Cradle MountainYour free eMagazine from CradleMountain.net

WINTER 2011

image: adam Holbrook - Wilderness Photography of tasmania

Welcome to a chilly Winter at Cradle Mountain.net

as snow starts to settle in the higher reaches of tasmania and across the national Park, visitors are enjoying a winter wonderland at Cradle Mountain. Snow started in mid May and continues to blanket the area.

Winter is a great time to eat warming meals and what better than ethically produced meat? read all about Mount Gnoman Farm where Guy and eliza care for some very happy pigs and produce fantastic goods which are available across australia.

Fall in love with Liffey Falls, a must see among the many must see waterfalls in tasmania. the sculptures at the car park are even stunning.

the photo of the edition is a brilliant sunrise taken on the edge of the Park at lake Ball. this stunning shot, by Matthias Siegel, will take your breathe away.

You can also win three pairs of Injinji toe socks by entering our very simple competition. Valued at around $100, these socks have to be seen to be believed.

Finally, the quiz of the edition is “What bird is that?” - most aussies will get them easily but it may be a challenge for overseas folk. don’t forget to click and listen to the calls!

enjoy this edition of Winter, there is lots more inside.

Welcome to Cradle Mountain Bushwalking? What’s that?think hiking, backpacking, tramping or thru hiking. in australia we call it bushwalking and it usually means heading off into the “bush” for, well, a walk! usually it is for a few days and usually somewhere off the beaten track.

tasmania is a bushwalking mecca. People travel from across australia and, in fact the world,to explore many of the tracks. For example, around 8000 people each year enjoy the overland track which starts at Cradle Mountain.

over at Parks and Wildlife Service tasmania there is a really useful video package - Bushwalking in tasmania - the basics Well produced, interesting and highlighting spectacular wilderness, this is recommended viewing for anyone thinking of tackling one of tasmania’s Great Bushwalks.

even if you’re not planning a trip, the video is worth a peek as you get to explore the tasmanian Wilderness from your computer screen.

New oN CradleMouNtaiN.NetGreat reads for the new season! Click on any article below to read more...

KEEp WARM As you ENjoy ThE WIldERNEss

tasmania, and of course, Cradle Mountain, is a terrific place to explore, even for a short stay, and yes, even in cold and wintry weather. Visitor numbers are reduced and many hotels offer special deals. the scenery is often magnificent with snow capped mountains and frozen tarns.

to make the most of your visit, a small amount of advanced preparation will keep you warm and toasty as you explore the national Park.

dressing for warmth is the key, and layering the answer. layering your clothing means rather than throwing on a cotton t-shirt and woolly jumper, you wear two, three or even four items. each layer acts as a pocket that traps air between them creating thermal insulation (i.e. warm air) it is the best way to keep warm and dry as you explore the area or just pop out of your hotel to see some native animals.

to read more about what clothes should you take on a holiday to tasmania in the colder months check out the article below. it includes links off to some other great ideas.

Just a reminder, until the 30th September you can save up to 22% off the standard nightly rate at Cradle Mountain lodge with their Winter wonderland package. Click here to check availability at Cradle Mountain lodge , these specials often disappear quickly.

Good Reads

thanks to adam for providing the cover image for Winter @ Cradlemountain.net. it is a classic shot of snow, autumnal Fagus leaves and a fallen gum. Just what you would see around Cradle Mountain and tasmania in winter.

adam Holbrook currently has the following exhibitions and displays of his photography at venues throughout the state.

at Barringwood Park Vineyard, halfway between devonport and Sheffield, 16 framed images are displayed. Following on from his successful exhibition of images from the southwest corner of tasmania, a new display portraying a spectrum of wilderness images from his extensive portfolio opens to the public on 28th May 2011. Barringwood Park Vineyard have a range of multi-award winning wines. the quality of this little known wine region is evident at Barringwood Park and a hidden gem, popular with the locals for good reason.

a display portraying over 30 images featuring “abstract in Wilderness” can be seen at tapas lounge Bar in the rooke Street Mall, devonport. tapas lounge Bar is a licenced venue offering great food, and a real highlight is the live music. So if you’ve got some time to spare in devonport, take the opportunity to grab a bite, groove to the beats, and enjoy the gallery too.

at etC Bakery in elizabeth town, over 30 captivating images of tasmanian wilderness can be seen by visiting their upstairs gallery. this popular café on the highway 25 minutes from devonport is a great place to stop for a rest and a bite to eat, so don’t miss the opportunity to see the gallery as well.

of course, all photos are for sale, and custom orders are catered for.

