The Tasmanian Arboretum
Encyclopedia
The Tasmanian Arboretum is a botanical tree park (an arboretum
) near Devonport, Tasmania
, Australia
.
Since then, a botanical annexe at Hogg Creek has been added to the site, comprising 1.8ha purchased allowing access to an adjoining public reserve. Combined they are described as the Hogg Creek Botanical Annexe. The Annexe has a high degree of biophysical naturalness although the steep sides of the valley allow light in and thus weeds to establish themselves.
11ha adjoining the main Eugenana site was gifted in 1996 by the then North Forest Products to help protect the landscape values of the sites location. In 2009 a further 7.9ha, consisting of a disused quarry floor and some cleared land surrounding the Eugenana State Reserve has been purchased.
Total area of the main site is 66ha with some 40ha for the collection and 22 of local natural vegetation. The balance is either quarry floor or infrastructure.
There are over 4100 plants in the geographic and thematic collections, besides the indigenous species. Collections are mainly of temperate plants and include the Tasmanian, the Southern Hemisphere Conifers, leatherwood Eucryphia
species
and the cool temperate Nothofagus
. Broadly, this represents a collection of the descendant of the flora of Gondwana
.
65 species of birds have been recorded from the site including the Swift Parrot
(Lathamus discolor) and the Grey Goshawk
(Accipitifer novaehollandae).
The arboretum opens daily from 9am to sunset and requests a donation from visitors so it may continue its work.
Activities include walking the tracks in a peaceful setting to view the plants, the wildlife, the art, the landscape and the limestone heritage.
Platypus
may be seen on Founders Lake during windless periods or late in the afternoon, Tasmanian Native-hens (Gallinula morterii) abound and other birds may be observed.
The picnic area contains shelters with coin operated barbecues and outdoor wood fired ones.
Exhibitions and other activities are listed on the website.
Maintenance of the collections is largely by the volunteers. Development has been funded by a range of donors. The Devonport City Council currently grants $21,000 per annum to assist with operations of the cultural attraction.
Arboretum
An arboretum in a narrow sense is a collection of trees only. Related collections include a fruticetum , and a viticetum, a collection of vines. More commonly, today, an arboretum is a botanical garden containing living collections of woody plants intended at least partly for scientific study...
) near Devonport, Tasmania
Devonport, Tasmania
-Sport:The Devonport Football Club is an Australian Rules team competing in the Tasmanian Statewide League. The Devonport Rugby Club is a Rugby Union team competing in the Tasmanian Rugby Union Statewide League...
, 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...
.
History
The arboretum was incorporated on the 16th of May 1984. The site originally consisted of 47ha of farmland and remnant forest which was purchased with Australian Bicentennial Grant funding. The first plantings of woody plants to add to the existing trees was in 1986.Since then, a botanical annexe at Hogg Creek has been added to the site, comprising 1.8ha purchased allowing access to an adjoining public reserve. Combined they are described as the Hogg Creek Botanical Annexe. The Annexe has a high degree of biophysical naturalness although the steep sides of the valley allow light in and thus weeds to establish themselves.
11ha adjoining the main Eugenana site was gifted in 1996 by the then North Forest Products to help protect the landscape values of the sites location. In 2009 a further 7.9ha, consisting of a disused quarry floor and some cleared land surrounding the Eugenana State Reserve has been purchased.
Total area of the main site is 66ha with some 40ha for the collection and 22 of local natural vegetation. The balance is either quarry floor or infrastructure.
Current park features
The main site encompasses a section of the Don River where it adjoins Melrose Creek, surface limestone formations, old limestone quarries dating from circa 1860, associated tramway and railway formations and infrastructure associated with landscaping and managing a landscape arboretum.There are over 4100 plants in the geographic and thematic collections, besides the indigenous species. Collections are mainly of temperate plants and include the Tasmanian, the Southern Hemisphere Conifers, leatherwood Eucryphia
Eucryphia
Eucryphia is a small genus of trees or large shrubs of the Antarctic flora, native to the south temperate regions of South America and coastal eastern Australia. Traditionally placed in a family of their own, the Eucryphiaceae, more recent classifications place them in the Cunoniaceae. There are...
species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
and the cool temperate Nothofagus
Nothofagus
Nothofagus, also known as the southern beeches, is a genus of 35 species of trees and shrubs native to the temperate oceanic to tropical Southern Hemisphere in southern South America and Australasia...
. Broadly, this represents a collection of the descendant of the flora of Gondwana
Gondwana
In paleogeography, Gondwana , originally Gondwanaland, was the southernmost of two supercontinents that later became parts of the Pangaea supercontinent. It existed from approximately 510 to 180 million years ago . Gondwana is believed to have sutured between ca. 570 and 510 Mya,...
.
65 species of birds have been recorded from the site including the Swift Parrot
Swift Parrot
The Swift Parrot breeds in Tasmania and migrates north to south eastern Australia from Griffith-Warialda in New South Wales and west to Adelaide in the winter. It is related to the rosellas, with the feeding habits of a lorikeet...
(Lathamus discolor) and the Grey Goshawk
Grey Goshawk
The Grey Goshawk, Accipiter novaehollandiae, the white morph of which is known as the White Goshawk, is a strongly built, medium-sized bird of prey in the family Accipitridae.-Description:...
(Accipitifer novaehollandae).
The arboretum opens daily from 9am to sunset and requests a donation from visitors so it may continue its work.
Activities include walking the tracks in a peaceful setting to view the plants, the wildlife, the art, the landscape and the limestone heritage.
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...
may be seen on Founders Lake during windless periods or late in the afternoon, Tasmanian Native-hens (Gallinula morterii) abound and other birds may be observed.
The picnic area contains shelters with coin operated barbecues and outdoor wood fired ones.
Exhibitions and other activities are listed on the website.
Organization
The organization, The Tasmanian Arboretum Inc., is an incorporated not for profit organization dedicated to operating a botanical institution for education, enjoyment of nature and research. It has a membership and is governed by an elected committee of up to 14.Maintenance of the collections is largely by the volunteers. Development has been funded by a range of donors. The Devonport City Council currently grants $21,000 per annum to assist with operations of the cultural attraction.