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| Mount Field National Park | |
|---|---|
| Name | Mount Field National Park |
| Location | Tasmania, Australia |
| Area | 1,054 ha |
| Established | 1916 |
| Governing body | Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service |
Mount Field National Park
Mount Field National Park lies in Tasmania, Australia, within the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area near Maydena and Mount Field township. The park is noted for alpine plateaus, temperate rainforest and glacially carved lakes, attracting scientists, bushwalkers and photographers from Hobart and across Oceania. Visitors access the park via the Lyell Highway and facilities are managed by the Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service and related conservation organisations.
Mount Field National Park occupies part of the Tasmanian Highlands and drains into the River Derwent catchment near New Norfolk and the Central Plateau. The park includes prominent features such as Mount Field East and Mount Field West formed during the Paleozoic orogenies and later modified by Pleistocene glaciation that created tarns like Lake Dobson and Lake Seal. Surrounding localities include Lake Pedder, Mount Field township, and the Florentine Valley; regional infrastructure links include the Lyell Highway, Gordon River Road and access routes from Hobart, New Norfolk and the Huon Valley. Geological studies reference Cambrian sedimentary strata, Jurassic dolerite intrusions common to Tasmania and Quaternary glacial deposits similar to those on the Central Plateau and the West Coast Range.
European exploration of the area involved early surveyors, timber workers and miners operating out of Hobart and New Norfolk during the 19th century; Indigenous Tasmanian peoples including Palawa had prior connections to the land. Conservation momentum that led to the 1916 gazettal involved advocacy by naturalists, bushwalking clubs and colonial institutions such as the Royal Society of Tasmania, alongside evolving policy from the Tasmanian Government and federal interest in World Heritage nomination. The park’s expansion and designation reflect interactions with organisations including the Australian National Parks and Wildlife Service, UNESCO committees reviewing the Tasmanian Wilderness nomination, and heritage assessments influenced by researchers from the University of Tasmania and the CSIRO.
Vegetation assemblages range from temperate rainforest dominated by myrtles and sassafras to subalpine moorland and alpine herbfields studied by botanists from the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens, University of Tasmania, and the Australian National Herbarium. Old-growth Nothofagus and Eucalyptus delegatensis stands provide habitat for fauna such as the Tasmanian devil, Bennett’s wallaby and the endemic Tasmanian pademelon; avifauna includes species surveyed by BirdLife Australia and local birding groups like the Tasmanian Bird Observers Club. Aquatic ecosystems in tarns and streams sustain invertebrates researched by the Australian Museum and freshwater ecologists, while mycologists and lichenologists document cryptic fungal and lichen species. Threats include invasive species addressed by the Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment and disease pressures monitored by veterinary teams and biosecurity units.
Key visitor attractions include Russell Falls, Horseshoe Falls, Lady Barron Falls and the Lake Dobson plateau promoted by Tasmanian tourism agencies and local visitor centres in Maydena and New Norfolk. Facilities include day-use picnic areas, boardwalks, interpretive signage developed with contributions from Heritage Tasmania and capital works funded through state budget allocations and community groups such as bushwalking clubs. Accommodation options nearby range from Hobart hotels and New Norfolk bed-and-breakfasts to alpine huts and managed campsites overseen by the Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service. Guided tours are offered by private operators, outdoor education programs from schools and university field courses, and events coordinated with organisations like the Australian Geographic Society.
Management frameworks combine statutory instruments under Tasmanian environmental legislation, World Heritage obligations via UNESCO oversight, and regional plans involving the Tasmanian Land Conservancy and Nature Conservation Council of Tasmania. Active conservation measures include feral animal control coordinated with the Invasive Species Council, habitat restoration funded by government grants and NGOs, and long-term monitoring by researchers from the University of Tasmania, CSIRO and museums. Fire management strategies integrate practices advised by the Tasmania Fire Service and historical fire ecology research, while cultural heritage programs engage Palawa communities and heritage agencies to protect archaeological values. Climate change adaptation planning aligns with scientific assessments by the Antarctic Climate & Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre and national biodiversity strategies.
Popular activities include bushwalking on tracks like the Tall Trees Walk and the Lake Dobson circuit, photography workshops run by professional photographers and clubs, birdwatching with groups such as BirdLife Tasmania, and winter snow activities on alpine plateaus promoted by outdoor centres and university clubs. Educational fieldwork is carried out by the University of Tasmania, Australian National University field schools and secondary school outdoor education programs. Adventure operators coordinate with regulatory bodies for safety and concession arrangements, while volunteer groups including Landcare and local bushcare teams support track maintenance and revegetation projects.
Category:National parks of Tasmania Category:Protected areas established in 1916