Stay tuned to adam’s website for updates to his list of exhibitions.

adam HolbrookWilderness Photography of tasmania

Fall in love with Liffey Fallstasmania has a lot of amazing waterfalls, but perhaps none are more stunning than liffey Falls. the falls are set in the liffey Falls State reserve, east of Cradle Mountain, off the Highland lakes rd 30km from deloraine. Surrounded by lush temperate rainforest, liffey Falls flows all year round.

once you’re there, you have the option of following one of two tracks, the upper track will take you past a number of waterfalls over 45 minutes with the cascading liffey Falls as the prize for your effort.

alternatively, if you have 2-3 hours and feel like a challenge, continue walking past the falls along the path of an old logging tramway to Gulf road and enjoy panoramic views of drys Bluff, just remember your water proof hiking boots.

if hiking isn’t your thing, liffey Falls State reserve is home to eucalyptus obliqua or tasmanian Hardwood trees which tower above the park at up to 50m tall and sit just meters from the car park. a variety of tasmanian native birdlife including pink robins, green rosellas and fairy-wrens and many of aquatic animals call the liffey river home.

Picnic facilities, including barbeques and toilets, are provided near the main car park so you can enjoy a relaxing lunch before or after your hike to the falls. if you choose to hike through to Gulf road, toilet and picnic facilities are also available there.

if you’re looking for a day trip out of launceston or devonport, liffey Falls should definitely be on your list of things to see.

Photo: Samantha Kotz

Photo: loraine Phelan

phoTo of ThE EdITIoN laKe Ball at daWn

Congratulations to Matthias Siegel for capturing this brilliant early morning shot. Matthias recently hiked from lake St Clair in the southern part of the Cradle Mountain lake St Clair national Park to the Walls of Jerusalem. this area is part of the tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage area of 1.38 million hectares (about 3.46 million acres) that is almost a fifth of the whole State!

taken with a Sony Slt-a55V camera it is a brilliant capture of light and colour.

to read about this fantastic bushwalking trip, head over to Matt down under and enjoy his articles about this eight day adventure.

You can check out more of Matthias’ images on his Flickr stream He is currently travelling in Central australia and uploading some beautiful images of his travels. Well worth a peek!

Wessex Saddleback is a heritage pig breed that produces juicy, flavoursome pork. it’s a slow-growing pig, not suited to intensive farming, and reminds people of how pork “used to taste”. the Wessex Saddleback is critically endangered, and while it might sound a bit strange, it’s important to eat their bacon to save their bacon. Without demand for the meat, the breed is at risk of extinction.

Farmers Guy Robertson and eliza Wood run their happy pigs on rich red soil bordered by the pristine bushland of the dial range at Penguin. the pigs are free to graze lush north-west tasmanian pasture, and drink the fresh water that runs off Mount Gnomon.

Guy and eliza are passionate about preserving the genetic diversity of the world’s plants and animals. as well as breeding Wessex Saddlebacks, they keep Shropshire sheep, traditional dairy Shorthorn cattle, Scottish Highland cattle and various rare breeds of poultry.

Wessex Saddleback pork is a versatile meat that is available year-round and suited to both fresh cuts and cured products such as ham and bacon.

A trAditionAl style meAt produced At the foot of penguin’s diAl rAnge

You can find Mount Gnomon Farm at the Burnie and devonport farmers’ markets and evandale market. By “liking” Mount Gnomon Farm on their Facebook page you can find out when they will next be at the markets.

You can also try some of our ham at:

• delish Fine Foods, Wivenhoe

• alps and amici, east launceston

• ut Si Café, Perth

• Hill Street Grocer, West Hobart

Mount Gnomon Farm free-range Wessex Saddleback pork is available in restaurants in tasmania, Melbourne and Sydney that are committed to sourcing ethically-produced meat.

You can find out the latest news from the farm at the website.

Follow us on Facebook or twitter @mountgnomonfarm

PeteR doMbRovskIs - WILdeRness PhotoGRaPheRCan you remember the battle to stop the construction of the Gordon-below-Franklin hydro-electric dam in south west tasmanian in 1982-3?

do you remember the brilliant photograph by Peter dombrovskis, Morning Mist, rock island Bend taken in the lower reaches of the wild Franklin river used during the 1983 Federal election?

dombrovskis, is a legendary tasmanian wilderness photographer and until July 31st, the tasmanian Museum and art Galley have on offer an exhibition about his work - finding the mysterious and unknowable.

