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| Tasmanian Central Highlands | |
|---|---|
| Name | Central Highlands (Tasmania) |
| State | Tasmania |
| Coordinates | 42°S 146°E |
| Area km2 | 5000 |
| Population | sparse |
| Nearest city | Hobart, Launceston |
| Notable | Great Lake (Tasmania), Cradle Mountain–Lake St Clair National Park, Walls of Jerusalem National Park |
Tasmanian Central Highlands The Tasmanian Central Highlands is a large upland plateau in central Tasmania characterized by extensive lakes, alpine plains and subalpine plateaux. The region lies inland from Hobart and Launceston and forms a core of Tasmania’s World Heritage and conservation landscape that includes parts of Cradle Mountain–Lake St Clair National Park, Walls of Jerusalem National Park and the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. It connects hydrologically and ecologically to river systems such as the Derwent River (Tasmania), Nive River, and South Esk River while intersecting routes like the Lyell Highway and Mersey Forest Road.
The Central Highlands sits between Derwent Valley (Tasmania), Ouse, Tasmania, and the Central Plateau (Tasmania) margins, adjacent to features like Great Lake (Tasmania), Arthurs Lake (Tasmania), and Brontë-era named features such as Mount Field National Park outskirts. Major access points link to Derwent Bridge, Tasmania, Miena, Tasmania, Deloraine, Tasmania and Mole Creek. Hydrologically the plateau feeds catchments flowing to the Derwent River (Tasmania), the Tamar River through tributaries to the South Esk River, and westward streams joining the King River (Tasmania). The region’s transport connections include the Midlands Highway (Tasmania), the Lyell Highway, and secondary roads towards Lake St Clair and Dove Lake. Surrounding localities and administrative areas include Central Highlands Council (Tasmania), Meander Valley Council, and parts of the West Coast Council.
The highlands are underlain by palaeozoic and Permian sediments, with dolerite columns and scree slopes characteristic of nearby ranges such as Mount Olympus (Tasmania), Cradle Mountain, and Barn Bluff. Glacial and periglacial processes left cirques and moraines evident at Lake St Clair (Tasmania), Dove Lake, and in the basins now occupied by Great Lake (Tasmania). Geological mapping links to formations recognized in the Tasman Fold Belt and outcrops comparable with those at Freycinet Peninsula and Cape Portland. Elevations range from plateau basins near Miena to peaks like Mount Ossa (Tasmania) and Ben Lomond (Tasmania) proximate high points, forming drainage divides that influence the Derwent River (Tasmania) and South Esk River catchments.
The Central Highlands experiences a cool temperate to alpine climate influenced by the Roaring Forties, with frequent snowfall at higher elevations such as Cradle Mountain and Ben Lomond (Tasmania). Precipitation feeds storages like Great Lake (Tasmania), Arthurs Lake (Tasmania), and the hydroelectric networks of Hydro Tasmania, including schemes connected to Nive River and Derwent River (Tasmania). Temperature and wind patterns relate to large-scale systems such as the Southern Ocean storm tracks and the El Niño–Southern Oscillation influence, while seasonal thaw and freeze cycles shape peatland hydrology in areas comparable to Peatlands of Scotland analogues. The highlands form headwaters for rivers including Nive River, Ouse River (Tasmania), and tributaries feeding the South Esk River and Derwent River (Tasmania), with numerous man-made impoundments altering flows.
The Central Highlands supports alpine and subalpine communities emblematic of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, including endemic flora such as King Billy pine, Athrotaxis selaginoides, and cushion plants found near Cradle Mountain–Lake St Clair National Park and Walls of Jerusalem National Park. Fauna includes specialists like the Tasmanian devil, spotted-tail quoll, eastern quoll, platypus, and cold-adapted populations of galaxiid fishes in lakes and tarns such as Great Lake (Tasmania) and Arthurs Lake (Tasmania). Threatened species and communities include heathlands, buttongrass moorlands analogous to Buttongrass moorland (Tasmania) classifications, and endemic alpine invertebrates studied by institutions like the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery and universities such as the University of Tasmania. Invasive species concerns mirror national issues involving feral cats, red fox surveillance efforts, and introduced herbivores comparable to European rabbit impacts elsewhere in Tasmania.
The plateau lies within lands traditionally used by Tasmanian Aboriginal nations such as the Big River (Tasmania) and North Midlands tribe connections, with archaeological and cultural ties comparable to those detailed for Tasmanian Aboriginal cultural heritage across sites like Crescent Bay (Tasmania) and Cape Portland. European exploration and colonial activities involved figures and events such as early surveys by parties linked to Van Diemen's Land mapping, the era of George Bass and Matthew Flinders coastal exploration providing broader context, and subsequent 19th–20th century developments including hydroelectric projects by entities later incorporated into Hydro Tasmania. Historical land uses included pastoral activities centered on localities like Miena, Tasmania, trout fisheries associated with anglers from Hobart and Launceston, and infrastructure projects tied to names such as Wellington Range and hydroelectric installations that reshaped lake levels and shorelines.
Land tenure in the Central Highlands includes protected areas like Cradle Mountain–Lake St Clair National Park, Walls of Jerusalem National Park, and parts of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, alongside private holdings, state forests such as Mersey Forest, and hydroelectric catchments managed by Hydro Tasmania. Conservation frameworks reference listings and policies developed by agencies including the Parks and Wildlife Service (Tasmania) and heritage recognition under national mechanisms similar to listings held at the Australian Heritage Council. Land management balances objectives from biodiversity protection to water supply for hydroelectricity and irrigation, invoking partnerships with community groups such as angling clubs in Miena and research programs at the University of Tasmania and the Australian Antarctic Division for palaeoclimate insights.
The Central Highlands is a destination for trout anglers traveling from Melbourne, Sydney, Hobart, and Launceston to waters like Great Lake (Tasmania), Arthurs Lake (Tasmania), and river beats on the Nive River. Walkers and mountaineers visit trails in Cradle Mountain–Lake St Clair National Park, the circuit around Dove Lake, and alpine huts managed by clubs such as the Bushwalking Club of Victoria and local branches of the Federation of Australian Historical Societies-affiliated groups. Winter and snow enthusiasts utilize slopes near Ben Lomond (Tasmania) and access roads from Deloraine, Tasmania and Derwent Bridge, Tasmania, while birdwatchers and naturalists observe species documented by organizations like the Tasmanian Field Naturalists Club and conservation NGOs including the Australian Conservation Foundation. Tourism services are provided by small operators based in Miena, Tasmania, Cradle Mountain Village, and Deloraine, Tasmania supporting eco-tourism, guided fishing, and cultural heritage tours.
Category:Regions of Tasmania Category:Highlands of Australia