the first track to the Hartz Mountains. As a result the area became one of Tasmania's earliest popular bushwalking destinations. The increasing popularity of the area for recreation led to it being declared a scenic reserve in 1939. In 1951 it was proclaimed to a national park, and in 1989 it was included in the Tasmanian Wilderness
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, Western and Central are the most well known. However, there are also other areas in Tasmania that have the elements of being known as wilderness areas, the Tarkine...
World Heritage Area.