For more details head over to their website.

national library of australia

What bIRd Is that?1

2

3 5

4

Most australian’s won’t be stumped by this quiz but for overseas readers it may be a challenge!

tasmania is brilliant location to photograph australian native bird life. the trick is to use a great camera lens and lots of patience. We have selected five different birds for you to identify.

thanks to Matthias Siegel for sharing these delightful images.

CheCk your answers on the last page!

We all know tasmania is renowned for wilderness, great beaches and intriguing convict history. there is a huge assortment of activities available where you can leave the driving and navigating to someone else and sit back and enjoy being a tourist!

We have selected a small sample of activities that may “tickle your fancy” during a tasmanian holiday. So, click to find out more and enjoy!

What Will We do today?

Photo: Steve Cadman

Photo: Grant Williamson

Photo: helti

Photo: don Shearman

Win inJinJi toe soCksthese weird looking socks are brilliant for hikers, bushwalkers, runners and anyone into adventure sport. in fact they are perfect for a long day hike around the national park.

With a high tech design, they help to reduce blisters and keep your feet comfortable.

thanks to injinji australia you can win 3 pairs by entering a simple competition.

up for grabs are two pairs of the Mini Crew (Large) and one pair of small outdoor quarters - total value around $100.

Win With CraDLe Mountain!

in 1999, two brothers set out to redesign the basic structure and shape of the regular sock. What is their surname?

the Question

To enter, find the answer on the injinji website and email it to competitions@cradlemountain.net. the competition closes on Friday 22nd July 2011 at midnight with one correct answer randomly drawn from the entries. The winner will be notified by email.

Which shot would you prefer to show your friends?

taking great images can be an art, there is no question. But without understanding how your camera works you are already limited in achieving the goal of producing terrific images each and every time.

look closely at the two pictures of Cradle Mountain on this page. the one on the left is a quick snap we took a while back. it’s a bit dull, boring and well, flat. it is like one of hundreds of pictures of Cradle Mountain taken each day.

now, the one on the right is a bit different. look at the use of light, composition and spectacular colours. it is a classic Cradle Mountain shot!

toniFish may have got lucky with a magnificent day at Cradle Mountain. the shot is probably one in one thousand. the weather was perfect, no wind, a great reflection and perfect sprinkling of snow! a fine example of great yet simple photography.

We have been working on improving our photography. understanding our digital camera and all its functions is the first goal. We are after great images every time our camera is in action. often there is only one chance to take a great shot.

one terrific resource we have been using is Photo nuts and Bolts: Know Your Camera and take Better Photos. darren rowse at digital Photography School developed this terrific guide with neil Creek, a aussie professional photographer.

rather than taking up space here, if you want to really know your camera, click here for more information on the eBook. By the way, over 500 people like this guide on Facebook so they must be doing something right!

Which shot Would you prefer to shoW to your friends?

Keep your eye out for the next edition…the next edition, late Winter, will be delivered in late July.

in between editions, check out Cradle Mountain tasmania on Facebook. there is a growing community of people who

enjoy Cradle Mountain and all things tasmania.

drop by and share your stories and pictures of your adventures at Cradle with the world.

advertise on Cradlemountain.netif you are interested in reaching fantastic people who are passionate about the outdoors, adventure travel, Cradle Mountain and tasmania, we would love to hear from you. Contact Frank@cradlemountain.net , and let’s have a chat.

Quiz answersWhICh BIRd Is ThAT?

1. eastern rosella - Platycercus eximius - these colourful natives are a beautiful sight to enjoy when visiting tasmania.

2. Ground Parrot - Pezoporus wallicus - this secretive bird prefers buttongrass and open heathlands and will surprise walkers by flying quickly ahead at low levels when disturbed.

3. laughing Kookaburra - dacelo novaeguineae - a common bird in tasmania with a fantastic laugh! Check out this video and enjoy!

4. Galah - eolophus roseicapilla - these crazy birds are quite common across most of australia. For more information and to listen to their call visit Birds australia

5. Green rosella - Platycercus caledonicus - australia’s largest rosella is common in tasmania. You can listen to it’s call by clicking here.

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