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| Central Plateau (Tasmania) | |
|---|---|
| Name | Central Plateau |
| State | Tasmania |
| Country | Australia |
| Area km2 | 5000 |
| Highest elevation m | 1617 |
| Coordinates | 41°50′S 146°30′E |
Central Plateau (Tasmania) The Central Plateau is a highland region in the island state of Tasmania, Australia, forming a broad elevated plain bounded by ranges and river valleys. The plateau is noted for its glacial and periglacial landforms, extensive peatlands, and role as the headwaters for major rivers that drain toward the Tasman Sea and the Southern Ocean. The region lies within the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area and intersects with several national parks and conservation reserves.
The plateau occupies much of central Tasmania and is framed by the Great Western Tiers, the Western Tiers, the Du Cane Range, and the Central Highlands (Tasmania). Major drainage basins include the Derwent River, Mersey River, Tamar River, and Forth River catchments, while notable lakes and impoundments include Lake St Clair, Lake Echo, Lake Mackintosh, Lake Pedder, and Great Lake (Tasmania). Prominent peaks near the plateau margin include Mount Ossa, Barn Bluff, Mount Pelion West, and Cradle Mountain. Settlements and access points on the plateau fringe include Derwent Bridge, Miena, Bridport, Deloraine, and Queenstown, with transport connections via the Lyell Highway, the A5 (Tasmania), and the Mersey Forest Road.
The geology of the region is dominated by Dolerite sills and columns that cap older Precambrian and Palaeozoic sediments, reflecting Tasmania's place in the former supercontinent Gondwana. Quaternary glaciation produced cirques and moraines evident at sites such as Lake St Clair and the Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park area, while periglacial processes created patterned ground and blockfields exemplified at Mt. Field National Park and the Walls of Jerusalem National Park margins. Tectonic history ties to episodes represented in the Tasman Orogeny and the distribution of Permian coal measures on the island. Volcanic and intrusive episodes account for dolerite exposures shared with locations like Freycinet Peninsula and Maria Island.
The plateau experiences a cool temperate to subalpine climate influenced by the Roaring Forties and the proximate Southern Ocean. Weather patterns are modulated by frontal systems associated with the Antarctic Circumpolar Current and the Southern Annular Mode, producing high precipitation and regular snowfall at elevations above about 900 metres. Hydrologically the plateau is the source region for impoundments developed by entities such as Hydro Tasmania and features long-residence alpine lakes like the Great Lake (Tasmania) and Lake Echo, important for hydroelectricity linked to schemes at Waddamana, Poatina Power Station, and Gordon Power Station.
Vegetation on the plateau ranges from buttongrass moorlands and button grass plains to alpine heath, subalpine woodlands of Eucalyptus coccifera and E. delegatensis, and wet sclerophyll forests in sheltered valleys such as those within Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park. Endemic plant communities include cushion plants such as Saxifraga federici-augusti analogues and endemic genera represented in the Tasmanian alpine flora. Peatlands and Sphagnum bogs sequester carbon and host taxa conserved by organizations like the Tasmanian Land Conservancy and the Australian Network for Plant Conservation. Fire ecology is a management concern due to interactions between native fire regimes recorded in archival material from the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre and altered fire patterns observed since European colonisation.
The plateau supports species adapted to alpine and moorland environments including the Tasmanian devil, Bennett's wallaby, common wombat, and populations of the endangered eastern quoll. Avifauna includes black currawong, scrubtit, yellow-throated honeyeater, and migratory visitors such as cormorant species on impoundments. Aquatic systems host native fish like the Galaxias spp. and invertebrates monitored under programs run by the Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service and Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment (Tasmania). Introduced mammals such as feral cat and red fox incursions are subjects of eradication and control efforts coordinated with agencies including the Invasive Species Council.
The plateau lies within the traditional lands of Tasmanian Aboriginal nations including the Paredarerme and neighboring groups recorded by researchers associated with the Aboriginal Heritage Office. Archaeological evidence, oral histories, and ethnographic records held by institutions like the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery indicate seasonal use of highland resources and travel routes connecting coastal and interior areas. European exploration in the 19th century involved figures such as John Glover (painter) documenting landscapes, and infrastructure developments during the Hydro-electricity expansion era reshaped waterways and livelihoods in communities like Shannon and Newton River.
Land uses encompass hydroelectricity, grazing leases, conservation reserves, and wilderness protection within the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area and national parks including Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park, Walls of Jerusalem National Park, and Central Plateau Conservation Area. Conservation efforts are coordinated by bodies such as the Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service, World Wildlife Fund Australia, and the Australian Heritage Council. Land tenure includes private holdings, Crown land, and conservation covenants administered by groups like the Tasmanian Land Conservancy and management actions respond to threats from climate change, invasive species, and altered fire regimes.
The plateau is a focal point for bushwalking, fly-fishing, skiing, and wilderness experiences, with established routes including sections of the Overland Track and access points from Cradle Mountain (village), Miena, and Derwent Bridge. Recreational fishing targets trout populations in lakes promoted by clubs such as the Tasmanian Inland Fisheries Service and the Anglers Association of Tasmania. Winter sports, backcountry camping, and guided tours are provided by local operators licensed by the Parks and Wildlife Service while safety messaging draws on alerts coordinated with State Emergency Service (Tasmania). Access is seasonal with road links like the Lyell Highway subject to snow closures and maintenance by the Department of State Growth (Tasmania).
Category:Central Highlands (Tasmania) Category:Tasmanian Wilderness