Important Bushfire Update February 2019
In late December 2018 and January 15th 2019 'Dry Lightning' struck in many areas of Tasmania. Dry lightning is basically a thunderstorm without the rain - I actually experienced it as I was coming down from The Walls of Jerusalem NP on January 15th. Because the state had been experiencing one of its driest and warmest summer on record, these lightning strikes ignited many bushfires. One of these fires, known as the Riveaux Road fire, began on January 15th a few kilometers SW of the Tahune Airwalk. Because the forest was so dry, the fire was quick to spread and was unable to be controlled over the following three weeks. Tragically, the fire appears to have impacted on many of the giant and tall trees in the Arve, Huon, Kermandie and Barnback areas. While the fire would have burned at different intensities depending on the day, the wind and the aspect of the land, it is highly likely that most of the large old trees listed on this site from those areas would have died. This is because even if the tree survived the initial flames, very old trees invariably have hollows and rot pockets at their bases and lower limbs which allow multiple entry points for fire. This means an older tree can keep burning long after the fire front has passed. I will update the web pages for the Arve, Huon, Esperance and Dover areas as soon as I have better information.
Tasmania's Giant Trees by Brett Mifsud
With its high rainfall, moderate climate, good soils and the fact that some tall forest areas have remained free of catastrophic fire for up to 500 years, Tasmania has the ideal conditions to produce exceptionally large
Eucalypts. In fact Tasmania is the home to Australia's largest and tallest trees with individual specimens towering up to 99.6m tall and ancient monsters bulging to over 21m in girth. While most of these giants are Eucalyptus regnans, (known locally as Swamp Gum or mountain ash if you are in Victoria). Eucalyptus globulus - Blue Gum, Eucalyptus viminalis - White gum or Manna gum, Euclayptus delegatensis - gum topped Stringybark, and Eucalyptus obliqua - Stringybark, are all known to have produced trees that exceed 85m in height. There are a number of regions where you can easily see giant eucalypts: The Styx Valley, The Florentine and Upper Derwent, The Huon and Arve valleys and the North East forests.
Eucalypts. In fact Tasmania is the home to Australia's largest and tallest trees with individual specimens towering up to 99.6m tall and ancient monsters bulging to over 21m in girth. While most of these giants are Eucalyptus regnans, (known locally as Swamp Gum or mountain ash if you are in Victoria). Eucalyptus globulus - Blue Gum, Eucalyptus viminalis - White gum or Manna gum, Euclayptus delegatensis - gum topped Stringybark, and Eucalyptus obliqua - Stringybark, are all known to have produced trees that exceed 85m in height. There are a number of regions where you can easily see giant eucalypts: The Styx Valley, The Florentine and Upper Derwent, The Huon and Arve valleys and the North East forests.
The massive fluted base of 'The Prefect' - Southern Tasmania
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